There is a particular kind of Edinburgh evening that does not get written about enough. It starts with a table on Broughton Street sometime around half past five. A drink while you look at the menu. Food that arrives at the right pace and leaves you satisfied but not heavy. A walk up the hill to the Playhouse in time to find your seats without rushing. Two hours of something that stays with you. And then, if the evening is going well, the walk back down again to somewhere war

Every August, Edinburgh becomes a different city. The population roughly doubles. Every spare room in a ten mile radius is rented out to a comedian, a theatre troupe, or a solo performer who has been working on their show for two years and is quietly terrified. The Royal Mile turns into a parade of flyering, shouting, singing and general theatrical desperation. Cowgate stays open until four in the morning. And scattered across every church hall, basement, converted car park a

Most visitors to Edinburgh spend their time on the Royal Mile, Princes Street and George Street. All three are worth your time. But if you want to understand what Edinburgh actually feels like to the people who live here, you need to come further down into the New Town and find Broughton Street. Broughton Street runs northeast from the heart of Edinburgh's Georgian New Town down towards Leith Walk, and it has a character that is entirely its own. Independent businesses, a str

Edinburgh has a weekend reputation that is entirely justified. The city fills up on Friday and Saturday with visitors, locals out for special occasions, and the kind of energy that makes it one of the best nights out in the UK. Everyone knows about that version of Edinburgh. What fewer people talk about is how good this city can be on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday evening. Quieter, more personal, easier to get a table, and often significantly better value. The venues that