Edinburgh - Nightlife

Join the glitterati on George Street, or enjoy a dram of whisky on the Royal Mile. In Edinburgh you’re never far from a pub, as there are over 700 in the city.

The variety of smart and fashionable bars on George Street is unsurpassed in the city as a place to see and be seen. If sipping chic cocktails in your glad rags is what you’re looking for then this is the place to be.

Not traditionally visited by people when they are looking for an evening out, Leith now has a thriving nightlife. In the summer it is possible to enjoy an al-fresco drink in one of the area’s traditional pubs or buzzing wine bars.

The number of lively pubs in The Grassmarket makes it a staple on the Edinburgh scene and particularly popular with visitors. The pubs may not be on the cutting-edge, but the crowd are up for it and the drinks are plentiful.

Although Edinburgh is split into distinct areas, it is possible to do it all in one night. Why not start with a cocktail on George Street move up to the Royal Mile for something more traditional, then head to a club on the Cowgate? All within walking distance of each other, this is the best way to sample the city with its hair down.

Pubs stay open until 1am every night of the week, but often shut earlier depending on custom. It is possible to find a pub that is open around the clock due to the city’s eccentric licensing laws.

Enjoy the steep climb up Arthur’s Seat accompanied by 500 Miles by The Proclaimers. Get ready for a night on the tiles to Franz Ferdinand’s Take Me Out. Or take a boat trip in the Firth of Forth with the Victorian shanty, the Skye Boat Song.