Edinburgh - Prepare

Edinburgh’s famous haar (a very heavy sea mist) can strike throughout summer, so pack some warm clothes along with your festival tickets when visiting in August.

Visit in April to get spooked at Dead by Dawn, Scotland’s international horror film festival. The city is transformed each August when it hosts the Edinburgh International Festival, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Edinburgh International Book Festival and the oldest continually running International Film Festival in the world. In September, check out the Edinburgh Mela, a celebration of the traditions of local Asian communities. Join the biggest New Year party in Britain at Hogmanay.

New Year's Day (actually the first two non-weekend days of the year), Good Friday (Mar/Apr), Easter Monday (Mar/Apr), May Day Bank Holiday, Whitsun Bank Holiday (May), August Bank Holiday, Christmas Day (25 Dec), Boxing Day (26 Dec).

If you love singing in the rain after your whisky, the months between November and February are the wettest, and the thermometer nudges freezing from December to February. April is known for its showers, while the summer months are generally dry if cool (12-22°C). Watch out for the infamous haar, a surprisingly cold mist that can creep up Leith Walk from the sea in the summer.

240V AC, 50 Hz, three-pin plugs are standard.

+44 (national), (0) 131 + seven-figure number (Edinburgh).

Pound sterling (£) is the currency.

GMT precisely (+1 in summertime).

Edinburgh (Visit Scotland) website

The kilt is making a comeback in fashionable Scottish circles. Choose one in black or denim as opposed to the traditional tartan for extra kudos, but leave the bagpipes at home – they’re still predominantly for tourists.