Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
(
www.mercattours.com
;
adult/child £10/5)
Mercat offers a wide range of fascinating
tours, including history walks in the Old Town and Leith, 'Ghosts & Ghouls' tours and
visits to haunted underground vaults.
Rebus Tours
(
www.rebustours.com
; adult/student £10/9)
Tours of the 'hidden Edinburgh' frequented
by novelist Ian Rankin's fictional detective, John Rebus. Not recommended for children
under 10.
WALKING TOUR
Trainspotting Tours
(
www.leithwalks.co.uk
;
per person £8)
A tour of locations from Irvine Welsh's notorious
1993 novel
Trainspotting,
delivered with wit and enthusiasm. Not suitable for kids.
WALKING TOUR
Festivals & Events
Edinburgh hosts an amazing number of festivals throughout the year, notably the Edin-
burgh International Festival, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and the Military Tattoo, which
are all held around the same time in August. Hogmanay, Scotland's New Year's celebra-
tions, is also a peak party time.
April
Edinburgh International Science Festival
(
www.sciencefestival.co.uk
)
First held in 1987, it hosts a wide range of events, including
talks, lectures, exhibitions, demonstrations, guided tours and interactive experiments de-
signed to stimulate, inspire and challenge. From dinosaurs to ghosts to alien life forms,
there's something to interest everyone. The festival runs over two weeks.
SCIENCE FESTIVAL
May
Imaginate Festival
(
www.imaginate.org.uk
)
This is Britain's biggest festival of performing arts for children,
with events suitable for kids from three to 12. Groups from around the world perform
classic tales like
Hansel and Gretel
, as well as new material written specially for children.
The festival takes place annually in the last week of May.
ARTS FESTIVAL
