Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
And the Festival always ends with some
awe-inspiring fireworks and a concert in
Princes Street Gardens. Do make any hotel
or overnight reservations as far as possible
in advance if you plan to be in Edinburgh
anytime between the end of July and the
first week of September.
The International Festival box office is at
the Hub, Castle Hill (
&
0131/473-2000;
www.
eif.co.uk). The Fringe is based in 180 High St.
(
&
0131/226-0000;
www.edfringe.com).
Information on all the festivals is found
at
www.edinburghfestivals.co.uk.
Ticket
prices vary for Festival, Fringe, and other
shows or events. Some Fringe perfor-
mances are free, but expect to pay £5 to
£15 for most of them. The International
Festival is pricier: £10-£50. The Topic Festi-
val admission is about £5-£10. For Jazz &
Blues shows, tickets are around £10-£15.
The Tattoo is more expensive: £15-£50—
and again shows sell out in advance.
8
Hogmanay
New Year's Day in Scotland is historically a bigger deal than Christ-
mas, and Edinburgh now hosts one of the largest New Year's Eve parties on the
planet. In Scotland, the festivities traditionally don't really even begin until the clock
strikes midnight (the “bells”), and then the celebration can continue until daybreak.
In 1993, the Edinburgh City Council began a 3-day festival that features rock and
pop bands, street theater, a lively parade, and, of course, spectacular fireworks over
the castle. By 1997, the event had become so big that participation is reserved for
ticket holders. Storms, however, have been known to lead to cancelations as all of it
is held outdoors. For information, visit
www.edinburghshogmanay.com.
Military Tattoo
Occurring at approximately the same time as the Festival, this is
one of the more popular traditional spectacles. It features precision marching of not
only Scottish regiments but also soldiers and performers (including bands, drill teams,
and gymnasts) from dozens of countries on the floodlit esplanade of Edinburgh Castle.
The Tattoo Office, 32 Market St.
&
0131/225-1188.
www.edinburgh-tattoo.co.uk. Ticket prices vary
(£13-£44); advance reservations essential.
SPORTS & OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
Spectator Sports
FOOTBALL (SOCCER)
You might get swept up by the zeal that some residents have for their local football
clubs:
Hearts
and
Hibs.
Heart of Midlothian Football Club (just Hearts or occa-
sionally the Jambos) home field is Tynecastle stadium on Gorgie Road (
&
0131/
200-7201;
www.heartsfc.co.uk), near Haymarket railway station. Hibernian FC (sim-
ply Hibs or sometimes Hibbies) play at Easter Road stadium, toward Leith (
&
0131/661-
2159;
www.hibs.co.uk). These cross-town rivals, when not battling each other in
the Edinburgh Derby, take on other teams in the top-flight Scottish soccer league.
The season usually runs from August through May, and traditional playing time is
Saturday afternoon at 3pm, although mid-week evenings and Sunday matches
(which begin a bit after noon) are now common. Tickets range from £10 to £50.
HORSE RACING
Place your bets at the
Musselburgh Racecourse,
Musselburgh Park (
&
0131/665-
2083;
www.musselburgh-racecourse.co.uk), about 6.5km (4 miles) east of Edin-
burgh. Admission is £15 to £20.
