Exploring Edinburgh by Night

While Edinburgh’s day tours show off the city’s rich history and architecture, their renowned ghost tours let you discover its mysterious and intriguing past in an all new light. Black Heart Entertainment’s City of the Dead tours take you into Covenanter’s Prison and through to Greyfriar’s Cemetery, home to the well-documented Mackenzie Poltergeist – thought to be responsible for many ghostly encounters and unexplainable happenings.

As home to the world’s largest arts festival, Edinburgh’s theatrical past and contributions to the arts cannot be overstated. Regarded as one of Scotland’s most important theatres, King’s Theatre is a classic example of Edinburgh’s cultural impact and importance across the UK. More than 100 years after first opening its doors, it still plays host to some of the country’s biggest acts and best evening entertainment.

If your idea of a good night out involves taking in the atmosphere of a good bar and sampling local drinks, then BrewDog’s Edinburgh bar is one to try. The Scottish brewers have repeatedly held the title for “the world’s strongest beer” and in 2010 created a beer called “The End of History”, which boasted a 55% ABV alcoholic content. The bar itself has a relaxed ambiance, good food and a wide selection of craft beers to try throughout your evening.

In such a vibrant city there are plenty of places to find good music, but none other like the much celebrated Jazz Bar, which fills the airwaves with the sounds of jazz masters, powering on into the wee small hours. Live acts can be found here seven nights a week, usually with multiple acts on each day so there’s always something happening to entertain.

The Stand Comedy Club is something of a legend in comedy circles within Edinburgh. While many famous comedians can be found at the Fringe, you’ll often find up-and-coming performers, along with a few recognisable favourites taking to the stage, with the venue having played hosts to such big names as Billy Connolly, Frankie Boyle and Kevin Bridges.

Edinburgh can cater to your every desire with some of the country’s best restaurants nestled in its capital. There are many restaurants to choose from that provide traditional Scottish steak, salmon or haggis dishes, but the city also plays host to a number of superb world food eateries. Kim’s Mini Meals is a ‘can’t miss’ destination for home-cooked Korean food, but you can also find Thai, South African and Brazilian cuisine all in the same city.