Hello and welcome back to the Hotelbook.com podcast. In just a couple of weeks, one of the United Kingdom’s most historic cities will be transformed and overrun by creative and innovative thespians, entertainers, comedians and artists. This is the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Back in 1947 the Fringe started life with the aim of re-uniting post-war Europe through a cultural festival. The concept captured the imaginations of performers from across the continent. Almost 60 years old, the Fringe Festival has grown into a huge event in the lives of many performers. In fact, to see all the performances this year, you would have to find 5 years, 11 months and 16 days of free time. That’s a little over a year and a half of theatre, over a year of comedy and a year of music.
With such a wide range of performances to see, from comedy to serious drama, visitors can find something to suit every taste. The Fringe has also developed quite a reputation for its rebellious streak. In fact, the Fringe organisers refuse to censor any of the acts; instead it is left to the police, city council, critics, press and public to attempt to prevent certain acts from performing. However with so many venues to choose from, it’s easy for a troupe to find a stage and take its audience with them! One time, a company putting on a racy performance of Lady Chatterley’s Lover was famously assigned a stage in a Catholic Church Hall – after much scandal and press coverage, the troupe were more than happy to switch to a neighbouring venue. Another act involved a Slovenian group whose main prop was the extensive use of fire both on stage and off; it took three performances before the safety officer closed the show.
Last year the Fringe sold more than 1.3 million tickets. And already tickets are selling fast for the 2006 Festival. You can get your tickets right now by calling the box office on +44 (0)131 226 0000. You can also get tickets online via the official Web site at edfringe.com. And here’s a tip: check out the tickets for 13th August, when for one night only, the historic Edinburgh castle will open its doors to the artists.
Even though you’re visiting for the fringe and all the entertainment and acts on offer, don’t forget that you’re also in one of the most beautiful historic cities in the world. Anyone who has immersed themselves in Harry Potter’s world, will certainly feel at home in Edinburgh. After all, Edinburgh is home to JK Rowling – and it’s easy to see how the city inspired the world of Hogwarts, with the castle set high on the hill and the open lawns as inspiration for the quidditch field. Be sure to also take a trip back in time by exploring the castle and strolling down the Royal Mile to The Palace of Holyrood House; one of the official residences of the Royal Family.
For the duration of the Festival, Edinburgh will be filled with visitors and performers looking for great food and drinks. Thankfully the city provides both in large measure. You’ll find a city packed full of great bars and restaurants competing to become your new favorite. The city’s history still manages to put in an appearance at venues like The Dome. The Dome is one of the most stylish bars in Edinburgh, set inside a rather grandiose former bank where you can sip a martini under the vaulted cupola surrounded by marble columns. For great food, check out The Witchery (TheWitchery.com), and enjoy your dinner in the intimate wood panelled dining rooms of this ancient restaurant right next to the castle.
Edinburgh has a fine selection of hotels and accommodation for you to choose from. But be warned, if you plan on visiting the city during the Festival make sure that you book as soon as possible. Rooms are currently still available via Hotelbook.com to suit a wide variety of locations and budgets.
The first hotel we recommend is the Apex City Edinburgh. It’s a 4-star hotel with a modern interior, located in the historic Grassmarket right in the center of the Old Town. You’ll find yourself just moments away from many of the key venues for the festival, not to mention the bars and restaurants.
You might also like to try Le Monde Edinburgh. Le Monde opened its doors in April with just 18 suites. The hotel won the Design Hotel of the Year award this year; each suite is different and styled according to a different city. Sleep in a Moroccan inspired turret or a New York Loft, the choice is yours.
And finally, we also recommend a slightly different flavor of hotel. Most of the hotels in Edinburgh have chosen to embrace their history and heritage. However, the Edinburgh Glasshouse Hotel has managed to combine history with modern boutique hotel design. You enter the hotel through the façade of a former church, just a five-minute walk from Princes Street and shopping. Most of the rooms have their own terraces for you to enjoy the sun. (Speaking of which, the weather forecast for Edinburgh this August is very good.) The Glasshouse Hotel also has a delightful rooftop bar with views over the city.
Getting to and from Edinburgh is remarkably easy; the airport is just 10 minutes from the city, and the mainline train station is right in the city center. Edinburgh is reachable from London in a few hours on the new high-speed rail link; so if you’re visiting London you could make a trip up to Scotland for just a few days.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this episode of the Hotelbook.com podcast; for more information about the sites and links to the hotels visit blog.hotelbook.com.
Edinburgh is remarkably a great place. Because of its castles are palaces and of course, it's historical churches that attract people to come and visit Edinburgh. If only I have the chance to go, I'll definitely grab that chance and stay there for good.
Posted by: | October 24, 2009 at 08:29 AM
The city is affectionately nicknamed Auld Reekie (Scots for Old Smoky), because when buildings were heated by coal and wood fires, chimneys would spew thick columns of smoke into the air. The colloquial pronunciation "Embra" or "Embro" has also been used as in Robert Garioch's Embro to the Ploy.
Posted by: | December 16, 2009 at 03:45 PM