Legacy Blog
Edinburgh Nightlife - Wondering where to go for the best night out?
Image courtesy of citril on flickr
Edinburgh is a beautiful place; a cultural smorgasbord of old and new, wild and refined. Full of stunning scenery and an array of enticing attractions, it’s unlikely you would ever find yourself at a loss for things to do during the day - but what about when the sun goes down? How is the Edinburgh nightlife?
Thankfully, as well as being one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, Edinburgh is also a fantastic city in which to hit the town and soak up the nightlife, which includes venues such as Cabaret Voltaire and The Hive. With a variety of bars and clubs on offer, there really is something for everyone; whether you’re after a quiet conversation over drinks or a raucous evening dancing in a dingy cellar to the latest chart anthems, Edinburgh has it covered.
All this variety can be confusing, however, and so it could prove useful to arm yourself with a bit of local know-how before you start slamming those shots. Edinburgh might be a relatively small and compact city when compared with its sprawling neighbour to the west, Glasgow - but it’s still a busy capital with more potentially perplexing nooks and crannies than your average grandmother’s attic. So, for your entertainment and instruction, here’s a brief rundown of Edinburgh’s brightest and most popular night spots.
The Royal Mile is probably one of Edinburgh’s most famous attractions: a bustling succession of streets teeming with history and tartan-clad nostalgia. It’s also a busy night-spot, however, and can be a great place to soak up the atmosphere of the city. This is especially true in the summer, when crowds swarm the streets and performers swallow swords, juggle knives and breathe fire up and down the length of the Mile. If you’re new to Edinburgh this is a great place to start acclimatising yourself to the so-called ‘Athens of the North’, and the myriad of bars all along its cobbled length provide plenty of variety.
Down a steep hill and almost directly beneath the Mile, the Cowgate area offers a rough-and-ready side to Edinburgh’s nightlife, with plenty of loud, boisterous bars and dingy cellars in which to dance the night away. Cabaret Voltaire (or ‘Cab Vol’ as it’s more commonly known) on Blair Street offers cutting-edge beats and up-and-coming DJs, as well as regular appearances from famous names spanning a variety of genres. As with most clubs, different nights offer different things; but if you’re after a blissful, sweaty night in a surprisingly chic cave-like venue, you can’t really get much better.
Speaking of caves, just a short walk away from Cabaret Voltaire you’ll find Niddry Street’s infamous The Hive, a favourite haunt of impoverished students and fresh-faced youngsters. It might not be everybody’s cup of tea, but the cramped archways and humid caverns that constitute The Hive’s interior make for an atmospheric and truly unruly night out. It’s also incomparably cheap, but be warned: if you’re anything over 25 you might feel a little bit like you've walked into a booze-drenched high school disco. Nothing kills a night out more than feeling like a worried parent at an increasingly unmanageable house party.
Wander just a few yards down from The Hive and you’ll stumble across The Banshee Labyrinth, supposedly the most haunted pub in Scotland and certainly one of the spookiest. Whatever the truth behind the ghostly tales, they are certainly easy to believe: the ‘underground vaults’ of the pub’s lower levels are soaked in a unnerving, eerie ambiance that is only increased by the clever use of moody lighting and the terrifying appearance of chains dangling from the ancient stone walls. Asides from ghosts and ghouls, The Banshee Labyrinth offers an eclectic mix of rooms, bars and night clubs, and even boasts a free cinema. It’s also open till 3am, providing an excellent alternative to more conventional clubs once Edinburgh’s other bars start closing for the night.
To the west of Cowgate lies Lothian Road, one of the main streets in Edinburgh and a veritable hub of after-hours activity. Bars and restaurants literally line the pavements here, but if you’re feeling adventurous it’s worth walking south up the road until you come to Lauriston Place. Just yards up this street you’ll find The Brauhaus, a deceptively small bar with an enormous selection of beers from around the world and a detailed drinks menu to match. It might be tricky finding a seat on weekends, but the sheer immensity of the choice on offer will soon help you forget all about those tired feet.
Back towards Cowgate and under the ominous shadow of Edinburgh Castle you’ll light on the Grassmarket, a large, historic square formerly used as a cattle market and site for public executions. Thankfully, times have changed, and now it’s just the publicans and bar owners that make a killing in the area (poor taste, I know, but I couldn’t resist). There are an assortment of bars and pubs here, and the outdoor seating available in warmer weather gives the square a thoroughly continental feel. Come evening the area is abuzz with activity and merriment, and many of the bars boast well-stocked cellars and large selections of ales and beers.
To the north of the city centre, the bars and clubs of George Street in Edinburgh’s New Town area cater for a more restrained crowd, although some venues still attract younger club-goers on certain week nights. On weekends the club entrance fees and drinks prices tend to be a little steeper, and so are wont to draw in young professionals and suited-and-booted twenty-something’s rather than the eternally cash-strapped student hordes.
If clubbing isn’t your thing and you just fancy a few drinks in an atmospheric location, George Street and the surrounding area provide in abundance. Bars like 99 Hanover Street are steeped in urban style and glamour, while nearby Rose Street offers a plethora of bars and pubs in which to sink a few pints. If you’re really planning to make a night of it, you could even accept the Rose Street Challenge and try and have a drink in every bar along the street from one end to the other (although, such a ridiculous contest is of course to be condemned, not to mention that it’s almost certainly impossible – and no, that isn’t a challenge).
Edinburgh’s nightlife certainly has a lot to offer, and this brief summation has of necessity only scraped the surface of the city’s many varied nocturnal attractions. What’s more, advice and instruction can only get you so far; the best way to tackle the capital city’s nightlife is just to get out there and try it for yourself. So, what are you waiting for? Grab your coat and your best pair of dancing shoes and head for the nearest bar, and then just see where the night takes you. Just watch your heels on those cobbled streets, and make sure you’ve got enough money for the taxi home. And, of course, drink responsibly.
