DK Eyewitness - Edinburgh Like a Local: By the People Who Call It Home (Travel Guide)

Edinburgh folk are a wonderfully mixed bag. Theyre salt-of-the-earth working-class Scots, hard-grafting creatives and slick-suited professionals. Theyre free-spirited hippies, students from around the world and old dears whove lived on the same street their entire lives. And uniting them all? A shared sense of pride in the captivating city they call home.

Right enough, if ever there were a city to capture your heart, its Edinburgh. Its mesmerizing maze of cobbled closes and enchanting architecture has inspired countless artists, writers and creatives over the years. Oh, and speaking of the arts, every summer the city hosts the biggest arts festival in the world, with millions rocking up for a slice of the action. The locals might feign annoyance, but theyre the ones chanting one more tune as the party draws to a close.

Its not all festivals and frolics though. This city has seen its fair share of tough times. Sure, Trainspotting was fiction, but it was grounded in truth scratch just below the surface and youll see that some of these issues are still prevalent today. Yet Edinburgh is, above all, a caring place. The locals support each other through thick and thin. And while fiercely loyal to their own communities, they welcome the new with warm hearts, open minds and a wee dash of that cutting Scots wit (just to keep you on your toes, mind).

Theyre also an opinionated bunch, and thats where this book comes in. We know the places that locals adore, from indie art galleries to bars masquerading as barbershops. Of course, these pages cant capture every locals experience, but instead offer a snapshot of city life.

So whether youre a local looking to unearth your citys secrets, or youre keen to discover something new, this book will help you to embrace Edinburgh with the fun-loving spirit for which its known. Enjoy Edinburgh, but do it the local way.

Edinburgh | WELCOME TO THE CITY

Liked by the locals

Edinburgh has welcomed me as one of its own. Theres really nowhere quite like it. With its winding cobbled streets and huge, spectacular skies, its a place people find incredibly hard to leave. Like most, Ive fallen in love with it. You will too.

KENZA MARLAND, ARTS JOURNALIST AND COPYWRITER

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Edinburgh

THROUGH THE YEAR

Seasons matter in Edinburgh. As they change, the city swings from winter warmers huddled in the pub to BBQ smoke-filled summer afternoons.

SPRING

BEER GARDENS

After a long, dark winter, grabbing a pint in the sunshine couldnt be more of a treat. At the first glimpse of sun, locals rush to fill beer gardens city-wide.

NATURE WALKS

Locals embrace the spring weather with walks along the canal or Water of Leith, made all the more pleasant by the arrival of cute ducklings and spring blossoms.