By John Sannaee

The Edinburgh of my day-to-day life is not the same city that most tourists see. I spend little time at the Castle or in the overly quaint tourist shops of the Royal Mile, and sadly life in Edinburgh isn’t a year-long extension of the Festival. That isn’t to say that the city’s beauty is lost on me – being born and raised in another city, it’s hard to ever fully get used to a huge Castle and string of gothic towers poking into view from behind every other building. But if a whole day stretches in front of me I’d far rather head for one of the city’s quieter corners for a little cultural indulgence. The peaceful walk along the Water of Leith from genteel Stockbridge to the Dean Gallery and Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art winds through woodland hemmed in by crags crowned with some of Edinburgh’s loveliest Georgian terraces, and takes only a few minutes. The two galleries form part of Edinburgh’s impressive selection of national art collections, but are far less crowded than their city centre counterparts. Despite their location, they regularly play host to some of the country’s most prestigious exhibitions, such as a wonderful – and comprehensive - recent Tracey Emin retrospective.

After a little food for the mind and soul, it’s time for a little food for the stomach. Edinburgh has no shortage of fine restaurants, and lunchtime is a chance to eat at some of the best without paying prices that stretch beyond a student’s budget. The sleek, chic and minimalist decor of The Outsider, on George IV Bridge, belies a friendly ambience and total lack of pretention. Better still, the lunch menu offers a range of top quality dishes for around a fiver, a fraction of the evening price – I particularly enjoy the moules-frites. If I just want to grab a quick lunch on the run, however, I head to Elephants & Bagels, on Nicolson Square. A veritable institution with Edinburgh University students due to its proximity to the campus, Elephants & Bagels offers a massive range of bagels and fillings, to sit in or take-away, at affordable prices.



Thus nourished, it’s time to enjoy a long, work-free afternoon. One of the best ways to do this in Edinburgh is to climb a hill and admire one of the many truly stunning panoramic vistas over the Scottish capital and the surrounding hills. Arthur’s Seat is quite possibly the best, and certainly the most popular location to take in a view, but it’s quite a walk (or bus journey) from town, so perhaps I’ll head to Calton Hill, conveniently stuck at the end of Princes Street right in the city centre. If I’m feeling really lazy, there’s always the view from the top of the Mound. Nobody ever really seems to stop and take it in, probably because they’re en route somewhere else, but the views across the New Town, the Firth of Forth and sometimes as far as the Highlands, can be breathtaking.

Whilst a favourite pass-time of Edinburgh residents is bemoaning the limited range of shops compared to rival Glasgow, particularly when it comes to independent stores, if you steer clear of Princes Street, there are still enough interesting places for a good afternoon’s browsing. Cockburn Street, winding down from the Royal Mile with Waverley station, is the centre of Edinburgh’s counter-culture, and is thronged with teenagers sporting various dyed-black hairstyles and houses shops that cater to them, alongside a couple of galleries and the city’s two premier independent record stores: Avalanche and dance and electronica specialist, Underground Solush’n. For vintage clothing and spectacular fancy-dress costumes, Armstrong’s on the Grassmarket is the kind of place it’s fun to spend time in even if you don’t end up buying anything – though believe me, you’ll be tempted. Along the Grassmarket, and up West Port to the less salubrious surroundings of the Pubic Triangle (Edinburgh’s somewhat smaller answer to Amsterdam’s Red Light District), are a range of other independent boutiques, from booksellers to jeweller’s: personal favourites include trendy menswear at Pageant and one-off pieces of jewellery and vintage clothing at Herman Brown.



It’s rare I get a free day, so I may as well make an occasion of it and enjoy dinner out too. For some good quality, hearty vegetarian fare that won’t break the bank (but will fill the stomach), I recommend Susie’s Whole Food Diner on West Nicolson Street, a street lined with independent eateries much loved by Edinburgh’s student population. If it really is a special occasion however, my favourite restaurants in the city are Maison Bleue on beautiful Victoria Street, serving delicious French cuisine in intimate surroundings; and Fishers’ in the City on Thistle Street, offering some of Edinburgh’s best fish and seafood – though sadly both places have prices that match the high quality of the food.

As befits a city that plays host to the world’s largest arts festival every August, Edinburgh has a fantastic range of theatres and cinemas, including the atmospheric Cameo on Home Street in Tollcross and the nearby Filmhouse on Lothian Road. However, if you, like me, sometimes like after-dinner entertainment that comes served long over ice, Edinburgh has some brilliant bars. Away from the stag and hen parties of Grassmarket, Dragonfly has an interior that takes art nouveau elegance and gives it a quirky, contemporary twist, and one of the city’s best cocktail menus. Whilst as a rule of thumb I avoid the nouveau riche showiness of many of the bars on George Street and around, I make an exception for 99 Hanover Street, which is genuinely chic and atmospheric. If cocktail bars aren’t the order of the day, Edinburgh also has some pubs that positively seep old-fashioned charm: The Pear Tree on West Nicolson Street is particularly delightful in rare warm days, with its pretty beer garden; whilst The Brass Monkey on Drummond Street swaps vertical drinking for horizontal drinking – the back room has beds to lie on, and sometimes has film screenings.

It has to be said that when it comes to nightclubs, Edinburgh’s selection is meagre for a city of its size and student population. However, if after madly running from bar to pub to bar to pub again I can’t face going to bed just yet, there are a few good places to dance until the wee hours. Just off the Royal Mile, right in the centre of town, is Cabaret Voltaire, which plays host to many of the city’s best indie, electro and drum and bass nights (some of which are free), as well as a variety of gigs. Down the road is the Bongo Club, which is home to some of Scotland’s most innovative and interesting nights with music ranging from reggae to salsa to bhangra: but the entrance fee isn’t always cheap. Enough indulgence, it’s time to go to bed.

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