At this event, there's also the main stage Edinburgh International Festival, the Edinburgh Military Tattoo and the ongoing night life of the city itself. While many great art festivals attract high-brow followings, Edinburgh's Fringe Festival aims at more earthbound crowds. Ranked as the world's largest arts festival by the Guinness Book of World Records, the Fringe has simply too many events for one person to see. Scattered around the city are a variety of exhibitions as well as book and film festivals.
Modern music is part of the packed schedule, but traditional bands remain the favorites.
Don't miss the Edinburgh Military Tattoo at Edinburgh Castle for an unforgettable display of military precision, bagpipes and drums. The Scottish capital, with a population of half a million, resembles a dramatic set situated between ocean and coastal crags. Castles, royal residences and architecture from the ancient, medieval, Edwardian and Victorian eras are set in a lush valley. Dining options won't disappoint gourmands eager to find authentic Scottish heritage. But restaurants increasingly express Caledonian cuisine's more visitor-friendly side and many international restaurants have trickled in.