The Castle and its regimental museums are open to the public throughout the summer, giving a spectacular, panoramic view of the city in all directions. E very year in August, actors, classical musicians, jugglers, bagpipers, clowns, pantomimes, stand-up comedians and theatrical wannabees of every description invade the city for the Edinburgh International Festival , an event modestly billed as the biggest annual arts festival in the world. Towards the end of the month the city s population swells even more with the influx of visitors to the world-famous Edinburgh Tattoo , a uniquely Scottish martial panorama of swinging kilts, skirling bagpipes, and precision marching bands. Tickets and accommodations for these popular events are sold out many months in advance. Tourists will seldom encounter more courteous folks than Edinburgh s shopkeepers, most of whom seem perfectly content to maintain an interesting conversation, even after it becomes apparent that the visitor is unlikely to be making a big purchase.
T here are many good reasons to visit Edinburgh , the city of contrasts.
Quaint and modern at the same time, common and cultured, old and new, sublime in some ways and ridiculous in others, the city offers tourists a touch of the exotic while retaining all the familiar amenities of home. High season for tourism is the summer. If you go, be prepared for crowds, especially during August. Although autumn weather can be fickle in this northern clime, the first part of September may be ideal for visitors who prefer to take in the many sights and sounds of Edinburgh at a more leisurely pace. The Scugog Reel comp.