Edinburgh on a Budget

Times may be tough on holiday budgets but that doesn’t mean you can’t still explore Scottish cities without breaking the bank.  Edinburgh is a fantastic, historical city and the experience of simply being here is one of the delights of a visit.  There are fascinating buildings around every corner, festivals where you can soak up the atmosphere by just walking around, and breathtaking vistas to take in from the minute you arrive.  There are also plenty of other activities you can get involved in, as well as lots of Scots attractions you can visit, even if you are visiting Edinburgh on a budget.Edinburgh FringeIf you are a fan of theatre, comedy, dance and performing arts then the Edinburgh Festival is a good time to visit the city as the Edinburgh Fringe is on at the same time.  The Fringe runs from the 3^rd to the 27^th August each year and is the world largest arts festival where you can see everything from Shakespeare to Beckett, as well as many modern productions.  Most Fringe shows are pretty cheap but look out for those that are part of The Free Fringe and The Laughing Horse Free Edinburgh Fringe Festival as these are free to view, other than a voluntary donation at the end (http://www.edfringe.com).

Walking Tours in Edinburgh

Walking tours are a great way to see the city of Edinburgh, to soak up the atmosphere and absorb the history.  The great news is that there are lots of companies that arrange these walking tours for free!  Check out websites like http://www.newedinburghtours.com and http://www.edinburghfreewalkingtours.com and sign up for a guided walk where you will learn about graverobbers, cannibals, the Luckenbooths and the Secret garden. 

Museums and Galleries in Edinburgh

Although many of Edinburgh’s galleries will charge you to get in, there are some pretty significant institutions where access will cost you absolutely nothing at all.  The National Gallery of Scotland is completely free and often has big exhibitions from artists like Monet and Gaugin (http://www.nationalgalleries.org).  You can also visit museums like the Museum of Edinburgh (http://www.edinburghmuseums.org.uk/Venues/Museum-of-Edinburgh.aspx) and the Royal Museum (http://www.nms.ac.uk/our_museums/national_museum.aspx) for free. 

Eating Out in Edinburgh

Although it might not seem like a typical spot for street food, Edinburgh has a whole array of delicious morsels you can scoff whilst standing on a street corner and watching the world go by.  Try one of the local chippies for some steaming hot chips and a deep fried Mars bar (yes really!) or pick up a hog roast in a sandwich from somewhere like Oink on Victoria Street, all for under £5.  There are also curry restaurants like the Mosque Kitchen (http://www.edmosque.com) where you can eat for around £3.50, or you can head to low key, cosy pubs like The Basement on Broughton Street, which is a favourite with the locals.

Going Out in Edinburgh

It doesn’t take much to have a good time on a night out in Edinburgh as the city has an excellent weekend vibe and there is always a crowd that is up for a good time.  Most of the pubs here are very reasonable when it comes to the cost of a beer, or you can go a bit more upmarket somewhere like the City Café  on Blair Street.  Sneaky Pete’s (http://www.sneakypetes.co.uk) and the Opal Lounge (http://www.opallounge.co.uk) are good, cheap clubbing options, with plenty if deals and discounts and GRV (http://www.thegrv.com) offers free entry on selected nights.

Edinburgh Pass

If you’re really serious about packing lots in to your trip to Edinburgh and you want a great, cheap way to do this then you can get yourself an Edinburgh Pass.  This will cost you around £29 for an adult and £18 for a child for a day and will give you access to more than 30 attractions, including The Cadies and Witchery Tours and Auld Reekie Tours (http://www.edinburgh.org/pass) 

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This was a guest post by Amy on behalf of Easyjet who offer flights to Edinburgh from London and across Europe. Get more ideas for things to do on a weekend in Edinburgh here.