Edinburgh during Festival --Chaos or Kismet?
 

In my continuing effort to make our family trip to UK in August absolutely perfect, I am considering two nights in Edinburgh. Little did I know that this is MAJOR festival time in the area. I am finding it very hard to find a room. Assuming I can find one (I have a lead or two) is it a)incredibly lucky that we can be in Edinburgh at this exciting time or b)crazy and fool-hardy to even consider a visit at this chaotic time?

The events sound wonderful, but honestly I don't know that we would attend more than one or two. We would be there for the usual historical and cultural tourist stuff.

Who has been there and can give me the run down? Anonymous???

If you have a room and tickets to some good events (namely, the Tattoo) it will be Kismet.

Otherwise, chaos.

Edinburgh is a great place - you'll have a great time, especially if you go during a festival.
The only problem we had was that the city only has around a tenth of the taxis it actually needs - expect long lines

Thanks for your replies.

Tell me about the Tattoo-- is it military drumming? (excuse ignorance, please!)

if going to the Tattoo and festivals is a dream for you - they shouldn't be missed. But that may be accademic because you will need to be VERY lucky to find a decent place with less than a 3 or 4 night minimum any time in August. It is not just a festival there are actually four different festivals plus the Military Tattoo - all running at the same time. Many of the main events are likely already sold out.

So another option would be to stay far outside of the city - Stirling, Perth, Dunblane, Dundee or somewhere like that. And then take the train into Edinburgh for a day trip.

The Tatto is a LOT more than drumming - it is a military, music, and dancing gala in the forecourt of the castle at night. You sit in bleachers with a backdrop of the illuminated castle and watch Scottish regiments plus performers from all over the world - one year Samoans, another Gurkhas, another Canadian Mounties. Close order marching, Scottish Dancing, country dancing, pipe and drum bands, military displays and closing with a blackened castle and a lone piper up on the castle - just thinking about it gives me chills . . .

this is the web site www.edintattoo.co.uk/

Oops - make that "Tattoo" . . .

It depends what you like, and, to some extent,what your humour is.

It's a huge great fun party. It's very crowded. The Festival, and the fringe and all the ancillary festivals make the city very vibrant. If what you want is calm, don't go.

Personally I'm not a huge fan of the Tattoo- which is pretty touristy; but some of the things which they put on are pretty spectacular

Thanks Shelia and Janis. The tattoo sounds intriguing. One option I was considering is staying by the border and then driving in for one day only before taking the night train back to London. That sounds like it might work out best, giving us the opportunity to see the Tattoo (if I can get tickets, of course!)

Edinburgh sounds like a giant street fair at that time, which is really fun on home territory, but might interfere with getting the flavor of a foreign city. I wonder if our time would be better spent elsewhere....

It very much depends on what you like. We often go to the International Festival (the music/drama one) and like the literary festival.
There's a website for the International Festival at http://www.eif.co.uk/
there might be a few seats left for some of the events. It looks as though only the Ring Cycles are now sold out.
I personally never penetrate into the Fringe but it's very popular especially with the younger element.
I agree with Sheila about the tattoo. There's also the weather! I remember one evening when the heavens opened and we were on a train with people who'd been to it. The train was full of the smell of steaming clothes.