Edinburgh beyond the Fringe

The Edinburgh festivals, and the city itself, remain well worth a visit, says Matthew Partridge

Edinburgh from Calton Hill
(Image credit: © Matthew Partridge)

Two years ago there were mutterings that the Edinburgh Fringe and the other associated festivals had grown too large. Then last year’s Fringe was cancelled entirely. This year saw a drastically reduced number of shows due to the Scottish government’s continuing Covid-19-related restrictions. Still, despite the loss of spontaneity, the Fringe remained worth the trip and I got to see eight excellent shows in spite of the added hassle.

The much-reduced Fringe aside, Edinburgh remains a stunning city that has retained its distinctive character, with its blend of medieval, Georgian and modern architecture, all packed into an easily navigated package. The Museum of Scotland, the Scottish National Gallery and the Royal Yacht Britannia (moored in the Ocean Terminal) are all worth a visit; Edinburgh Castle is too, although currently you have to book well in advance. There is also a vibrant street-food scene – Pizza Posto on Nicolson Street serves the best pizza and bruschetta in town.

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Dr Matthew Partridge
Shares editor, MoneyWeek

Matthew graduated from the University of Durham in 2004; he then gained an MSc, followed by a PhD at the London School of Economics.

He has previously written for a wide range of publications, including the Guardian and the Economist, and also helped to run a newsletter on terrorism. He has spent time at Lehman Brothers, Citigroup and the consultancy Lombard Street Research.

Matthew is the author of Superinvestors: Lessons from the greatest investors in history, published by Harriman House, which has been translated into several languages. His second book, Investing Explained: The Accessible Guide to Building an Investment Portfolio, is published by Kogan Page.

As senior writer, he writes the shares and politics & economics pages, as well as weekly Blowing It and Great Frauds in History columns He also writes a fortnightly reviews page and trading tips, as well as regular cover stories and multi-page investment focus features.

Follow Matthew on Twitter: @DrMatthewPartri