I’ve heard it enough times: “I’d love to visit the Fringe one day.” So do it! Since I had my first taste I wouldn’t miss it. But there are certainly things worth knowing to make it all possible and to get the most out of your time there.
The huge disclaimer I must add before you read on: this is all based on what I’ve learned from doing the Fringe the way I like to do the Fringe. Your entertainment tastes may differ. You may prefer to only buy tickets for acts you’ve seen before and have confidence you like, or you’re prepared take punts on things you’ve never heard of. You may be happy be slum it in the cheapest accommodation possible, or have designs on a luxury stay. You may be willing to stay outside of Edinburgh and travel in each day. You may only want to drop by for a single day.
So to give you some indication of how I personally approach it: I go for the comedy, for four or five nights; longer might be nice but there are costs to justify (and I am but a humble man of the media the rest of the year round.) I follow enough comedy to know which acts I already rate, and will otherwise try out anyone I have a solid enough recommendation for. I’ll certainly enjoy a drink, but I also want to feel in a fresh enough state to do it all again the next day - and they are long days. If this is sounding something like what you want to get out of your time in Edinburgh, read on.
When to go
Some considerations: If there is a particular act you’re desperate to see, check which dates they’re playing shows. Plenty will do the whole month, but some may only be doing shorter runs.
The festival officially gets under way on Friday 7 August, but there is near enough a full schedule for a couple of days before this. Tickets for these ‘preview’ dates may even be cheaper, as is accommodation before the full throng of the crowd arrives in town. There is still plenty of festival atmosphere on these days.
Of course, there is even more buzz on a Friday and Saturday, and accommodation prices fluctuate accordingly - oh yes call it dynamic pricing if you like - where a £120 double room will jump to £200 on a weekend night. These prices are generally available months in advance, and a quick look now in fact shows some hotels are still available if you’re making a last-minute decision to go. (Do it.) If you’d baulk at the idea of a single night in a run-of-the-mill chain hotel costing over £200, my approach would be to look at the average nightly cost of your stay once you’ve factored in a less expensive midweek or Sunday day. One night at £200 suddenly averages over two nights just, er, £160. But I’m not here to advise on your own finances, whether you’re strapped or of the more-money-than-sense contingent.
Do also take into consideration how far you’re travelling and what time you’ll get there. If coming by train, you may have limited time on your first night to see very much by the time you’ve checked in.
Booking tickets
I’d strongly advise some planning. (Though I should also say, I love planning.) Hyped shows will sell out in advance so you’ll be lucky to hear of something through word of mouth and find tickets available for your remaining time in Edinburgh, or that doesn’t clash with something else you’re already seeing.
Shows are typically an hour long. The main venues are roughly only 10-20 minutes walk apart, but you are dealing with heavy crowds of slow walkers and need to allow time for getting in and out of shows - no one likes a latecomer - so keep that in mind when putting your schedule together.
Getting around
Distances are walkable, but there are hills, and at some stage you may find you’re on the wrong street level and need to find the stairs. Okay, at some stage, I’ll misread the map and find I’m on the wrong level. You’ll probably not make this mistake.
Taxis and Ubers are available, but generally not a worthwhile option if you’re able to get about on foot. Consider getting one to take you and your luggage to your accommodation, if only for the chat with a driver gleeful at the annual opportunity for constant fares.
Where to eat
Strong tip here: don’t waste your time. Or rather, don’t spend longer on eating out than you need to. Most well-rated restaurants will be booked up anyway. You’re not going for the culinary experience. Take opportunities to have something to eat when you have a sufficient window in your plans, but squandering a couple of hours to seek out a restaurant with a free table and have a sit-down meal is time you could have spent out in the fun.
Some of the venues have food trucks on site, and their offering is more than good enough. Pleasance Courtyard has decent looking options but always strikes me as unreliable they’ll have what you want or will be able to get your order out quickly enough. A better bet is George Square Gardens, which has a much wider offering and you’ll be able to take your pick of something without a long queue.
Also note a lot of pubs in Edinburgh are wet pubs (i.e. they don’t serve food.) Enjoy the novelty of having a drink without someone’s ketchup-stained plate left on your table.
What to drink
Sure, many people are enjoying a drink at the Fringe, but it’s a very different vibe to a typical music festival or big gig. This is an arts festival after all. Or maybe there’s just a smaller concentration of the English. Of course, come the evening, there’s plenty of merriment to be found should you seek it. You just won’t be among an all-out lash wherever you go, and it’s all the better for it.
If you are having a drink, be very mindful whether pints are what you want in your system when you’re to be seated in a show for the next hour. Know your own body.
How to spend time outside of shows
You’re in one of the UK’s most distinctive and majestic cities. Enjoy the sights of castles in unexpected places. Go to some classic pubs: the beautiful Bennets Bar, the tiny Dagda Bar. Have a diner breakfast in the City Cafe. Give Greyfriars Bobby a wave (but restrain yourself from rubbing his nose.) All this and more - if you can comfortably fit it in. You don’t want to spend your whole time in darkened comedy rooms.
As mentioned above, Pleasance Courtyard and George Square Gardens are convenient places to hang out for a drink and soak in the festival atmosphere as people come in and out of shows. Likely some of the performers themselves too.
Who to see
It is helpful to get some suggestions from guides to the festival, but what’s funny is obviously subjective. See if the writer has suggested other comedians you like, which may give you a steer on their tastes.
Edinburgh Comedy Awards nominations - for best show and best newcomer - are announced on Wednesday 26 August, and the winners three days later, so you have very little time once these come out to try to nab tickets at the very tail end of the run. But seeing who’s been up for the awards in the past may give you an idea of their standard. Big name winners still come back to play the Fringe. This year you’ll find TV stars Frank Skinner, Rich Hall, Bridget Christie and Tim Key among a number of past winners reappearing.
One last top tip: the Fringe is a great opportunity to see international acts flying in from America, Australia, Ireland, and beyond. If you’re reading this on The Standard because you live in London, be mindful that you can see comedy year-round here, whether that’s at our famous theatres, on mixed bill nights, or as Work in Progress (WIP) shows ahead of the Fringe.
And on that final point, I’ve compiled a guide to the best WIPs I’ve been to this year and where to see the finished shows if, like me, you’ll be up at the Edinburgh Fringe for 2026.
