Gay Edinburgh: Travel guide with the best gay hotels, bars, clubs & more

Located in the far end of “the Pink Triangle”, the Street is considered to be the more “alternative” option to Edinburgh queer nightlife. If you’re more into disco, funk, acid jazz and mellow house, then head on down to the Street. The dancefloor is a modest size, not too small that it feels overcrowded, yet not too big that it dominates the entire bar. The walls are covered in art and graffiti, which we *ahem* attempted to analyse as we shadily sipped our cocktails (what expert critics we are). Speaking of… the drinks are delicious. They had some of the best names we’ve ever heard – care for a Pussy Bomb anyone? After all, there’s a first time for everything!

You can’t get any gayer than a night at Habana. Spread across two floors, the place is full of rainbow bunting strapped over the dancefloor, neon lighting, and a campy bar owner who is always afoot – Darren Glasgow! His incredibly gregarious personality is infectious, and he makes every person who walks in the door feel welcome. Habana also has plenty of themed nights, drag shows, and parties to keep people entertained. DJs play a fantastic selection of songs every night of the week that somehow appeal to the wide mix of ages of the crowd. The dancefloor is the perfect size for having a boogie, and there are plenty of seats around for you when you want to relax and enjoy a drink.

Conservative folk like to say gay people are from another planet… and if it’s anything like this Planet, then we can’t take offence at all! Down the same street as Habana and CC Blooms, Planet is a charming bar, with plenty of space to lounge around with friends and enjoy a drink. It is perfect for either pre-gaming on cocktails or for grabbing a glass of wine as a nightcap. There are several events held throughout the week to keep crowds amused. From cabaret sets to drag karaoke nights, DJ sets to games of bingo, the entertainment is always out of this world. Go support the unearthly talents of Chi Chi Monroe, Cilla Slack, and Miss Lily Minogue. 

It’s a bit further out of the way than the others on this list, but the Regent is still worth a visit. More than just a gay bar, The Regent is a community hub. It holds art exhibitions, with work from local artists, as well as game nights for people to grab a drink and socialise. Some may say their interior is a bit OTT, but we thought it was adorable. The lime green walls, sailboat decorations, and pink leather furniture gave the bar a “front living room” type of vibe – somewhere you instantly felt at home. They serve incredible, albeit messy, food. Think cheesy nachos, creamy lasagne, and spicy noodles. Their menu includes plenty of vegan options, so no member of your group will be left starving.

If you’re like us, you get torn up between wanting to visit the cold, northern parts of Europe, and the warm, tropical parts on the Mediterranean. Well, Paradise Palms mixes the two together. With fruity drinks, palm tree décor, delicious finger food, and funky music, this cocktail bar will have you thinking it’s the middle of summer (even when it’s November!). While it’s not exclusively a gay bar, their website makes it very clear they are LGBTQ-friendly. In terms of the type of crowd that heads here, we noticed plenty of young and fresh faces – turns out, it was just us in the bathroom mirror. But for real, the bars proximity to the University of Edinburgh means that it attracts a lot of students.

When a place is named after a Bette Midler character, you know it’s going to be a good time. The energy of CC Bloom from the movie Beaches oozes from the walls. The music is incredible, the drinks are delicious, and the wait staff are very easy on the eye. This gay club is known for drag shows, cabaret, Drag Race viewing parties and so much more! The front part of the ground floor is a laidback space, with tables and chairs for chilling out while having a natter with your friends. And as the night goes on, the dancefloor in the back area gets becomes full of people dancing to cheesy pop classics. Downstairs in The Lab, music is more alt/house style. The owners of the gay club describe the experience as being “a bit fiery, plenty of comedy value, star of a few tragic stories, hostess to many, and altogether a roaring success” – and we concur. The crowd is a mix of young people and mature adults. It’s the type of place where, depending on the night you go, it could be filled with college students, or you may not meet anyone there under the age of 30!

The Edinburgh College of Art’s bar/club may be small, but it makes up for it in spirit. If you’re a traveling student or just looking for a fun place to party, the monthly HEY QT party in the Wee Red Bar is the place to be. At times, music can be a mix of funk and disco (very retro if you ask us), with a guest DJ each month. Or it can be super camp, with ABBA or girl band themed nights. It is student-run after all, so there is no telling what fun twist they may have afoot. Even outside of the Hey QT event, the gay bar is always very inclusive of everyone. They feature gender-neutral toilets so everyone, regardless of their identity, can feel welcome. And as you’d expect, the crowd is very much on the young college-age side of things.

It’s a little bit historical. A little bit party. All around amazing! The Gaily tour takes visitors around the highlights of Edinburgh, including the iconic Pink Triangle, which contains most of the city’s gay scene. You’re paired with a gay guide who has exceptional knowledge about the city’s queer underbelly. You’ll be taken around the Castle, the Old Town, the Royal Mile, and other popular attractions while learning about their connection to the gay heroes of Edinburgh. If you wish, you can opt to do a night-time version of the tour as well. This takes guests on a pub crawl of the city’s gay bars and clubs – and yes, drinks are included!

Despite Edinburgh being a fairly small city, with an even smaller gay scene, their solo gay sauna is pretty impressive. There's a big changing area, that allows in natural light (the bottom half of the windows are tinted, so don’t worry about any Peeping Toms). There are plenty of cabins visitors can rent for some one-on-one time, plus a fantastic sauna and steam room. If you’re feeling a little tense, then pop by for a professional rubdown (and by that we mean a massage!). Though if you were thinking of something naughtier, we’re sure another guest you meet there could arrange that for you…

Pride began in Edinburgh in the 1990s, and like first Pride events in other cities, it was held as an act of protest against anti-LGBTQ legislation that pervaded Scotland at the time. Today, it couldn’t be more of a joyous affair. Pride flags waving in the air, extravagantly dressed drag artists strutting down the cobbled Old Town in high heels, dogs wearing rainbow bow ties – you name it, it’s there! And it’s all so precious. Other events across the city include drag nights in local bars, movie screenings, and LGBTQ-themed workshops. Keep an eye on the Edinburgh Pride Facebook page to see what events are upcoming. 

Taking place in June each year (usually), the Edinburgh International Film Festival includes a prominent LGBTQ segment. The festival features a fantastic line-up of films that get people thinking about the LGBTQ experience, especially in areas that the mainstream has yet to tackle. It shines the spotlight on groups of the queer community that are often overlooked, such as those living with a disability, people of color, and people from the working class. And outside of the movie screenings, festival-goers can attend panel talks, Q&As with the filmmakers and performers, and social mixers.

Ok, ok, this one isn’t exclusively a gay event. Quite the opposite. It’s a world-famous theater festival where hundreds of performances take place across four weeks. It pulls in over 3 million theatergoers from around the city, the country, and the world; and is considered to be the city’s biggest annual event. Lots of gay-centric content is put on each year, with drag shows, cabarets, and LGBTQ-heavy stories taking to one of the festival’s venues. Be sure to keep an eye out on their webpage for their upcoming line-up and book yourself a ticket. 

Set up to challenge the stigma of the “thin, hairless, perfect body” archetype in the gay community, the BearScots run monthly events all year round to honor the local bears of Edinburgh. All gay and bi men are welcome to drop into their events, whether they be a bear, a cub, or just an admirer. And every October, they hold the BearScotFest, where guys are encouraged to dress up, have fun, and vote for who they think deserves the title Bear of the Year.

Ring in the New Year in the ole’ Scottish way by attending the Hogmanay festivities. It is their way of saying goodbye to the year past and a welcome of what’s to come. Local customs differ across the country, some of which include fireball swinging, the baking of cakes, and bringing salt to your neighbor at midnight as a way of bringing them good fortune. In Edinburgh, a festival takes over the city, spanning 3 whole days, where celebrations range from fireworks to drone light shows. Celtic-style music is often played, poems by Scottish writer Robert Burns are read, hymns are sung and an epic fireworks display lights up the city at midnight on the 31st December!

So, maybe gay nightlife isn’t your thing. You don’t like being out late, drinking, or being in nightclubs (trust us, even WE get it sometimes). Yet, you are still desperate to meet people and make new friends. Well luckily the LGBT Health and Wellbeing group is around to help. They run multiple events, all of which promote a healthy lifestyle, from basketball to swimming, there is much to choose from. Plus, they also hold mixers for different sections within the LGBTQ community, such as Bi Nights or Trans Pride groups, so people can easily link up with others who share the same day-to-day experiences.

At the end of every month, a collection of musical theater nutjobs come together inside the Dirty Martini bar to perform show tunes. Over cocktails, audience members can sing along to West End classics, Broadway favorites, and movie musical anthems for two hours. Whilst it’s a different group of performers every time, each singer is world-class and belongs on the stage. Prepare to be blown away by the talent. It’s very wholesome, very gay, and very nerdy. Make sure you book your tickets quickly though, as they get snapped up quicker than Elphaba can defy gravity.

This gave us the ultimate date night. With a super sleek interior, effortlessly charming wait staff, and an unbeatable menu, we couldn’t have asked for a better evening. Situated on the fourth floor of the Harvey Nichols department store (and named Forth Floor for the River Forth), this spot is a handy place to pop into after a busy day of shopping. Not only is the food splendid, but guests are treated to epic views of Edinburgh Castle and the Old Town from the window. The menu is packed with Scottish and European cuisine… though our eyes were drawn to the extensive wine list. Over 350 varieties! Can we eat here forever please? The staff are fantastic in recommending the best wines for certain meals, so you are destined for an incredible oral experience no matter which combination you go with.

Run by local drag legend, Mystika Glamoor (albeit as their incognito out-of-drag self), Kafe Kweer is Edinburgh’s answer to a queer sober space. Yep, that’s right – you won't get anything with degrees served on the premise. This makes it a great place for people in the queer community who don’t drink, a space to come and socialize. They serve an array of freshly made sandwiches, scones, croissants, and cakes making it the perfect place to drop by with a friend for a snack. Along the walls, you’ll spot drawings, magazines, artefacts, homemade jams and other condiments, as well as books. Downstairs, they have a mini art gallery, which highlights a new queer artist every month. They also run the occasional queer cabaret, which features a selection of local singers, poets, or other performers, and is always a lot of fun to attend.

Whether you get the creamy haggis and black pudding on French toast, the succulent sharing plate of sticky ribs, or the gin-soaked salmon, your experience here will be Twenty out of ten! This lovely spot on Princes Street blends exquisite tastes with eye-catching presentations. Yes, this means you’ll feel compelled to become one of those people who snap pictures of their food before tucking in. Despite much of their menu being filled with steaks, Twenty Princes Street manages to offer something for everyone. Their options for vegetarians and vegans are plentiful… and walking in, you don’t even feel like you’re in a steakhouse. The posh and elegant décor make you feel as if you have the hit big time. The premium treatment you receive from wait staff only cements that further.

It’s always a risk bringing Seby along to a French restaurant outside his beloved homeland. He KNOWS his cuisine… and will spot any discrepancies in a minute. Luckily for him (and me!), this place lived up to the hype. In a rather unusual approach to French cooking, L’Escargot Bleu only uses Scottish ingredients. Chef Fred Berkmiller ensures he uses the best of the best ingredients when crafting each meal, ensuring that the hard work of the farmers, fishermen, and cheesemakers who sourced them are honored. And it’s very apparent how those good morals have trickled down into the finished product, as we fell in love with each of our dishes from the first bite. Found in the Pink Triangle, L’Escargot is a wonderful bistro to spend an afternoon. The walls are covered with French paintings as well as hanging pots and pans – so you really feel like you’re sitting in a French kitchen.

When we heard of this place being referred to as “legendary” and “a local gem”, we thought they were talking about an iconic Edinburgh drag queen! (RuPaul has ruined the word legendary for us). Turns out, the Makars Gourmet Mash Bar is just as good! Their menu is full of traditional Scottish cuisine – so expect to see a lot of haggis and potato. In fact, guests choose one of the main meaty or plant-based options and then choose out of 9 types of mashed potato to create their order – yep, you read that right, nine types of mashed potato! Situated in the Mound near Princes Street Gardens, this restaurant offers guests a cosy refuge from the busy city. We enjoyed a wonderfully creamy and potato-y meal whilst soaking up the sights of the busybodies out in the main thoroughfare. It couldn’t have been more delightful!

What started off as a hill fort that the Iron Age folk built to defend themselves against invasion, has become one of the most iconic features of Scotland today. Many centuries, kings, queens, prisoners, pirates, militaries, and maidens later, it’s simply a magical place to spend an afternoon. Get a checklist, as there is so much you’re going to want to see – from the Stone of Destiny, (sounds very Game of Thrones), the Honours of Scotland (which are the oldest Crown jewels in Britain), and the room where Saoirse Ronan (ahem, we mean Mary Queen of Scots) gave birth to King James VI. Fun fact, every day at 1pm (except Sunday and on Christmas), the One O'Clock Gun is fired from the Mill's Mount Battery. It’s a pretty cool tradition that we’re so glad we got see happen.

The Scots (or at least The Proclaimers) may be happy to walk 500 miles, but we’re satisfied with just the one. Especially when it’s The Royal Mile – a long, cobbled street in the center of the city that stretches from Edinburgh Castle to Holyroodhouse Palace. A walk down will give you a whirlwind of options for shopping or dining, with dozens of antique shops, restaurants, and traditional bars to choose from. Surrounding the Royal Mile is the area known as the Old Town, filled with beautiful architecture, cute little passageways, and cobbled streets. Fun fact: take a peek down the narrow passages you see. Referred to as “closes”, they are what’s left of the streets where the poorer residents of Edinburgh used to live – and after seeing how tight those living arrangements were, we’ll never complain about staying in a tiny hostel again! Other important sights to check out include St. Giles’ Cathedral, the Museum of Edinburgh, the Writer’s Museum, and Greyfriars Kirk, where you can see a statue of the famous dog Greyfriars Bobby. 

Not only does Edinburgh have an ancient castle and a nearby beach, but it has a volcano! How Old World is that? It may be extinct now for over 300 million years, but it’s still bada$$ if you ask us! You’ll find Arthur’s Seat in Holyrood Park, at the end of the Royal Mile. A day spent hiking up there can be as rough as you’d like it to be (that sounded way dirtier than we planned). But we mean, there are several routes up Arthur’s Seat, some of which are easier than others. Us being the fools that we are took one of the harder routes. Let’s just say, it’s very hilly and stony. Make sure you bring good hiking shoes if you opt for the Green Route.  But it was worth it once we got to the top and caught sight of the jaw-dropping views of the city. 

If Arthurs Seat is a bit too much for you to tackle, then Calton Hill is a less physically intense alternative. Located at the end of Princes Street, the view from atop the Hill is utterly magnificent. Visitors can spot Arthur's Seat, the maze of streets that make up New Town, the Royal Mile leading up the Castle, and beyond. You definitely won’t miss the monuments perched on top of the hill either, including Nelson’s Monument, the City Observatory, and the ancient Greek-style structure known as the National Monument. The folk from the old Edinburgh days were a bit obsessed with ancient Greece, which is why many of the city’s buildings are designed in the neo-classical style. In fact, you may hear some people referring to the Scottish capital as ‘the Athens of the North.’ It may seem a bit laughable now (especially to me, being a Greek guy!), but they were determined to boost tourism by branding the city as Europe’s answer to Athens…

You can play the bagpipes until you're blue in the face. Eat haggis until your stomach bursts. Or drink yourself silly on Irn Bru. But you won’t feel like a true Scot until you wear the iconic kilt! The history of kilts dates back to the 16^th century in the Highlands, where army men would wear them to allow for more movement whilst fighting. It also protected them from the harsh weather and they were used as makeshift blankets for soldiers sleeping at night. Today, Scottish men mostly wear them at weddings and special occasions, they are viewed as a way of expressing Scottish Pride. For our trip around Scotland, we rented kilts from Gordon Nicolson Kiltmakers… and yes, we wore them the traditional way!

Underneath Castle Rock are the gorgeous Princes Street Gardens, two adjoining parks that provide plenty of pretty photo opps with flowers, a fountain, and the Edinburgh Castle in the background. You may even wander in and have a picnic, admiring the stunning scenery. But did you know they used to be a lake? And not just any lake either – it was used to drown women accused of witchcraft! Though primarily it was used as a mode of defense and later on as a place for the city’s, um, sewage. Let’s just say the gardens today are a much more pleasant area than they were in the past! On the left part of the gardens (if you’re looking towards the castle) is the Scott Monument; a Victorian Gothic monument that was built to honor Scottish author Sir Walter Scott. Climb up the monument via the stairs inside to get a fabulous view of the city.

Queens have gotta visit the Queen, right? As the official residence of the monarch in Scotland, this is where the Queen stays for a week every summer while performing official duties. When the royal family isn’t in residence, the palace is open to the public, so you can have a wander about and see how they live. Explore the state apartments where official ceremonies take place, the 16th-century apartment of Mary, Queen of Scots, and incredible palace rooms. Plus, the palace gardens (also known as Holyrood Park) are gorgeous, so be sure to set aside time to wander around them too.

When we heard about the quintessential whisky tour experience, we immediately had to sign up. Visitors are brought around the Diageo Claive Vidiz Scotch Whisky Collection, aka the world’s largest collection of Scotch whisky! In total, it holds almost 3,500 individual bottles. From a whisky barrel ride that brought us around the production and maturation processes of the drink to the much-anticipated whisky tasting, this experience is a must-do for all whisky connoisseurs. Straight away we noticed how strong the smell inside was – how do the workers manage to remain sober all day, we wondered? If you didn’t arrive a whisky lover, you’ll certainly leave being one.