Edinburgh has a nightlife scene that sees dressed-up locals rubbing shoulders with students and tourists from all over the world.  There are a variety of places for visitors to the city, amongst the elegant modern bars you can still find traditional pubs with smoky atmospheres and sticky carpets, many of the pubs stay open until midnight or 1am. Once the pubs close, then the clubs open their doors to the clubbers with the latest dance music, ‘70s and ‘80s revival evenings or live music. Normally clubs are open till 3 and some will stay open until the morning, just in time for the pub opening times!

Edinburgh has a big student population and there are many clubs that organize nights to accommodating them with free entry, cheap drinks and promotions and DJ’s.

George Street is located at the centre of the Georgian New Town, a vibrant part of the city it is an area for business as well as a place people choose to reside in. There are some particularly stylish bars and restaurants here with many offering seating outside on the pavement providing a cosmopolitan atmosphere, especially on a cool summer evening. The Dome is many peoples first choice of venue to meet up with friends for a cocktail and dancing, The Standing Order has cheap drinks and is convenient to talk as their policy is no music, and the Cafe Royal offers old world charm to its customers.

The traditional pubs of the city have a broad range of local and Scottish real ales and malt whiskies, and interiors are much the same as they were 100 years ago with original period features adding to the historical atmosphere.  You’ll be surprised at the number of pubs still with the original island bar, Jacobean-style ceiling and stained glass windows. Bow Bar is a good place to sample whisky, Café Royal Circle Bar has wonderful ornate ceilings and The Cask and The Barony are perfect for a cold winters evening as there are open fires and traditional ales from proper brass pumps, and whiskies. The Bow Bar in Victoria Street is one of Edinburgh’s best-known real ale pubs.

Live music venues can be found all over the city, anything from Jazz to local bands, and a good place to start is Bannermans in the Cowgate who regularly have new bands appearing. Drop Kick Murphys on Merchant Street also has live music at the weekends and The Saltire is a traditional Pub on Rose Street with local bands. The Royal Oak, on Infirmary Street is an unpretentious folk bar along with Sandy Bell's who put on informal folk sessions. Eighty Queen St and Henry's Jazz Cellar for live jazz and Whistlebinkies is a well established live music bar, with bands playing every night.
The Oxford Bar on Young Street is further away from the buzz of the city centre but has its own attraction. This is the drinking place of the author Ian Rankin and you are sure to spot his fictional character Inspector Rebus somewhere amongst the regulars. Traditionally furnished, there is a real fireplace to sit beside and the quality of its beer has featured it in the 2007 CAMRA Good Beer Guide.

The fashionable choose to have a night out in Leith where the waterside area has seen some major development in the past few years. For style, head to the Malmaison Hotel Bar, Bar Sirius or Dock Place, if it’s a taste of local life you are after then pop into the Port o' Leith and experience Scottish tradition in bucket loads. The Malt and Hops on the Shore also provides a good selection of beer and The Kings Wark nearby gives them a run for their money.

The club scene in Edinburgh is vibrant and energetic with new clubs and bars opening and closing all the time. Here are some of the more well-known and established to look out for. Espionage, on Victoria Street offers five floors of clubbing action and is a thriving labyrinth of clubbing activity, there’s music on each floor with DJ’s and live music.   Cabaret Voltaire is very stylish and elite, it’s housed in the ancient subterranean caverns of Edinburgh's Cowgate district, and offers all types of dance music, from the house night Ultragroove, to the eclectic Leeds club SugarBeat. It’s also a great place to experience some of the city’s live music scene as it holds various gigs featuring local, national and international talent every month.

The Opal Lounge, is one of the city’s leading luxury nightclubs that attracts a sharper crowd. Resident DJs play a blend of classic dance tracks, current club favourites and some soul, funk and RnB. Po Na Na on Frederick Street is also popular with an emphasis on funky beats, its Moroccan décor and special student nights attract those who enjoy its classic and up front Indie, Rock n Roll, Disco, RnB, and Funky House.

There are 4 casinos in Edinburgh, Circus Casino Edinburgh is located on Dundee Street presenting high-tech gaming and one of the Stanley group’s newest casinos. Maxims Casino is also part of the Stanley group and based in the heart of Edinburgh’s city centre with all the favourite games such as American Roulette, Blackjack with Perfect Pairs and Progressive Stud Poker. Gala Maybury Casino is located in a prized Art Deco building and offers ladies night and slots promotion. There is also Stanley Cascades Casino in nearby Leith which features twelve gaming machines and eleven table and poker games.