The Southside Bounded in the north by the Old Town and in the east by the looming slopes of Arthur’s Seat, Edinburgh’s Southside is right in the thick of the action; a buzzing, central neighbourhood that nevertheless feels local rather than touristed. Home to the main campus of Edinburgh University, this is where the students hang out, and while some of the buildings may be grand and stuffy, the vibe is anything but. There’s a wealth of diverse and notably cheap eateries dotted around the libraries and some excellent cafes perfect for bunking down with a good book or two from the various bookshops. The Southside is also the traditional home of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, as the typically peaceful green expanses of The Meadows and George Square Gardens are transformed into a veritable carnival of performance tents and street food stalls.
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