Around a month has passed since my first-ever Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and I’ve just about recovered. The Fringe is no joke, and there’s no right or wrong way to “tackle” the festival. I know every blogger has probably written an article about the do’s and don’ts of Edinburgh Fringe, so this is mine, based entirely on my own experience, particularly as a first-time Fringe-goer.

Finally Making It to Edinburgh.

Having wanted to attend for many years, and hearing from other reviewers that it’s almost a magical pilgrimage to Edinburgh each year, I came very close in 2025. Unfortunately, I ultimately left it too late to organise.

In 2026, however, I was adamant I was going. I sacrificed other theatrical events to make the trip happen, and I have absolutely zero regrets.

Where Are You Going to Stay?

I knew I would be travelling solo, so I started researching accommodation costs around February to April 2026. Let’s not joke, some of the accommodation prices are horrendous! The important thing is to know what you’re looking for. What’s your budget? How central do you want to be? Do you mind sharing with strangers? Are you happy to walk? I ultimately booked student accommodation in April, around a 20-minute walk from the Royal Mile. For me, this gave me the chance to explore a little more of Edinburgh while also keeping the trip cheaper. I also had very little choice by that point, as lots of accomodation had already been booked up. When I arrived I hadn’t realised that the tram stops near my accommodation were going to be closed for several weeks so the walk was pretty much a non-negotiable.

In hindsight, though, there is one question I’m still asking myself: when you’re exhausted after doing at least 20,000 steps a day, leaving your accommodation earlier and getting back later, is that extra 20-minute walk each way really worth saving the money? That’s something only you can decide.

For 2027, I’m already looking at accommodation. I’ll likely book something with flexibility and free cancellation and continue looking until spring before settling on somewhere. Again, travelling alone meant the cost of accommodation was higher than it would have been if I were sharing a room with my partner or a group of friends. Something to factor in.

How Long Should You Go For?

Next comes deciding how long you want to stay.

For me, travelling from North Wales to Edinburgh takes around five hours by train, so I wanted to stay long enough to really make the most of it and throw myself into the festival. I decided on five days and four nights, as I was doing a mixture of reviewing shows and watching productions purely for pleasure. The dates you book are also important as not every show plays every day. Some shows don’t arrive at the festival until the last week of August so again be mindful of your availability against shows you may be desperate to catch. I also decided to go Monday to Friday, with the weekends generally being more expensive. I booked the first train out of Wrexham at 6am.

However, as we’re becoming more and more accustomed to, the five-hour journey turned into an eight-hour journey, with trains delayed and cancelled throughout the morning. One change turned into four, and unfortunately the disruption meant I had to cancel the first show I was meant to see that day.

Not exactly the grand Fringe arrival I had imagined! My first stop when I finally arrived in Edinburgh was the Fringe Society, where I picked up my press accreditation pass.

Plan, Plan and Plan Some More.

My schedule was pretty much locked in from the week before I arrived. I had been checking the website from when the initial shows were announced in April, favouriting and writing down the ones that interested me. I did the same again in May and then, finally, when the full programme was released in June. The physical Fringe programme, which is basically the size of a phone book, is also released in June, and I used this to reaffirm my choices.

Before attending, I had applied for media accreditation so that I could review shows. This was accepted and helped enormously when planning my programme. People often say to leave some space for recommendations and word-of-mouth shows, but for me, organisation is key. I needed to know what show, at what time, at what venue and how much spare time I had between each one.

If you’re unlike me and prefer to go with the flow, there are still plenty of opportunities to find something unexpected. People are constantly flyering shows, stars and reviews appear on social media and on the giant posters around the city almost immediately, and there are plenty of bargains to be had. Some shows are two-for-one, some operate on a “pay what you can” basis and there’s also the Free Fringe, with performances taking place in venues and on the streets throughout the city.

Don’t Underestimate How Much It Costs.

I attempted to cram as many shows as possible into my schedule, and I was mainly successful, apart from that initial cancellation caused by the travel issues. I did, however, miss one or two shows because, when confirming my schedule between PRs and my own pleasure viewing, some had sold out or no longer had any press allocation available for the dates I was in the city.

For future editions, I need to be even earlier with my press accreditation application. This year, I applied in July, partly because I was delayed by launching this website and putting together the final itinerary. It’s also worth being mindful of ticket prices when planning your Fringe. It’s very easy to look at your schedule and think, “Oh, I can fit another show in here.” And then suddenly you realise you’ve booked 25 shows. Add this to travel, accomodation, food, drink and your bank account will not thank you.

Your Phone Will Become Your Best Friend… Until It Doesn’t.

When putting together my final itinerary, I used the Notes app on my phone. I wrote down the name of the show, the venue name and number, the running time and the postcode for each day. As I had absolutely no idea where I was going, Maps was going to come in very handy. Or so I thought.

What most Edinburgh Fringe guides don’t tell you is that the phone signal in some parts of the city can be pretty much non-existent, presumably because of the sheer number of people visiting Edinburgh for the various festivals taking place at the same time. You quickly find your feet and start recognising streets and venues, but it’s handy to know where the nearest Tesco is in case you need to nip inside and connect to the Wi-Fi.

Again, leave yourself enough time.

Twenty Minutes Between Shows? Think Again.

I had worked out the distances between venues before leaving for the trip, so I knew that, overall, I had plenty of time between shows. For future trips, though, I think I would go for more days and do slightly fewer shows each day. Especially when you’re reviewing, it is very easy to become overwhelmed and fall behind. I feel I managed this pretty well this year, but I could definitely see how quickly it could all have gone wrong.

With the late nights, early starts and limited time between shows, you don’t have an awful lot of time to write your reviews and post them online, complete with relevant graphics and everything else that comes with running a website. You want to make sure you’re giving your best to the casts and creatives behind every show, and it helps that the majority aren’t full-scale productions. But it’s still something to be mindful of.

I luckily only entered a performance late once which is my worst nightmare at any time and fortunately, it was only a minute or two into the show. After running across Edinburgh and I mean full sprint and panting, I made it. Note to self: be fitter for Fringe 2027.

I had allowed myself over an hour for what should have been a 25-minute walk. However, the first show of the day had a 25-minute show stop and then overran by a significant amount. Suddenly, the ample time I had allowed myself to get to the second show turned into:

How many sets of steps can you avoid while running across Edinburgh?

Some venues weren’t the easiest to find either. If a venue is listed as number 33, there could be 12–16 different performance spaces within that venue, and they aren’t necessarily all next to each other. Don’t be afraid to ask someone. People are friendly and will help.

For reviewers, a power bank will also become your best friend. Between using Maps, taking notes after shows, photographing venues and curtain calls, interviewing artists and everything else you’ll be doing throughout the day, your phone battery doesn’t stand a chance. The venues and surrounding areas can be extremely busy and, because it’s Edinburgh, you also have to navigate several hills and a frankly horrendous number of steps.

So, once again: give yourself plenty of time.

Front Row or Back Row?

The majority of venues I visited wanted you to fill from the front, understandably so. Nobody wants to perform to an empty front row. Keep this in mind when joining the queue, especially if you’re not the greatest lover of audience participation. Again, I am one of those people. I only managed to be in the front row once, which resulted in me taking a “shot” with a cast member. If anything is going to get me involved though, alcohol is a good start.

This is worth mentioning because some people prefer aisle seats to stretch their legs, while others may have accessibility requirements or simply prefer to sit further back. Overall, the views are fine, but if you’re running from one venue to another, prepare to be at the back of the entrance queue and potentially find yourself sitting in the back row of an unraked shipping container with very little legroom. All in the name of entertainment!

And you never know, you may even spot a famous face or two sitting in the audience.

Remember There’s a City Outside the Fringe.

When you’re not at shows, there is so much to see, with various Edinburgh landmarks easily accessible. One thing I learnt this year, and something I’ll definitely take into 2027, is to do fewer shows each day and have more time to enjoy the city. I came away this year feeling as though I had barely scratched the surface and perhaps didn’t appreciate the beauty of Edinburgh as much as I could have. There are so many places to eat, but as you can imagine, restaurants can book up pretty quickly due to the sheer number of visitors.

Again, know where your food destinations are, book if necessary and know how long you have for lunch or dinner. There are plenty of street vendors in certain areas too, but again, it helps to know where they are.

Don’t Forget the Fringe Shop!

The Fringe Shop is also worth a look. The staff were incredibly helpful and seemed genuinely interested in what I had seen and what I would recommend. Take a tote bag with you because they have some gorgeous merchandise, including magnets from seemingly every year of the Fringe, a collector’s dream.

There is also sometimes merchandise from individual shows after you’ve seen them including postcards, scripts, stickers and even programmes. Naturally you need a momento from the trip!

Check the Weather. Seriously.

I got extremely lucky with the weather. For the five days I was there, it was glorious sunshine for the most part and slightly cloudy at other times. I risked not taking a jacket with me on some days because once I was out, I was out. I simply didn’t have time to return to my accommodation. That could have ended very differently.

Just a few days after my trip ended, Edinburgh experienced flash flooding and torrential rain, with some shows even being cancelled. So, check the weather forecast and plan as best you can. The Fringe can throw pretty much anything at you.

 

Leave Time for the Journey Home.

If, like me, you’ve crammed in as many shows as possible and then have to head back to your accommodation to collect your bags before making your way to the train station, leave enough time. Edinburgh Waverley is a big station and takes some navigating, so make sure you have plenty of time to find your platform and work out where you’re going.

The last thing you want after five exhausting days is to miss your train home.

Would I Do It Again?

Absolutely.

Edinburgh Fringe is nothing like anything I’ve experienced before. It was a LONG week, but I feel that each time you go, you’ll learn something new about how to navigate it. I’m already really looking forward to next year’s festival.

If anything, I think it might be better to experience it with someone else. You can see some shows you both want to watch together, while still allowing yourself time to see the shows you personally want to experience. There is so much to enjoy: connecting with creatives, audience members and fellow reviewers, discovering productions you might never otherwise encounter and, hopefully, seeing some shows that will go on to have a life beyond Edinburgh.

Of course, if you’re seeing more than 20 shows in quick succession, not everything you watch is going to resonate with you. And that’s okay. In fact, it creates some of the best memories. I would genuinely recommend everyone experience the craziness of Edinburgh Fringe at least once, on your own terms.

Just remember to pack comfortable shoes, carry a power bank, leave yourself more time than you think you need, and maybe do a little more cardio before 2027. You’ll thank me later.

Included in this article are a selection of photos from the event but more content can be found on Instagram & TikTok.

Special thanks to Kat Masterson, who was absolutely invaluable in helping me with my Fringe planning. Her advice, articles, information and support made such a difference, and she even took the time to check in on me during the festival itself. I’m incredibly grateful for all her help and kindness. Follow her instagram here.