Stag Weekend or Hen Weekend in Edinburgh

Looking for a Stag or Hen weekend in Edinburgh? You've come to right place! Click on our events button to see the whole range - or click on a photograph to see our Hen and Stag events.

Edinburgh is one of the most architecturally interesting cities in the United Kingdom, and the second most visited tourist destination after London. The location of Edinburgh, being uniquely geologically suited for defense, existed as a fort long before it officially became a city. Settlement was noted in the area as early as the 1st century, but the official city designation did not come about until 1000 years later, most likely between 1018 and 1124. For hundreds of years, the city remained confined within a small area, watched over by the hilltop Edinburgh Castle and enclosed by walls. Because of frequent conflicts between Scotland and England, it was unsafe to live outside the fortified city, and high rise architecture became the norm as early as the 1500s.

Over the centuries, old streets and buildings would eventually be enveloped in the understructures of newer construction, and there still exists a surprising amount of now-underground remnants of Edinburgh's medieval history. While many of these subterranean "neighborhoods" have been sealed off and otherwise lost, there are walking tours available through some remaining areas, allowing visitors to walk as much as three stories underground, walking along what were once above-ground streets.

In 1766, Edinburgh desperately needed to expand beyond its hopelessly overcrowded medieval city centre, and a competition was held to design a new area of the city to allow for this expansion. What is still known as New Town today was the result. Designed according to enlightenment ideas of order and design, New Town is still recognized as a major achievement of Georgian architecture and urban planning for its time. Both Old and New Town were designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1995.

Edinburgh's cultural history and modern cultural attractions are every bit as fascinating as the architectural history. Edinburgh University was a major player in the Enlightenment period, producing such notables as David Hume, Adam Smith and Robert Louis Stevenson. Today, Edinburgh is perhaps better known for its exceptional annual celebrations. The Edinburgh Festival is a series of events from July through September including the Edinburgh International Festival, which has since been overshadowed by its offshoot Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The Fringe Festival is a major event in the Arts world, and is especially known as a key place for up-and-coming comedy acts to get their start. The annual Hogmanay celebration began as a street party, and now attracts hundred of thousands of visitors each year. Also notable are the Edinburgh International Film Festival, the Edinburgh Jazz Festival and the Edinburgh International Book Festival.