Cara MacKinnon
Edinburgh's arts, closes and festivals
Based in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Edinburgh culture writer on the National Galleries, the Old Town closes and the theatres that outlast the August crush.
Latest stories
West End, Edinburgh: the city’s civilised pocket of wine, theatre and quiet streets
A stroll through Edinburgh’s West End, where William Street, the theatre quarter and Dean Village make a compact, grown-up neighbourhood with real local rhythm.
Stockbridge, Edinburgh: the village that keeps its own clock
A walk through Edinburgh’s most likeable pocket, where the Water of Leith, Sunday market, serious food and old stone streets make a local life feel almost conspiratorial.
Southside & Newington, Edinburgh: curry counters, Fringe courtyards and a very walkable city edge
Edinburgh’s Southside and Newington trade postcard polish for student energy, cheap excellent food and a Fringe-season buzz that can carry you from Nicolson Street to Arthur’s Seat without ever feeling like you’ve left the city’s pulse.
Portobello, Edinburgh: the seaside suburb that runs on tide time
A walk through Porty’s beach, high street and sauna-steamed prom, where Edinburgh loosens its collar and heads for the Firth of Forth.
Old Town, Edinburgh: closes, castles and the long shadow of the Royal Mile
Edinburgh’s medieval core is all steep stone, whisky warmth and stories underfoot — a place where the castle, the closes and the Cowgate still set the city’s rhythm.
New Town, Edinburgh: Georgian order, proper eating and late drinks
A walk through Edinburgh’s New Town, where straight streets, serious restaurants and basement cocktail bars make the city feel beautifully composed.
Leith, Edinburgh: the waterfront neighbourhood where the city eats and drinks best
A former port with Michelin stars, whisky towers and a stubbornly local streak, Leith is Edinburgh at its most lived-in, and its most delicious.
Bruntsfield & Morningside, Edinburgh: the southside that lives like a local
A leafy, shop-rich stretch of Edinburgh where free golf, serious coffee, old-school pubs and quiet streets make a convincing case for staying south of the centre.
Abbeyhill & Easter Road, Edinburgh: football, hills and a proper local high street
A lived-in slice of Edinburgh where Arthur’s Seat is five minutes away, Hibs rules the weekends, and the food strip is quietly getting interesting.
Every story is signed and dated, and follows our editorial standards.