EDINBURGH is one of the cultural centres of Europe and is most famous for the Edinburgh Festival & Fringe in August and September each year. Although there's debate over whether the population does, in fact, double over the Festival period each year, there's no doubt in locals' minds that the huge festival's impact on their small city is enormous.
But Edinburgh's residents will also tell you something else, too: to truly take advantage of Edinburgh's cultural offering and high quality of life and really experience all the city has to offer you really need to be there throughout the entire year.
Students starting their courses in January at Edinburgh universities such as Edinburgh Napier University are in an ideal position to really get to know the city and take in the whole cultural calendar which is central to the city's life all year round. They are also in a great position to really get to know the city and see the things maybe only locals know about and others miss.
Every country has its own literary hero - the Welsh have Dylan Thomas, the Irish have James Joyce and Shakespeare dominates England's literary heritage. For Scotland, the poet Robert Burns is by far and away the most prominent literary figure in the national psyche.
Every year on 25 January Scottish people celebrate the life and work of Scotland's most prominent national poet by eating the national meal of haggis, neeps and tatties (haggis, crushed turnips and mashed potatoes) and drinking Scottish whisky, all interspersed with readings by those present of the poet's best-known work.
Students who arrive in January will be just in time to take part in a night which really gets to the heart of Scottish culture and heritage.
The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art and its sister gallery Modern Two are based in an area known locally as 'The Dean'. It's is so peaceful around this area that Edinburgh residents often visit the gallery to get away from the very centre of the city, without being particularly interested in specific exhibitions and just to enjoy the landscaped green space around the gallery itself.
However, the exhibitions hosted by the galleries include pieces which are quite simply the best contemporary and modern art Scotland has to offer: the National Gallery of Modern Art collection currently includes work by some of the finest artists in history including Mondrian, Max Ernst, Francis Bacon and Paolozzi.
If you want to combine seeing some amazing art with a light Scottish history lesson, the Scottish National Portrait Gallery includes portraits of historic Scottish national figures and also contemporary portraits of contemporary Scottish cultural icons.
Finally, the grandest gallery in Edinburgh - and quite possibly one of the capital's grandest buildings full stop - is the Scottish National Gallery right in the heart of the city at The Mound below Edinburgh Castle. The gallery hosts work by some of the greatest names in the history of art and from a multitude of periods, including Monet, van Gogh and Botticelli.
Edinburgh's The Stand Comedy Club isn't just famous as a Fringe venue - although a small venue, it's also one of the most prominent institutions in the city's cultural scene. The free comedy on show every Sunday is a fixture in Edinburgh life, and what's more, if you want to go and see a ticketed live act then a student discount is available.
If you want to go and see the biggest acts on tour and visiting the city, The Usher Hall not far from the city's main street, Princes Street, is one of the largest venues in town. You can go and see anything from classical music by live orchestras, to rock bands, to major comedy acts and there's also a student discount available.
Another major venue which is located slightly out of town is the Edinburgh Corn Exchange. Like The Usher Hall, the Corn Exchange hosts large live acts and especially large live gigs by bands such as Foo Fighters. The Corn Exchange also hosts large conferences and fairs, such as the Edinburgh Art Fair.
Finally, La Belle Angele in the city's Old Town, on the Cowgate, is a local favourite for nights out. Having been destroyed by fire, the club has been reopened and is now adding to its illustrious list of former guests and live acts such as Radiohead and Oasis.
One of the advantages of Edinburgh's compact size as a city is the ease with which you can get out to the coast and countryside to take a break from city life. Edinburgh is actually located on the shore of an estuary called the Firth of Forth, so although in parts of the city you can walk right to the shore without leaving the city behind there's also plenty of beautiful beaches to visit, too.
If you just want to take a quick half day away from city life, Portobello beach is just a bus ride away from the centre. There's also Cramond Village too, where you'll find an island which is only accessible when the tide is at the right level, so check the times here before you go.
If you're willing to take a bit more time out, then you could head to Yellowcraigs, which is a cove beach and which looks on to Fidra Island, the inspiration for famous Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island. Yellowcraigs is walking distance from Dirleton train station, and there are regular trains from the main train station in Edinburgh, Edinburgh Waverley.
During December every year, Edinburgh's Winter Festivals begin and carry on until after Hogmanay (New Year). Part of the city's central park - Princes Street Gardens - is turned into a winter wonderland, complete with a large ice rink. At Hogmanay, Edinburgh plays host to one of the biggest street parties in Europe.
Edinburgh's winter festivities actually run for six weeks, from 17 November to 7 January, and this year include Christmas markets, a whole funfair, free shows and of course the famous Hogmanay party which takes over much of the city centre - the party is now made up of around 100,000 people although it has been known in the past to swell to 300,000 people. A bit of a tip for you, too: it's a proper outdoor party with standing room only, so wrap up warm!
This editorial was sponsored by Edinburgh Napier University, to find out more about their courses starting in January take a look at their profile.
