Edinburgh city skyline at night, Scotland

© Suranga Weeratuna/Alam

Festival fever. Edinburgh festivals

Here's the world-famous Edinburgh Castle, lit up in all its glory as it keeps watch over Scotland's capital city. Today the castle hosts the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, a full-on Scottish experience, with bagpipes, drums, and seemingly enough kilts to cover all of Scotland. Enthusiastic visitors can also indulge in whisky and haggis in one of the many hostelries on the Royal Mile, the colorful, bustling historic street that wends its way from the castle down to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Queen Elizabeth II's official residence in Scotland.

The Tattoo is a spectacular show of military music, dancing, and ceremony that runs alongside the Edinburgh International Festival, which also starts today and goes through August 28, and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe (August 5-29), its sprawling, less formal sidekick. The main festival—celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2022—is an invitation-only event that brings together top classical musicians and stage performers from around the globe. The Fringe is decidedly casual. It's the world's largest arts festival and features all types of music, street performers, amateur theater productions, stand-up comedy, and more, often in city streets, church halls, pubs...basically any available space. Think free-spirited and fun. One thing's certain: Edinburgh in August keeps everyone entertained.