Home to the world-famous Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Scotland’s capital, may well be famed for its culture, art, and history, but there’s no denying that Edinburgh knows a thing or two about what makes an incredible nightlife too.
Year after year, hundreds of stag and hen dos, birthday parties, reunions and anyone else looking for an unforgettable night out descend upon the city from far and wide. It’s got your usual nightclub and cocktail bar hotspots, but one area that the city is most famous for is the legendary Rose Street.
Scotland’s most famous pub crawl
This narrow but lively strip runs parallel to two of Edinburgh’s main streets, Princes Street and George Street, and is lined with traditional and iconic pubs every few yards for almost a mile. The Rose Street Crawl or Rose Street Challenge has become one of the most drinking games in Scotland, whereby drinkers start at one end of the street and see how far along with the pubs they can make it. The aim is to drink a pint in each pub and, if you’re really daring, a shot too. Some groups even take some chalk with them to mark how far down the street they made it!
The logistics of the crawl
Anyone undertaking the Rose Street pub crawl will want to have things well figured out in advance. Partly because when you arrive, you’ll just want to get straight out and enjoy yourself. But mainly because when you’re done with Rose Street, you’re going to want somewhere to stay that’s within easy staggering distance.
Rose Street is located in the heart of Edinburgh New Town, just a short, 10-minute walk from the city’s main train station, Edinburgh Waverley, or a 25-minute drive from Edinburgh Airport. Its city center location means you’ll find a great selection of hotels in Edinburgh, so be sure to choose one in a prime central location. You’ll be able to check-in, drop your belongings off and then walk to Rose Street and any of the city’s other main attractions, such as Edinburgh Castle.
The best pubs on Rose Street
More and more pubs keep cropping up on Rose Street, making the challenge an even bigger feat for those wanting to take it on. But here are just a few of the classics that always make it onto the list of the best pubs on the street:
- The Abbotsford, 3-5 Rose Street
- The Black Rose, 49 Rose Street
- The Rose Street Brewery, 55-57 Rose Street
- The Auld Hundred, 100 Rose Street
- Element, 110-114 Rose Street
- El Barrio, 119 Rose Street
- Shoogly Peg, 133 Rose Street
- The Kenilworth, 152-154 Rose Street
- Dirty Dick’s, 159 Rose Street
- The Black Cat, 168 Rose Street
- The Rose and Crown, 170 Rose Street
- Oliver’s, 178a Rose Street
- Scott’s, 202 Rose Street
Does Rose Street sound like your idea of a great night out? How many of the pubs do you think you could make it to? There’s only one way to find out. Get a group of your best mates together and start planning the ultimate weekend away in Edinburgh.
