The Scottish city ranked as one of world's most queer-friendly destinations in new Lonely Planet guide

Edinburgh has been named one of the most queer-friendly destinations in the world by a new Lonely Planet guide.

Lonely Planet’s The LGBTQ+ Travel Guide offers queer travellers across the globe a guide to places where they can safely “commune, connect and extend their networks”.

Edinburgh is the only Scottish city to feature in the new guide | Lonely Planet

The only Scottish city to be named in the guide, Edinburgh is said to be a place where people can “sprinkle the gay everywhere” rather than focus on one specific district - due to the city’s liberal attitude.

In the book, which highlights more than 50 travel destinations around the world where the queer community can thrive “outside of just Pride parades” in the USA, Europe and Africa, Edinburgh is seen through the eyes of Mairi Oliver, owner of Lighthouse Bookshop in Newington.

Focusing on the literary side of the city, Oliver recommends archives and queer-owned book hubs throughout Edinburgh, writing the city is perfect for bookish members of the community.

Her guide features bars and restaurants that champion the LGBTQ+ community, such as Kafe Kweer, which showcase queer art, and Saffron Cherry, which hosts one of the city’s most memorable drag nights.

Arthur's Seat features in the guide.

In the guide, she writes: “One of the things I love about Edinburgh is that it doesn’t have a dedicated queer area. You get to find your neighbourhood and then find community in whatever neighbourhood it is. You get to just sprinkle the gay everywhere a bit, and though people will point to Leith or to the Southside, there isn’t just one cool area or a ‘gay district’ centred around a club area. I think that made it easier for me to live my queerness all around the city.

“Very, very few places feel like somewhere I couldn’t go with short hair and a rainbow pin, or my pronoun badges, or whatever. There isn’t a sense that places are unfriendly to queer people or an area that feels conservative or that you have to steer clear of - with the caveat that I am privileged to navigate the city as a middle-class, cis, white woman.”

As well as recommending popular queer-friendly bars and pubs including the Eastway Tap, Paradise Palms and The Regent, Oliver lauds Arthur’s Seat as the “massive volcanic rock in the middle of the city”.

She adds: “It’s a very hilly city. It’s a city that’s literally built on three layers, where one bit was built over another bit. So, I wouldn’t recommend cycling, but it’s a great city to walk in.”

Alicia Valenski, author of the guide, said: “The LGBTQ+ Travel Guide centres around people, not just places, with LGBTQ+ locals in each place offering personal portraits, in their own words, of what makes their destination sparkle.

“Queer community members from different backgrounds and walks of life offer honest, helpful insights for LGBTQ+ travellers planning to visit their city, along with inspiration for armchair travellers around the world. “