The "South Side" of Edinburgh was originally where the old workshops and service areas used to be.

Today the industrial factories have been replaced with residential developments and university buildings, giving the whole area the feel of a laid back suburb.

The area known to locals as South Side includes the area between The Pleasance and The Meadows which stretches all the way to a place called Cameron Toll.

You can almost divide Southside into two separate areas; the first is called either Marchmont or Newington and is distinguishable by its Victorian tenement buildings with its bars, shops and restaurants that make it popular as a living place for younger people. The other area, known as The Grange is more of a residential family oriented part of town popular for its Victorian family housing.

The area to the east of The Grange has a large number of hotels and guest houses which are very popular with tourists. In that area there is also The Pleasance, a university site which is also a major Fringe venue, the Commonwealth Pool where you can catch a quick dip if the mood takes you, and the Queen's Hall, a popular local music venue. The major road into the centre of Edinburgh is locally known as "The Bridges" and throughout its length are shops and restaurants and the Odeon Cinema and the Festival Theatre. Head further east and you’ll reach the parkland around Arthur's Seat and Salisbury Crags.