The Edinburgh Fringe is the largest performing arts festival of its kind anywhere in the world. What began in 1947 by a few experimental theatre groups is now a platform that has played a significant part in helping the careers of some of the UK’s most famous actors and comedians.

The Fringe runs for three weeks during August and attracts so many visitors that it is now the UK’s number one tourist attraction.

Although famous for live comedy it actually stages a whole range of different performances including theatre, dance, exhibitions and loads more. But what makes it truly unique is that anyone can apply to perform at the Fringe just by downloading a form from their website. So it isn’t just the biggest festival in the world but also the most democratic.

There are so many shows on at the same time that booking tickets can be difficult unless you really know what you want to watch – high profile acts tend to sell out quite quickly – so a bit of research before you go is advisable.

But remember not to worry too much if you can’t get tickets for the exact show you want, the atmosphere in the city is fantastic during this time and the city is full of independent street performers livening up the crowds, whilst the pubs are all full of exited punters stoking up the party vibes.

Tickets go on sale early on in the year and booking a hotel in a convenient location needs to be done as soon as possible – in fact it all needs to be done as soon as possible, this is the biggest performing arts festival in the world after all.

Once you arrive make sure you get rid of the car, Edinburgh is no place for drivers thanks to all the parking restrictions and high traffic congestion. Make sure you use the buses, they’re cheap if you buy a day ticket (£3) instead of paying every time you get on a different bus (£1.20 a go!), alternatively why not hire a bicycle or just walk – the centre of town is easily traversable on foot.