Is Edinburgh LGBTQIA+ Friendly? A Backpacker’s Guide to Inclusive Travel, Hostels and Nightlife in Scotland's Capital
- Jay
- Mar 31
- 9 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
To answer quickly - yes, Edinburgh is an exceptionally queer-friendly city that has many spaces that will make any person on the LGBTQIA+ spectrum feel welcome in the local community. In my 4 years living in the city, I've never once been made to feel uncomfortable as a queer person.
Whether you're backpacking solo, travelling with a partner for a city break, or as part of a larger group, you'll find that much of Edinburgh is compact, walkable, and full of friendly hostels, cafes, pubs and cultural spaces. This guide is designed for LGBTQIA+ backpackers looking for the best places to hang out with local queer people, practical advice on where to stay, go out, how safe the city feels, and how to make the most of your time in Scotland's capital.
What Is It Like Travelling to Edinburgh as an LGBTQ+ Backpacker?
Edinburgh is a remarkably compact and walkable city, with much of the tourist attractions, things to do and nightlife centred around the Old and New Towns that make up the city centre. Unlike larger cities such as London or Manchester which have Soho and the Gay Village respectively, Edinburgh is not a city that has a gay neighbourhood as such, though there is a hotspot of queer-inclusive nightlife around Picardy Place in the New Town nicknamed the 'Pink Triangle'.
Visibility for LGBTQIA+ inclusivity is evident around the city, with many businesses displaying pride flags, or stickers in the window highlighting that they are a queer-friendly establishment. That's not to say that many places in the city aren't LGBTQIA+ inclusive. As a visitor, you're unlikely to encounter anywhere that visibly queer people will feel uncomfortable, or where displays of affection would elicit any sort of reaction.
While the Pink Triangle caters to a local LGBTQIA+ community, you may generally find the crowd in bars there a little older. In Edinburgh's Old Town, you'll find the student community which has a large and visible queer element, and some wonderful queer-owned businesses to visit. There are generally more backpacker-style social hostels in the Old Town also, making it the best place for LGBTQIA+ backpackers to stay during their visit to Edinburgh in 2026.
The up and coming neighbourhood of Leith has also become a centre for queer culture in recent years, and makes a comfortable day out from the city centre if you're spending a slightly longer period of time in the city.
To round up - as an LGBTQIA+ traveller visiting Edinburgh you will find queer visibility on the streets, businesses going out of their way to highlight that they are inclusive establishments, and queer nightlife/club nights regularly even on weekdays. While there isn't a specific 'gay neighbourhood', the area around Picardy Place has lots of queer bars.
The Old Town has a lively student and backpacker community that is inclusive, while the centrality of the area makes it the best place to stay for LGBTQIA+ backpackers visiting the city, where being LGBTQIA+ is widely accepted as part of everyday cosmpolitan city life.
Are Hostels in Edinburgh Inclusive and Safe for LGBTQIA+ Guests, and Which Are Best-Suited for a Queer-Friendly Stay?
Hostel life, especially in Edinburgh's backpacker-centric Old Town, generally reflects the same vibe as the city for LGBTQIA+ travellers. Many hostels make a point of being clear that they are an inclusive environment, in particular hostels like Royal Mile Backpackers, Castle Rock Hostel, and High Street Hostel have pride flags front-and-centre as you enter the building.
As with any shared environment, your experiences will depend on those around you. Scotland's Top Hostels locations in Edinburgh have made a commitment to ensure that no homophobia, transphobia or queerphobia of any kind is tolerated in their backpackers hostels, which focus on social connection and a respectful shared environment.
Royal Mile Backpackers is a particularly cosy hostel that has put a real emphasis on a calm, relaxed and highly inclusive environment, check out these reviews from LGBTQIA+ travellers who stayed there recently:
"The cozy atmosphere and location were amazing. staff was absolutely lovely. also a big plus: very queer friendly, which made me feel very safe!" - Esmee, from the Netherlands, 2023
"Very queer friendly (all gender toilets, for example) and generally open, friendly and uncomplicated." - Jana, from Germany, 2023
There has been an ongoing and sometimes quite toxic debate about 'women's only' spaces in the United Kingdom over recent years, in relation to trans identities. Staff at Scotland's Top Hostels have been trained to recognise any transphobic attitudes and respond with a duty of care to guests to ensure all gender identities are respected, represented, and above all that everyone is made to feel welcome.
Some hostels have a high number of female-only dorms which will make female-identifying LGBTQIA+ travellers feel right at home. In particular, you can explore a stay at High Street Hostel where female-only dorms and all-gender bathrooms make a particularly queer-friendly stay.
On a lighter note, you're likely to find a lot of joy, connection and unforgettable memories in the nightly social events at Scotland's Top Hostels locations. From free Bar Crawls to Scottish Folk Dance Nights, all venues that are visited on the hostel events are vetted to ensure they are queer-friendly, inclusive, and regularly receive feedback from all guests about the friendly, welcoming vibes.
To make the most of those events, a stay at Castle Rock Hostel would be the best match.
Things to Do & Queer-Owned Businesses to Visit in Edinburgh for LGBTQIA+ Travellers
Bookshops - Lighthouse, Rare Birds & Scottish Storytelling Centre
Located a short walk from the central Royal Mile and close to High Street Hostel, Lighthouse Bookshop is a queer-owned and woman-led bookshop with an inclusive vibe, buckets of charm, and a focus on "celebrating diversity of thought and expression" and "championing voices from the margins." - it makes a great introduction to Edinburgh's queer scene, with thought-provoking volumes and welcoming staff.
A slightly longer walk but also as rewarding is a visit to Rare Birds Bookshop, located close to other attractions like Dean Village and the Water of Leith Walkway, this bookshop in trendy Stockbridge is filled with titles that champion Women's writing and plays host to a vibrant community of booklovers.
And circling back into the Old Town, just a couple of doors down from Royal Mile Backpackers you'll find the Scottish Storytelling Centre, which hosts a range of great events in their upstairs theatre, and features a unique selection of poetry and other literature including work by Queer authors old and new.
Pay What You Want LGBTQIA+ Walking Tours
Local guides at Edinburgh Street Historians are now offering up LGBTQIA+ walking tours where you pay what you feel the tour was worth at the end! The tours leave every Friday as of April 2026, but check online for availability to book ahead of time and explore the city with fellow LGBTQIA+ and allied travelleres:
Festivals - Edinburgh Festival Fringe & Scottish Queer International Film Festival (SQIFF)
If you're lucky enough to be visiting the city in the month of August, you'll find a treasure trove of over 3,000 shows happening as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe each year, covering theatre, comedy, music, performance art and much more. The festival has a longstanding LGBTQIA+ connection and an expansive range of shows from queer performers ranging from everything from Drag to Cabaret, Plays, and much more.
In 2026, the festival will run from August 7th - 31st and fill the streets, squares, pubs, theatres and churches of the city with unforgettable experiences. While it's not a cheap time to visit, it's certainly an incredible one. Tickets for shows range from free up to £30, with most around £10-15, though accommodation prices do generally tend to rise significantly at the same time.
Alternatively, the Scottish Queer International Film Festival (SQIFF) runs much later in the year, with dates not yet announced for the 2026 edition, but will likely feature screenings, events and much more in its programme:
Quirky Bars & Queer Beer - The Dog House, Paradise Palms & Closet Brewing
If staying in Edinburgh's Old Town, one spot you won't want to miss as an LGBTQIA+ backpacker is The Dog House - decorated in plenty of pride flags on its exterior, and with all kinds of fascinating gizmos and gadgets on the inside, it's an eclectic heaven with inclusive vibes, regular jam sessions and other events to meet people in the local queer community, it's a fab spot to start an evening out on the town, with £5 spicy margaritas and a range of beers on tap every day.
Just around the corner you can get similarly relaxed and eclectic vibes at Paradise Palms - offering up what they call 'sonic tonic' and 'sipping liquor', the bar has its own record label, award-winning vegetarian Mexican cantina, unique cocktails and more in a location that leaves it brimming with local students each night.
For something a little different, seek out beer by local independent queer-owned nanobrewery Closet Brewing - crafting up vegan beers and queer community as well as collaborations with well-known breweries from across Scotland and further afield. You can find their beers often in the Salt Horse Beer Shop & Bar, located a stone's throw from High Street Hostel.
Neighbourhood Bars - The Regent Bar & Dreadnought Leith
If you fancy taking a stroll further out of town, getting to meet some friendly local faces in the community, and hanging out in inclusive surrounds, these small neighbourhood pubs will be your best bet.
The Regent Bar is located a short walk from the Palace of Holyroodhouse and the trail up to the panoramic viewpoint on top of Arthur's Seat - making it a great spot to stop at after a leisurely hike on a nice day. Offering an impressive range of craft ales and cosy vibes, it's a chance to step out of the tourist and student areas and meet some great local folks.
Similarly neighbourhood-focused is Dreadnought Leith, offering up fantastic local craft beers from the city in candlelit surrounds on the edge of the city's up-and-coming neighbourhood of Leith. It's a bit of a walk, but you'll be well-rewarded, as this bar is frequented by some of the friendliest dogs you'll find anywhere in town.
Edinburgh’s LGBTQIA+ Nightlife: Late Night Bars, Club Nights and Social Spaces
The Pink Triangle - Glitzy Late Night Vibes
Historically much of Edinburgh's queer nightlife has centred around the Pink Triangle, an area hosting many of the city's queer-inclusive late night bars including the longstanding CC Blooms, which hosts drag nights in its basement and queer pop bangers until 3am each night in its newly refurbished upstairs.
A short walk away you'll find The Street Bar and Planet Bar & Kitchen - both again hosting nightly DJs and friendly vibes until the early hours. For something a little different, take a short walk down a small alleyway behind The Street to find yourself at The Outhouse - with one of Edinburgh's best hidden beer gardens, frozen margaritas free darts and board games, and an upstairs venue hosting unique events.
The Old Town - Drag Nights and DJs
You'll be pleased to hear that Edinburgh's queer nightlife isn't just focused around these bars however, and you're likely to find a younger student crowd heading to bars along the famous Cowgate - the main steet for nightlife in the Old Town - too, and just a stone's throw from Castle Rock Hostel, High Street Hostel, and Royal Mile Backpackers.
One of the most popular nights of the week at Subway Cowgate (no, not the sandwich shop) is Tracks on a Monday from 9pm till late - where you can see a mix of the best up-and-coming and well established drag acts in Scotland on one stage:
Neighbouring clubs at Sneaky Pete's and The Bongo Club also host a range of queer DJs and LGBTQIA+-focused club nights, where you'll often find the folks from EPiKA - a collective championing femme DJs. New to the scene you'll also find People's Leisure Club a short walk away, which has also hosted inclusive nights.
The best way to check out up-and-coming queer-inclusive club nights in Edinburgh is to explore on the Resident Advisor website:
Final Thoughts: Is Edinburgh a Good Destination for Queer Travellers?
Absolutely - Edinburgh offers a diverse range of queer-inclusive social backpackers hostels, alongside an inclusive vibe as a city. With LGBTQIA+ owned bookshops, breweries, bars and walking tours, you can combine a day exploring with fantastic queer club nights and drag shows at night, all in a city with a walkable, friendly atmosphere.
Book your stay in Edinburgh with Scotland's Top Hostels for the best price and flexibility:
Main Image Credit: Photo by jim Divine on Unsplash
