The following acts at the the 2010 Edinburgh International Festival are really worth a visit to watch and be entertained.

The current International Festival home is the ‘Hub’ formerly ‘The Highland Tolbooth’ – an architecturally remarkable building a couple of minutes walk from Edinburgh Castle, orginally built as an assembly house for the Church of Scotland. Its gothic spire is the highest point in central Edinburgh, and can be seen for many miles around. Serviced City Pads.

The Gospel at Colonus

First devised by American director Lee Breuer, who brought Mabou Mines Dollhouse to the EIF in 2007, the Gospel at Colombus is a radical reworking of Sophocles’ classic Grekk drama, the tragedy of Oedipus at Colombus, with everything from Gospel to elements of rock’n'roll. It features the Blind Boys of Alabama, a gospel choir who may set to become a festival sensation.Serviced City Pads.

Mau

Samoan choreographer and shaman Lemi Ponifasio, based in New Zealand, explores the idea that somewhere in the Pacific, a floating island of discarded plastic bottles has become the nesting material for migrating birds. His company Mau brings two productions – Birds with Skymirrors, using plastic waste picked up by seabirds as a metaphor for pollutions impact on the islands of the pacific, and tempest: Without a Body, featuring tattooed Maori activist Tame Iti in a work inspired by Shakespeares play which delves into Polynesian ritual. Serviced City Pads and short stay accommodation.

Mahler Symphony N0 8

The closing concert at the Usher Hall, Mahlers great work features the Edinburgh Festival Chorus and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra Junior Chorus, with eight soloist, With the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra conducted by Donald Runnicles, it promises a spectacular finale.

Porgy and Bess

Opera de Lyon production of Gerschwins classic modern opera, written at the end of the Great Depression in 1935. With its heart rending love story, George Gerschwins score contains modern classics like It Ain’t Necessarily So and I Got Plenty o’ Nuttin. Choreographers Jose Montalvo and Dominique Hervieu had a festival hit in 2007 with On Danse. Serviced Apartments with Serviced City Pads.
Paco Pena

It may not reach the lofty artistic heights of past Edinburgh festivals, but no show better captures the exuberant spirit of 2010. The ’sophisticating and tantalising’ Paco Pena Flamenco Dance Company come with the world premiere of Quimeras, telling how flamenco dance arrived in Spain with immigrants from North Africa. It is a story of the ‘new world speaking back and giving back to the old world’, says Edinburgh International Festival director Jonanthan Mills. Short stay serviced apartments.
The Alonzo King Lines Ballet

The African American choreographer Alonzo King, whose family were prominant in the Civil Rights movement, brings his San Francisco-based Lines Ballet for its UK debut. Rasa sees a collaboration with the virtuoso tabla player Zakir Hussain in a mix of US contemporary dance and Indian classical music. Dust and Light is set to works by Corelli and Poulenc. Contact the Serviced City Pads Reservations Team on 0844 335 8866 for short stay accommodation throughout Edinburgh.

The Edinburgh International Festival is a festival of performing arts that takes place in the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, over three weeks from August 13 until Sept 5. By the invitation from the Festival Director, the International Festival brings top class performers of music (especially classical music), theatre, opera and dance from around the world to perform. Contact Serviced City Pads to book an apartment 0844 335 8866.
The first International Festival (and the first festival of the Fringe, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, although it wasn’t known until much later took place in 1947, in the wake of the Second World War, with the optimistic remit ‘to provide a platform for the flowering of the human spirit, and enrich the cultural life of Scotland, Britain and Europe. The founders of the Festival included Rudolph Bing (then the General Manager of Glyndebourne Opera Festival), Henry Harvey Wood Head of the British Council in Scotland, Sidney Newman, Reid Professor of Music at Edinburgh University, and a group of civic leaders from the City of Edinburgh. The festivals have taken place every August since. Serviced City Pads.

Top acts at the 2010 Edinburgh International Festival.

The voices of the new world return to the old in this year’s Edinburgh International Festival.

Montezuma

Described as the little-known operatic gem, Montezuma was written by a German Composer Carl Heinrich Graun in 1755 and chronicled the tragic, one-sided and bloody confrontation between Spanish conquistadors and the Aztec empire led by Montezuma 200 years before. The new production, set on the island that would become the future of Mexico City, with several Mexican singers, captures the Festival’s theme of the old world and new, in a year when Mexico celebrates the 200th anniversary of its warof independence from Spain.

Teatro Cinema

A radical theatre company from Chile which blends cinema and live performance so closely it is hard to distinguish live actors from characters on screen, Teatro Cinema brings two productions to the Kings Theatre. Sin Sangre, Without Blood, tells the story of brutal slaying by three armed men, centred on the woman who witnessed the murder of her father and mother. The man who Fed Butterflies is a new co-production with the EIF, devised around the story of a man exploring the a forgotten ritual of the souls of dead warriors released in the hatching of butterflies. Serviced City Pads supply short stay apartments in Edinburgh.

Bliss

Opera Australia production of Peter Careys novel, centred on a Brisbane advertising executive who wakes from a heart-stopping near-death experience in his own particular brand of hell, comes to Edinburgh fresh from its Australian premiere. Nine years in the making, it has won strong reviews for the prize-winning composer Brett Dean and features star Australian baritone Peter Coleman-Wright.  Please contact Serviced City Pads on 0844 335 8866.Caledonia

Caledonia marks the world premiere of a major new project by the National Theatre of Scotland, chronicling the country’s disastrous colonial foray into Panama. The huge costs of the tragically unept Darien venture, devised by adventurer William Paterson, were blamed for forcing Scotland into a union with England. Critics will be watching carefully to see if the production – written by satirist Alistair Beaton, and directed by Anthony Neilon, whose achievements include Festival hit The Wonderful World of Disassocia – lives up to it’s promise and ambition. Serviced City Pads

When searching for accommodation, many travellers focus on the style of the accommodation on offer and the price. Whilst style and cost are of great importance and most of us want somewhere comfortable and affordable to stay, there is another factor which is often not considered. What is often not an issue for consideration during an accommodation search is how quiet and relaxing the accommodation will be.

Edinburgh Airport is a busy and buzzing airport with numerous flights departing and arriving every day. A lot of these passengers require somewhere to stay near the airport and there is a selection of accommodation choice available. There are hotels at Edinburgh Airport and some of these offer style and some of these offer affordability. However, what these hotels struggle to provide is a quiet and relaxing environment.

Hotels are busy and noisy. Numerous guests all sharing communal areas, loud footsteps in the hallways, the banging of heavy wooden doors in the middle of the night and the constant hum of chatter and clanging of cutlery in the restaurants make hotels a noisy accommodation choice.

However, if you are looking for accommodation, hotels at Edinburgh Airport are not all that is available in this area. Serviced apartments can be the perfect choice for those guests looking for somewhere stylish and affordable but also quiet and relaxing too.

At Serviced City Pads, our serviced apartments near Edinburgh Airport offer privacy and luxury at an affordable cost. Ensure you have a great stay and a refreshing rest by staying in one of our luxury serviced apartments.

There are many occasions when you may have to stay away from home for a week or more such as when you are on holiday or working away on business. The usual choice is a hotel which can be quite expensive as well as being inconvenient for stays of more than a couple of days. Working away is especially stressful and it is essential to have somewhere to relax during the evenings in preparation for the next day. Larger cities such as Edinburgh are popular holiday destinations as well as being thriving cities where there are many companies building their business.

Whatever the reason you are in a city such as Edinburgh, comfort should be your main priority when it comes to accommodation and serviced apartments in Edinburgh are the solution. In a hotel you are tied to one room which normally provides your sleeping area as well as living space. If you are away on business this will also be your office which is not the ideal environment. A serviced apartment here at Serviced City pads offers much more space so that you can set up office in one room, relax in another room in the evening without feeling cluttered.

Food is a big problem in a hotel as you are usually confined to eating in the dining room, at a restaurant or purchasing a take away which has to be eaten in your room. Serviced apartments in Edinburgh offer an economical alternative to a hotel as well as comfort and greater freedom.

For many people who are visiting a large city they automatically think they must stay in a hotel and either pay for meals in the hotel or eat out each day. Dining in the hotel can sometimes dictate when you eat, especially breakfast which will only be served between certain times. If you have had a late night, you may not always feel like eating early. If you are on holiday in a city such as Edinburgh, one of the reasons you will be taking a holiday is to relax and experience freedom. Staying in hotels in Edinburgh can leave you feeling restricted and tied to a schedule.

An alternative to hotels are serviced apartments in Edinburgh, where you will still find a high standard of accommodation but will also be able to experience freedom to do what you like at a time that suits you. If you have a really late night and feel like having a lie in bed, you can do so without being disturbed by the noise of other guests walking up and down the corridors and hotel staff cleaning. You are also able to eat a meal that you have prepared yourself, when you like. In an apartment you will also find convenience if you have a food allergy as you will be able to prepare food yourself so that you know it is safe for you to eat.

Here at Serviced City Pads we cater for all parties and all budgets, although all our serviced apartments in Edinburgh are of a high standard with stylish décor and the comforts of home on hand.

Edinburgh, as well as being the capital of Scotland, is also home to many attractions such as street theatre, festivals and more. The Edinburgh Military Tattoo is perhaps one of the best known festivals to take place here and is a festival of music that lasts three weeks in August each year. Another event that Scotland is well known for is New Year, Hogmanay with the most extravagant celebrations in the world taking place here each year.

Many people flock to Edinburgh for these celebrations each year and very often the accommodation in a hotel is crowded with no luxury features unless you are willing to pay exceptionally high prices. Serviced apartments in Edinburgh are a suitable alternative, offering a high standard of accommodation with plenty of space and the comforts of home.

If you are travelling as a family you will find that serviced apartments in Edinburgh are a cheaper alternative to a hotel and also allow all members of the family to stay in one unit, as very often in a hotel you have to book two rooms in order to accommodate everyone in comfort. Here at Serviced City Pads we pride ourselves on providing a superior quality in all our apartments and locating an apartment that will fulfil your requirements as well as offering excellent value for money.

For anyone who loves to relax in luxurious surroundings and unwind after a hectic day enjoying the sights and sounds of Edinburgh, serviced apartments are the perfect solution to your accommodation requirements.

Edinburgh is the 2^nd most visited city in the UK for a reason. It has an immense amount of culture and history as well as many famous sites including Edinburgh Castle and the Scottish Parliament Building at Holyrood. There are over 4,500 UNESCO listed buildings in the City making up 23% of the City which is more than any other major settlement in the UK.

Edinburgh is increasingly becoming a popular destination for family city breaks because of its wide range of family sites and activities. Probably the best known of these is Edinburgh Zoo which receives over 600,000 visitors a year, making it the 2^nd most visited attraction in the City. The zoo has over 1,000 different species of animals, birds and reptiles living in 82 acres of beautiful parkland. One of the most famous and popular attractions of the park is the Penguin Parade, a daily event where the enclosure gates are opened and the penguins take a stroll around the park so visitors can up close to the penguins.

Most families who visit Edinburgh will thing that hotels are the only form of accommodation available to them. However this is not the case, as many people are looking at Serviced Apartments as one of the best means of accommodation. Edinburgh has a wide variety of serviced apartment options around the city centre, with grand old beautiful Victorian houses containing the modern amenities inside you would expect from a luxury apartment.

There are plenty of family friendly museums to take your family to in Edinburgh. The Museum of Scotland has exhibits from the edge of history which show Scotland’s story from fossils and artefacts to modern popular culture. From Viking Brooches and medieval carvings to racing cars and steam engines the Museum of Scotland provides an intriguing and educational view into the history of Scotland.

After a hard day out and about in Edinburgh, most people would kill for the comforts and relaxation of their own home as opposed to a cramped and impersonal hotel room. This is now a possibility however as more and more people are discovering with self-catering accommodation in serviced apartments. They provided the luxury and cleanliness of a hotel but also give the space and comfort of an apartment. You can have your own room away from the kids yet know that they are only round the corner in the same apartment. You can also choose whether to go out to a restaurant or save money by cooking your own food in the apartment. These reasons are why more and more people are choosing serviced apartments over hotels when staying in Edinburgh, so why not give Serviced City Pads a call and see how easy it is to book your next family city break in Edinburgh.

Edinburgh is a popular city with residents and tourists alike with a wealth of history and culture for all. One of the most famous landmarks is the Edinburgh Castle, which stands on an extinct volcano towering above the city. Once the defender of Edinburgh it is now the host to the famous Edinburgh Military Tattoo which takes place annually. There are many other tourist attractions in Edinburgh such as the story of the mythical creature of Loch Ness. With all the places to see and activities for visitors it is essential to have comfortable accommodation in Edinburgh.

As many visitors will not have an existing knowledge of Edinburgh and the surrounding area it will be easier to book a room in a quality hotel near Edinburgh airport which is within travelling distance of the city centre. However, a good quality hotel will be expensive especially if there are a few members of your party to accommodate. An alternative to consider is an apartment which will work out to be considerably cheaper than multiple rooms in quality hotels near Edinburgh airport.

Serviced apartments in Edinburgh will have plenty of space to allow you some time to yourself as well as housing all members of your party in comfort and with privacy. Here at Serviced City Pads we have serviced apartments in Edinburgh that can accommodate any number of guests in a comfortable location in the city which makes travelling and sightseeing much easier for you. With a high standard of decor throughout all our apartments you will find them an economical alternative to a hotel.

Fancy trying something different this year? Bored of the same old city getaways? Well look no further than The Urban Rat Race Adventures taking place in Edinburgh on the 17th & 18th of July this year. The race is not your average run of the mill A to B that you can find at some point during the year in the majority of cities throughout the UK – No this race turns cities into high adrenaline adventure playgrounds for participants of all abilities. You can enter in teams of 2 or 3 and will find yourselves biking, hiking, abseiling, climbing and navigating your way around the roads, streets, structures, waterways of one of the UK’s coolest cities.

Anyone can enter and there is even a 3hour Mean Streets event on the Saturday night if you want to test the water which covers around 10K on foot and designed for some serious fun and games. You have to hunt out different adventure challenges around the city which can range from physical or funny, down to some very much surreal. The event is attended by people from all over the world and has sister events in Bristol, Teeside and even as far as Australia. The Rat Race course is kept a very closely guarded secret until just a few hours before the race and throughout your adventure you should expect the unexpected as they take you into, over, under and through Edinburgh, Rat Race style! One minute you could be running through bustling shopping streets in search of a checkpoint; the next you could be trying your hand at parkour, punching a boxing champ or pole dancing your way to the points. The Rat Race is totally unique in its format, scope of activities and sense of discovery and adventure.

One thing you will need when coming to take part in the Rat Race is accommodation and what would be worse than having to come back to a cramped hotel room after a hard days/nights adventure. It is for this reason why serviced apartments are the right option for you and your fellow racers. Serviced apartments offer over 50% more space than a hotel room and you have a fully furnished living room and dining room as well as a modern fully fitted kitchen so you can kick back and relax or prepare dinner after the long days activities.

At Serviced City Pads there are numerous different apartments throughout Edinburgh in the City Centre and surrounding areas. We have apartments that can accommodate between 2 and 9 people and many at different classes and standards and therefore various prices. For this reason we can offer fantastic accommodation to anyone and everyones needs, budgets and desires. Whether or not you decide to do the 2 day Rat Race or just have a taster at the first night then why not get a serviced apartment and have somewhere to prepare and come back and relax when its all over. Trust me your body will thank you for it. Just imagine lying back on that sofa legs up with a nice Ice cold beer in your hands.

Increasing numbers of visitors to Edinburgh are choosing serviced apartments in Edinburgh for their accommodation. More and more travellers are becoming aware of what serviced apartments can offer and are being tempted by this excellent accommodation option.

Your ideal location for accommodation when visiting Edinburgh can depend on your purpose for visiting the city. If on business, you may wish to stay close to the office. If visiting the city for pleasure, you will likely want to stay in the hustle and bustle of the city centre so you have easy access to all the tourist attractions. Wherever you want to stay, serviced apartments are perfect because they are located throughout the area so there is something for everyone.

Not only are serviced apartments in Edinburgh conveniently located, but they also provide guests with somewhere warm, comfortable and inviting for someone to stay. It is important to feel safe and comfortable when staying away from home and this is what these apartments provide. They have all been developed to a high standard with luxurious furniture and fittings and attention to detail. The result is high quality accommodation in Edinburgh where you will enjoy spending your time.

Serviced apartments in Edinburgh also offer guests value for money. These apartments are cheaper than many hotels in Edinburgh and yet do not sacrifice on quality.

We at Serviced City Pads are very proud of our serviced apartments in Edinburgh because they provide visitors to the city with so much. Consider our apartments if looking for high quality accommodation at an affordable price.