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Lonely Planet published their Ultimate United Kingdom Travelist today, with the Edinburgh Festival Fringe at number one. The list comprises 500 of the most memorable, beautiful, surprising and compelling experiences to be had across Great Britain, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands, compiled by Lonely Planet’s team of travel experts.

The Fringe leads the diverse selection, which features a variety of experiences from across the UK, and is one of three Scottish entries in the top 20.

Describing the Fringe, Lonely Planet’s travel experts said: ‘the Fringe floods the city with art and nowhere beats it for spectacle or scale… There is theatre, comedy, dance, circus, cabaret, opera, music and spoken word, and whatever the time of day, an acrobat, trapeze artist, contortionist or tried-and-tested bagpiping busker will be pleased to entertain you… Simply step through the looking glass and prepare to be dazzled by the greatest show of arts and culture on Earth.’

Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: ‘We are enormously proud to be named the UK’s top experience in Lonely Planet’s inaugural Ultimate United Kingdom Travelist. To receive this accolade against such brilliant events and tourist attractions is a true testament to the creativity, energy and imagination that Fringe artists and audiences, from near and far, bring to Edinburgh each year.

What makes the Fringe so special is that everyone with a story to tell is welcome, and with a record 63 countries represented on stage this year and nearly 1,000 shows from Scotland, this year’s festival is playing host to a truly unique combination of homegrown and international talent. The Fringe is a real celebration of Edinburgh and the people that make it.’