Fireworks exploded over the Edinburgh skyline last night. The city is getting ready for the start of the Fringe tomorrow, Friday, August 7.

The Open Championship returns to the Scottish town of St Andrews in 2010 for the first time in five years - it will be the 28th Open played over the Old Course since 1873 and the 150th anniversary of The Open Championship.

The free two-day Edinburgh Doors Open Day on 26 and 27 September looks guaranteed to bring some fun to the city after the Fringe ends in August. The event will give access to dozens of city buildings normally out of bounds to the public - and free entry to many places that usually charge. The seventy-plus buildings participating in Edinburgh Doors Open Day range from a lighthouse to a curling house, and from the City Chambers to an infantry barracks. For the first time, the Cockburn Association, (The Edinburgh Civic Trust), is holding the event over two days instead of one, so visitors can see more of Edinburgh's buildings than ever before.

Sales for this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe are breaking records on previous years, with tickets in high demand, despite the recession. At the end of the first week of sales, the Fringe had already sold just under £800,000 of tickets. Fringe Chief Executive Kath Mainland said: "This is the first time the Fringe has sold more than half a million pounds worth of tickets in its first week." She added: "It is extremely heartening that so many people are still seduced by the appeal of the Fringe." In 2008 bad weather and problems with the ticketing system meant sales slumped by 10% on the previous year, falling to 1.5 million tickets sold.

Edinburgh is lucky enough to have two modern art galleries standing just across the road from each other. Both are former schools set in extensive parkland close to the city centre. Both make for great days out. The Gallery of Modern Art, at 75 Belford Road, exhibits works from 1900 to the present day, with a; standing collection featuring works by Francis Bacon, David Hockney, Andy Warhol and Lucian Freud.

Edinburgh has no shortage of cafés for thirsty visitors in search of refreshment. There are the usual chains, of which my favourite is Costa in Castle Street, with views towards Edinburgh Castle. And the city also has many quirky, independent eateries that offer something more unusual.

They say reading certain books can change your life. Hearing an author can have the same effect too. No-one visiting Edinburgh in August should go home without at least one trip to the Edinburgh Book Festival. The event, which runs from 15 to 31 August, is one of the biggest and best literary festivals in the world. In many ways it's my favourite of the several wonderful festivals - Jazz, Fringe, Festival - taking place around the same time in Edinburgh.

Every August, Edinburgh is gripped by festival fever and the city comes alive as it plays host to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the Book Festival, the Jazz Festival and, of course, the one that started them all, the Edinburgh Festival itself.