There is a bevy of suggestions on Things to Do in Edinburgh shared by the July 2010 Edition of Ion Edinburgh magazine.
The Edinburgh Literary Pub Tour is one of them.
Beer and culture, does success of that combination comes from the right
balance (fifty-fifty?) between the 2 elements.
Rather than limit itself to a literal serving of famous haunts for writers from years long gone, the tour puts on a show.
"Performed in and out of Edinburgh’s famous – and infamous – taverns and
‘howffs’, the tour takes the form of an impassioned debate between two
fictional characters, Clart and McBrain. In a lively duel of wits, they
question the importance which the unique pub atmosphere offered creative
and intellectual thought.It is no exaggeration to presume that tippling a dram or pint of
ale helped to inject a touch of verve, invention and verbal magic to
Scottish writing over the centuries."
Tour is said to be a good illustration of Edinburgh and Scotland dual character.
Have words, will travel.