City guide · United Kingdom
A castle on a crag above a city of stone and story.
See the year in Edinburgh ↓Castle & Old Town · Festivals · Literary history · Whisky
March · April · MayConsider the Botanics for spring rhododendrons in the Rock Garden and woodland. Keep the date flexible around flowering and weather, and check which garden areas are accessible.
June · July · AugustBook Edinburgh Castle ahead for a summer visit. If festivals are part of the trip, choose performances from the current programme before arranging meals and leave time between venues.
September · October · NovemberLeave room for an autumn walk among Edinburgh’s parks and trees, with the National Museum of Scotland as an indoor alternative. Check the Botanics’ closing time before an afternoon visit.
December · January · FebruaryUse the National Museum of Scotland for an indoor winter visit, checking holiday hours first. For a garden walk, check the Botanics’ closing time and any weather-related access notice before you leave.
Select a month to plan your visit.
Bar height: daytime high.Green underline: best window. Square outline: selected month.
2018–2023 averages, not a forecast. Wet days estimate days with at least 1 mm of rain or snow using a calibrated ERA5 threshold. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Weather data by Open-Meteo.com (AWS Open Data, CC BY 4.0). Sunshine measures daylight only. Open-Meteo
Two nights give the Old and New Town a first visit; three make room for the castle, museums and a longer walk without crowding them into one day.
A central base, with the airport tram at St Andrew Square and the Old Town within walking reach.
Two nights give the Old and New Town a first visit; three make room for the castle, museums and a longer walk without crowding them into one day.
A central base, with the airport tram at St Andrew Square and the Old Town within walking reach.
Explore sample itineraries →What to see
Begin with the Royal Mile, Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood. Keep Leith and the New Town for another day.
St Giles' Cathedral, also known as the High Kirk of Edinburgh, is one of three cathedrals in Edinburgh, Scotland.
The Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) is Scotland's national academy of science and letters.
The National is the national art gallery of Scotland.
The National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh, Scotland, is a museum of Scottish history and culture.
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved, unicameral legislature of Scotland.
Where to eat
Seasonal Scottish cooking at the foot of Calton Hill.
Choose it for a seated lunch or dinner near Calton Hill.
Bombay comfort food on St Andrew Square.
Choose a daytime booking for a small group, or allow for a walk-in dinner.
Seasonal Scottish pub cooking in Stockbridge.
Make it the meal stop for a Stockbridge visit.
Photographed in Edinburgh
A night scene from Dean Village, Edinburgh, Scotland
Make a trip of it
Make a plan
EDI (main international gateway): Tram to central Edinburgh, about 30 minutes. This is the airport’s city-centre estimate; the full route to Newhaven takes longer.
Walk between central sights where practical, and use Lothian buses or the tram for longer journeys. Old Town streets include cobbles; check accessible routes if steps or uneven surfaces are a concern.
Make time for the Great Hall and St Margaret’s Chapel.
Explore the Scotland galleries on Chambers Street.
Explore the Rock Garden and woodland, with a separate Palm Houses visit if you choose.
The stop is outside the main terminal, beside the plaza and Edinburgh sign.
For contactless adult travel, tap before boarding and again at your destination.
Stay length is a Trailwind editorial estimate. Transfer times are approximate.
Questions
The best time to visit Edinburgh is May–Aug, in United Kingdom.
Edinburgh is in United Kingdom. The nearest major airport is Edinburgh Airport (EDI).
A castle on a crag above a city of stone and story.
Explore these places for a longer trip. Distances are straight line; check the route and travel time before planning an outing.
