Voyaggora
Top sights in Edinburgh
- Edinburgh Castle – Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
- Royal Mile
- Holyrood Palace – Official residence of the British monarch in Scotland
- Arthur's Seat – Mountain in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
- St Giles' Cathedral – Church of Scotland cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
- Calton Hill – Mountain in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
- National Museum of Scotland – Combined museum in Edinburgh
- Scott Monument – Victorian Gothic monument to Scottish author Sir Walter Scott
Well-known landmarks, each checked against Wikidata (CC0), which also supplies the one-line descriptions. The bookable tours below are the second layer: guided ways to see them.
Top-rated tours in Edinburgh
Planning your trip to Edinburgh
Best time to visit
May to September brings the longest days and the mildest weather, though rain is possible in any month. August is the festival month, when the city is lively but accommodation fills up early and costs more. Late autumn and winter are quieter and cheaper, with short days and a busy Christmas and Hogmanay season.
How many days you need
Two to three days covers the castle, the Royal Mile, the New Town, a walk up Arthur's Seat and a museum or two. Add a day or more for a trip into the Highlands, or for Stirling or the coast by train.
Getting around
The center is compact and walkable, but steep, with many stairs and cobbles between the Old Town and the New Town, so comfortable shoes help. A tram runs from the airport through the city center, and a dense bus network covers the rest. Trains leave from Waverley station in the middle of town.
What to skip
The shops along the Royal Mile selling mass-produced tartan and souvenirs are aimed at passing visitors; specialist shops elsewhere are a better bet if you want the real thing. Book castle tickets ahead in summer, and pack a layer and a waterproof even on a sunny morning.
Where to stay in Edinburgh
Hotels and vacation rentals around Edinburgh with live prices from the big booking sites. Pick your dates on the map to compare.
Hotel map by our partner Stay22. If you book through it we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Best time to visit Edinburgh
The most comfortable months in Edinburgh are May to September, with average daytime highs of 57 to 65°F (14 to 18°C) and 13 to 17 rainy days a month. July is the hottest month, averaging 65°F (18°C), and January the coolest at 44°F (7°C). October sees the most rain, around 18 days, while January is the driest with about 12.
Jump to a month: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
| Month | Avg high | Avg low | Rain (about, mm) | Rainy days | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 44°F (7°C) | 37°F (3°C) | 70 | 12 | Shoulder: 44°F (7°C), 12 rainy days |
| February | 47°F (8°C) | 38°F (3°C) | 60 | 14 | Shoulder: 47°F (8°C), 14 rainy days |
| March | 48°F (9°C) | 38°F (3°C) | 60 | 15 | Shoulder: 48°F (9°C), 15 rainy days |
| April | 52°F (11°C) | 39°F (4°C) | 50 | 12 | Shoulder: 52°F (11°C), 12 rainy days |
| May | 57°F (14°C) | 45°F (7°C) | 60 | 16 | Best: 16 rainy days |
| June | 62°F (17°C) | 50°F (10°C) | 80 | 14 | Best: 14 rainy days |
| July | 65°F (18°C) | 54°F (12°C) | 90 | 17 | Best: 17 rainy days |
| August | 65°F (18°C) | 54°F (12°C) | 100 | 15 | Best: 15 rainy days |
| September | 61°F (16°C) | 51°F (11°C) | 60 | 13 | Best: 13 rainy days |
| October | 55°F (13°C) | 46°F (8°C) | 90 | 18 | Avoid: among the wettest, 18 rainy days |
| November | 49°F (9°C) | 41°F (5°C) | 80 | 14 | Shoulder: 49°F (9°C), 14 rainy days |
| December | 45°F (7°C) | 38°F (3°C) | 70 | 16 | Shoulder: 45°F (7°C), 16 rainy days |
Average daily high and low, and days with rain (a day with at least 1 mm), from Open-Meteo ERA5 records for 2019-2024. Highlighted rows are the pick above. Verdicts use only these numbers.
Rainfall: NASA POWER monthly normals. Sea temperature: NOAA daily satellite data.
Plan the rest of your trip to Edinburgh
More destinations in Europe
Closest guides to Edinburgh
Planning guides
Right now in Edinburgh
Is it safe to travel to United Kingdom right now?
Official US, UK and Canada travel advice for United Kingdom, side by side, with each source and the time it was checked. See today's advisory for United Kingdom
Edinburgh: common questions
- When is the best time to visit Edinburgh?
- The best time to visit Edinburgh is May to September, when average highs run 57 to 65°F (14 to 18°C) with 13 to 17 rainy days a month. July is the hottest month at 65°F (18°C) on average, and January the coolest at 44°F (7°C).
- What is the rainiest month in Edinburgh?
- October, with roughly 18 days of rain. The driest is January, with about 12. A rainy day is a day with at least 1 mm of rain; figures are averages from 2019-2024 records.
- How warm does it get in Edinburgh?
- July is the warmest month, averaging 65°F (18°C) by day and 54°F (12°C) at night. January is the coolest, at 44°F (7°C) by day and 37°F (3°C) at night.
- What is the rainy season in Edinburgh?
- The wettest months in Edinburgh are February to March, May to August and October to December, with 14 to 18 rainy days a month. January is the driest.
- How many days do you need in Edinburgh?
- Two to three days covers the castle, the Royal Mile, the New Town, a walk up Arthur's Seat and a museum or two. Add a day or more for a trip into the Highlands, or for Stirling or the coast by train.
- How do I get around Edinburgh?
- The center is compact and walkable, but steep, with many stairs and cobbles between the Old Town and the New Town, so comfortable shoes help. A tram runs from the airport through the city center, and a dense bus network covers the rest. Trains leave from Waverley station in the middle of town.
- Is it safe to travel to United Kingdom right now?
- Voyaggora shows the official US, UK and Canada travel advisories for United Kingdom on one page, with the source and the time each was last checked. Open the live advisory for United Kingdom before you book.
- What other places are near Edinburgh?
- The closest Voyaggora guides to Edinburgh are Dublin (220 miles), London (330 miles), Amsterdam (410 miles).
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