Edinburgh

Scotland's capital is compact, hilly and built in stone. Two or three days covers the main sights; more if you are here for the festivals.

Last checked 11 November 2026. Timetables, prices and opening dates change: check the operator before you travel.

Edinburgh's Old Town and New Town together form a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Old Town runs down a volcanic ridge from the castle to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, with narrow closes leading off either side. The Georgian New Town, laid out from the 1760s, sits across the valley of Princes Street Gardens.

What to see

• Edinburgh Castle. The most visited paid attraction in Scotland. Tickets are sold for timed entry slots, and in summer the popular times sell out; book online in advance. Allow two to three hours.
• The Royal Mile. The street linking the castle and Holyrood. Walk it, but also step into the closes, St Giles' Cathedral and the Canongate Kirk.
• Palace of Holyroodhouse. The King's official residence in Scotland. It closes to visitors when the royal family is in residence, usually including a week around late June or early July, so check dates before you plan around it.
• Arthur's Seat. A 251-metre hill in Holyrood Park. The walk up takes about 45 minutes to an hour from the palace end; it is steep, rough near the top and very windy on poor days.
• Calton Hill. A short climb from the east end of Princes Street with one of the best views of the city.
• National Museum of Scotland and the Scottish National Gallery. Both free to enter, and both good on a wet day.
• Dean Village and the Water of Leith. A quiet walk from the West End to Stockbridge.
• Leith. The port district, with the Royal Yacht Britannia and a good choice of restaurants.

How long to stay

Two full days covers the castle, the Old Town, one museum and a walk up a hill. Three days lets you add a day trip. In August, when the festivals are on, the city is crowded and accommodation is expensive, so either embrace it or come another month.

The festivals and Hogmanay

In August Edinburgh hosts the Edinburgh International Festival, the Festival Fringe, the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and the book festival, overlapping across the month. Hotels fill a long way ahead and prices rise sharply. Hogmanay (New Year) is the other peak, with ticketed street events in the city centre. If you want to visit at either time, book accommodation months in advance.

Edinburgh visitor levy

Edinburgh introduced a visitor levy of 5% on overnight accommodation, applying to stays from 24 July 2026. It is charged by the accommodation provider. Check your booking confirmation for how it is applied to your stay.

Getting in and around

• From the airport: the Edinburgh Tram runs from the airport to the city centre and Leith, and the Airlink 100 bus runs to Waverley Bridge. Both take roughly 30 minutes to the centre, depending on traffic.
• By train: Waverley station is in the centre, below Princes Street. Direct trains run to Glasgow, Stirling, Perth, Inverness, Aberdeen and London.
• In the city: walk. The centre is small but steep; good shoes help. Lothian Buses cover the rest. You do not want a car in central Edinburgh: parking is limited and expensive.

Day trips from Edinburgh

• Stirling, Fife and St Andrews: each about an hour away.
• The Borders abbeys, by car or on the Borders Railway to Tweedbank (about an hour).
• The Perthshire towns of Dunkeld and Pitlochry, around 1 hour 30 minutes by car or train.
• Glencoe and Loch Ness are often sold as day trips. They are possible but long: Glencoe is about 2 hours 45 minutes each way, and a Loch Ness return is a 12-hour day on a coach. An overnight stay in the Highlands is a far better experience.