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Weather in Edinburgh
Summer, June to August, is the most popular time for Edinburgh travel. The temperature ranges between 50 and 65 F that makes it a comfortable time to explore the beautiful region. Summer days are long, giving you enough time to wander around.
Book in advance the huge tourist crowd occupies everything, and there is a great chance that you will not find any accommodation in case of no booking. Various festivals and events are going on throughout the city, and you will surely find one that holds your interest.
Springtime, April and May, and autumn, September and October, are the shoulder seasons with low tourist seasons. The shoulder seasons have pleasant weather, empty streets, and low prices, compared to the peak time. You will have plenty of sunlight while exploring the capital.
Autumn evening, however, is relatively colder, and you might want to carry some jackets or woolens if you are traveling during this time. You might get some discount deals as most of the tourist crowds have gone back or have not yet arrived. If visiting in October, make sure to attend the Scottish International Storytelling Festival that builds interest in all age groups and keep everyone engaged.
If you are lucky enough to get some snow in Edinburgh Scotland during your winter tour, then you will have the chance to witness the magical side of the city. Winter, November to February, is cold enough that you have to carry a jacket or woolen clothes for your journey.
But the good thing is that you will get lots of discounts on airfare, accommodation and many more things due to being offseason. You can also become a part of various festivals occurring during December and January.
Is it easy to get around Edinburgh?
Edinburgh Scotland is a very tourist-friendly region with various ways of easy locomotion around the city. Even in the busiest tourist season, the compact city offers easy ways to roam about. The best way to move around the city during your Edinburgh travel is walking from the center. It will take about 20-30 minutes from the center to reach the farthest point of the city in any direction.
For the points outside the center, the range can be reached by an easy 45-minute walk. But sometimes the ever-changing weather of Edinburgh Scotland can ruin your plans to stroll through the beautiful city.
Many people prefer cycling through the great routes of National Cycle Network, on roads as well as traffic-free regions. It consists of about 75 km of the off-street path for walking and cycling. You can hire a bike from various cycle renters, but make sure to lock it securely after parking to avoid theft.
Edinburgh has an extensive bus route, covering the complete city and the surroundings. Most of the festival venues are easily accessible by bus. The Night bus service also helps you to reach your accommodations in a short period. Tickets are available on board, but make sure to have some change, 1.5 pounds per ride.
The day bus pass costing 4 pounds allows you to have unlimited rides the whole day. Not very popular, the free Wi-Fi trams run from Edinburgh Airport to the York Place at the eastern end of the city and cost 1.7 pounds for City Zone travels, taking you through all stops but the airport.
Black cabs, Uber and other taxi services are available all over the city. You can hire a black taxi from any of the taxi ranks or flagged down in the street. A taxi ride through the city center cost somewhere between 5 to 15 pounds, depending on the distance and waiting time.
Top Activities in Edinburgh
This large capital city is full of various attractive spots, without which your trip will not be completed. Here is a list of top activities that you should keep as your priority during Edinburgh travel so that you can have the true essence of the fascinating Scottish capital.
1. Hike Up the Arthur’s Seat
This Green volcano remain is not a site to be missed. You need to hike to the top of the largest point of Edinburgh to get a stunning view of the surrounding. The beautiful spot is not only famous among travelers for its historical, natural and geological significance but is also a subject of interest for scientists due to its diverse fauna, flora as well as the volcanic geology.
2. Get to the Edinburgh Castle
This beautiful castle is the best point in the capital city to learn about the history of Scotland. Its unique location, at the top of the extinct volcano, gives it significant importance. Make sure to be there around 1 o'clock to listen to the cannon fired at this time. This tradition of firing the canon at exact 1 o'clock dates back to the 19th century when the maritime captains set their clock after hearing it, to navigate the ocean.
3. Explore the Palace of Holyroodhouse
The beautiful palace is famous not only for its magnificence and architecture but also due to being the official Scottish residence of Royal Queen since the 16th century. The palace is open for public when Queen is away, and you can witness the Historic Apartments and State Apartments with their tapestries, plasterworks, and elegant furnishings.
4. Walk Along the Royal Mile
This famous route comprises of streets that connect the Palace of Holyroodhouse to Edinburgh Castle. This 1.81 km long route of the Old Town is lined with historical landmarks, churches, charming townhouses, inns, museums, and restaurants. It is divided into six parts; Canongate, High Street, Abbey Strand, Lawnmarket, Castle Hill, and Castle Esplanade.
5. Visit the Georgian House Museum
The museum presents a reconstruction if the lifestyle of Edinburgh's wealthy people during the 18th and 19th centuries. It contains a huge collection of furniture from that time, porcelain, silver, art, and chandeliers depicting the affluent residents of those people.
6. Go For a Picnic On Meadows
One of the nicest experiences you can have here is to have a picnic on the meadows, on a relaxing sunny Sunday. Chill out under the warm sun and witness the surrounding University buildings. You will see a group of people chilling just like you. It also serves as a shortcut towards the southern suburbs of the city.
7. See the Unique Scottish Ballet
At the center of the city is the Edinburgh Festival Theatre that dates back to the 19th century. Today the theatre is home to Scottish Opera and Ballet. The theatre night look haunted as it caught fire years ago when the Great Lafayette, famous illusionist, died in this fire.
8. Admire the Scottish National Gallery
If you are an art lover, then this Greek-columned complex at Princess Street is not a place to be missed. Opened in 1859, the museum is home to neoclassical architecture with a huge collection of fine art. The Artist Rooms have the surrealist collection of Scottish Art with unforgettable portraits, landscapes, and scenes from everyday life. Van Dyck, Rubens, and Gainsborough are some of the prominent names whose work is displayed there.
Is Edinburgh expensive?
Scotland is a comparatively expensive country, so is its capital. The average per person daily cost of visiting Edinburgh, Scotland, is around 113 pounds, in a mid-range travel style. Transportation is a bit expensive like other tourist cities in the U.K. but will cost you less if you travel through the tram or bus instead of hiring a car or local taxi.
Accommodation rates vary from season to season. During peak time, you will have to pay a lot more, but during the off-season or shoulder seasons, you might find something at a better price. You can get a bunk bed at 10 pounds per night, a private room in a budget hotel at about 40 pounds per night, and a nice 3 or 4-star hotel at almost 100 pounds per night.
Food prices may depend a lot on your choice of the restaurant, but the minimum you have to pay is 15 pounds for a meal in an average restaurant and 25-30 pounds at some nice place. Go to the Edinburgh University zone to have cheap meals lie 4-pound burger or a 6-pound Pad Thai in the caravan.
There are various free tourist attractions like the National Gallery of Scotland, the National Museum of Scotland, Arthur's Seat, etc. but others will cost you somewhere from 18 to 50 pounds. You can do your research before going and sort out which are the important places that you would want to spend on.
Arthurs Seat hike - top tips
This large green hill was formed as a result of 350 million years old volcanic eruption of an extinct volcano. The most beautiful and highest point of Edinburgh is located in Holyrood Park, towards the east of the city center, among the mystical and majestic hills. Dating back to more than 2,000 years ago, this is one of the most beautiful, colorful, and lush points of the city.
Due to its diverse flora and volcanic geology, this point holds great scientific interest. You can even hike to the top to get the panoramic views, but it could be difficult for people who are not a hiking fan. Along with fascinating views, enjoy the fascinating natural greenery on the way.
Before you go hiking the gorgeous hill, there are few things that you should keep in mind:
- Before going for a walk, check the weather forecast to make sure that you will not have to face unfavorable conditions that might ruin the visit.
- Take water with you as you will need a lot of strength to climb up the hill due to strong wind tides. This may induce dehydration, so be prepared.Bring a map of Edinburgh with you to recognize the landmarks when you are having a view from the top. Pay a visit to the nearby ranger's lodge, containing information about local fauna and flora.
- Behind a tent-like structure, you will find 'Our Dynamic Earth' that has interesting signs that explain the formation of Arthur’s Seat and the crags.
Day trips from Edinburgh
When you are done exploring the beautiful capital of Scotland, set out to discover the fascinating places nearby. During your Edinburgh travel, you should include day trips from the capital to nearby attractive locations. Some of the famous day trip destinations are.
1. Loch Ness
Take the most popular day trip from Edinburgh into the mysterious beauty of Loch Ness, the largest freshwater lake in the Scottish Highlands. The second deepest lake of Scotland is famous to house the mysterious sea monster 'Nessie'. Take cruise tour around the lake and then visit the ruins of Urquhart Castle. The Loch Ness Centre, the village of Drumnadrochit, scenic Glen Affric, and the Caledonian Canal in Fort Augustus are some worth visiting sites nearby.
2. Stirling
The city is famous mainly because of the large castle that holds great importance in the history of Scotland. This medieval castle was home to Scottish royalty and has witnessed various battles.
Today people come here to witness the ancient history and the principle rooms where people used to live. The royalty of the medieval period used the nearby Holy Rude church. Battle of Bannockburn site, National Wallace Monument, and the town of Falkirk are other important attractions.
3. Scottish Borders
The southern region of Scotland with England border is known as Scottish Border. The large hilly rural area has seen many Scottish and English armies come and go over the centuries. The area has various historical sites like old market towns, ruined grand abbeys, Roman sites, castles, broches, and beautiful scenery with a huge network of hiking paths.
Floors Castle, Thirlestane Castle, Hermitage Castle, Mary Queen of Scots Visitors Center, Coldstream Museum, and Jedburgh Castle Jail and Museum are some of the most important points of the region.
4. Hadrian's Wall
The Romans built this 73 miles long wall in the Roman province of Britannia, sometime around 122 A.D. As the construction was initiated by Emperor Hadrian, so is the name given to it. Till the 5th century, the wall was used by the Romans to protect England from the wild north.
After being designated in 1987 as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it became a popular tourist attraction. Take the recent guided book on the wall to learn about the various interesting sites in the region and to choose the best among them.
5. Roslin
The beautiful city of Roslin is famous mainly for its iconic holy site, Rosslyn Chapel, but has a mysterious history and beautiful natural surroundings. Dating back to the 15th century, this enchanting chapel was built as a Roman Catholic Church for the Sinclair family.
Afterward, it became part of the Scottish Episcopal Church and is today owned privately by the Earl of Rosslyn. This is one of the architectural gems of the country with intricate stone carving at the pillars, arches, and exterior of the building. Various secular and religious symbols and imagery is carved throughout the chapel.
Best way to tour Edinburgh castle
This mighty World Heritage Site in the heart of Edinburgh, Scotland, is one of the most important historical sites. The castle has a long history, crown jewels, and stunning views to offer the visitors.
Located at the Castle Rock, at the height of about 130 meters above sea level, this historical fortress dominates the skyline of the Scottish capital. It is not easy to reach this worthy site as no transportation will take you up.
You need to leave your car, taxi, or whatever mode of transportation you are using, down at the bottom of the hill and walk up through the volcanic castle rock.
Edinburgh Castle facts
Being the most popular tourist destination of the country, more than 1.56 million visitors come to visit this magnificent site to explore the ancient history and witness the city through the castle hill. There are certain facts about this unique site that you should know before going there to make your visit more informative and fun.
The Castle Rock was formed as a result of a volcanic eruption that happened millions of years ago. It has evidence of being inhabited for more than 3000 years ago.
This mighty castle was built during the early 12th century and remained under siege for hundreds of years as it remained to be the conflict site between England and Scotland. Who occupied the castle has control over the entire country.
The castle had a strategic advantage due to the mighty rock so, it survived various battles due to its strong defensive position.
Since the 12th century, the castle served as the royal residence, till 1633 when its residential rile was declined with the demise of the last Scottish monarch inhibiting it. Till the 17th century, it was used as military barracks and as a prison during the 18th and 19th centuries. During the early 19th century, it was recognized as an important national heritage and came under restoration.
The tall and high castle can be spotted from most of the parts of Edinburgh Scotland and is high here for centuries. Walking up the hill, you are walking through the footsteps of the kings, queens, and soldiers of old times.
Edinburgh Reviews & Ratings
Castles, kilts and whisky - oh my!
My trip to Scotland was amazing! There was something for everyone to enjoy. From the beautiful landscapes, sheep everywhere, botanical gardens, Queen's yacht &...
The tour was a wonderful experience
The tour company really takes the time to find find great locations and provide time to relax.
S
Stephen Lane
Oct 2023
Written on
Best of Britain
The optional excursions were hit or miss.
M
Michael Hansen
Sep 2023
Written on
Best of Britain
Our itinerary was very well thought out!! I don’t ...
L
Lorna Klein
Sep 2023
Written on
Best of Britain
The trip was truly the "best of Britain". Although we didn't stay in one place for very long, we visited so many different places, saw beautiful scenery, enjoyed th...
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