How many days in Edinburgh? Plans for 1–5 days

Edinburgh is small for a capital, but steep. The medieval Old Town runs along a ridge from the castle down to Holyrood, the Georgian New Town lies in neat streets to the north, and in the middle of the city rises an extinct volcano you can climb in an hour. The short answer: 2 days are enough for the essentials, 3 days are ideal, and with 4 or 5 days a day trip by train is worth it.

How many days in Edinburgh? The overview

Two things matter for planning. Edinburgh Castle sells tickets online with an entry time, and in summer the popular slots go early – book before you travel. And in August, when the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and the other festivals take over the city, accommodation is scarce and expensive; book months ahead or come at another time.

One day in Edinburgh: the castle and the Old Town

One day is enough for the Old Town if you start at the top. Be at Edinburgh Castle for the first entry slot, then walk down the Royal Mile, the chain of streets between the castle and Holyrood. On the way: St Giles' Cathedral with its crown spire, the closes – narrow alleys that drop away from the street on both sides – and, a short detour south, the Grassmarket below the castle walls and Greyfriars Kirkyard. The National Museum of Scotland next door is free and good for a rainy hour. Finish the day on Calton Hill, where the monuments and the view over the Old Town and the Firth of Forth are best at sunset.

What does not fit into this day: Arthur's Seat, Holyrood and anything north of Princes Street.

Two days in Edinburgh: add Holyrood and Arthur's Seat

With two days, the second starts at the bottom of the Royal Mile. The Palace of Holyroodhouse is the King's official residence in Scotland, with the ruins of Holyrood Abbey in its grounds; check the website, because it closes when the royal family is in residence. Behind it rises Arthur's Seat, the summit of an extinct volcano in Holyrood Park. The climb takes about an hour up and down at an easy pace, on paths that get muddy and windy – proper shoes help. In the afternoon, Calton Hill and the Scott Monument on Princes Street, which you can climb up its narrow spiral stairs.

Castle tickets, guided walks through the Old Town and the underground vaults^* can be booked on Tiqets.

Three days in Edinburgh: our ready-made plan

Three days are right for a first visit, because they take you beyond the Royal Mile. Our plan:

• Day 1 – The castle and the Old Town: Edinburgh Castle, St Giles' Cathedral, the Grassmarket, Greyfriars Kirkyard, the National Museum of Scotland.
• Day 2 – Holyrood, Arthur's Seat and Calton Hill: the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the climb up Arthur's Seat, Calton Hill and the Scott Monument.
• Day 3 – Dean Village, Stockbridge and Leith: the old mill village of Dean Village on the Water of Leith, the cafés of Stockbridge, the Royal Botanic Garden, the Royal Yacht Britannia in Leith and dinner at The Shore, the old harbour.

Four days or more: Stirling, Glasgow and the Forth Bridge

From day four, Edinburgh is a good base for trips by train. Stirling with its castle and the Wallace Monument and Glasgow, Scotland's largest city, are each under an hour away on direct trains. Closer still is South Queensferry, where the red Forth Bridge from 1890 crosses the estuary – a UNESCO World Heritage Site that you can see from below or cross by train. Trains in Scotland^* are easy to compare on Omio.

The Highlands, Glencoe and Loch Ness are a long day from Edinburgh: most of it is spent on the road. As a taste of the landscape, a coach tour is the easiest way, for example one of the coach tours from Edinburgh^* on Viator. If you want to see the Highlands properly, plan a few nights there instead – our Scotland road trip in 10 days shows a route.

Where to stay in Edinburgh

Two areas suit a short stay:

• Old Town: between the castle and Holyrood, right in the thick of it. Can be noisy at night.
• New Town: the Georgian streets north of Princes Street, quieter but still central and close to Waverley station.

The centre is best explored on foot, but expect hills and steps. Buses run often, and the tram links the airport, the centre and Leith. Coming from London, trains to Waverley take about four and a half hours, which is often quicker door to door than flying. On the day you leave, bags can be dropped near Waverley while you see one last thing – Radical Storage lists luggage storage in central Edinburgh^*.

Best time to visit Edinburgh

May to September has the longest days and the mildest weather, although it rarely gets warm. August is festival month: the city is full, lively and expensive. Spring and autumn are quieter, and the light on the old stone is beautiful. Winter is dark early, but Christmas and Hogmanay, the Scottish New Year, are big celebrations. Rain and wind are possible at any time of year – bring a waterproof jacket. YesTrip shows you the weather for your actual travel days.

Edinburgh compared: how many days for other cities?

If you are choosing between cities: this is how many days we recommend in this series for a first visit.

Base map: Natural Earth

More in our articles how many days in Dublin and how many days in London, and all cities of the series in the overview how many days in each city.

How YesTrip helps you plan

YesTrip has a ready-made three-day plan for Edinburgh with times, walking legs and a map for each day. With one tap you copy it into the app and adjust it – for example to put the castle at the time of your booked entry, or to add a day in Stirling. The app shows the weather for your travel days, the packing list suggests a rain jacket and layers when the forecast calls for them, and with the offline package you have the map without a connection. YesTrip is free.

Edinburgh trip planDay by day, with map and tips

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