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Edinburgh

The Castle, the Royal Mile and the World's Biggest Arts Festival

Plan this trip
3 daysIdeal stay₹14,490From / night₹2,900Food / day₹2,770Entry

Scotland's capital, an old town on a volcanic ridge facing a Georgian new town: Edinburgh Castle and the Crown Jewels of Scotland, the Royal Mile down to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the climb up Arthur's Seat, the free National Museum of Scotland, and Calton Hill at sunset. In August the Festival Fringe, the International Festival and the Tattoo fill the city and rooms cost the most of the year. Trains reach London in 4 hours 20 and Glasgow in 50 minutes; tours to the Highlands and Skye leave daily. A 5% visitor levy is added to hotel bills from 24 July 2026.

Highlights

  • Edinburgh Castle
  • The Royal Mile and its closes
  • Climb Arthur's Seat
  • National Museum of Scotland (free)
  • Sunset on Calton Hill
  • Palace of Holyroodhouse
  • The Fringe in August
  • Hogmanay on 31 December

Things to do

  • Edinburgh CastleMorning · 3h
  • Royal Mile walk to HolyroodhouseAfternoon · 3h
  • Arthur's Seat climbMorning · 2h 30m
  • National Museum of ScotlandAfternoon · 2h 30m
  • Calton Hill sunset and an evening ghost tourEvening · 2h 30m

Tours & tickets

Tours & tickets in Edinburghvia GetYourGuideTours & tickets in Edinburghvia Klook

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When to go

Best time: May – September

Worth knowing

Edinburgh in August: Festival Prices

The Fringe, the International Festival and the Tattoo fill Edinburgh for most of August: hotel rooms cost two to three times the usual and sell out months ahead, and the Royal Mile is packed all day. Book as early as you can, or stay in Glasgow (50 minutes by train) and come in for the day.

Heads up

Edinburgh Visitor Levy

Since 24 July 2026 Edinburgh adds a 5% visitor levy to the room price for stays booked from 1 October 2025, for up to five nights in a row. Most online prices now include it; check the total before you pay. The stay costs in this plan include it.

Heads up

Hogmanay: Edinburgh Books Out

Edinburgh's New Year celebrations fill the city from about 29 December to 1 January: rooms sell out months ahead and the Princes Street street party on 31 December needs a ticket. Trains and buses run special timetables on 31 December and 1 January.

Heads up

Short Scottish Winter Days

At midwinter the sun rises around 08:45 and sets around 15:30 in Edinburgh. Plan sightseeing and day trips for the middle of the day; Christmas markets and Hogmanay make the evenings lively.

  • Edinburgh Festival Fringe, International Festival and Tattoo — Most of August: the Fringe, the world's largest arts festival, with thousands of shows from comedy to theatre in every hall and cellar, the International Festival of music and opera, and the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo on the castle esplanade. Street performers fill the Royal Mile. Rooms cost two or three times the usual and sell out months ahead; book Tattoo seats early.
  • Hogmanay · Hogmanay night 31 Dec — Edinburgh's New Year: a torchlight procession, the ticketed street party on Princes Street with fireworks from the castle at midnight, and the Loony Dook dip in the Forth on 1 January. Book rooms months ahead.
  • Christmas markets and lights — From mid November to Christmas: Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park, Edinburgh's market in Princes Street Gardens, Manchester's and Birmingham's German-style markets, and the markets in Bath and York. London's Oxford and Regent Street lights go up in November. Weekend crowds and higher hotel prices; most attractions close on 25 December, and trains don't run on Christmas Day.
  • Six Nations rugby — International rugby on weekends from early February to mid March: Wales at Cardiff's Principality Stadium, Scotland at Murrayfield in Edinburgh, England at Twickenham. Match weekends fill hotels and trains in those cities.