For first time visitors, we recommend spending at least two or three days in Edinburgh, which will give you enough time to explore the city centre and see the main sites.
Two days in Edinburgh is just enough to give you a little taste of Scotland and have you craving a much longer trip that also includes the Scottish countryside.
Visiting Edinburgh in two days is possible, if you make the most out of your time. You will not have time to visit every little corner of the city, but with a well planned route, you will be able to visit all the more important landmarks in the Scottish Capital.
So, you've got three days in Edinburgh, you lucky thing. Much of the city centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and there's no shortage of brilliant museums, dramatic vistas, fascinating historical attractions, and stunning architecture to soak in.
Everything to Know Before Visiting Edinburgh, Scotland!
Is 4 days too long in Edinburgh?
Like all cities with the cultural depth of somewhere like Edinburgh, you could stay there for weeks and only scratch the surface. However, for doing a trip to see the sights then 3-4 days would be enough to see the main attractions and also give a bit of spare time to improvise too.
For first time visitors, we recommend spending at least two or three days in Edinburgh, which will give you enough time to explore the city centre and see the main sites.
We would say that even for a long weekend Edinburgh is 100% worth visiting. With numerous places to visit, things to see and eateries to try Edinburgh is a great city break.
For budget-minded travelers, it costs around £45-£90 per day to visit Edinburgh. These prices are based on what you'll need to visit the city comfortably as a budget traveler. If you want to upgrade your accommodations, add another £60-£85 per night depending on your hotel choice.
Within Edinburgh's medieval Old Town and neoclassical New Town, there's so much to experience. If you only have a day in the city, don't despair: The city is big enough to keep you entertained but compact enough that you can explore almost everything on foot.
Wonderful as they both are, they're also very different. While London is enormous and requires decent navigation skills, Edinburgh can be explored on foot. London's grandiosity and lavishness are apparent everywhere you look, while Edinburgh is best described by words like “charming” and “whimsical”.
The best time to visit Edinburgh is during the summer (June to August) when the weather is warmer, there's less rain (although this is Scotland, so don't bank on it!), and the days are longer.
Edinburgh is the most expensive place in the UK outside London to rent a room, a survey has found. It costs almost £900 a month on average for a room in the Scottish capital, nearly twice as much as in the English port of South Shields, Britain's cheapest town.
Edinburgh is an expensive city, that's for sure! While Glasgow isn't cheap, it's certainly more affordable than Edinburgh, in pretty much every category. From restaurants and bars to hotels and attractions, Glasgow is a more budget-friendly destination.
Edinburgh is known for being pretty and Glasgow is famous for being fun. It might be a bit reductive but essentially Edinburgh is famous for being pretty and Glasgow is known for being fun. The same might be said of their people.
Edinburgh is generally considered safe for solo female travelers, even at night. Though certain areas might be more bustling during the day, the city center and tourist-heavy areas remain quite active and safe into the evening.
Generally speaking Edinburgh can be expensive due to tourism, but in all other cities it's affordable, if you've been to London then you will indeed be surprised on the lower costs, food costs are a bit more expensive than last year but it's hardly noticeable as the compatition for customers on those eating out is ...
Is it better to stay in Edinburgh Old Town or New Town?
For history buffs, Old Town is definitely the place to be. As the elder sibling (obviously) of New Town by several centuries, every nook and cranny of Old Town is steeped in antiquity.
Edinburgh New Town may have a shorter history, but it's every bit as rich as that of its older counterpart. Inspired by the Scottish Enlightenment and constructed between 1767 and 1890, it is made up of seven new towns situated to the North of Old Town.
One of the UK's top destinations is a walkable city packed with attractions and historical landmarks. According to research from Workthere, Edinburgh is one of the UK's most pedestrian-friendly cities with one in six workers commuting to work on foot.
One week in Scotland gives you enough time to see the famous places without feeling too rushed. An itinerary for 7 days in Scotland could comfortably include visits to Edinburgh, Culloden, Loch Ness, Skye, Glencoe, and Loch Lomond. You might even fit in a day trip to Iona or a ride on the Jacobite Steam train.
You should set aside at least 2 hours to see the main attractions at Edinburgh Castle. Opening times for the independent museums at the castle may vary.
Sign in. Edinburgh has been named one of the most beautiful cities globally in a new list compiled by the influential American travel magazine Travel + Lesiure. Scotland's capital was named alongside London, the only other UK location named on the list.
