Edinburgh, UK Travel Guide

A castle on a crag and closes of stone

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Why visit Edinburgh

Edinburgh’s Old Town climbs from Holyrood Palace to the castle along the Royal Mile, a mile of closes and wynds that doubles in population every August. Climbing Arthur’s Seat takes about 45 minutes from Holyrood Park and looks out over the Firth of Forth. Haggis with neeps and tatties costs around £12 in a Grassmarket pub, and Leith’s Shore holds the city’s best fish suppers.

Last updated Aug 17, 2026 · Reviewed by the WhatWhereVacay editorial team

Worth booking before you go

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Getting to Edinburgh

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Airport transfer in Edinburgh

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Car rental in Edinburgh

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Things to do in Edinburgh

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Hotels in Edinburgh

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Best time to visit Edinburgh

Weather decides when a city shines — and when it empties out. We pull 30-year climate averages for Edinburgh to show which months are warm, dry and worth booking.

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3 days in Edinburgh: what to eat & see

D1 Day 1

Morning

Edinburgh Castle & the Royal Mile

Afternoon

Holyrood Palace & the Scottish Parliament

Evening

Pub dinner in the Grassmarket

Haggis →

D2 Day 2

Morning

Arthur’s Seat from Holyrood Park

Afternoon

National Museum of Scotland & Greyfriars Kirkyard

Scotch Egg →

Evening

Stockbridge & Dean Village walk

Cock-a-Leekie →

D3 Day 3

Morning

Royal Yacht Britannia at Leith

Afternoon

Royal Botanic Garden & Calton Hill at dusk

Fruit Scone →

Evening

Leith Shore dinner

Cullen Skink →

Eat your way through Edinburgh

These are the dishes to hunt down in Edinburgh — not just the country's greatest hits. Tap a dish to see where it's made best, then compare a stay in the same neighbourhood with your dates.