United Kingdom

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Edinburgh

A castle on a volcano and a medieval old town

Visa & entry checker Plan a trip to Edinburgh Plan a trip around United Kingdom

Best time to visit: May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep
Currency: GBP
Time zone: UTC+0
Country: United Kingdom

Photo: Andrew Colin, CC BY 2.0

Scotland's hilly capital, split between a medieval Old Town and a Georgian New Town, both UNESCO-listed, with a castle on a rock between them.

Largest cities

London
Birmingham
Manchester
Glasgow
Edinburgh
Liverpool

Quick facts

Figures are rounded recent official estimates.

Country: United Kingdom
Capital: London
City population: 520,000
Population of United Kingdom: 69.3M
Country area: 242,495 km²
Official language: English
Currency: British Pound (GBP) · 1 USD ≈ 0.7565 GBP
Time zone: UTC+0
Calling code: +44
Drives on the: Left
Elevation: 47 m
Plugs: G · 230V
Emergency numbers: 999 · 112
Best time to visit: May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep

Temperatures through the year

Average daily high and low for each month in °C. Months marked with a drop are often rainy.

Temperatures through the year

Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High	7°	8°	10°	12°	15°	18°	19°	19°	17°	13°	10°	7°
Low	1°	1°	2°	4°	6°	9°	11°	11°	9°	6°	3°	1°

Best time to visitOther months

Approximate daily cost

Per adult per day: food, local transport and half a double room, without activities or flights.

ConservativeSimple stays, free and low-cost sights first.$88
HighComfortable hotels, a balanced mix of sights and trips.$180
LuxuryLuxury hotels, more paid experiences and day trips.$395

Plan a trip to Edinburgh

Top things to do

≈ $30
Edinburgh Castle
The fortress on a volcanic rock, home of the Scottish crown jewels and the one o'clock gun; book a timed ticket.
- Half day
- Old Town and the Royal Mile
- Good for kids
- Indoors
Free
The Royal Mile and its closes
The medieval spine of the city from the castle to the palace, with narrow alleys, St Giles' Cathedral and street performers.
- Half day
- Old Town and the Royal Mile
- Good for kids
- Good in the evening
Free
Arthur's Seat
An extinct volcano in the middle of the city; about 45 minutes up for views over the city and the sea.
- Half day
- Holyrood and Arthur's Seat
Free
National Museum of Scotland
Free galleries from dinosaurs to Dolly the sheep, with a rooftop terrace over the Old Town.
- Half day
- Old Town and the Royal Mile
- Good for kids
- Indoors
≈ $25
Palace of Holyroodhouse
The King's official residence in Scotland and the ruined abbey beside it; closed when the royal family is in residence.
- Half day
- Holyrood and Arthur's Seat
- Indoors
Free
Calton Hill at sunset
Monuments and the classic view along Princes Street to the castle; a short climb from the east end.
- Half day
- New Town
- Good in the evening
≈ $70
Day trip: Loch Ness and the Highlands
A long coach day through Glencoe to Loch Ness; or a shorter trip to Stirling Castle and the Kelpies.
- Full day
- Leith

Before you go

Entry and visas

Visitors who don't need a visa, including EU and GCC citizens, now need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before travelling; others need a Standard Visitor visa. Check your passport on GOV.UK.

Official website

From the airport

Edinburgh Airport is linked to the centre by tram and the Airlink 100 bus, both about 30 minutes. Trains from London King's Cross take about 4.5 hours.

Getting around

The centre is walkable but steep. Lothian buses and trams take contactless cards with daily capping.

Local tips

August is festival month: prices and crowds peak; book months ahead.
Weather changes fast; carry a waterproof layer all year.
Scottish banks print their own notes; they are legal in the UK but not always accepted outside Scotland.
The same ETA or visa rules as the rest of the UK apply.