How many days do you need in Edinburgh to fully explore the city? We’d advise about a week, which gives you a good excuse to spend more than one weekend in Edinburgh. For your first one, we’ve prepared a varied itinerary for everyone from romantic couples to families with children.
We’ll help to ensure you don’t miss any of the major attractions, and also tip you off to some of the lesser-known, fascinating places to visit.
Things to Remember before Visiting Edinburgh
Before finalising your plans for a weekend in Edinburgh, make sure to check the KAYAK Travel Restrictions guide. It gives the latest information on the COVID-19 situation in the UK, so you can see any possible impact on your Edinburgh 3 days itinerary. Scotland can get very cold in winter, so bear that in mind – seasonality makes a big difference to what you can see and do.
How to get around Edinburgh
There’s a choice of public transport in Edinburgh, so it’s very easy to get around the city if you don’t hire a car. The council-controlled Lothian Buses offers more than 70 routes in and around Edinburgh. Edinburgh Trams operates a city-wide system.
Best area to stay in Edinburgh
You can book accommodation for your weekend in Edinburgh through KAYAK. Use our Edinburgh Hotel Directory to find the most suitable place to stay. If you want to be in the city centre, choose somewhere like The Lane Hotel. To stay in the trendy West End where the boutiques and night spots are, book at The Guards Hotel, for instance.
Weekend in Edinburgh: Day 1
Afternoon: Starting Your Long Weekend in Edinburgh
Reserve the morning for settling in at your accommodation and freshening up for your weekend in Edinburgh. Then you can set about exploring nearby tourist landmarks. Leave the big attractions for when you have a full day on Saturday and focus on some lesser-known places to start with.
Begin your weekend in Edinburgh itinerary by soaking up the city’s vibe on the Royal Mile. It’s lined with cafés, inns and restaurants, with narrow alleys known as “winds” leading off the main avenue for you to explore. You’ll pass the Tolbooth, housing the quaint People’s Story Museum. There’s also The Writer’s Museum containing manuscripts from the likes of Sir Walter Scott, Robert Burns and Robert Louis Stevenson.
Or walk along Prince’s Street, the main street in the New Town. This will give you a sense of the more modern, bustling Edinburgh, with plenty of restaurants and shops. It’s also where you’ll find the oldest floral clock in the world.
Evening: Where to Eat in Edinburgh
A hearty traditional Scottish meal is an appropriate idea for your first dinner in Edinburgh. Choose between Pibroch Scottish Restaurant on the Royal Mile, or Angels with Bagpipes near Mary King’s Close. If you feel like going for cocktails beforehand, head to Bramble Bar and Lounge on Queen Street. Other good options are Dragonfly, and Heads & Tails Gin Bar.
A really fun thing to do at night, especially if you’re visiting Edinburgh with your family, is to visit Camera Obscura and World of Illusions. It’s an utterly unique experience that takes you into a kaleidoscope of mirrors, illusions and optical tricks.
You can end the evening in Edinburgh’s Old Town. If you want to make a night of it with friends, you can take the Grassmarket Pub Crawl. Or simply go to a local favourite, Biddy Mulligan’s Irish Bar. Inside is Scotland’s smallest pub, The Wee Pub. It’s so tiny that Mulligan’s provides magnifying glasses to read the menus.
Weekend in Edinburgh: Day 2
Morning: Main Tourist Attractions in Edinburgh
Get up bright and early for breakfast at your hotel, or enjoy it at one of the city’s cafés or bistros. Either The Fountain Café in Grove Street or Urban Angel in Hanover Street will be ideal. Then you can set about sightseeing, taking in Edinburgh’s most iconic tourist landmarks.
The city’s centrepiece is Edinburgh Castle, home of the famous annual Edinburgh Tattoo and one of the most visited tourist attractions in Britain. Here you can see the Scottish Crown Jewels and the Scottish National War Memorial. The castle is also home to the National War Museum.
Arts and culture lovers will want to visit the Scottish National Gallery & Portrait Gallery containing over 65,000 exhibits, among them the largest collection of European paintings in Scotland. It houses the Scottish National Photography Collection as well. There’s also the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, one of the leading institutions of its kind in the UK.
Afternoon: Explore Edinburgh’s Surroundings
With a hire car from KAYAK you can drive to tourist attractions in the region surrounding Edinburgh. Arthur’s Seat and the Salisbury Crags will be your first stop, just outside and overlooking the city. You can take the road from Dunsapie Loch, where you’ll see some excellently preserved ancient farming artefacts. Calton Hill is another great outlook point for panoramic views of the city.
You can even drive to the seaside from Edinburgh – it will take you about 30min to reach Portobello Beach. Here you can also have a fish and chips lunch, and take the kids to the amusement arcade. Or pack a picnic basket and enjoy lunch on the beach, looking over the sea to the Isle of Fife.
For a more adult activity, you shouldn’t miss the chance to taste the local whisky. Head to the Victorian-era distillery of Glenkinchie. You see the entire whisky-making process and sample the results. Just remember to designate a driver.
Evening: Nightlife in Edinburgh
Make Saturday night the party night of your weekend in Edinburgh, or find some more sedate entertainment. If you’re on a couple’s getaway, The Witchery By The Castle promises a wonderfully romantic evening. It’s in the Castlehill area. To treat yourself to some fine dining, there’s Wedgewood on the Royal Mile.
If you just want something easy and fast before you start your revelry you can try Auld Hundred on Rose Street. It serves delicious pub food, which you can enjoy with a draught or two. If you’re with your kids, take them on a ghost tour of the underground vaults beneath the city. There are plenty of operators to choose from.
When you want to hit the nightclubs, head to George Street. The Planet bar is hugely popular, and to dance the night away there’s CC Bloom’s or Habana. If you prefer a more casual place with live music, go to the Hive on Blair Street.
Weekend in Edinburgh: Day 3
Afternoon: More Weekend Activities in Edinburgh
Take it easy in the morning, and then head over to the Leith neighbourhood for one of the finest Scottish breakfasts in Edinburgh, at Nobles Bar and Restaurant. Then take a stroll to the Pitt Street Market, also in Leith, or Stockbridge Farmer’s Market and browse for local produce, souvenirs and delicacies.
Spend the second afternoon of your weekend in Edinburgh exploring some of the more unusual experiences Edinburgh has to offer. The Chocolatarium is a must for chocolate lovers – you can take chocolate tasting tours there. There’s also the delightful Museum of Childhood, with its nostalgic exhibits and hands-on interactive experiences.
When afternoon teatime comes around, you have a diverse choice. You can take it at The Signet in Parliament Square, Balmoral Hotel in Prince Street, or head to Mimi’s Bakehouse for a special family treat. In summer you can go to The Meadows, an open park where you can have a barbecue.
Evening: The End of Edinburgh in 3 Days
On the last evening of your weekend in Edinburgh, watch the sunset from South Queensferry – parking is free on the waterfront. Then you can visit the fascinating Dynamic Earth. It’s an interactive science museum charting the entire history of our planet, with absorbing exhibitions for children and adults alike. The nearest major landmark to locate it is the Scottish Parliament buildings.
Then go and have some fun hunting for the Secret Gardens in the Old Town district, near places like the Old Assembly Close or the Old Fishmarket Close. You’ll learn a lot about the city’s history along the way. If you really want something different, you can go indoor night skiing year-round at the Midlothian Snowsports Centre in Hillend.
By now you’ll have realised just how long to stay in Edinburgh to experience everything the city has to offer, and you’ll be ready to plan your next weekend in Edinburgh. To help you, we have a handy Edinburgh Travel Guide.
