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About Edinburgh

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Compact, hilly and filled with innumerable attractions, Edinburgh delights visitors with its medieval old town and vibrant personality. Dominating the skyline is Edinburgh Castle, where Scotland’s crown jewels are displayed and centuries of national history unravel. Take a free guided tour of this mighty citadel to hear stories of its fascinating past, and pause at the Argyle Battery for sweeping city views.

From the castle, the legendary Royal Mile leads down to Holyrood Palace in a jumble of museums and gift shops selling everything from kilts to vintage whisky. Some of the city’s best eats can be found here too – if the salty smell of fish and chips doesn’t tempt you, then perhaps a pub lunch of ‘haggis, neeps and tatties’ will.

Burn it all off with a walk to the top of Arthur’s Seat, an extinct volcano that overlooks the city in nearby Holyrood Park, and admire the natural landscape that stretches for miles around.

A wonderful time is guaranteed in Edinburgh, no matter the time of year. In winter there’s Hogmanay, a three-day festival of spectacular events and street parties to celebrate the new year. Summer brings balmier weather, before rounding up with the world’s biggest arts festival: The Fringe. Lasting an entire month, this all-out celebration packs stand-up comedy, magic shows and dramatic theatre into its busy schedule, creating a buzz that draws bigger crowds to the Scottish capital year after year.

Tonight

From £311 per night

This weekend

From £969 per night

Next weekend

From £474 per night

Most popular time to visit October–December
Cheapest time to visit January–March
Local currency GBP
Language English
Average weekend price £217 per night
Average weekday price £222 per night
Typical stay 2 nights

Points of interest in Edinburgh

Stay near the top sightseeing spots in Edinburgh

Latest articles featuring Edinburgh

Inspiration and insider tips for what to do in Edinburgh

Destination inspiration: Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Take a scenic walk through Edinburgh’s legend-laden history.

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What to read and watch before visiting Edinburgh

Lose yourself in cult classics and historic tales inspired by the Scottish capital.

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Edinburgh reviews

What other travellers say about Edinburgh

10

a super city to visit but like London it has become very...

1 October 2023

a super city to visit but like London it has become very expensive over the years.. the zoo is no longer the place to go visit the 5 sisters zoo in west Calder is the place to go a cracking good day out. Do the castle once and leave it £34.00 a head is just pushing it. parking is a nightmare castle place carpark near the floral gardens and clock £29.95 for 4 hours.........

Maurice
Maurice United Kingdom
10

Beautiful, elegant city.

30 September 2023

Beautiful, elegant city. This was my first visit for a conference so I didn't have much chance to explore. I will definitely be returning, there is so much to see. Public transport is very convenient, regular buses, trains and trams. Visited the zoo and Botanic gardens, both are awesome.

Rachel
Rachel United Kingdom
10

Didn't get to see enough of the sights.

29 September 2023

Didn't get to see enough of the sights. Would have loved to have stayed longer to visit more of the neighborhoods, and not just the main tourist attractions. The Royal Mile was still teeming with tourists, even in September. Transit was excellent (bus drivers were very helpful) and the tram was a no-brainer as a tourist visiting the main attractions such as Brittannia. Would avoid Grass Market; tourist trap. If you can, buy tickets at the Traverse Theatre for a play, pie and a pint. We didn't jump on this option during our time in Edinburgh, and we regret not seeing a 55 minute play for £17.50, with the abovementioned perks. Surprisingly, the Red Cafe at Edinburgh Castle was one of the more reasonably-priced eateries for an afternoon bite. Sit at the back of the cafe, where there are more tables, and a great view of the city. The scones were very tasty, even though the charge for the cream was exorbitant and not even close to the taste of real clotted cream.

Stephanie
Stephanie Canada
10

Fantastic city with so much to do!

29 September 2023

Fantastic city with so much to do!! We crammed in so much in our few days but would love to have had longer. Hop on hop off buses were a godsend, as Edinburgh is very hilly. The castle tour was really good, informative and fun!

Teena
Teena United Kingdom
10

Edinburgh was a beautiful city, lots of historical content,...

29 September 2023

Edinburgh was a beautiful city, lots of historical content, friendly helpful people anywhere we visited, good value for money. A lot of options for to suit anyone visiting. The bus and tram service was excellent. There was a great choice of cuisine to be had at any level. Downside was there was a lot of building sites in the new town side. But overall I think Edinburgh is underrated, it's a definitely somewhere not to miss out on....

Paul Kerins
Paul Kerins Ireland
10

Although we stayed in Edinburgh sadly we did not get to see...

28 September 2023

Although we stayed in Edinburgh sadly we did not get to see much of it, hence why I would like to come back. As we only stayed from Monday-Friday, we wanted to see as much as possible so pre booked 3 coach tours for our 3 days which were great. We went to Glencoe, Glenfinnan, Loch Ness ( where we went on a boat trip ), scottish highlands, Stirling Castle, Kelpies. The views of scotland are breath-taking, so beautiful. The people were very friendly and helpful. Although we did not visit Edinburgh Castle we walked up past it every day to get our coach. We also walked down the Royal Mile and had a scottish breakfast. The weather was great. Its a great place for walking, eating, shopping and visiting the sites. Will definately be returning.

Tina
Tina United Kingdom

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