United Kingdom · Updated 2026
Best time to visit Edinburgh
May to June and September; August only if you're coming for the festivals
Edinburgh is never hot. The trade-off is between long, bright, mild days from May to September and the cosy, dark, cheaper months that bookend Christmas and Hogmanay. August transforms the city into the world's biggest arts festival, with crowds and prices to match. Late spring and early autumn give you fine walking weather without the August crush.
Save on Pinterest
Photo: Adam Wilson / Unsplash
Quick answers
- Best overall
- May, June and September
- Best weather
- Late May to early July
- Cheapest
- January to March, and November
- Avoid
- August if you dislike crowds and triple hotel prices; November if you need daylight and dry weather.
Edinburgh month by month
Average temperatures, rain, crowds and hotel prices. Hotel links open with dates in that month.
January
Mixed7° / 1°C
- Rain
- Medium
- Crowds
- Low
- Prices
- Low
Cold, dark and often windy after New Year, but quiet and cheap. Good for museums, whisky bars and Burns Night suppers.
Events: Hogmanay (1 January) · Burns Night (25 January)
Hotels in JanuaryFebruary
Mixed8° / 2°C
- Rain
- Medium
- Crowds
- Low
- Prices
- Low
Grey and chilly with lengthening days. Bargain hotels, except on rugby weekends when Murrayfield fills the city.
Events: Six Nations rugby at Murrayfield (home games in alternate years)
Hotels in FebruaryMarch
Good10° / 3°C
- Rain
- Medium
- Crowds
- Low
- Prices
- Low
Changeable early spring with snowdrops and daffodils. Still cheap, with crisp, clear days ideal for climbing Arthur's Seat.
Events: Six Nations rugby at Murrayfield (some years)
Hotels in MarchApril
Great12° / 4°C
- Rain
- Low
- Crowds
- Medium
- Prices
- Medium
Usually the driest month, with blossom in the Meadows. Easter brings families, but prices stay reasonable.
Events: Edinburgh Science Festival · Beltane Fire Festival (30 April)
Hotels in AprilMay
Ideal15° / 7°C
- Rain
- Medium
- Crowds
- Medium
- Prices
- Medium
Long, bright days and mild air without summer crowds. A sweet spot for walkers, gardens and day trips.
Events: Edinburgh Marathon Festival
Hotels in MayJune
Ideal18° / 10°C
- Rain
- Medium
- Crowds
- High
- Prices
- High
Near-endless daylight, with dusk after 10pm. Pleasant warmth and lively beer gardens, though cruise and coach groups are building.
Events: Royal Highland Show
Hotels in JuneJuly
Great19° / 12°C
- Rain
- Medium
- Crowds
- High
- Prices
- High
The warmest month, but still sweater weather some evenings. Busy with school-holiday families and prices climb towards August.
Events: Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival
Hotels in JulyAugust
Great19° / 11°C
- Rain
- High
- Crowds
- High
- Prices
- High
Festival madness: thousands of shows, packed streets and peak prices. Unmissable for culture lovers, exhausting for anyone else.
Events: Edinburgh Festival Fringe · Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo
Hotels in AugustSeptember
Ideal17° / 9°C
- Rain
- Medium
- Crowds
- Medium
- Prices
- Medium
Calm returns after the festivals, often with settled golden weather. Ideal for sightseeing, hikes and good-value stays.
Events: Doors Open Days
Hotels in SeptemberOctober
Good13° / 7°C
- Rain
- High
- Crowds
- Medium
- Prices
- Medium
Autumn colour and atmospheric ghost tours as nights draw in. Wet and blustery spells, but it's a cosy season.
Events: Scottish International Storytelling Festival
Hotels in OctoberNovember
Mixed10° / 4°C
- Rain
- Medium
- Crowds
- Low
- Prices
- Low
Dark by 4pm and often damp, but cheap. The Christmas market opening late in the month lifts the mood.
Events: Edinburgh's Christmas opens · St Andrew's Day (30 November)
Hotels in NovemberDecember
Great7° / 2°C
- Rain
- Medium
- Crowds
- High
- Prices
- High
Under seven hours of daylight, but festive lights, markets and Hogmanay make it magical. Prices spike around New Year.
Events: Edinburgh's Christmas · Edinburgh's Hogmanay
Hotels in December
Timing tips for Edinburgh
- For August, book accommodation six to twelve months ahead. Rooms sell out and prices often triple, so consider staying in Leith or a commuter town on the train line.
- Hogmanay street party and Torchlight Procession tickets sell out in autumn. Book by October and reserve a room early for 30 December to 1 January.
- Pack layers and a waterproof whatever the month. Summer days rarely top 20C and the wind off the Firth can bite. In midwinter, plan sightseeing for the short 9am to 3:30pm daylight window.
FAQ
When to visit Edinburgh: questions travellers ask
Planning Edinburgh
5 areas · United KingdomWhere to Stay in Edinburgh
Old Town for first-timers, New Town for elegance, Leith for food and value, West End for calm and rail links
Compare areas & hotels3 days · United Kingdom3 Days in Edinburgh: Castles, Closes & Highlands
Castles, crags and cobbled closes in Scotland's storybook capital
Picked your month?
Get a day-by-day Edinburgh itinerary for your exact dates, with weather-aware plans, hotels and an honest budget.
Plan my Edinburgh tripClimate figures are long-term averages; always check the forecast before you go. Hotel links are affiliate links: if you book, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. How this works.