Explore the best of Edinburgh, Scotland with my 3 day itinerary.
Scotland is on many people’s bucket list- and for good reasons. The UK will always have a special place in my heart and I was excited to venture back. Fair warning- you can do Edinburgh in 3 days, but I promise you’ll want to stay longer. Edinburgh boasts old town medieval charm combined with a more modernized new town. Walk down the cobblestone streets and soak in the lively Scottish culture. You’ll be in love with the city in no time. If you want a condensed version of my itinerary, scroll to the bottom of the page! This slow travel itinerary gives you plenty of time to explore the hidden gems of the Scottish capital.
DAY ONE:
Arrive via plane at Edinburgh airport. I was pleasantly surprised at how small the airport was, which made going through customs a breeze. There is nothing worse than standing in custom lines for hours at larger international airports.
Make your way outside the airport where you will see the famous Edinburgh sign. Snap a picture while you wait for a taxi. There are several taxis lined up waiting to drive passengers to their destinations.
Once you secure your taxi, make your way to your accommodations. I suggest staying in the city centre for easy access. This gives you the freedom to walk almost everywhere you want to go and discover hidden gems along the way.
I recommend staying on the Royal Mile. This puts you in the heart of the old city bursting with history. We were able to walk to about every attraction that we visited. We scored an incredible airbnb with a lovely local host. The apartment is extremely spacious for a flat in the UK. I particularly liked the comfy window seat looking out on the Royal Mile. There is even a little pub right below the flat. We would stay here again in a heartbeat!
After you get settled in your accommodation, venture out and jump on the Hop on Hop off Bus Tour. I always do one of these tours when I get to a new city. One-you are tired and jet-lagged after your travels. This gives you the chance to see the sitting while relaxing. Two-it gives you a good idea of the layout of the city which makes walking around for those that are directionally challenged a bit easier.
After you explore the city by bus, stop at a local pub for a beer and some fish and chips. We chose to explore around our airbnb on foot to get a feel for the city and scout out nearby places we might want to explore. We called it an early night so we could wake up refreshed the following morning.
DAY TWO:
Kick the jet-lag and wake up refreshed to conquer the day. Have yourself a full Scottish breakfast at the Edinburgh Larder, right off the Royal Mile. The Eggs Benedict was divine. Start the day by strolling down the Royal Mile until you reach the old city town centre. Here you will find Edinburgh Castle. Trust me, you can’t miss it. I would suggest booking your tickets ahead of time. You can take a guided walking tour or chose to explore at your own pace.
After visiting the castle, browse around at the nearby shops and collect some souvenirs. There are many extra touristy shops but we seemed to find quite a bit of good quality ones in this area.
Once you are done shopping, stop in at Gladstone’s Land for a cup of tea or cappuccino. This is a super cute, historic building that has been renovated into a cafe. It was small, quiet and reasonably priced.
A tasting tour is a must if scotch and whiskey is your thing. I am not a scotch nor whiskey drinker; however, this was on my husband’s bucket list. Regardless, I still thoroughly enjoyed the tour and learned a lot of history. I recommend the Scotch Whiskey Experience. It is a fully immersive tour with highly knowledgable guides. And you get to take home a free glass! I’m all for free souvenirs. The building is right on the Royal Mile next to Edinburgh Castle. Make sure you book ahead of time!
Snag a reservation at The Witchery for dinner, it is a fabulous restaurant right by the Scotch Whiskey Experience.
DAY THREE:
Start the morning by making your way up to Arthur’s Seat. Arthur’s Seat is an ancient volcano that is situated by Holyrood Park. We used our Hop on Hop Off Bus pass to get to this another-another perk of the pass.
I’m going to be completely honest. We were woefully unprepared for the hike up the hill. I had read a previous blog that stated it was just a “little jaunt” up the hill. Boy, were we wrong.
It isn’t a difficult hike, but it does have an incline and takes about 2 hours. Definitely not a little jaunt. Besides not wearing the proper shoes to take a 2 hour hike up a mountain, it was pretty incredible. You’ll be rewarded with sweeping views of the city. There were many people that brought a picnic lunch up with them and ate while enjoying the views.
It is completely worth it. Just don’t make our mistake and wear proper shoes and bring water!
Are you a Harry Potter fan visiting Edinburgh? Obviously we are, considering the name of the blog. If you are, take a Harry Potter walking tour! Fun fact: J.K. Rowling did most of her writing in local cafes around Edinburgh. I am not a huge fan of walking tours typically, but I couldn’t pass this one up. It was fun, informative and such a unique experience. Book the Harry Potter Magical Walking Tour!
You will visit Victoria Street, which is the street diagon alley was based off of, Tom Riddle’s grave, the school that inspired J.K. Rowling to create Hogwarts and more. At the beginning of the 2-hour tour, you will get sorted into your house. Throughout the tour you’ll participate in trivia questions to earn house points. This tour is great for all ages and I would suggest it to all my fellow muggles.
Spend your last magical evening in Edinburgh at the Queen Arms Pub for a refreshing craft cocktail.
3 DAY ITINERARY SNAPSHOT:
DAY ONE:
*Settle into accommodation on the Royal Mile
*Hop on Hop off Bus Tour (Bus pass valid for 24 hours)
- Waterloo Place
- St. Andrew Square 3.
- Lothian Road 4.
- Grassmarket 5.
- Chalmers Street 6.
- Johnston Terrace 7.
- Lawnmarket 8.
- National Museum of Scotland 9.
- High Street 10.
- Canongate 11.
- Holyrood 12.
- Our Dynamic Earth 13.
- Abbeyhill Crescent 14.
- Regent Road
*Explore Royal Mile
*Dinner at pub on Royal Mile. There are tons of pubs and you really can’t go wrong. The No. 1 High Mile was right under our flat and we ate there several times.
DAY TWO:
*Breakfast at the Edinburgh Larder off the Royal Mile
*Edinburgh Castle
*Coffee or Tea at Gladstone’s Land
*Shop Old Town
*Scotch Whiskey Experience
*Dinner at The Witchery. Make sure you get a reservation ahead of time!
DAY THREE:
*Arthur’s Seat
*Enjoy a French lunch on Victoria St. at Maison Bleue
*Harry Potter Magical Guided Walking Tour
*Have a drink at the Queens Arms Pub
Need help planning your itinerary and booking? Reach out to me and I would be happy to help you score deals! Or book here.
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