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Best time to visit Edinburgh
Month-by-month weather, crowds, prices, and festival calendar — so you know exactly when to book.
Photo by Adam Wilson on Unsplash
Best time to visit Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Month-by-month breakdown of weather, crowds, prices, and seasonal highlights.
| Month | Score | Weather | Crowds | Prices | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 2-7°C, often overcast with frequent rain and wind. | low | low |
⚠ Days are very short, with only about 7 hours of daylight. | |
| February | 3-8°C, typically cold, damp, and windy with limited sunshine. | low | low |
⚠ Still very short daylight hours, and the cold can be biting. | |
| March | 4-10°C, still cold but with increasing daylight and a chance of brighter spells. | low | low |
⚠ Weather remains unpredictable, with a high chance of rain. | |
| April | 6-12°C, cooler but with more sunshine and fewer rainy days than winter. | moderate | moderate |
⚠ Easter holidays can bring a slight increase in visitors. | |
| May | 9-15°C, mild with a good chance of sunshine and pleasant temperatures. | moderate | moderate |
⚠ Generally a sweet spot before the summer peak. | |
| June | 12-18°C, warming up with long daylight hours and a good chance of dry, sunny weather. | high | high |
⚠ Start of the peak tourist season, book accommodation in advance. | |
| July | 14-20°C, warm and often sunny, though occasional rain showers are possible. | peak | peak |
⚠ The city is extremely busy and accommodation prices are at their highest. | |
| August | 14-19°C, mild to warm with a good mix of sunshine and cloud, occasional rain. | peak | peak |
⚠ The busiest month; book everything months in advance. | |
| September | 11-17°C, often crisp and sunny with cooler evenings. | moderate | high |
⚠ Festival crowds begin to thin out after the first week, but prices remain high. | |
| October | 8-13°C, cooler with increasing chances of rain and wind. | moderate | moderate |
⚠ Daylight hours decrease significantly. | |
| November | 5-10°C, cold, damp, and often grey with frequent rain and wind. | low | moderate |
⚠ Very short daylight hours, and the weather can be quite bleak. | |
| December | 3-8°C, cold, often wet and windy, with limited sunshine. | high | high |
⚠ Weather can be harsh, but the festive spirit is strong. |
Annual events worth timing your trip around
December
Hogmanay
Edinburgh's world-famous New Year's Eve festival, featuring street parties, concerts, and fireworks.
August
Edinburgh International Festival
A major international arts festival showcasing theatre, dance, music, and opera from around the globe.
August
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
The largest arts festival in the world, with thousands of performances across hundreds of venues.
August
Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo
A spectacular display of music, ceremony, and dance by military bands from around the world on the Edinburgh Castle esplanade.
September
Edinburgh International Book Festival
A major literary event featuring authors, poets, and thinkers from across the world.
May
Edinburgh International Children's Festival
A festival dedicated to performing arts for young people.
Insider timing tips
- •August is the peak of the festival season, making it the most crowded and expensive time, but also the most vibrant.
- •The shoulder months of May and September offer a good balance of pleasant weather and fewer crowds than summer, though prices can still be high due to residual festival interest.
- •Winter months (January-February) offer the lowest prices and fewest crowds, but are characterized by short daylight hours and cold, wet weather.
- •While summer festivals dominate August, the preceding months of June and July also see increasing crowds and prices as the festival build-up begins.
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