Yes, two days is enough for a first visit to Edinburgh, as long as you accept it covers the Old Town rather than everything. Two days comfortably does the castle, the Royal Mile down to Holyrood, the climb up Arthur's Seat and the free National Museum, with an evening in the Grassmarket pubs. What it cannot fit is Leith, a proper wander round the Georgian New Town, or a Highlands day trip, which is what a third day buys you. The single best decision is to book the castle online for an early timed slot, because the walk-up queue swallows an hour in summer and slots sell out. Base yourself in the Old Town so the castle, the museums and Arthur's Seat are all a short, if hilly, walk from your door. Day one does the monument core, the castle, the Royal Mile and the closes, ending with the crags at dusk. Day two climbs Arthur's Seat early, then fills the afternoon with the museum, Greyfriars and Victoria Street. Expect rain most months, so keep an indoor sight in reserve.
Duration
2 days
Base
Old Town
Mid budget
260 EUR
Best months
May · Jun · Aug
Picks sorted with our recommended base, Old Town, first. Book early: the good-value rooms go weeks ahead.
First visit€€On the Royal Mile · Old Town
A smart rooms-above-a-pub inn in a former bank right on the Royal Mile, so the castle and Holyrood are both a walk away. It can be lively below at weekends; ask for a room at the back.
from ~160 EUR/night
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Landmark stay€€€Landmark clock tower · New Town
The grand railway hotel under the famous clock tower on Princes Street, where the New Town meets the Old. Castle-view rooms and the suite where the last Harry Potter book was finished are the reasons people splurge.
from ~350 EUR/night
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Local life€€Dockside design · Leith
A design hotel in a converted seamen's mission on the Leith waterfront, among the docks that now hold some of the city's best restaurants. You trade the Old Town lanes for a quieter, more local base a tram ride out.
from ~130 EUR/night
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Budget€Hostel below the castle · Grassmarket
A characterful hostel right under the castle rock by the Grassmarket, with private rooms as well as dorms and a lively common room. You cannot sleep more central in the Old Town for the price.
from ~25 EUR/night
Check pricesReal hotel photos · prices are indicative from-rates, not live quotes · booking links support the site at no extra cost
Day 1
Morning
Take the 9.30am castle slot you booked ahead and go straight up to the Crown Jewels and St Margaret's Chapel before the tour groups arrive. Stay for the One O'Clock Gun if your timing allows, or come down earlier to keep moving; the ramparts give your first big view over the city.
TipBook online for a timed morning slot and take the first entry at 9.30am; walk-up queues at the gate build fast and slots regularly sell out in summer. Head straight up to the Crown Jewels and St Margaret's Chapel before the tour groups, and stick around for the One O'Clock Gun, fired from the Mills Mount Battery at 1pm every day except Sunday.
Right by the castle esplanade, the Victorian Camera Obscura is a quick rooftop curiosity and a handy first indoor hedge if the weather turns. Catch one of the roughly half-hourly live shows and use the terrace for a free-with-ticket castle view.
TipThe Victorian rooftop camera obscura projects a live moving image of the streets below and is a genuine period curiosity, wrapped in five floors of illusion rooms that keep kids busy for a couple of hours. Time your visit for one of the roughly half-hourly live camera shows, and use the rooftop terrace for a free-with-ticket castle view; it is a good wet-weather pick right by the castle esplanade.
Afternoon
Walk the Royal Mile downhill from the castle so gravity helps, ducking into the free closes like Dunbar's Close garden for the real medieval texture. Skip the tartan-tat shops on the main drag and take the interesting side stairways instead.
TipWalk it downhill from the castle to Holyrood so gravity is on your side, and duck into the free narrow closes off it, like Dunbar's Close garden or the Real Mary King's Close area, for the real medieval texture. Skip the tartan tat shops on the main drag; the interesting bits are down the side stairways, and early morning is the only time it is quiet.
At the foot of the Mile, tour the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the King's Scottish residence, using the audio guide through Mary, Queen of Scots' chambers and the ruined abbey. Check ahead, as it shuts at short notice when royals are in residence.
TipBook ahead, as the King's official Scottish residence closes to visitors at short notice when royals are in town, so check the calendar before you go. The included audio guide covers Mary, Queen of Scots' chambers and the ruined abbey next door; allow 90 minutes, and note it sits right at the foot of the Royal Mile so you can pair it with Arthur's Seat.
Evening
Walk up Calton Hill from the east end of Princes Street for the classic dusk skyline shot down the Old Town spine to the castle, framed by the mock-Greek monuments. It is flat, free and 10 minutes up, the easiest big view in the city.
TipThis is the easy classic skyline shot: a flat 10-minute walk up from the east end of Princes Street gets you the postcard view down the Old Town spine to the castle, framed by the mock-Greek monuments. It is free and open all hours; come at sunset or blue hour for the best light, and it is far less effort than Arthur's Seat for a nearly-as-good panorama.
Drop into the Grassmarket for dinner and a drink in the cobbled hollow under the castle rock, stepping off the square into the side streets for fairer prices. A Scottish ale or a whisky flight ends the day where the Old Town stays liveliest.
TipDrink in the cobbled hollow below the castle rock where the terraces look straight up at the crag, but step off the square itself into the side streets for fairer prices and better beer. Try a Scottish craft ale or a dram of whisky, ask the bar for a small tasting flight to compare, and expect it to stay lively later than most of the Old Town.
Day 2
Morning
Climb Arthur's Seat early for the best free panorama in Edinburgh, about 45 minutes up from the Holyrood side with the gentler line from Dunsapie Loch. Wear real shoes and a windproof, as the summit is exposed and the weather turns fast.
TipClimb the extinct volcano for the best free panorama in Edinburgh: it is about 45 minutes up from the Holyrood side, and the gentler path from Dunsapie Loch is the easiest line to the summit. Wear real shoes and a windproof, as the top is exposed and the weather turns fast, and go early morning or a long summer evening for the light and the space.
Come back into town via Greyfriars Kirkyard, free and atmospheric, for the loyal-dog statue of Greyfriars Bobby and the headstones said to have inspired Harry Potter names. It sits right beside your next stop, the National Museum.
TipThis atmospheric old graveyard is free and open in daylight, and worth it for the loyal-dog statue of Greyfriars Bobby at the gate and the headstone names, Riddell, McGonagall, Potter, said to have inspired Harry Potter characters. Go in the late afternoon for the eerie light, and it sits right beside the National Museum so pair the two.
Afternoon
Spend the wettest or hottest part of the day in the free National Museum of Scotland, from Dolly the cloned sheep to the soaring Victorian Grand Gallery. Head up to the roof terrace for a quiet, little-known castle-and-rooftop view.
TipEntry is free, so it is the perfect rainy-day fallback in a city that rains often; head straight up to the roof terrace for a quiet, little-known castle-and-rooftop view. Do not miss Dolly the cloned sheep and the Grand Gallery, and the cafe in the soaring Victorian hall is a decent shelter when a squall rolls through.
Walk over to the curving, pastel Victoria Street, the most photographed streetscape in the city and a rumoured model for Diagon Alley. Shoot it from Victoria Terrace up top, then browse the good independent bookshops and cheese shops.
TipThe curving, pastel-fronted shopfronts of this steep Old Town street are the most photographed streetscape in Edinburgh and a rumoured model for Diagon Alley. Shoot it from the terrace of Victoria Terrace up top for the full sweep, come before 9am to beat the crowds, and browse the genuinely good independent bookshops and cheese shops rather than the wizard tat.
Evening
If your legs allow, climb the 287 spiral steps of the Scott Monument for a small fee to the balconies over Princes Street Gardens and across to the castle. It gets tight near the top, but the second-tier view at golden hour is the payoff.
TipThe soot-black Gothic rocket on Princes Street is the largest monument to a writer in the world, and you can climb its 287 narrow spiral steps for a small fee to a series of tight balconies with rooftop views. The staircase gets steep and claustrophobic near the top so it is not for everyone, but the second-tier view over the gardens to the castle is the payoff.
Wind down in Princes Street Gardens below the castle rock, walking the lower path for the classic look-up-at-the-castle view without paying a penny. On a rare clear evening it is the calm counterpoint to a full sightseeing day.
TipThis free valley park sits in the drained old loch bed directly below the castle rock, giving you the classic look-up-at-the-castle view without paying for anything. Walk the lower path for the best angle, rest on the grass on a rare sunny afternoon, and note the Christmas market and big fair take over the eastern half from late November.
For 2 days, base yourself in Old Town. The medieval spine of the city runs down the Royal Mile from the castle to Holyrood, a warren of narrow closes, tenement lands and hidden courtyards packed with history. It is the postcard Edinburgh and puts the headline sights on your doorstep, though it trades on that with tartan-shop tack and tourist-priced pubs. Staying here means you wake up inside the drama, minutes from the castle and Arthur's Seat. Compare all neighborhoods in the full where-to-stay guide.
Got longer?
Edinburgh in 3 days →
Yes, two days is enough for a first visit to Edinburgh, as long as you accept it covers the Old Town rather than everything. Two days comfortably does the castle, the Royal Mile down to Holyrood, the climb up Arthur's Seat and the free National Museum, with an evening in the Grassmarket pubs. What it cannot fit is Leith, a proper wander round the Georgian New Town, or a Highlands day trip, which is what a third day buys you.
Base yourself in Old Town for this itinerary. The medieval spine of the city runs down the Royal Mile from the castle to Holyrood, a warren of narrow closes, tenement lands and hidden courtyards packed with history. It is the postcard Edinburgh and puts the headline sights on your doorstep, though it trades on that with tartan-shop tack and tourist-priced pubs. Staying here means you wake up inside the drama, minutes from the castle and Arthur's Seat.
The plan works year round, but May, June, August give you the best weather-to-crowds ratio.