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Best time to visit

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Summer months perfectly align with the best time to visit Edinburgh. They are the warmest, but they are also the busiest. Side by side in August, Edinburgh International Festival and Edinburgh Festival Fringe offer you the best exhibitions and shows. Be ready to meet the Burry Man on the streets of Queensbury, just offer him a drink and you'll be blessed. The low season roughly between October and March also has something to impress you with: fewer tourists and lower prices. And January will introduce you to a magic poetry by Robert Burns and his favourite Haggis and whisky.

40 things to do in Edinburgh

Rhubarb

January–June Food

Sour rhubarb is made into crumble cakes and meat sauces, but the best way to enjoy the fruit is to simply dip it in sugar and eat it raw

Boxing Day

December 26 Event

The occasion has nothing to do with fists and punching, but rather boxes full of gifts

Scotch Pie and Bovril

August–April Food

A football match cannot do without a piece of warm nourishing mutton pie and a glass of hot beef-flavoured Bovril

Scotland Berries Season

July–August Food

Eat freshly picked berries at local farms in Scotland during the berries season

Hogmanay (New Year's Eve)

December 29, 2023–January 1, 2024 Event

Hogmanay is a unique way to celebrate the New Year with torchlights, bonfires, fireworks, and loads of music

Edinburgh International Festival

August 2–25, 2024 Event

A showcase of the world's best music, dance, theatre, and opera in Edinburgh every August

Edinburgh Festival Fringe

August 2-26, 2024 Event

A unique blend of thousands of known and less-known artists performing a wide variety of shows in smaller venues around the city

Beltane Fire Festival

April 30 Event

Celebrate the arrival of summer in Scotland with music, bonfires, and uninhibited behaviour

Rugby in Edinburgh: Six Nations Cup

February 2-March 16, 2024 Event

Scots love for rugby cannot be exaggerated. Visit the game of one of the oldest championships to witness it all!

Swans

October–March Nature

During winter Scotland hosts these elegant guests from Iceland and Siberia

Ceres Highland Games

June 29, 2024 Event

Ceres Highland Games are the oldest and most cheerful events celebrated in Scotland

Haddock

September Food

Cold-smoked, hot-smoked, dried, canned, frozen, served with chips, drowned in milk, or in a Scottish soup—so many ways to eat Haddock

Burntisland Highland Games

July 15, 2024 Event

Burntisland Highland Games are the second oldest games in Scotland and are a perfect opportunity to have some quality time.

Heather

July–September/October (best in August) Nature

Purple heather blooms on ornate open Scottish fields, heathlands, wetlands, and forests

Stirling Highland Games

August 17, 2024 Event

Multiple fun events combined with stalls full of local products are the main attractions at Stirling Highland Games

The Burry Man

August 9, 2024 Event

Follow the Burry Man throughout the streets of Queensferry as he drinks whisky and spreads good luck

Langoustines, Crabs and Lobsters

April–November Food

The search for the tastiest langoustines, crabs and lobsters will take you to the most beautiful scenery of Scotland

Burns Night Celebrations

January 25 Event

Scotsmen respect their national poet and commemorate his legacy by cooking his favorite meal on his birthday

Snowdrops Bloom Time

February–mid-March Nature

Winter is a perfect season to wander through Scotland’s woodlands and gardens to admire the blossoming snowdrops

Edinburgh Military Tattoo

August 2–24, 2024 Event

A memorable representation of dance, military pageantry and music as part of the Edinburgh Festival

North Berwick International Highland Games

August 3, 2024 Event

Dancers, world-pipe bands and other stunning events make North Berwick Highland Games the perfect place for a day full of fun

Oysters

September–mid-April Food

Once the very Roman emperor deemed Scottish oysters as the best shellfish in the world

Horse Flat Racing Season

April–September Activity

Musselburgh Racecourse provides year round great racing action with 27 racedays

The Loony Dook

January 1 Event

Would you plunge into the icy waters in the middle of winter?

Haggis

July–January | January 25 Food

Sheep's insides are sewn into its stomach, boiled, and served with "tatties and neeps" and a glass of Scotch Whisley for Burns Supper

Braemar Gathering

September 7, 2024 Event

The Gathering is famous for its hospitality, friendship, multitude of events and the presence of the Royal Family, and it's only a 2-hour drive from Edinburgh

Golf Season

April–October Activity

The golf season welcomes every passionate golfer to practice their swing or to enjoy the wide range of tournaments

Apple Season​

September–October Food

Traditional​ apple scones, pies and scrumbles are the highlights of this delicious season

Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF)

August 18–23, 2023 Event

Every June, the city enjoys a fortnight of cinema screenings and related events. EIFF is recognised as the world's longest continually-running film festival

Edinburgh Castle

all year round Activity

A stunning historic fortress is an unmissable attraction on your visit to the Scottish capital

Edinburgh Marathon

May 24-25, 2025 Event

Fast and flat, this race can easily become one of your favorites

Edinburgh Christmas Market

November 15, 2024–January 4, 2025 Event

A winter wonderland in the heart of a fairytale city

Christmas Lights

mid-November–early January Event

Edinburgh celebrates the most wonderful time of the year

Cowgate St. Patrick’s Day

March 17, 2024 Event

Celebrate Celtic heritage and culture

Edinburgh Festival Carnival

July 14, 2024 Event

A free flamboyant music and dance event

Halloween

late October Event

Celebrate the transition from summer to winter in a traditional Celtic way

Chinese New Year

February 8–13, 2024 Event

The largest Lunar New Year celebration in Scotland

Comic Con Scotland

October 5-6, 2024 Event

One of the largest cosplay events in the UK

Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival

July 12-21, 2024 Event

10 days of excellent music with over 170 performances

The Castle of Light

November 22, 2024–January 4, 2025 (selected dates) Event

Scotland's largest projection show creates unforgettable memories throughout the holiday season

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