Edinburgh: When to visit
Edinburgh is home to cold, crisp winters and cool summers. You’re joking, but don’t expect to see heatstroke in Scotland’s capital soon.
Spring
Edinburgh is driest in the spring and bursts with color when the harsh Scottish winter disappears. Edinburgh locals may tell you not to leave the house without a jacket until summer, but spring in Scotland is a time of sunshine and warmth.
Summer
In Scotland’s summer, you can laugh all you want, but temperatures can reach 30 degrees and be as hot as London. Summer is the best time to visit Edinburgh; the sun stays out most evenings until 9 pm. This allows you more time in the beer gardens. Edinburghers are known for their “taps aff” weather, and the Meadows in Edinburgh is the perfect place to enjoy the Scottish sun. Remember to bring an umbrella if you plan to attend any Summer Sessions concerts in August or the hugely popular Fringe festival in September (where the city’s population more than doubles).
Autumn
The summer in Edinburgh is only short-lived. Temperatures drop to 8-14 degrees between September and October. Princes Street Garden changes from a lush green to a fiery orange and red, making it the perfect place for Guy Fawkes Night. As the city prepares for Christmas, flight prices are lowest in autumn.
Winter
Edinburgh comes to life in what is the most extended season of all. Christmas markets fill the streets as the city prepares to host its legendary Hogmanay celebrations. It’s no wonder that Edinburgh is one of the top winter destinations. Remember to bring a jacket, and cross your fingers for snow. The average temperature is only 1 degree in December.
Attractions
Edinburgh is a city of cobbled streets, cozy pubs, and locals who are full of fiery banter.
Explore the fortress of Edinburgh Castle, where the Scots have defended themselves for centuries. Or climb the 250 muddy meters to Arthur’s Seat for the best view of Auld Reekie. Then, explore Edinburgh’s dark side underground, including the Real Mary King’s Close, a maze-like network of underground passages where plague victims are buried, and the Blair Street Underground vaults, a network of underground passageways that Burke and Hare used to dig graves. The Scotch Whisky Experience tour is necessary if all this spookiness makes you thirsty. If you time your stag just right, you can join the BT Murrayfield Stadium crowds singing ‘Flower of Scotland.’
Edinburgh Nightlife
Edinburgh may have recent curfews, but the locals can party effectively. They start their evenings when they finish work during the week and at the weekend. Bars and pubs close at 11 pm, and clubs stay open until 3 am. This is the case during the Fringe festival (all of August) and Christmas. You will only wait up to 20 minutes in a queue at a club.
It’s easy to follow a rule in the capital: Old Town is for sweaty, grungy dances, and New Town (namely George Street) is for cava and swanky clubs. Edinburgh taxi prices are not a trick of the eye. Getting home from a night out in the Scottish capital will cost you no more than £10. Your hotel is also never that far, so bringing that one person back home is easy.
Getting Around Edinburgh
Edinburgh is a great city to explore on foot. Tour buses waste time on the twisty streets and two-tiered city.
Bus A Lothian bus is the perfect option for slightly longer journeys or when everyone has been too ill to walk. One-way travel of any distance costs only PS1.70. The buses now accept contactless cards. Easy.
Tram Edinburgh’s tram service is primarily used to transport visitors to and from the airport, but it can also be used for travel between the east and west ends of the city. However, at the cost of PS6 per single, take the bus (and don’t mention the trams with the locals – you won’t find anyone who believes that they are a good idea).
Taxi While you can book an Uber anywhere in the city, you will find that a local taxi service is cheaper and faster. The prices are very affordable. Fares rarely exceed a tenner.
Stay safe in Edinburgh
Edinburgh is one of the safest cities in the world due to its low crime rate, but you should still be on your guard. After closing time, the Western end of Princes Street can be rowdy. Taking shortcuts through parks is not recommended at night. Grab a taxi for the sake of five dollars.
Scotland’s drinking laws are stricter than those in the rest of the UK. The most notable is that you can only buy alcohol after 10 pm and only at noon on the next day. So get your pre-drinks in early, ladies!
Scottish Slang The Scots are known for being quick-witted and gifted with gab. Master these phrases to surprise your hosts.
Collie-Buckie: A pig pack. For example: “The stag is pure steaming. Give him a collie-buckie.” Browse: Brilliant, sound, and fantastic. Also, see Barry Boaby: Penis. Also, know the tadger book: to throw up. Also see whitey Chests: Breasts Kenne: To be aware, e.g., ‘Ken what you mean, pal’ Neebs Friend. Also see: mate Scran Food Steamed Drunk. See also: reeking Tidy: Someone who is exceptionally well-looking. e.g., “That lass looks pure, tidy” Yaldi A pure expression of joy. Yaldi!’
