visit edinburgh in august

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Edinburgh in August: A Guide to the August 2024 Edinburgh Festivals

Last updated: January 1, 2024 . Written by Laurence Norah - 2 Comments

If I asked you to name the festivals that Edinburgh is known for, I suspect you’d probably tell me all about the comedy-focused Edinburgh Festival Fringe .

Which is a pretty great festival, with hundreds of venues popping up all over the city and serving up some of the world’s best comedy and drama, ranging from brand new acts to internationally recognised names.

What you might not know is that during August, Edinburgh plays host to no less than five festivals, many of which run in parallel to each other.

This is in addition to the six other festivals that run through the course of the year, bringing the total number of festivals that the city’s Festivals team manages to a rather staggering eleven.

It’s no wonder therefore that Edinburgh bills itself as the Festival City – a title that it is certainly deserving of!

We lived in Edinburgh for four years, and have been lucky enough to attend all the festivals that the city holds, including the incredible New Year’s Festival that is Hogmanay , and the science themed Edinburgh International Science Festival , which takes places around April.

But August is when the city really goes festival mad, with five festivals happening in Edinburgh in August.

We’ve been to all of them, and wanted to share our experience of all five to give you some tips to plan your own visit to the Edinburgh Festivals in August.

It’s even possible (we did it!) to see an event from each of the five different festivals in one day, which is possible if you were looking to really get the most out of your visit to Edinburgh. Jess has written all about that here .

For now though, here’s an overview of the August festivals in Edinburgh.

Table of Contents:

Edinburgh’s Festivals in August

1. edinburgh international festival.

The Edinburgh International Festival was the first of the Edinburgh festivals. It launched just after the Second World War, in 1947, with the aim of providing a platform for the flowering of the human spirit.

The Edinburgh International Festival is a celebration of the more traditional performing arts, with theatre, opera music and dance shows taking place in six major venues and a number of smaller venues across the city.

We’ve attended a number of performances at the EIF. A highlight was the “Deep Time” event in 2017, an incredible sound and light show that was physically projected onto the side of Edinburgh Castle, and which took us on a journey through 350 million years of Edinburgh history.

We’ve also attended a theatre performances at some stunning venues, including the critically acclaimed Glass Menagerie, which Jess in particular enjoyed very much.

Basically, if you’re looking for world class artistry of the more traditional variety, then the Edinburgh International Festival should definitely be at the top of your list.

It runs for the majority of August, and you can purchase tickets for the various shows online .

2. Edinburgh Festival Fringe

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe , also just known as the “Fringe”, or “Edinburgh Fringe”, is arguably the most famous of all the Edinburgh Festivals.

It’s unique in that it’s an open-access festival, which means that basically anyone who wants to put on a show can do so – all you have to do is find a venue willing to host you, and come up with a show to put on!

The Fringe started at the same time as the International Festival, in 1947, when a number of uninvited production companies hosted performances at alternative venues throughout the city, in parallel to the official International Festival.

The theory was that a lot of people were going to be coming to Edinburgh for the International Festival, so why not capitalise on that?

Nowadays the Festival Fringe has grown to a scale that eclipses the other festivals in the city, as well as other festivals of its kind around the world.

There are literally thousands of shows that take place during the Fringe festival, at hundreds of venues throughout the city, and millions of people come to Edinburgh for the event. Venues range from bars, pubs and clubs, to buses, trucks – and even the back of a motorbike!

There are free shows, pay what you want shows, and set price ticketed events, and you can catch everything from performance art to comedy to circus shows.

The quality runs the whole gamut from world-class through to, well, you can probably imagine.  It’s all part of the experience though – often the best stories from the Fringe are of the worst shows!

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the largest event of its kind in the world, so figuring out which show you want to watch can definitely be a challenge, given the enormity of choice on offer.

My advice would be to check the official website , pick up a copy of the official festival programme (also available as a PDF), to keep an eye on social media for what folks are enjoying, and to just roam the Royal Mile.

During August Edinburgh is alive with posters and people handing out flyers for their shows, and we attended one of our favourite shows of the festival, a story of a Leprosy Clinic in the southern USA, titled Bend in the River, from a random encounter with the writer on the Royal Mile.

We’ve also seen some excellent comedy, had magnificent food at pop up restaurants, and enjoyed a variety of other shows during the Festival Fringe. It’s a festival we look forward to every year!

3. The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo

The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo has nothing to do with the art of skin painting, and everything to do with showcasing the music, dance and precision of performers from around the world, with a particular focus of course on military bands.

This being Scotland, pipes and drummers feature heavily, but there are musical instruments and performances of all types – we’ve seen everything from a youth motorcycle team to a New Zealand pipe band at the Edinburgh Tattoo.

The Tattoo is one of the most watched of all the Edinburgh festivals, with around 100 million people tuning in to watch it on TV.

However, nothing beats seeing the spectacle in person, particularly the end of show fireworks.

Tickets can be purchased online , or in person in Edinburgh at the box office. There’s a show every night for much of August, but it’s definitely worth purchasing in advance to be sure you get the date that you want as many sell out.

We always love watching this show in person. The performances are fantastic, the music is usually a mix of classic and modern, and the ceremony and co-ordination of all the performers is world class.

A highlight of course is the Lone Piper playing on the walls of Edinburgh Castle, which makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

On one of the years we visited I was also impressed by the New Zealand contribution, which featured a projected dragon and the Lord of the Rings theme music – given that I spent a year traipsing around New Zealand in search of Lord of the Rings filming locations , that was always going to get a thumbs up from me!

The Tattoo performance usually lasts between 90 minutes and 2 hours, with pre-allocated seating, and has never been cancelled due to the weather.

Just make sure you prepare yourself in terms of clothing as it can get a bit cool in the evenings in Edinburgh – even in August (more on the weather in my tips sections below).

Otherwise, this is definitely a show you will never forget, and is well worth your time to attend.

4. Edinburgh Art Festival

The Edinburgh Art Festival , as the name suggests, is a fantastic festival for art lovers.

This festival showcases all kinds of visual art, with numerous exhibitions covering art that ranges from historical to contemporary, as well as specially commissioned pieces from both new and established Scottish art. Venues range from well-established locations through to pop up sites, with the majority of exhibits being free to enter.

Essentially, the whole city appears to come alive with art installations. We found art under train bridges, inside monuments and churches, on stairways, and of course, inside some of Edinburgh’s more well-known galleries and public spaces.

Basically, at some point, even if you’re not trying, you’re likely to come across a piece of art, but we definitely recommend checking out the official website to be sure you don’t miss anything that might particularly interest you.

Some of our favourite sights from the art festivals in the past have included the Dazzle Ship at Leith harbour, the “Drama in Time” under Calton Road Bridge, and the “Fountain of Youth” at the Edinburgh Museum.

However, we’ve loved so many of the pieces all around the city for the Art Festival, and we’re sure you will too.

5. Edinburgh International Book Festival

Time to slow the pace down a bit. All this laughter, music and performance can really tire you out, so why not find a nice quiet spot and take yourself on a literary voyage? And that’s just the thing you can do at Edinburgh’s International Book Festival .

With over 750 events, focused in the beautiful Charlotte Square Gardens of Edinburgh’s New Town, this is a book lover’s paradise.

There are book signings by authors, who range from the obscure to the world famous, debates, presentations, and of course, the opportunity to just pull up a chair and read the latest from your favourite author.

Entry to the festival itself is free, and there are some free activities, particularly for children. Many of the events are ticketed though (and they do sell out, so book in advance!)

This is one of our favourite chilled out festivals to just walk around, see all the books, and enjoy the sunshine in Charlotte Square gardens. Definitely one to pop into during your time in Edinburgh.

When are the Edinburgh Festivals?

In 2024, the dates for the five Edinburgh August festivals are as follows:

• Edinburgh International Festival: 2nd August – 25th August 2024
• Edinburgh Festival Fringe: 2nd August – 26th August 2024
• Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo: 2nd August – 24th August 2024
• Edinburgh Art Festival: 9h August – 25th August 2024
• Edinburgh International Book Festival: 10th – 25th August 2024

Tips for Attending the Edinburgh Festivals in August

Having gone through the five major August festivals, I now want to go through just a few tips to help you get the most from your festivals experience in Edinburgh.

First, and this should be quite obvious from the post, just remember that you don’t need to limit yourself to just one festival when you’re visiting Edinburgh during August!

Many people focus on the Fringe , but there are five other festivals going on throughout the month, and I would definitely recommend taking the time to check out some of those during your visit.

My next tip would be to plan for the weather to be, well, variable. Scotland is relatively far north, and whilst you do get sunny and warm days in August, these are by no means guaranteed, and temperatures can vary from 10C – 30C (50F – 86F).

It can also rain pretty much anytime, and if you’re attending a night time performance of the Tattoo in particular, which is in a fairly exposed spot, you need to be prepared for most eventualities.

My suggestion would be to dress in layers, carry a small umbrella or poncho, and just roll with whatever Scotland decides to throw at you.

My third tip would be to leave yourself plenty of time to get from venue to venue. Central Edinburgh is very walkable, so getting around on foot is going to be your best option, but be aware that the crowds of people can make this process a little slower than you might otherwise imagine.

If you learn some of the city shortcuts, and in particular the closes that run off the Royal Mile, you can save yourself some time, and if possible, try to avoid the congested areas

My last tip is around accommodation. Edinburgh gets seriously busy in August, and hotel occupancy can be as high as 97%, with rates much higher than the rest of the year. In fact, finding accommodation can be such a challenge, that it’s worth breaking it out into it’s own section. So, here’s a guide on:

How to Find Accommodation during the Edinburgh Festivals

If you’re looking for a specific kind of hotel or room type, then you definitely need to book as far in advance as possible, because rooms sell out a long time in advance for the August festival season. If you’re more flexible, then you will have more choice, but you definitely need to plan in advance nonetheless.

The good news is that there are plenty of options for accommodation in August. A good many of Edinburgh’s residents actually leave the city, and put their properties up on apartment rental sites like this for the month.

That’s one excellent way to find accommodation. If you’re not having luck with your favourite apartment rental website, check out my guide to AirBnB alternatives as well as my guide to UK specific holiday accommodation websites .

Another idea is to get a place a little outside the city centre. There are a number of satellite towns around Edinburgh with a 30 – 45 minutes public transport connection, where you might find better value options. The public transport network in Edinburgh is excellent, and night buses often run into the early hours, so that is definitely an option if you’re looking to save money and don’t mind a bit of a “commute”.

Otherwise, I’d suggest the usual suspects for accommodation booking, which are as follows:

• Our favourite way to find the best deals on accommodation is with Booking.com. In our experience, they have the best range of properties and the most competitive prices. Check out their listings for Edinburgh here .
• If you prefer an apartment, we recommend Plum Guide . Whilst they don’t have quite so many choices, they do carefully curate their listings so their options tend to be of a very high quality whilst still being available at a range of price points. See their listings for Edinburgh here .

Just make sure that you plan in advance, and prepare to pay more than you normally would for the August period.

Further Reading for your Edinburgh Festivals Trip

Looking for more inspiration to help you get the most out of your trip to Edinburgh? Here are some posts and other reading material that you might find useful!

• A post on how to spend two days in Edinburgh
• A run down on why you need to attend Hogmanay, the world’s best New Year’s Party
• An overview of 12 Edinburgh Experiences that you might not have thought of
• If you’re a Harry Potter fan, you’ve got to check out Jess’s Guide to the Best Edinburgh Harry Potter locations
• A guide to the Scottish Borders , in case you decide to head out of town for a bit
• Jess has put together a guide to 21 of the best things to do in Edinburgh
• Finally, if you’re looking for a guide to Edinburgh, Amazon has some great options, including the Lonely Planet Pocket Edinburgh guide , and the Time Out Edinburgh guide

And that just about sums up our guide to Edinburgh’s August Festivals! Which of these festivals would you most like to visit, and which had you heard of? Let us know in the comments below!

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3rd March 2020 at 8:35 am

Thank you for sharing your well structured summary. I have never been to Edinburg or Fringe before. This year my husband and I, we are planing to come. Unfortunately we can not spend 3 weeks to see all festival. We have only 5 days . We do not know which week in Aug. is the best for these festival. Do you have any recomendation ?

For example do you advice to see opening or closing of festivals ? Is there anything special not to miss for opening-ending ceremony? or should we come in the middle of the fest to have more options (17th to 23rd) ?

Laurence Norah says

3rd March 2020 at 3:50 pm

So usually the Edinburgh International Festival has some kind of major opening event (the image of the castle lit up in this post is from one of those events). They are usually quite impressive, although I don’t know the details for what is happening this year. However, if you come around then you will still catch the majority of the festivals with the exception of the book festival. So I guess it’s up to you! I would also add that the Military Tattoo does sell out quite far in advance, so if you are interested in that I would advise booking tickets as soon as you firm up your dates. In addition, accommodation is often very booked up, so I’d book that well in advance too 🙂

Have a great time!

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Edinburgh   Travel Guide

Best Times To Visit Edinburgh

The best time to visit Edinburgh is June through August when the average high temperatures rise to a balmy 65 degrees Fahrenheit. But this is also the city's busiest time for tourism, especially in August when festivals fill up the calendar. To avoid spending a small fortune, you'll have to bundle up: winter (November to March) offers the best low-season deals, except during the city's New Year's celebration, Hogmanay. Spring and early fall are the sweet spots – relatively mild weather and thin crowds pair with the chance to find hotel and airfare deals. 

Weather in Edinburgh

Data sourced from the National Climatic Data Center

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Tourism volume is estimated based on in-market destination search query interest from Google and on travel.usnews.com in 2015-2016. Hotel prices are sourced from a sample of U.S. News Best Hotels rates through 2015-2016.

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Edinburgh in August: Your Ultimate Guide to Festival Season

Edinburgh in August is a hub of cultural activities. This historic city shifts gears and transforms into the world’s stage for arts and entertainment during its famed festival season. Streets become alive with performers, and venues teem with eager spectators. Every corner buzzes with creative energy, from theaters to impromptu stages in the city’s open spaces.

Table of Contents

As a first-time visitor, you’ll be swept up in the whirlwind of Edinburgh’s activities and events. Balancing the bustling festival scene with the city’s year-round attractions can be a delightful challenge. Immerse yourself in the arts, or take a break to explore Edinburgh’s iconic landmarks, such as the Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Mile . Plan your visit to coincide with the festivals, but don’t forget to leave room for spontaneous exploration.

Affiliate Disclaimer: Some links on this blog are affiliate links. This means that, at no additional cost, the author may earn a small commission if you purchase through these links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Experience the electrifying atmosphere of the world’s largest arts festival—the  Edinburgh Festival Fringe . The Fringe presents an excellent chance to witness innovative performances that cater to every taste and interest. Away from the festival’s excitement, enjoy a tranquil walk through the city’s historic streets or visit its beautiful parks and gardens. Your journey through Edinburgh in August promises a memorable mix of festive joy and cultural richness.

Festival Highlights

Edinburgh becomes a cultural hotspot every August, hosting some of the world’s most prominent arts and cultural festivals. The city buzzes with performances and exhibitions from local and international artists. In August, your days and nights can be filled with entertainment as you participate in the festival season, transforming Edinburgh into a stage for artists and performers from all corners of the globe.

Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo

Experience a grand display of military precision, music, and cultural performances set against the iconic backdrop of Edinburgh Castle. The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo  is a not-to-be-missed spectacle featuring military bands from across the globe. It is a bucket list activity in Edinburgh.

Edinburgh Festival Fringe

The  Edinburgh Festival Fringe  is the largest arts festival in the world. As you wander through the city, you’ll encounter thousands of performers showcasing theatre, comedy, dance, circus, cabaret, and other genres at venues that range from large theatres to intimate bars.

Edinburgh International Festival

The Edinburgh International Festival presents a curated selection of performing arts for those with a penchant for high culture. This includes classical music, theatre, opera, and dance by internationally acclaimed artists.

Edinburgh International Book Festival

Immerse yourself in a world of literature at the  Edinburgh International Book Festival . Engage with writers, attend book signings, and listen to discussions, ensuring book lovers of all ages can find something to love.

Edinburgh Art Festival

Visual art enthusiasts can explore the  Edinburgh Art Festival , which showcases works from contemporary and historical artists. Galleries throughout the city feature exhibitions, talks, and guided tours, offering a diverse artistic experience.

Planning Your Visit To Visit Edinburgh in August

When you plan your visit to Edinburgh, considering the best time to visit, weather, and local amenities enhances your experience. This section guides you on when to arrive, what to expect from the August weather, how to travel, where to stay, dining options, and navigating the city conveniently.

Best Time to Visit

August in Edinburgh is the best time of year due to the whole city hosting major festivals, attracting visitors worldwide. For an ultimate cultural experience, it’s the  best time  to visit. However, if you prefer a quieter period, early August or late July may offer a less crowded experience, while still capturing the city’s charm.

Edinburgh in August Weather

Weather  in August usually sees an average temperature ranging from 11°C to 19°C (52°F to 66°F). Rain is expected, so it’s wise to pack an umbrella and a waterproof jacket . Layered clothing will help you adapt to the changeable climate. Summer months are the most ideal time to visit Edinburgh.

How to Get to Edinburgh

Edinburgh is well-connected. You can fly into Edinburgh Airport, take a train to Waverley Station in the city center, or catch a coach. Taking the Airlink 100 bus from the airport to the city centre is convenient for first-time visitors.

Trams run frequently and they take approximately 35 minutes to get to the city center.

If you are coming from London , the train is one of the best ways to get to Edinburgh. Transportation from the train station is convenient to most areas of the city of Edinburgh.

Where to Stay in Edinburgh

Where to stay  depends on your preferences. The  Royal Mile  offers historical charm and is close to the main tourist attractions. The city centre has a range of hotels, from luxury to budget-friendly. Apartment rentals also offer flexibility and more space.

We enjoyed staying at the Sheraton Grand H otel & Spa in Edinburgh. Many of

Edinburgh’s attractions are within walking distance.

Besides the Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa , consider staying at:

• Raddison Blu Edinburgh
• Motel One – Royal
• Motel One – Princes
• Leonardo Royal Hotel Edinburgh

Where to Eat and Drink in Edinburgh

The city’s diverse dining scene offers everything from traditional Scottish cuisine to international flavors. Don’t miss trying haggis with neeps and tatties in a pub. For a stylish dining experience, visit a restaurant in the New Town or close to the city centre.

How to Get Around The City of Edinburgh

Walking is a great way to experience the compact  city centre , but  public transport  is reliable, with buses, trams, and trains available. Purchase a day ticket for unlimited travel on buses and trams. Taxis and rideshare options are also readily available. We walked or took the tram during our last trip to soak up the rich history.

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Travelex : for Travel Insurance

First-Time Visitor Tips for Visiting Edinburgh in August

August in Edinburgh is a perfect time, as the city becomes alive with festivals and events. To make the most of your trip, here are some friendly tips:

• Book Accommodations Early:  Due to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and other events, the city’s population doubles. Secure your accommodations well in advance to ensure availability and better rates.
• Dress in Layers:  Edinburgh’s weather can be unpredictable. Bring a waterproof jacket and wear layers you can easily add or remove. Before departing for Edinburgh, check the weather forecast.
• Plan Your Festival Visits:

• Edinburgh Festival Fringe:  Check the program online and book tickets for shows you can’t miss. 02 – 26 August 2024
• Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo:  Purchase tickets beforehand, as they often sell out. 2 – 24 August 2024
• Edinburgh International Film Festival. 2–25 August 2024
• Edinburgh International Book Festival. Edinburgh’s six major theatres, plus other smaller venues, host the festival. 10-25 August 2024
• Edinburgh Art Festival: The majority of this festival is free. 9-25 August 2024
• Explore Beyond the Festivals:  Take the time to wander through Edinburgh’s historic streets, visit Arthur’s Seat for panoramic views, and explore charming neighborhoods like Stockbridge and New Town.
• Transportation Options: Waling, trams, trains, and public buses
• Eat Like a Local:  Enjoy a full Scottish breakfast. Sample traditional dishes like haggis or visit one of Edinburgh’s many food markets for lunch or dinner.
• Get an Edinburgh City Pass:  If you plan to visit multiple attractions, an Edinburgh City Pass can offer savings, especially regarding entrance fees and public transportation costs.

Top Things to do in Edinburgh in 3 days

You can explore the heart of Edinburgh’s history and beauty in just three days. From the iconic Edinburgh Castle to the hidden depths of Gilmerton Cove, prepare for a memorable adventure through Scotland’s capital.

The Royal Mile

Stroll down the cobblestone streets of The Royal Mile , a bustling thoroughfare connecting Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Palace. You’ll pass historic buildings, shops selling Scottish memorabilia, and street performers who bring the city’s vibrant culture to life.

Edinburgh Castle

Perched atop  Castle Rock ,  Edinburgh Castle  is a must-see. You’ll discover the Crown Jewels and the Stone of Destiny within this majestic landmark. Stand on the castle’s esplanade for a stunning backdrop of the city. Royal Military Tattoo takes place with this beautiful castle as a backdrop.

Historic Calton Hill

Climb  Calton Hill  for panoramic views of the city’s skyline framed by nature. Take your time to appreciate the monuments, including the Nelson Monument and the National Monument, which offer historical context against the modern city backdrop.

Princes Street Garden

Relax in the tranquil  Princes Street Gardens , lying in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle. These beautiful gardens are perfect for a leisurely picnic and offer a peaceful retreat from the urban excitement.

The Scotch Whisky Experience

Indulge in  The Scotch Whisky Experience , an interactive journey into the whisky world. Nestled beside Edinburgh Castle, it offers the opportunity to taste Scotland’s most famous export and learn about the whisky-making process.

St. Giles Cathedral

Visit  St. Giles Cathedral , the historic City Church of Edinburgh. Marvel at its stunning stained glass windows and intricate architecture. This active place of worship also tells stories from Scotland’s past.

Gilmerton Cove

Venture into  Gilmerton Cove , a mysterious underground world of hand-carved passageways and chambers. The site’s origins are shrouded in mystery, sparking imagination about its historical uses.

By following this guide, you’ll experience the essence of Edinburgh and leave with memories of its remarkable sights and stories.

Experiencing the Festivals

August in Edinburgh is the festival city, filled with one of the greatest celebrations of arts and cultural events. Here, you’ll find many festivals offering something for everyone, from street performances from unknown artists and favorite authors to internationally renowned artists.

How to get tickets to the Edinburgh Festivals

You can secure your spot at Edinburgh’s festivals by purchasing tickets directly from  official festival websites,  various  box offices around the city,  or  official mobile apps.   Advance booking  is highly recommended, especially for popular shows. Watch for  early bird discounts  and  multi-show passes  to get the best deals.

Free Events and Street Performances

Be dazzled by the energetic street performers that line the Royal Mile, part of the  Edinburgh Fringe Festival’s  open-access ethos. You don’t need tickets for these; show up and enjoy. Optimize your experience with the Fringe’s daily listings, including countless free events that showcase talents from all around the globe.

Venue Highlights and Big Names

The Edinburgh festivals are hosted in various venues, from grand theaters like the King’s Theatre to intimate locales like The Stand Comedy Club. These spots often feature big names and live performances that become the talk of the town. Secure your tickets early for these shows, as they usually sell out quickly.

Edinburgh Fringe’s Open-Access Festival

The  Edinburgh Fringe Festival  prides itself on an open-access policy, meaning anyone can participate. This inclusivity results in various shows, from experimental theater to stand-up comedy. Walking down the street, you might bump into impromptu performances or avant-garde exhibitions.

Festival Events for Children

Edinburgh festivals offer children’s shows and activities, ensuring that younger audience members are not left out. Events designed with kids in mind range from interactive workshops to engaging storytelling sessions. These family-friendly offerings often include both ticketed and free options.

Beyond the Festivals

Edinburgh in August isn’t just about the world of entertainment. You can also immerse yourself in the city’s rich cultural tapestry through its local art, history, and surrounding marvels.

Discovering Local Art and History

As you wander beyond the festival venues, Edinburgh’s art scene beckons with open doors.  Dovecot Studios  is a vibrant hub of local creativity where you can explore contemporary exhibitions or even witness artists weaving tapestries. The city’s history is etched in each stone; take the chance to visit the  Museum of Edinburgh  or the stately  Scottish National Portrait Gallery  to capture the essence of Edinburgh’s past and its people.

West End Craft Fair

Every August, the  West End Craft Fair  transforms the cobblestone streets into a treasure trove of craftsmanship. Here, you can meet  local artists  and artisans, admire their work, and perhaps find a unique souvenir. The items on display range from intricate jewelry to bespoke pottery, all underscored by a welcoming atmosphere ripe for exploration.

• Handmake jewelry from local Edinburgh artists
• Custom, artisan-crafted pottery
• Locally designed textiles: fabrics and clothing

Day Trips and Edinburgh’s Surroundings

When you’re ready for a change of pace, Edinburgh is the gateway to Scotland’s wonders. A short train ride can take you to the charming coastal town of  North Berwick , where nature’s beauty offers a serene contrast to the city’s hustle. Whether you’re up for hiking, birdwatching, or enjoying fresh seafood by the harbor, North Berwick is an ideal day trip destination.

• North Berwick Law : An extinct volcano offering panoramic views
• Scottish Seabird Centre : Engage with wildlife and conservation
• Tantallon Castle : A seaside fortress steeped in history

Final Thoughts on Visiting Edinburgh in August

Visiting Edinburgh in August, you’re immersing yourself in a city pulsating with cultural festivities and historic charm.  Edinburgh Festival Fringe,  the world’s largest arts festival, transforms the city into a stage for performers and artists from around the globe.

• Enjoy live theatre, comedy, music, and dance.
• Attend free street performances.
• Discover unexpected talents.

Edinburgh in August is also home to the  Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo,  blending music, ceremony, and entertainment with a spectacular backdrop of Edinburgh Castle.

• Experience a showcase of military precision.
• Listen to pipe bands and traditional musicians.
• View a breathtaking fireworks display.

To make the most of your trip, consider these  tips:

• Book accommodations early:  Demand is high.
• Plan your itinerary:  Many events happen simultaneously.
• Pack for varied weather:  Expect rain or shine.
• Use public transportation:  Traffic can be busy.

Lastly, while the festivals are a draw, don’t miss out on Edinburgh’s year-round attractions:

• Stroll through the  historic Royal Mile.
• Explore the  mysterious underground city  at Mary King’s Close.
• Relish the panoramic views from  Arthur’s Seat.

In summary, your time in Edinburgh during August promises a vibrant and unforgettable bucket list experience brimming with culture and history. Embrace the lively atmosphere and the city’s rich offerings.

Frequently Asked Questions

August in Edinburgh has activities and vibrant events, providing a unique cultural experience. Here, you’ll find answers to commonly asked questions about what to expect during this exhilarating month.

What events can I attend at the Edinburgh Festival in August?

In August, you can attend many events at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the largest arts festival in the world. It features performances in theatre, comedy, music, and dance. Simultaneously, the Edinburgh International Festival offers a curated selection of performing arts.

How does the weather typically vary during August in Edinburgh?

Edinburgh’s weather is relatively mild during August, with average temperatures ranging from 11°C (52°F) to 19°C (66°F). It’s advisable to bring layers and waterproof clothing to prepare for rain showers and occasional chills.

Can I explore Edinburgh Castle in August?

You can explore Edinburgh Castle, which remains open to visitors throughout August. However, due to the ongoing festivals, it may be busier than usual, so booking your tickets in advance is recommended.

What are the must-see attractions in Edinburgh during August?

In addition to the festivals, the must-see attractions in Edinburgh include the Royal Mile, Holyrood Palace, and Arthur’s Seat. The city’s historic and architectural sites are especially lively and enjoyable during the sunny days of August.

Are there any tips for finding accommodations during the busy August festivals?

Book well in advance to secure a spot for accommodations during August. For more options, consider staying slightly outside the city center or explore alternatives like short-term rental apartments, B&Bs, and university rooms, often available during the summer.

What makes August a special time to visit Edinburgh?

August is notable due to the Edinburgh Festivals filling the city with energy and creativity. Streets come alive with artists and performers, and there’s a palpable sense of celebration. The blend of historical scenery and contemporary art creates an unforgettable experience.

Creator, Founder of Cultivate Traveling

Becky is an expert in crafting itineraries for European and beach destinations, with a focus on places like England, the Hawaiian Islands, Arizona, St. John, USVI, and Italy's Rome, Florence, and Cinque Terre. With 15 years of European travels and a London residency in 2019, she's passionate about revisiting and discovering locales to create comprehensive travel plans. Based in Tucson's mountains, Becky enjoys outdoor adventures and off-roading, while summers are spent by a quiet lake in Illinois, near Wisconsin.

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Edinburgh Festivals in August Guide: Must Do + Top Tips

Five festivals, one city. 

Edinburgh is a festival city, and visiting in August means having the chance to go to FIVE of the eleven festivals that run over the year.

Yes, that’s right, there’s more than the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo running throughout August!

Before I moved to Edinburgh I didn’t realise quite how the festivals worked or everything that was going on throughout the month. I’ve been able to visit the Edinburgh Festivals in August multiple times over the years, but I’m always discovering something new, which is the beauty of the festivals!

Many visitors don’t have that privilege, so I also want to show that it’s possible to visit all five of the August Edinburgh Festivals in one weekend, or even in one day! 

Edinburgh’s Festivals in August: What You Need to Know

There are five festivals in Edinburgh in August, and each one is a little different.

Throughout Edinburgh in August I’ve been to see everything from theatre and circus shows to art installations, comedy, cabaret, military bands, and fantastic fireworks displays.

Edinburgh’s festivals  at this time all overlap as they run across most of the month. These festivals sell as many tickets as the FIFA World Cup and are only outsold by the Olympic Games. That makes them HUGE, and something you really should add to your bucket list .

People always talk about there being “something for everyone” in a city, and in this case, it really is true! But where do you start?

The population of Edinburgh doubles in August as people come to make the most of visiting the main attractions of the city amongst an electric carnival atmosphere. With so many people and so much to do it can be a little overwhelming.

So let’s break it down across the five festivals on offer, where to stay, and eat, and what you might want to check out if you need a little break!

Edinburgh International Festival

Edinburgh International Festival is the original Edinburgh Festival, beginning in post-war 1947 to “provide a platform for the flowering of the human spirit”, and I think it’s certainly done that!

Each year they invite acts to come to the city for the month and perform anything from theatre, to cabaret, to workshops. Their program has a lot to offer and each act is carefully chosen. 

Every year the International Festival opens with a fantastic light and music show that’s a free but ticketed event. The site of the illuminations takes place somewhere different each time and in recent years has included Edinburgh Castle, Usher Hall, and Tynecastle Stadium. It’s amazing to see how they mould them to the contours of different buildings and sites in time to the music.

I’ve also enjoyed plenty of other shows at the Edinburgh International Festival in August, including the following:

• Alan Cumming Sings Sappy Songs: A fantastic show where he really bared his heart to the audience, then played club songs.
• The Glass Menagerie: A long-running theatre show with themes still relevant today.
• Roots, by 1927: Animation and theatre mixed with live music and the re-telling of old folk tales. 

Edinburgh Festival Fringe

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe, as it is officially known, is the festival that most people have heard of and come to the city to see.

It’s known by many other names, not limited to the Fringe Festival, Edinburgh Fringe, and simple, the Fringe.

It sprung up alongside the International Festival, on the “fringe” as it were. Eight uninvited theatre companies gatecrashed in 1947 to take advantage of the already gathered audience. Now it’s the largest arts festival in the world, given that it’s open-access, meaning anyone can show up and perform, just like the originals.

Comedy is the largest section of the Fringe Festival, and many people think that’s all there is on offer during the Edinburgh Festivals in August as a whole. But even within the Edinburgh Festival Fringe there are so many other different types of performances and shows.

A peek inside the extensive program, or the Edinburgh Festival Fringe App reveals everything from circus to music shows, exhibitions, dance and more. The beauty of the Edinburgh Fringe is that anything can happen, and Fringe audiences are traditionally up for anything, so go with an open mind!

I’ve seen physical theatre shows, comedy shows and dance performances that ranged from pure entertainment to thought-provoking presentations.

There is no one Edinburgh Festival Fringe location, but the Royal Mile is a good place to start. Part of it is closed off for street performers and people passing out flyers to tout their shows.

The Pleasance is another of my favourite Fringe locations, located near Holyrood Park. I love all of the seating areas, bars, and eateries sandwiched in amongst the historic buildings. Also head over to George Square for one of the large Assembly run Fringe areas, where there are tons of food trucks and places to eat. 

The thing about the Fringe is you can wander around the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh and stumble across venues everywhere! 

The Fringe Festival is also great for those on a budget, because many of the shows are free, or as the saying goes, “free to get in, but not to get out”. Most free Fringe performers ask for donations by the door upon exit to help them cover the cost of visiting Edinburgh in August to perform.

One of my favourite things to do in August is wander the city with no agenda and pop into free Fringe venues to see whatever’s on next!

Edinburgh International Book Festival

Print books are far from dead, and the Edinburgh International Book Festival proves it. In their seventeen-day run, more books are sold in the pop-up bookstore than a high street bookshop sells in a year.

As the largest event of its kind, authors and book enthusiasts come from all over the world to see talks, performances, discussions and children’s shows. In the past leading authors like JK Rowling, George R R Martin and Ian Rankin have featured there.

Edinburgh’s festivals often overlap, so you’ll be able to see elements of theatre and comedy within the Edinburgh International Book Festival as well.

For example, a few years ago a theatre group performed part of The View From Castle Rock, a novel by Alice Munro about her family’s emigration from Scotland to Canada. Instead of an adaption, however, they performed it word for word as it’s written in the book, combining theatre and a book reading.

More recently I attended one of the nights in the Spiegeltent where members of ‘Bang Said the Gun’ performed Stand Up Poetry, which was funny and thought-provoking all at once. 

There’s always something new and interesting to be seen, and the location of the Book Festival at Charlotte Square Gardens provides a lovely spot to escape from some of the festival madness around Edinburgh in August.

Edinburgh Art Festival

The Edinburgh Art Festival is the most recent of the Edinburgh Festivals in August.

Originally, visual art exhibitions were part of the Edinburgh International Festival. The art side of the festival grew so large and took place across so many organisations and spaces that the Edinburgh Art Festival was formed to better showcase all there is to see.

Exhibitions pop up all over the city throughout August, many of them free, and there are art walks as well. I love how the Art Festival just seems to be woven throughout the rest of the festivals. Definitely take some time to see what’s on and pop along! 

A few things I’ve done over the years at the Edinburgh Art Festival include:

• Going on an ‘Ugly Walk’ to explore industrial landscapes and challenge the idea that only nature can be beautiful to walk through.
• An exhibition by Nathan Coley in Parliament Hall, combining historic wallpaper and text to explore the ideas of identity, utopia, and assumptions.
• Greyson Perry’s exhibition about Julie Cope, a fictional “typical Essex woman” where you could read the story of her life and see it portrayed in insanely detailed tapestries. 
• A light installation by Alfredo Jaar, which speaks to the current chaos and confusion we live in, but have to carry on through. 

Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo

Growing up in New Zealand with Scottish ancestry meant I’ve always been well aware of what a “Tattoo” is. The word comes from ‘doe den tap toe’ which meant ‘turn off the taps’ and heralded the closing of the pubs, usually to the sound of drums, during the 17th and 18th centuries.

At the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo  in August you can see performers from all over the world marching, playing instruments (especially bagpipes!) and putting on a fantastic show.

The Tattoo has been held at Edinburgh Castle since 1950 with no show ever cancelled, and every year it’s screened on TV to over 100 million people.

I never knew quite what to expect with the Tattoo, even though I’d watched it on TV as a child, but I was completely blown away . It’s a spectacular show with Edinburgh Castle playing a key part as the backdrop to the performance.

The New Zealand Army Band are always a favourite (of course!) and I love how every year countries from around the world get the opportunity to showcase their talents.

Performances aren’t just military bands marching, so you can expect to see plenty of variety. I’ve seen shows with motorbikes, horses, dancers, singers and more!

Edinburgh Festivals for Families

When they say Edinburgh Festivals is for everyone, they really mean it!

While there is a dedicated Children’s Festival in May, there are also plenty of things at Edinburgh Festivals in August for families.

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe has an entire section for children in their program. We took Baby B along to his first Fringe Show when he was just 8 months old!

It was a dedicated show for under ones, but many of the shows also have a “Babes in Arms” policy. It varies for each venue but often means a younger baby can be brought in with you.

Children are also welcome at many of the Art Festival exhibitions, and the Book Festival has plenty of children’s events and is a great place to go away from some of the more crowded areas in the Old Town. 

Aside from that, you can make the most of the festival atmosphere as a family, just like anyone else.

We found the best time to do so was the morning, as that’s when many of the children’s shows are, and it was easier to manoeuvre around with a pram. Of course, taking a small child in a carrier makes things even easier! 

Where to stay in Edinburgh during August?

So you want to come to the Edinburgh festivals in August (yay!) but where do you stay?

With so many people converging on the city, finding accommodation during August in Edinburgh can be a little intimidating.

I’ll start by saying, BOOK EARLY! Such a busy time in the city inevitably means more expensive prices as there’s more demand for accommodation, plus many central places will book out early. 

I always use Booking.com to search for options since it covers everything from hotels to B&Bs and private rentals.

Edinburgh’s citizens also embrace the festival by renting out their spare rooms and in some cases whole houses during August, so keep an eye on Airbnb too!

Alternatively, an excellent budget option is Edinburgh Festival Camping , who have everything from empty sites to pitch your own tent, to Luxury Bell tents, all at really affordable prices. It’s easy to jump on public transport to the city centre from their location in the west of Edinburgh.

Where to eat during Edinburgh festivals

There’s an overwhelming amount of dining options in Edinburgh at any time of the year, and in August, even more, are available!

Food trucks pop up all over the place, but especially around popular festival venues with hang out spaces like George Square and outside Teviot at Edinburgh University. They’re one of my favourite spots for a bite to eat between busy festival events. 

Food trucks aren’t the only pop-ups though, as full restaurants can appear, and sometimes they’re so good they end up staying, like Ting Thai Caravan.

A couple of years ago I went Dram & Smoke, a pop-up restaurant serving their delicious take on Scottish scran. That’s food or all you Scotland newbies!

Check the festival events to see if there are any options like this too. Edinburgh normally has plenty of beer gardens, but there are a huge number of pop-ups throughout the summer. 

Escape from the festivals

If you’re not careful you might get festival fatigue during Edinburgh in August!

Cramming as many events into a short space of time is a lot of fun, but it can get exhausting.

Luckily, all the usual top things to do in Edinburgh still apply, with free and paid attractions all over Edinburgh . A visit to Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Mile won’t give you much of an escape from the crowds of the festivals, so the following are just a few options that might help with that!

Calton Hill

One of my favourite places to gaze over the sights of Edinburgh and escape (most of) the crowds!

Calton Hill is a popular spot but it’s so big you can always wander and find your own space. The views over Edinburgh are great, and the walk isn’t as steep as Arthurs Seat!

Mary Kings Close

If you glance to either side of the Royal Mile as you meander amongst the street performers and people advertising festival shows you’ll notice many small alleyways called closes. These small streets run to either side and were traditionally where the people of Old Town Edinburgh lived.

As larger buildings were constructed on the Royal Mile and attempts were made to level out the street more some of the closes were, well, closed over.

Mary Kings Close was once the widest street in Edinburgh outside of the Royal Mile, and now you can venture into some of the houses that are still there, and learn more about how the people of Auld Reekie lived.

What better way to escape the Royal Mile than go beneath it?

Dean Village

Just ten minutes from the end of Princes Street is the quaint area of Dean Village. My favourite hidden gem in Edinburgh , (although it’s much more popular now than it used to be!) it’s a collection of beautiful old buildings and grain mills next to the Water of Leith.

Gilmerton Cove

This small area of underground caves is a genuine mystery and another hidden gem.

No one actually knows when or why Gilmerton Cove was built or what they were even used for. A secret whisky brewing and drinking den? A witches coven? An escape route from Craigmillar Castle?

They make for an intriguing visit, and since they are a short bus ride out of the city centre they are a definite festival escape.

The Scotch Whisky Experience

Just off the chaos of the Royal Mile is the sanctuary of the Scottish Whisky Experience .

A visit to Scotland really isn’t complete without partaking in some whisky, and what better place to do it than in the home of the world’s largest whisky collection?

I took a Masterclass, and now feel suitably equipped to taste much more whisky and actually know what I’m doing, and what I like!

Linlithgow Palace

Edinburgh Castle, as expected, gets incredibly busy during the August festivals. It’s always a must on any Edinburgh bucket list, but a great alternative is Linlithgow Palace .

Half an hour by train from Edinburgh, on the way to Glasgow, is the birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots. Linlithgow Palace, or more accurately what’s left of it after a fire, is only £5 to enter, or the grounds and lake area surrounding it can be enjoyed for free.

North Berwick

Catch a train to the delightful seaside town of North Berwick , one of the best day trips from Edinburgh.

You can wander the beach, try one of the many cafes, shop in the boutiques along the high street, or climb North Berwick Law for awesome views up and down the coast.

If you want to get out on the water, take a boat trip from the Scottish Seabird Centre out to Bass Rock to see the Gannet colony.

There are a few other beaches near Edinburgh , but this is the easiest to reach by public transport. 

Looking to explore more of Scotland? Check out other awesome Scottish destinations here. 

If you’re coming to Edinburgh for the festivals in August you’ll likely leave still wanting more.

The beauty of the Edinburgh Festivals is in their diversity, and after many years of attending, I’m still in anticipation of each August in Edinburgh and what that year’s festivals will bring.

Luckily, Edinburgh actually has eleven festivals throughout the year, so even if you visit outside of this time you might have the chance to experience Edinburgh at its finest, in festival style!

Check out Why Edinburgh’s Festivals Have To Be On Your Bucket List  and find more information on ALL the festivals on Edinburgh Festival City , their Facebook, Twitter , and Instagram .

Have you been to Edinburgh in August for the festivals? 

Over the years I have attended some festival events in partnership with Edinburgh Festivals, Visit Britain and Visit Scotland. As always, all opinions are my own, and it’s not hard to see why when you read any of my other Scotland posts! Originally published in August 2016 .

If you liked it, pin it!

Sonja - Migrating Miss

Sonja is from New Zealand but now lives in Scotland with her husband and two little boys, after having lived in 5 other countries along the way including the USA, Australia, Canada, and Spain. Travelling has always been her passion and she has now made it her full-time job and worked in the industry for the last 8 years. She shares her living abroad experiences and best tips to make your travel experiences the best they can be!

22 thoughts on “ Edinburgh Festivals in August Guide: Must Do + Top Tips ”

Wow, what a great rundown of your two days! I was following along on snapchat so excited to see what these festivals actually were! I love the idea of the Fringe and how it started! Thanks for the great post! xx

Thanks Jaimee!! I’m glad I had your intrigued haha that was the idea! Hopefully you might make it over one day 🙂

a friend of mine was there at the same time and she told me about it, but i couldn’t believe it since she took no photos. but now seeing the photos and reading your post…i really have to see that!!!

It’s definitely an experience you should have if you possible can :).

I always hear people tossing around these festival names come summertime, but it’s so hard to keep track of what’s what during the season! This clears things up perfectly, and makes me much more confident about finding the festival that would suit me best 🙂

+ mad props for including all of the extra information about non-festival events as well! Festival burnout is definitely a thing, and this saves me from having to do much more research.

Thanks Alex! It is a bit overwhelming and the first time I was here I didn’t even know there were so many festivals on so I’m happy to be able to share a bit about each and hopefully make people’s experience better! Hope you can make use of it in the coming years 🙂

I’ve still never been to Scotland – and I live about 5 hours away by car! I’d absolutely love to go when there’s a lot on like these festivals! That jacket potato looked amazing too!

Haha time to make a trip for the festivals! August is when the most festivals are on, but there are festivals spread out through the year as well. And it was amazing…it was huge though!!!

I had no idea there are so many cool festivals happening in August in Edinburgh. This beautiful city has been on my list for a long time and I need to visit it sometimes. August is great, as one can always take advantage of the bank holiday to spend a long weekend in Edinburgh and experience all these events.

Very true! August is the biggest festival time but there’s other’s throughout the year too! I love Edinburgh so much though I think any time is great haha.

Wow, I had NO idea that Edinburgh had such a festival culture! It sounds like there’s really an eclectic mix for any type of festival goer. Pinned this, and maybe will be going next August! Great work

Thanks Alex!!! I hope you do make it next August 😀

Edinburgh looks like an awesome city and I have always fancied going to the fringe festival. Maybe next year, eh!

I think it’s a fantastic place anyway and the Fringe is one of the biggest festivals! Hopefully you do make it 🙂

Never heard of Edinburgh being a festival city, so interesting! Would be great to be in the city at exactly this time of the year. The projection on the castle definitely caught my eye as well as the art festival that i would be happy to attend.

It is a great time of year :D. The Castle projection was part of the Edinburgh International Festival’s opening event and it was really fantastic!

My sister just finished performing at the Fringe and Im really feeling like I missed out. I’m saving this post for next year and definitely getting myself organised early this time round!

You’ll definitely have to try and make it next year and now your sister should be able to fill you in on some inside tips too! 😀

Edinburgh is one of the cities I’ve always wanted to visit. Maybe I need to check some events there and finally, go and see it. I’d be so excited on attend such a show.

I think you should!!! Obviously haha. It’s a great place!

I always thought to Scotland as castles and mountains. But this festival is totally a dont-miss. Thank you for writing this.

It’s great because it’s both! :D. You’re most welcome and I hope you can use it at some point!

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A festival for every season: it's always the best time to go to Edinburgh

Sep 27, 2021 • 5 min read

Summer fireworks above Edinburgh during the Royal Military Tattoo and Edinburgh Fringe Festival © Marco Bicci / Shutterstock

Edinburgh ’s atmospheric natural sites and its residents’ distinctly Scottish determination for withstanding terrible weather make it a great year-round destination: Sure, it might be literally freezing, but doesn’t Arthur’s Seat look majestic covered in ice? For the less hardy amongst us, however, summer is the ideal time for visiting Scotland’s capital: not only does it get hotter (please note: we never said hot), but the city’s infamous festival season is in full force.

Here’s when to visit Edinburgh.

Shoulder Season: September to October, April to May

Best for hikes and classic tourist attractions

Edinburgh’s two shoulder seasons fall between its hectic summer and dreary winter. Both are perfect for laidback sightseeing. The city’s many green spaces look stunning, from the cherry blossom-lined paths of The Meadows to the crisp autumnal foliage of Royal Botanic Garden . The big tourist draws, such as the Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Mile, are also much quieter.

High Season: June to August

Best for festival vibes and discovering.

Festival season is when Edinburgh comes into its own. From the world’s biggest performing arts festival, Edinburgh Fringe Festival , to more contained programs at the Edinburgh International Film Festival and Edinburgh Jazz Festival, summer is the best time to visit if you're looking for entertainment.

Accommodation costs can be extortionate though – mattresses on floors for £1000 a month are not unheard of – so book early. Very little that can compare to the buzz of the streets in summer: street performers on every pavement, theatre and gigs take place in all the city’s nooks and crannies, and arts venues bustle with street food and excited ticket holders.

Low Season: November to March

Best for festive shenanigans and indoor arts

It’s cold, it’s dark, it’s raining: You’d be forgiven for thinking that winter makes Edinburgh go into hibernation until the spring. But while there are more welcoming times of year to visit, there’s a sort of wintery charm to be found in the windblown streets.

Christmas markets abound, from the impersonal and enormous to the artsy and curated, while Edinburgh’s Hogmanay (New Year) celebrations are world-renowned. There are innumerable galleries – from the cavernous Scottish National Gallery and National Museum of Scotland to the grassroots Embassy and Arusha  galleries – to while away frosty afternoons.

 For superlative Scottish vibes, stick around the city for Burns Night (25 January), the annual celebration of Scotland’s national poet. For an authentic experience, head to a local pub for haggis and a dram of whiskey.

Key events : Loony Dook, Manipulate Festival , Burns Night

The weather is still dreary but around February is when the light starts to turn: days get perceptively longer and wandering around the city gets a whole lot nicer. There are plenty of indoor activities to piece together: head to the Cowgate for live music or the Scottish National Galleries for the latest exhibitions.

Key events : Edinburgh International Improv Festival

Spring arrives and with it floods of daffodils over The Meadows. Take advantage of the turning weather to head outside of the city: The Pentland Hills are a short bus ride away and afford gorgeous hikes, while the coastal trail that starts in Portobello is perfect for a sunny late-March day, with highs of 60°F (15°C) in a good year.

Key events: Wee Dub Festival, Edinburgh Science Festival , RSA New Contemporaries

April is when the gorse bushes erupt with bright yellow flowers all over Arthur’s Seat. There’s no better time to scale the hill, or better yet, opt for a gentle walk around its base and take in the colors. 

Key events : Edinburgh TradFest , Terminal V , IberoDocs

Edinburgh often has one week of very warm weather early on in spring, with possible highs of 77°F (25°C). Fit in with the locals by grabbing a disposable barbecue and sitting beneath the cherry blossoms in The Meadows.

Key events : Edinburgh International Children’s Festival, Edinburgh Marathon ,  Beltane Fire Festival ,

The city starts gearing up for its summer season: Pub gardens open and the first festivals peek their heads up. Hit up one of the many city center sites before the crowds set in or, better yet, head to Jupiter Artland in the suburbs: A hidden gem of a sculpture garden only open in the summer season.

Key events : Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival , Edinburgh International Film Festival , Meadows Festival , Pride Edinburgh

Tourism stages a temporary, not-so-hostile takeover of the city. Lean into the madness and head up to the castle with the crowds, or opt for a more local experience of summer with a wander around the galleries and a picnic in Leith Links. 

Key events : Edinburgh Art Festival , Edinburgh Food Festival

This is what the city has been gearing up towards all year: The August festivals are in town. Catch free comedy (of variable quality) at one of the many free Fringe venues, see some of the biggest names in literature at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, or opt for something smaller and quirkier at Jupiter Rising, the micro festiva put on by the contemporary sculpture park, Jupiter Artland.

Key events: Edinburgh International Festival , Edinburgh Festival Fringe , Jupiter Rising , Edinburgh International Book Festival , Fringe of Colour , Edinburgh Summer Sessions , Edinburgh Military Tattoo  

And…breathe. After the August madness, a calm descends over the city. Take advantage of the mild ~60°F (16°C) temperatures and wander around the Old Town without the crowds. If you’re not exhausted of festivals, don’t miss smaller gems such as Take One Action Film Festival.

Key events : Take One Action Film Festival , Hidden Door , Art Walk Porty , Edinburgh Doors Open Days

One of the most underrated months to visit, October offers quintessential Edinburgh vibes: the air is crisp and the students have returned, which means a plethora of live music and nightlife on the Cowgate. 

Key events : Africa in Motion , Scotland Loves Anime , Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival , Scottish International Storytelling Festival , Push the Boat Out Festival 

The clocks have just changed and the days are dark, but Bonfire Night lights up the autumnal sky with fireworks. Smaller galleries open new exhibitions as the festival rush dies down.

Key events : St Andrews Day, Bonfire Night, French Film Festival UK

December is Edinburgh’s most crowded month after August as the city becomes a hub for Christmas shopping. The main Christmas Market in Princes Street Gardens is quaint in a traditional sort of way, although it has become increasingly commercialised in recent years. For something more authentic, head to one of the smaller fairs in Summerhall or Edinburgh Printmakers.

Key Events: Hogmanay , Edinburgh’s Christmas , Christmas at the Botanics

You might also like:  17 best things to do in Edinburgh - Scotland's lively capital city How best to get around the city of Edinburgh The 9 best day trips from Edinburgh  

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What to See and Do Around Edinburgh in August

by Clare Leave a Comment

August in Edinburgh is not just a month; it’s a phenomenon. The city bursts into a riot of activity, creativity, and celebration, making it a premier destination for travellers from around the globe. Whether you’re a festival aficionado, a history enthusiast, or someone who simply enjoys soaking up the local culture, Edinburgh in August offers an experience unlike any other. Here’s your ultimate guide to making the most of this vibrant month in Scotland’s capital.

What You Can Do in Edinburgh

You will find a huge amount to see and do in Edinburgh in August. There are also plenty of fabulous hotels, from 5-star properties to budget accommodation. Here, you can relax and unwind after a day of exploration – if you fancy a night of fun and excitement at your hotel, you can even try browsing on Erobella UK from the comfort of your hotel room. 

So, let’s take a look at what you can do:

The Festivals

Edinburgh festival fringe.

This world-famous festival is the highlight of Edinburgh’s cultural calendar, offering a platform for artists across all disciplines to perform and express their art. From small, intimate venues to large theatres, the city becomes a stage for an eclectic mix of music, theatre, comedy, and dance, attracting performers and audiences from around the world.

Edinburgh International Festival

For those who appreciate curated, high-caliber performances, the International Festival presents a selection of theatre, music, and dance by internationally acclaimed performers. Its prestigious reputation is built on a history of showcasing only the finest productions.

The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo

A spectacle of military precision, music, and cultural performance set against the backdrop of Edinburgh Castle, this event draws performers from various countries, offering a truly global experience culminating in a breathtaking fireworks display.

Edinburgh International Book Festival

This festival takes over Charlotte Square Gardens with a celebration of the written word. Authors from across the globe participate in lectures, signings, and debates, making it a pivotal gathering for literary enthusiasts.

Historical Attractions

Edinburgh castle.

Perched on an extinct volcanic crag, Edinburgh Castle dominates the city skyline and offers a panoramic view over the city. As a pivotal part of Scotland’s history, it houses the Honours of Scotland, the Stone of Destiny, and the National War Museum of Scotland.

The Royal Mile

This historic thoroughfare runs through the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town, connecting Edinburgh Castle at its top end to Holyrood Palace at the bottom. The mile is dotted with historical sites, shops selling Scottish memorabilia, and numerous pubs and restaurants serving traditional Scottish fare.

Holyrood Palace

The official residence of the British monarch in Scotland, Holyrood Palace stands at the end of the Royal Mile. Its history is as rich as its architecture, with each monarch adding their own modifications. The palace is open to the public throughout the year, offering insights into the royal chambers and the historic ruins of Holyrood Abbey.

Natural Wonders

Arthur’s seat.

This main peak in the group of hills in Edinburgh offers a relatively easy climb and the reward of panoramic views across the city. The park around Arthur’s Seat is an excellent spot for picnics and leisurely walks, showcasing Scotland’s natural beauty right in the heart of the capital.

Calton Hill

Just a short walk from the city center, Calton Hill offers some of the best views of Edinburgh. It is also the site of several iconic Scottish monuments and buildings, such as the National Monument and the Nelson Monument.

Royal Botanic Garden

A little north of the city center, this 70-acre garden is a celebration of plant biodiversity, conservation, and research. The garden’s extensive collections offer peaceful strolls through beautifully landscaped grounds that include a rock garden, arboretum, and tropical glasshouses.

Museums and Galleries

National museum of scotland.

Delve into the collections that showcase Scottish antiquities, culture, and history alongside artifacts from around the world. The museum is family-friendly, with interactive exhibits that engage children and adults alike.

Scottish National Gallery

Situated on The Mound, this gallery features Scotland’s greatest collection of European paintings and sculptures from the Renaissance through to the post-impressionist periods. The gallery hosts works by some of the greatest artists in history, offering a rich experience to art lovers.

Culinary Delights

Local cuisine.

Edinburgh’s restaurants and pubs offer a chance to taste traditional Scottish cuisine, including the infamous haggis, Scottish salmon, and deep-fried Mars bars. The city also boasts several Michelin-starred restaurants for a more refined dining experience.

Afternoon Tea

Savour this quintessentially British tradition at one of Edinburgh’s luxury hotels. The tea service often includes a selection of finely cut sandwiches, freshly baked scones, and a range of delicate pastries served alongside some of the finest teas in the world.

Cultural Insights

Ghost tours.

These tours take you through the city’s haunted sites and dark past, combining historical facts with chilling narratives, which make for an intriguing experience.

Scottish Storytelling Centre

A hub for cultural activity, it offers performances, exhibitions, and workshops that celebrate traditional and contemporary storytelling from Scotland and beyond.

Famous for its prestigious university and as the ‘home of golf, ‘ St Andrews is a charming town with beautiful beaches, medieval streets, and rich history just a short drive from Edinburgh.

The Scottish Borders

Known for its scenic beauty and historical sites, the Borders are dotted with picturesque towns, grand abbeys, and the tranquil countryside.

North Berwick

Ideal for a seaside escape, North Berwick is renowned for its pristine beaches, golf courses, and the Scottish Seabird Centre, where visitors can explore local marine life.

An Immersive Experience

Edinburgh in August is an immersive experience of cultural richness, historical depth, and scenic beauty. Whether you’re attending a festival, exploring ancient ruins, or enjoying the natural landscapes, Edinburgh offers a diverse array of attractions that promise a memorable visit. Plan ahead to make the most of all that this historic city has to offer during its peak season.

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Top 14 Things to Do in Edinburgh

There are plenty of exciting things to do in Edinburgh, from stunning architecture and endless winding streets to an awe-inspiring castle perched on a dormant volcano. By day you can admire artworks in galleries and treasured wonders in museums, and by night you can enjoy tours, musical and theatre performances, or find your favourite dram in a charming whisky pub.

Explore Edinburgh Castle Edinburgh

Edinburgh Castle and city

Perched atop Castle Rock overlooking the city, this should be a must-see on your list of places to visit in Edinburgh. Edinburgh Castle houses important Scottish artefacts, such as the Honours of Scotland -  which are the oldest crown jewels in the UK - and The Stone of Destiny, an ancient symbol of the Scottish monarchy. Explore the vast castle grounds, take a guided tour with a castle steward, or listen to the audio guide, which is available in eight languages.

Top tip: Tickets often sell out quickly, especially during the summer months. Make sure to book early to avoid disappointment! Listen out for the firing of the One O'Clock Gun from the castle grounds, which can be heard daily (except on Sundays). Ships in the Firth of Forth once set their maritime clocks according to the sound of the shot.

• On Public Transport Route
• Accessible Parking Or Drop-off Point
• Level Access
• Cafe or Restaurant

Discover the treasures of the National Museum of Scotland Edinburgh

The National Museum of Scotland

© VisitScotland / Peter Dibdin

Scotland is known for having unpredictable weather, and if you happen to get caught in the rain you might be wondering what to do in Edinburgh. Visit the National Museum of Scotland, one of the best indoor attractions in Edinburgh - and entry is free! With over 20,000 unique artefacts to see, there's something for everyone and fun for all the family. Spend the day learning about the catacombs of Egypt, the wonders of nature and even modern-day technology.

Top tip: If the sun makes an appearance, head up to the rooftop terrace to enjoy amazing views of Edinburgh.

• Hearing Loop
• Accessible toilets

Climb Arthur's Seat and stroll through Holyrood Park Edinburgh

Friends on Salisbury Crags in Edinburgh

© VisitScotland / Kenny Lam

Perhaps one of the most iconic places to go in Edinburgh is Arthur's Seat, located within Holyrood Park. This ancient volcano sits 251m above sea level and offers 360-degree views of Edinburgh and the Lothians. You can see the medieval remains of St Anthony's Chapel or feed the ducks and swans on Duddingston Loch. There's an array of paths and trails to follow, suitable for all, including the trail to St Margaret's Loch which is both wheelchair and buggy accessible.

Top tip: Climbing up to the top of this dormant volcano is hungry work! Why not pack a picnic and enjoy it from the best 'seat' in Edinburgh?

Be amazed at Camera Obscura and World of Illusions Edinburgh

Camera Obscura and World of Illusions

This top attraction in Edinburgh is fun for all the family - we dare you not to be amazed, whatever your age. There are five floors of interactive curiosities and illusions to explore, so lose yourself in the puzzling mirror maze or try to keep your balance in the exhilarating Vortex Tunnel.

Top tip: Be sure to get an allocated show time so you don't miss out on seeing the 169-year-old Camera Obscura in action. This Victorian spectacle is a truly unique way to see Edinburgh and takes sightseeing to the next level. 

• Pets Welcome

Ascend Calton Hill to the National Monument Edinburgh

The Edinburgh skyline viewed from Calton Hill

For outstanding views, get up early and climb to the top of Calton Hill to enjoy the sunrise over the city. The UNESCO World Heritage Site is home to a collection of historic monuments, most notably the National Monument, which was inspired by the Parthenon in Athens.

Top tip: Thinking of staying in Scotland this New Year's Eve? One of the best things to do in Edinburgh at night on Hogmanay is to climb Calton Hill and enjoy the annual firework display above the castle. Many festivals in Edinburgh, such as the Celtic Beltane Fire Festival, are also celebrated here.

Explore the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art Edinburgh

The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art

A trip to the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art won't leave you disappointed - whether you're an art lover or not. Comprising two impressive buildings, this top Edinburgh attraction contains masterpieces from the 1900s to present day. Admire art by Matisse, Picasso and Emin, as well as Scottish contemporaries. The landscaped grounds of the galleries feature sculptures by Tony Cragg and Barbara Hepworth, amongst others.

Top tip: After enjoying coffee and a slice of cake in the gallery's cafe, don't miss the recreation of Scottish artist Eduardo Paolozzi's original studio in Modern Two.

Taste the finest drams at Johnnie Walker Princes Street Edinburgh

Johnnie Walker Princes Street in Edinburgh

© VisitScotland / Luigi Di Pasquale

The flagship Johnnie Walker Princes Street is spread across eight floors and is the capital's newest hotspot, perfect for whisky lovers and novices alike. Complete with dining experiences, bars and a whisky retail area, book your personalised whisky experience where you can explore the flavours of Scotland. 

Top tip: Enjoy world-class cocktails and incredible views of the Edinburgh skyline at the 1820 rooftop bar.

Stroll through Lauriston Castle and Gardens Edinburgh & The Lothians

Lauriston Castle and Gardens

There are plenty of attractions around Edinburgh away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre. Lauriston Castle and Gardens is the perfect place to go for anyone visiting Edinburgh looking for a piece of Scottish history, as well as peace and quiet. Step back in time as you explore the castle's impressive Edwardian interiors, and don't miss the daily guided tour to learn more about its fascinating history.

Top tip: Enjoy the woodland walk that surrounds the castle, then retreat to the tranquil Japanese Garden, a true hidden gem in Edinburgh.

Brave the Edinburgh Dungeon Edinburgh - City Centre

Edinburgh Dungeon 2021

© Edinburgh Dungeon 2021

Looking for things to do in Edinburgh that are a little unusual? For a thrilling alternative adventure, visit The Edinburgh Dungeons, where you'll learn about the city's gruesome history. Walk the plague-ridden streets of 1645, evade the murderous duo Burke and Hare, and even face trial - good luck! With live actors, underground rides and special effects, you're guaranteed a 'spooktacular' time.

Top tip: The Edinburgh Dungeon often holds Dungeon Late events for adults, so if you're looking for things to do in Edinburgh at night, this could be it.

Launch into space at Dynamic Earth Edinburgh

Dynamic Earth

Looking for somewhere fun to take the kids that's also educational? Dynamic Earth is a fantastic attraction for the whole family to enjoy. The interactive adventure takes brave young explorers on a journey through space and time to learn how the forces of nature shaped Earth over millions of years. 

Top tip: Dynamic Earth is part of the National STEM Engagement Campaign and has a whole host of events for kids to enjoy; check out their website to find out what's on in Edinburgh.

See a show at the Festival Theatre Edinburgh

Edinburgh's Festival Theatre

Edinburgh's Festival Theatre is one of the largest stages in the UK, hosting show-stopping opera, ballet and musical events all year round. Many famous performers have graced its stage, including Charlie Chaplin, Laurel & Hardy and David Bowie.

Top tip: Legend has it that the Festival Theatre is haunted by famous illusionist 'The Great Lafayette'. Lafayette lost his life in a fire at the theatre in 1911 and is said to roam the stage to this day.

Enjoy a wee dram at the Scotch Whisky Experience Edinburgh - City Centre

The stunning Diageo Claive Vidiz Whisky Collection

No trip to the Royal Mile is complete without a visit to the Scotch Whisky Experience for a dram of fine Scottish whisky. The attraction offers a range of tour experiences that will suit first timers and whisky lovers alike. Take a tour of the virtual distillery and learn about the distilling process, then discover the art of whisky blending in a guided sensory presentation.

Top tip: After you become somewhat of a whisky connoisseur, why not continue into the attraction's Amber Restaurant, where you can enjoy modern Scottish cuisine with another dram.

Go sightseeing from the Scott Monument Edinburgh

The Scott Monument in Princes Street Gardens

The Scott Monument was built in 1832 to commemorate the death of one of Scotland's best loved writers, Sir Walter Scott, and is decorated with carvings of characters from his novels. The Gothic spire stands at the eastern end of Princes Street Gardens and is the largest memorial to a writer in the world, standing at just over 200 feet high. Climb the 287 steps to the top for beautiful views of the city and visit the Museum Room inside the monument, which holds an exhibition on Scott's life and work.

Top tip: Not a fan of heights? Not to worry, you can get a great view of the monument with your feet firmly on the ground from the bottom of the Playfair Steps on The Mound. At the base of the monument, you'll also find a statue of Scott himself with his beloved dog.

Indulge in sweet treats at The Chocolatarium Edinburgh

Chocolatarium visitors with their finished chocolate bars

Looking to add a bit more sweetness to your trip? Just off the Royal Mile you’ll find The Edinburgh Chocolatarium, a place dedicated to all things chocolate. Enjoy a 90-minute guided tour of the chocolate-making process before making your very own chocolate bar where you’ll have lots of toppings to choose from. To finish off, head to the chocolate Tasting Room where you’ll taste a variety of Scottish and international chocolates. Now that sounds like chocolate heaven!

Top tip: Make sure to stock up on your favourite chocolate bars at the gift shop. You'll find all the classics including some interesting flavours such as gin and tonic dark chocolate and haggis.

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Best Time to Visit Edinburgh

Like most of Scotland, Edinburgh boasts moderate temperatures in the spring and summer and cold, wet weather during the winter months. Known as "Festival City," Edinburgh hosts numerous events and festivals throughout the year, with most taking place during the summer. Travelers should consider school holidays, winter weather, and potential crowds when planning a trip. Still, Edinburgh has enough to do that it can make for a great experience in any season. Edinburgh's best times are May through August when the weather is good, and the city is lively, and September for fewer crowds.

Weather in Edinburgh

Edinburgh is coldest in January and February, with the average temperature around 35 F. Winter is typically windy and can bring snow, so be prepared with warm weather gear (and non-slick shoes). Spring tends to be mild and dry, with lots of sunshine expected in April and May, while summer is typically warm and pleasant. July is the hottest month, with average temperatures around 68 F (although it can get hotter during the summer).

Bring layers for any visit, but especially in the fall and winter. It's also a good idea to pack rain gear and waterproof shoes, particularly if you plan to hike Arthur's Seat or go anywhere outside the city. Snow boots and a warm jacket are also helpful in January and February.

Peak Season in Edinburgh

The weather tends to dictate how busy things get in Edinburgh, although big crowds come into the city around Christmas and Hogmanay. Late spring and summer are the busiest times of the year, thanks to the nicer weather and the constant festivals and events taking over Edinburgh. Because Edinburgh is such a walkable city with lots to do outdoors, many people opt to come when it's dry and sunny.

The school holidays can mean more crowds, especially around Christmas, but it's not enough that you should be deterred to book a trip. School holidays occur during summer, from July through September, and again at half-term, which takes place at the end of October and in mid-February. There is also a break for Easter and a few bank holiday weekends throughout the year. These breaks don't necessarily mean more crowds since some families may travel to other cities, like London, or head to more remote locales.

Sunnybeach/Getty Images

After the New Years' celebrations die down, January in Edinburgh is fairly quiet, with short days and long nights. It can be a good time to visit if you want to avoid crowds, but be prepared for chilly, wet winter weather (January is the coldest month) and plan your visit to include mostly indoor activities.

Events to check out:

• Burns Night is a Scottish tradition that marks a celebration of the poet Robert Burns's life and poetry. The holiday, which takes place on Jan. 25, typically involves a special dinner out, known as a Burns Supper.

Like January, February in Scotland tends to be cold and dark, although it can be a good time to take advantage of empty museums and local attractions. Scotland's schools take their half-term break mid-months, which can be some crowds.

• Valentine's Day is very popular in the U.K., including in Scotland. Many of Edinburgh's restaurants will feature special menus to celebrate with your loved one but book in advance if you want to get into one of the more acclaimed ones.

Edinburgh tends to be fairly quiet in March, with fewer tourists and fewer events. The weather can be a gamble, and it's often still wintery and dark before spring really arrives.

• Edinburgh Competition Festival brings together some of the best musical performers, each an expert in their instrument. The festival runs for 10 days each March and welcomes musicians of all ages.
• Even though it's technically an Irish holiday, Scots love to celebrate St. Patrick's Day with a few pints and live music.

Extravagantni/Getty Images

The weather starts to get nicer in April, with less rain and strong wind, although it can still be chilly. To avoid any crowds, plan around the Easter school holiday, which takes place over a long weekend in the spring.

• Register for Edinburgh Comic-Con , which takes place over two days in April, to shop comics exhibitors, watch panels, and experience cosplay. It's not the biggest con in the U.K., but it can be lots of fun. Comic-Con Scotland , held in October, also attracts lots of fans and celebrities.
• Take on the Celtic ritual of Beltane at the annual Beltane Fire Festival , which takes place at Edinburgh's Carlton Hill to welcome spring.

May feels like spring, with blooming trees and flowers, but it's not quite busy in Edinburgh yet since kids are still in school. Take advantage of the shorter lines at attractions and the opportunity to walk around in the sunshine.

• Visit the nine-day Edinburgh International Children's Festival , held from late May to early June, to see the best in family-friendly theater and dance performances.
• Runners hit the streets for the Edinburgh Marathon at the end of May, passing by many of the city's iconic monuments and buildings along the route.

June brings the kick-off of tourist season to Edinburgh, with many international visitors coming into the city. The weather is warm, sunny, and pleasant, and there's a lot to see and do outdoors. June can be a good choice for those who are planning a longer Scotland itinerary beyond Edinburgh.

• The Edinburgh International Science Festival arrives in Edinburgh at the end of every June, celebrating science, math, engineering, and technology.
• Edinburgh International Film Festival is the world's longest-running film festival, bringing in a global selection of shorts, features, and documentaries to showcase cinema's best.
• Scotland's biggest LGBTQIA+ event, Pride Edinburgh, takes over the city's streets and bars every June.

July brings the hottest weather and longest days to the Scottish city, making it an ideal time to explore and take advantage of outdoor activities. Since most of the big festivals are held in August, the crowds can also be less overwhelming.

• The annual Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival takes place in July and is a must-do for jazz music lovers. It features free and ticketed performances, as well as the beloved Princes Street parade.

Not only does August typically boast nice weather, but the late summer in Edinburgh is also the time to visit if you love art. It's known for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and the Edinburgh International Festival, which take over the city every August and draw in crowds worldwide. It's a lively, exciting time to visit Edinburgh, although it can be jam-packed.

• Edinburgh's most famous festival is the Edinburgh Festival Fringe , a massive art festival that features everything from theater and dance to cabaret and comedy to children's shows and live music.
• The Edinburgh International Festival is held simultaneously to Festival Fringe, showcasing the performing arts over three weeks in many of the city's renowned theaters.
• The month-long Edinburgh Art Festival showcases various exhibitions and events, with most of the festival free to attend.
• At Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is a series of performances by British Armed Forces, Commonwealth, and international military bands. It draws a huge audience of adults and kids.
• Princes Street Gardens hosts Edinburgh Summer Sessions over August, with major musical acts taking the outdoor stage for family-friendly concerts.

The temperatures remain pleasant in September, averaging around 60 F, and the crowds have cleared out from August. This is your best bet if you want to experience Edinburgh without the onslaught of events, and it can be a good time to explore the surrounding areas of Scotland as well.

• Book a ticket to a screening at Ocean Film Festival , which features films that showcase the oceans above and below the surface. It's a U.K.-wide event, with Edinburgh's screenings taking place at Festival Theatre.

George Clerk/Getty Images

October brings fewer crowds once students are back in school, but Edinburgh keeps its festivals going into the fall. The weather starts to dip, so pack layers and rain gear.

• The annual Scottish International Storytelling Festival , held around Halloween, highlights storytelling's art with performances and events throughout the city.
• Edinburgh celebrates Halloween in a similar fashion to American cities, with various haunted houses, events, and costume parties.

The weather starts to turn cold, and days get shorter in November, but the lack of crowds at the various attractions makes it a good time to enjoy the city without lines. Scotland doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving, so students will remain in school throughout the month.

• Held every year on November 5, Bonfire Night, also known as Guy Fawkes Night, is a popular event in the U.K. Expect rowdy outdoor gatherings, fireworks, and, of course, bonfires.
• St. Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland, so his saint's day , Nov. 30, brings a lot of celebration to Edinburgh. Festivals are often held over that weekend, which often has the Monday off for events.
• The Edinburgh neighborhood of Leith hosts EH6 Festival, which features craft beer, food, and music.

Christmas is a busy, festive time in Scotland, and Edinburgh is a great place to experience the holiday magic. There's lots of shopping, holiday street markets and Christmas-related events, like plays and concerts. The weather can be cold and wet, with the potential for snow, but don't let that keep you away.

• December brings numerous Christmas markets to Edinburgh, but one of the best is Castle Street Christmas Market, which looks up at Edinburgh Castle. Edinburgh Christmas, which includes the markets and several events, usually runs from the end of November through December.
• Hogmanay , the Scottish celebration of the New Year, is a raucous celebration taking place on Dec. 31 all around Edinburgh. It features live music and fireworks, which are also broadcast around Scotland.

Frequently Asked Questions

To fully enjoy Edinburgh's outdoor activities, the best time to visit is from May to September. The weather is warm and sunny but doesn't get hot, although this is also the busiest time to visit.

Rain is common throughout the year in Scotland, but Edinburgh sees the most precipitation from October to January. Snow is possible in the cold winter months, but it's a rare occurrence.

For the cheapest prices, visit in winter after the Christmas and New Year holidays. The weather is very cold and gray, but you'll find the lowest rates on hotels and flights.

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Savvy Travel Advice

Festivals in Edinburgh: An Essential Planning Guide to the 5 Edinburgh Festivals in August

Last updated: April 3, 2021 - Written by Jessica Norah 22 Comments

Edinburgh festivals are well-known around the world, lending the city one of its nicknames, Festival City. But did you know that almost half of the major festivals in Edinburgh take place during the month of August? Edinburgh is home to 11 major festivals each year, and five of these festivals take place in August.

These summer festivals in Edinburgh celebrate art, theater, culture, books, and even the performance of military bands. Events range from the traditional (opera) to the intellectual (talks by famous authors) to the downright zany (performance of an acrobat doing handstands on eggs)!

August is a busy but special time in Edinburgh as the historical capital city welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world. It can be overwhelming to a first time (or even second time) visitor. There are hundreds of events and performances each day in the city during August, and in one day we’ve actually attended events from all five different Edinburgh festivals!

We’ve been to the summer Edinburgh festivals a number of times over the past several years since we moved to Scotland. We’ll share our own experience of attending the August Edinburgh festivals and tips for planning your own trip to Edinburgh in August.

Table of Contents:

Edinburgh as the Festival City

Edinburgh has not always been known as the Festival City. In 1947, Edinburgh hosted the Edinburgh International Festival and this festival was soon followed by a number of other festivals celebrating arts, culture, science, history, and tradition. The reason for these early festivals were to help boost local morale, enrich the local cultural life, and to attract visitors following the difficult years of World War II and its aftermath.

The festivals all started out quite small and have grown exponentially, now attracting over 4 million visitors each year placing Edinburgh as the world’s leading festival city. The Edinburgh festivals are a significant source of revenue for the Scottish economy and create thousands of jobs for the local people. 

There are 11 major festivals in Edinburgh held throughout the year and you can learn about all the festivals on the informative  Festivals Edinburgh website . These include festivals celebrating films, jazz and blues music, science, storytelling, children’s performing arts, and the New Year’s celebration Hogmanay !

The first festival Laurence and I attended together in Edinburgh was the family-friendly  Edinburgh International Science Festival which was the first formal public celebration fo science in the world. 

In addition to the 11 major festivals, there are a number of more minor festivals and events held in Edinburgh throughout the year (such as the Edinburgh Food Festival, Edinburgh Mela, Edinburgh Coffee Festival and Edinburgh Yarn Festival), and you can find a full list of Edinburgh Festivals  here .

Note that the  Edinburgh Mela   also usually takes place in around August and is a festival that celebrates world culture, music, dance, and food in the city, with events ranging from Bulgarian folk dances to American hip hop to Bharatanatyam dance. 

Tips and Advice for Visiting the August Festivals in  Edinburgh

This Edinburgh Festivals Guide will help you learn more about which festivals are happening in August, when to book your flights, how to obtain festival tickets, how to find lodging, tips on using local transportation, how to save money, and much more!

What are the Edinburgh Festivals in August? 

•   Edinburgh Art Festival  – This month-long Edinburgh festival includes the coming together of 40 museums, galleries, and various pop-up spaces to celebrate and present a wide array of free viewings, new visual arts displays, tours, and other art-related events. Expect to see paintings, statues, lighting installations, performance art, and much more!
• The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo  – The main highlight of this 2.5-week long festival are the evening 90-minute performances that include military grandeur, music, ceremony, theatre, dance, and fireworks. Each performance includes over 1,000 military and civilian performers and the performance is set against the backdrop of magnificent Edinburgh Castle.
• Edinburgh International Festival  – This 3-week festival is committed to virtuosity and originality and features world-class performers and ensembles from the areas of dance, opera, music, and theatre.
• Edinburgh Festival Fringe  – This 3-week festival is filled with theater performances, comedy shows, dance, physical theaters, street performers, children’s performances and much more as anyone with an artistic talent and a venue can put on a show during the festival. This festival has grown into the largest arts festival in Europe! 
• Edinburgh International Book Festival  – This 16-day festival is the largest public celebration of ideas and the written word in the world, featuring workshops, book readings, book signings, and meet-the-author events in the world’s first UNESCO City of Literature!

How much does it cost to attend a festival in Edinburgh?

The ticket costs ranges widely across festival events, as many festivals events are free although many do incur a cost. Most of the Edinburgh Art Festival displays and events are free and unticketed although there are special events held that are ticketed.

The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo performances prices range, depending on preferred seating area, from about £25 to £300 per person. Most Edinburgh International Festival events are ticketed and for a fee, although the spectacular opening events are generally free but ticketed, and tickets for most performances range between £10 and £60.

Edinburgh Festival Fringe events typically range from free (although many still require a ticket) to about £30, with most of these events being under £15 per person. In fact, our search revealed over 800 free Fringe events in 2016!

It is free to enter the Edinburgh International Book Festival with author talks, book readings, workshops, and other events typically ranging from free to £15. 

Where do the Edinburgh festivals take place? 

The answer is just about everywhere in the city! A couple of festivals have primary locations with the Edinburgh International Book Festival being based in Charlotte Square Gardens and The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo performances taking place in front of Edinburgh Castle. The other festivals take place at venues all across the city and these change each year.

Venues may include theaters, meeting halls, a former veterinary school turned art studio ( Summerhall ), art galleries, the castle, museums, churches, cafés, street platforms, public gardens, courtyards, Leith docks, restaurants, monuments, and schools.

Each year there are always a few Fringe events that take place in especially unusual settings (although most do take place in more traditional venues) and some of the strangest places over the years have included buses, public toilets, a bathtub, a secret venue, a barge, someone’s private apartment, online, an elevator, and a public swimming pool!

Although venues are scattered throughout the city, most events are likely to take place in central Edinburgh (Old Town or New Town) and many of the major venues are within walking distance or a public bus ride from each other.

How far ahead should I plan a trip to Edinburgh in August?

This really depends on your travel style, but given that August is the busiest time in Edinburgh and the summer festivals are very popular, I would start thinking about your trip as far in advance as you can. Many people book their accommodation 6 months in advance. 

I would advise having your accommodation and travel tickets booked at least three months in advance but the earlier you book the better your chances of getting your top choices and the best prices. I would start making your plans prior to the final festival schedules being released unless there is an event you absolutely don’t want to miss to get best prices on travel and lodging. 

How many days should I stay in Edinburgh? 

Some visitors only stay a couple of days whereas others come for a week or so. I would recommend at least a few days so that you have enough time to see a variety of events and also factor in some time for rest and visiting other attractions in Edinburgh. It is a beautiful city and there is a lot to do beyond the festival events!

How far ahead should I book tickets to Edinburgh festival events?

Dates for the festivals are often set almost a year in advance for most of the festivals; however, most of the Edinburgh festivals in August don’t put out their final event schedules or start ticket sales until 2 to 3 months prior to the events. The exception is The Royal Military Tattoo which generally releases tickets at least 6 months in advance (released on December 1 for the 2018 Tattoo!).

If there are specific events you really want to attend, I would recommend booking soon after the schedules are released if you can to avoid disappointment. I would particularly recommend booking Tattoo tickets as far in advance as you know you want to attend to get the best chances of getting the date and seating type you want. Popular book festival author talks, food and drink related events, and Edinburgh International Festival performance events often sell out in advance.

If you are visiting and have no specific preferences, you can still find a lot of events still selling tickets once you are in Edinburgh, and you are likely to stumble upon discounted tickets and 2 for 1 tickets for performances that are not sold out. If you follow the official social media accounts or sign up for emails on the specific festival websites (highly recommended), you can get updates for the latest festival news which will alert you as soon as the schedules are online, when tickets are on sale, and to sales and discounts.

How do I decide what to see? 

For all of the festivals in Edinburgh, the events and performances are well noted on their websites and most have a user-friendly searchable database where you can look up what is happening by date, venue, act, and type of performance. Fringe even allows you to just filter by all the free events. We also found that for Fringe, since there are so so so many acts, that walking around and reading flyers and talking to people also helped us discover some performances we would probably not have considered otherwise.

If you are concerned about whether something is good, I would jump on social media to see what others are saying and also do an Internet search of recent reviews as many of the UK newspapers and websites do reviews of the Edinburgh International and Edinburgh Festival Fringe performances. The best way though may be to just go, especially if it is a performance with a short run!

If you are someone who wants to experience Fringe but absolutely does not want to sit through any bad performances to discover some hidden gems or new talent, one piece of advice would be to avoid free performances and stick to the “Big Four” venues which are the most competitive and expensive for acts. These are Assembly , Gilded Balloon , Pleasance , and Underbelly , and each has their own set of venues and websites. I am not saying these are all going to be good, but they tend to only host acts that have been at Fringe before and had good reviews. 

For more tips and advice on the Fringe, check our Laurence’s Fringe Festival guide .

Tips for attending the summer Edinburgh festivals on a tight budget? 

First, many of the festival events are free. The most budget-friendly August festivals are probably the Edinburgh Art Festival and Edinburgh Festival Fringe although almost all the Edinburgh festivals offer free events. Most of the Art Festival events are free and unticketed. 

There are always lots of free Edinburgh Festival Fringe shows and in 2018 there over 800 free Fringe events being offered during the festival. You can find them on the official Edinburgh Fringe website by putting “free” into the events Advanced Search. You can check out the website  run by the Free Festival.  

The Festival Fringe usually has a Half Price Hut you can visit and many 2 for 1 ticket offers to help save you money. I would check the specific festival websites (and social media channels) for sales and special discount offers. Also you may score discounted tickets by talking to the Fringe performers on the street as they sometimes have a few comp or discounted tickets available to those who seem genuinely interested to fill seats for their first performances.

Note that even if a festival event is free, many still require tickets so be sure to pick up or print these tickets and bring them to the performance. This is the case with all five of the festivals so be sure to check ahead in case it is a limited space event.

In terms of travel to Edinburgh, I would book any train and plane tickets as far in advance as you can for the best deals, and you might also consider taking a bus if you will be traveling from elsewhere in the UK. Once in the city, the city’s public bus system goes almost everywhere you’ll likely want to go and is relatively inexpensive with day pass deals. Many of the festival events are located in central Edinburgh and can be reached by foot.

Hostels, rented apartments and spare rooms, chain motels, and university dorms are available and offer budget rates although room rates are going to likely be at their highest in August. See our recommendations in the lodging section below for a list of specific budget hostels, hotels, and booking websites to consider. Note that much of the city’s lodging is fully booked throughout most of August so book in advance if you can as many last-minute visitors end up paying much more than they anticipated.

Cheap eats are available throughout the city (e.g., delis, pizza, Indian takeout, fast food chains) and you might consider booking a hostel or apartment that offers cooking facilities so that you can make your own meals to save money.

Several of Edinburgh’s top attractions are free or low cost, particularly its many great museums and art galleries. If you plan to visit some of the top royal attractions, we’d recommend checking out the Royal Edinburgh Ticket,  which includes entry into 3 of Edinburgh top attractions plus a 2 day sightseeing bus ticket.

How busy is August in Edinburgh? 

It is busy with about 500,000 visitors pouring into Edinburgh during the month of August, doubling its population and there are hundreds of performances and events happening each day throughout the city. However, that said, it is still navigable and most events are well-organized. Since most performances are ticketed, this helps control the number of people in any one place.

The most congested areas are going to be the Royal Mile and surrounding streets, and expect all of the popular visitor attractions in Edinburgh to be more crowded than usual. If you are not a fan of crowds, you might consider booking lodging outside the city center (Old Town and New Town areas) and just coming into city center for events.

Some visitors to avoid crowds and save money even stay outside Edinburgh in nearby towns with good public transportation links into the city. If you absolutely hate crowds, you might consider visiting Edinburgh outside of August.

What are the best ways to get to Edinburgh Scotland?

There are multiple options for visiting Edinburgh.

By Plane. First, you can fly into the Edinburgh Airport , which has flights from destinations in Europe, the US, the UK, and the Middle East. If there is no direct flight, connecting flights from London or Dublin are frequent. The airport is a short bus, taxi, Uber, or tram ride from town, so this is a very practical option. 

By Train. If you don’t want to fly, then there’s a fast train service from London to Edinburgh, which takes around 4.5 hours. You can also catch trains from cities throughout the UK or take the EuroStar to get here via France if you are coming from Europe. You can save a lot of money on fares by booking train tickets well in advance. Check  ScotRail  and  London North Eastern Railway  for local train services, routes, and to purchase tickets.

If you are interested in taking an overnight sleeper train (runs between London and Inverness), you can check the  Caledonian Sleeper  route and schedule as most services stop in Edinburgh.

By Bus or Coach. If you are in the UK and would rather travel by bus, there are daily coach connections to Edinburgh from a number of cities which take longer but may save you money compared to train fares. You can check National Express for coach connections and prices, as well as the budget-friendly Megabus .

By Car. Finally, you can of course also drive to Edinburgh, although be aware that most hotels, particularly those in the city center, don’t offer free parking. Parking spaces will be very limited during August in central Edinburgh.

What are the best ways to travel within Edinburgh?

The center of Edinburgh is walkable, with the majority of attractions easily accessible by foot. For public transit, we recommend local buses (find Lothian Buses fees and schedules here ), Uber, or local taxi services. The Edinburgh trams  have a more limited route (includes the train stations and airport) but are a good additional option if you are traveling to and from the airport.

If you need to book a cab while in Edinburgh, we recommend using this UK taxi comparison service  to find the best rate.

There are also a few different companies offering sightseeing  hop-on hop-off buses  in Edinburgh  that stop at many of the main tourist attractions in Edinburgh. If you have a Royal Edinburgh Ticket, it includes free use of the sightseeing bus for 48 hours.

You don’t need a car to travel around Edinburgh as public transit can get you just about anywhere in and around the city, so we’d only really recommend a car if you are planning to head into the countryside or smaller villages. Driving in Edinburgh during the busy August festival season is not recommended if you can avoid it.

Where to Stay in Edinburgh in August?

The good news is that Edinburgh has plenty of accommodation, and great options suitable for a range of budgets and travel styles. The offerings are quite diverse and include luxury hotels, B&Bs, youth hostels, cottages, university rooms, self-catering private apartments, camping sites, and even pop-up hostels made out of shipping containers.

The bad news is that the city becomes almost fully booked for the August festival season (up to 97% capacity!) and prices are at their highest during this time of year. If you’re looking for a specific kind of hotel or room type, then you’ll want to book as far in advance as possible. 

Hotels and B&Bs in Edinburgh

If you plan to book a hotel, motel, or guest house, we like to use Booking.com which we find usually has the widest range and best prices across a wide range of properties, from hotels to apartments. Hotel options in Edinburgh range from budget chains such as Travelodge to quaint bed-and-breakfasts to one-of-a-kind historical luxury properties.

If you are looking for a special luxury hotel to stay in during your festivals visit and you have a larger budget, you have a lot of options, including the  The Balmoral Hotel , Nira Caledonia , and Prestonfield . Just be sure to book well in advance as most are fully booked during August.

There are also numerous cozy and romantic bed-and-breakfasts and guest houses, ranging from budget to luxury and many are located just outside the city center – see all the Edinburgh listings on booking.com for your options, and book in as far as advance as you can to secure a room.

Apartments, Rooms, & Self-catering Residences

 If you are looking to book a room, apartment, or home in Edinburgh, the supply increases during the month of August as many Edinburgh residents leave the city for their own vacation and others let out spare bedrooms. The best site to check first is probably  Plum Guide , which is our favourite for finding high quality vacation rentals. Another good option with many Edinburgh listings is Vrbo .

We also regularly use Homestay  (be sure to use our 5% discount link if you book!), which is similar to AirBnB but it includes a hosted experience and breakfast, which is nice if you want to interact with some local people. 

If you’re not having luck with those options but still want to stay in a local apartment, you can check out EdLets which rents all kinds of spaces in Edinburgh as well as Laurence’s  guide to AirBnB alternatives and vacation rental websites in the UK .

Hostels & Other Budget Options

 For those on a small budget, there are a number of hostels, cheap hotels, university rooms, room shares, rooms for rent, and even a pop-up container hostel. For instance, Travelodge tends to have some of the lowest rates and the  Haymarket Hub Hotel  is also great value.

You can also check out local hostels on the Hostelling Scotland website such as the centrally-located Edinburgh Central Youth Hostel and the summer-only Edinburgh Metro Youth Hostel. There is also the Safestay Smart City Hostel Limited ,  Haystack Hostel , and the City Stay Hostel , among several others in the city.

Be sure to check prices across websites such as Booking.com and be sure to also check the hotel or hostel’s own website to ensure you get the best price available. Edlets is also good to check. If you don’t mind sharing an apartment or renting a bedroom, you can often find some good deals. 

There are also university rooms available for rent in the city, camping sites such as Edinburgh Festival Camping and  Mortonhall campsite  (includes bookable wooden wigwams!), and even the Containers Hostels , which were the first hotels made from shipping containers! You may even be able to find free places to sleep on Couchsurfing and similar websites although free spots are going to be limited in August. 

Camping during the Edinburgh Festivals  

For those wanting to camp or come by caravan or RV, there are several options, such as   Mortonhall campsite  and the  Edinburgh Caravan Club Site .

Note that most campsites will require a bus or taxi ride to reach central Edinburgh. Special temporary campsites also spring up just for the summer festivals.

I can’t find last-minute lodging!

If you are not having luck with any of the above options, don’t despair! Think about lodging alternatives to what you have tried (sleeping in a hostel, apartment, wigwam, or university room) and also think about looking for options outside the town center and even outside of Edinburgh. Most people stay in central Old Town or New Town of Edinburgh, but consider Leith , Stockbridge, Canonmills, and the east, south, and west districts of Edinburgh.

There are also a number of satellite towns around Edinburgh with a 25 – 45 minutes public transport connection, where you might find better value options. The public transport network in Edinburgh is excellent, and night buses often run into the early hours, so that is definitely an option if you’re looking to save money and don’t mind a bit of a “commute”.

For instance we live in Roslin and commuted by public bus to the August Edinburgh festivals each day.  Just remember to check to see what the public transportation options are before you book!

If you absolutely can’t find anything in Edinburgh or its surrounds that is available or within your budget, you might consider booking a place in Glasgow and take the Citylink bus back and forth which runs regularly between the two cities and takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Additional Edinburgh Festival Planning Tips

The most important tip is to make your travel arrangements well in advance and research the date and ticket information for the festivals you want to attend.

In terms of packing, be sure to pack for the fickle Scottish weather! In August, you could find it fairly warm or downright chilly with temperatures ranging from 50 F to 86 F (10 C – 30 C).

Check the forecast before you leave for your trip. Be prepared for rain and consider packing some rain gear (e.g., raincoat, boots, poncho, umbrella). Dress in multiple comfortable layers so you can adjust to fluctuating temperatures across the day and also be comfortable in venues that can vary widely in temperature. Be sure to carry water with you and take breaks in between events as it can be exhausting if you try to cram in too much every day.

Be sure to also pack your camera, but note that in general you are not allowed to take photos (or videos obviously) of Edinburgh International Festival, Edinburgh Book Festival, or Edinburgh Fringe Festival live performances or talks. The restrictions are due to both copyright protection and because it is obviously distracting to both the audience and the performers if everyone is taking photos.

However, photography is generally allowed at Edinburgh Art Festival exhibitions, and at the Royal Military Tattoo (although flash is not allowed or effective given the bright floodlights). You’ll also want your camera around to capture life on the street during the festival season as you never know what you’ll see and many of the Fringe performers are in costume promoting their shows and welcome photos. 

Don’t limit yourself to one festival! If you are going to Edinburgh for say the Fringe or the International Festival, be sure to also check out an Art event or the Book Festival. There is so much happening in the city and many of the events and attractions are free or low cost.

If you are normally into serious drama, consider also picking up a ticket to an acrobatic show, author’s talk, comedy sketch, or quirky art installation. You may be surprised at how much you enjoy something you normally wouldn’t attend. If you do happen to attend some free or low-cost event that is truly terrible, it is likely going to end up being one of the most memorable and we had fun chatting to locals who were eager to share their all-time favorite bad, quirky, or weird performance at Fringe. If something you wanted to see is sold out, be flexible as there are hundreds of events and you’re sure to find some excellent alternatives.

Be prepared for the crowds and just know the city is going to be much busier than usual and don’t let it bother you. Patience can really help you as you walk through the city, wait in lines, and navigate public transit in the city in August. It can also take longer than you expect to go from one festival event venue to another because of congestion so factor in extra time than you think you will need when walking. I’d also allow extra time when visiting attractions, going out for a meal, or taking public transit.

Since the city is going to be more crowded than usual, I would recommend planning ahead regarding which city attractions you might want to visit in addition to the festival events so that you can either book tickets in advance or plan to visit at the least crowded hours (e.g., generally at opening or towards closing).

If there are any special restaurants you’d like to eat at or day tours you’d like to take, be sure to make reservations in advance. Taking a day trip out of the city (e.g., whisky tasting, castles, Loch Lomond, Rosslyn Chapel, Hadrian’s Wall) can also help rejuvenate your spirit if you are in Edinburgh for several days. We can highly recommend Rabbie’s , an Edinburgh-based tour company, if you are looking for a tour.

Where can I find out more Information about planning my trip to Edinburgh in August?

The best place for festival information is the Festivals Edinburgh official website  as well as the individual festival websites given above and below. Also, you should check out Laurence’s post which gives his viewpoint on our Edinburgh festivals experiences !

For general Edinburgh planning (you’ll want to do some non-festival things too!), consider these top things to do in Edinburgh to get you started on your Edinburgh itinerary. You can also check out these lesser known Edinburgh attractions , our Edinburgh Harry Potter guide , and our city photo guide .

For more general overall trip planning, a good place to start your planning is the Edinburgh city tourism website . If you will be exploring other parts of Scotland, head to the Visit Scotland tourism website for planning all your travels throughout the country.

Our Experience Attending Five Edinburgh Festivals in August

Laurence and I have visited the summer festivals now over the past 3 years so we are now very familiar with the crazy festival season. One year we really went a bit nuts and packed in a ton of festival events into our August itinerary, and there was even one day when we attending events from all 5 festivals! This year we’re taking the festivals at a much more leisurely pace.

Being able to visit the festival throughout the month is definitely a luxury of living locally, but I would advise any visitor to spend at least a few days in the city to try to see a number of events and to leave some leisure time in between to rest and see the many other attractions in Edinburgh.

Edinburgh Festival #1: Edinburgh Art Festival

The Edinburgh Art Festival generally starts at the end of July and continues throughout the month of August, and was the first of the summers festivals that we attended. Most of the festival program events are free and unticketed and include exhibits, pop-up events, tours, talks, workshops, and other events.

I’d start with going to the festival’s website or picking up a free Art Festival map to help you put together your own self-guided walking tour of the featured pieces of art and exhibits. They are located throughout the city and many are displayed in underused or rarely opened public spaces. Its a fun way to see parts of the city you would probably not otherwise visit.

For example, we’ve visited Art Festival pieces in the  the rarely opened  Burns Monument , a neon lighting installation on the Calton Road Bridge, a human voices project in Trinity Apse, a video at St. Patrick’s Church, a social art installation in the Johnson Terrace Wildlife Garden, and a quirky fountain in the courtyard of the Museum of Edinburgh. We enjoy  wandering around the city to see the art and we always discover a few new places along the way!

We also discovered that not all art installations are static as we found out at Bartholomew’s Waltz, a 2016 art installation, which included artwork, music, and interactive pieces and there was an event where artists, musicians, and audience members participated in games, dance, and music together!

In addition to art pieces and installations that are specifically designed for the Edinburgh Art Festival, you’ll also find that most of the city’s art museums and galleries have special exhibitions or events happening in conjunction with the festival. These usually include the Scottish National Gallery, City Art Centre, The Fruitmarket Gallery, The Queen’s Gallery, Jupiter Artland, National Portrait Gallery, and many many more.  Definitely worth checking out the Art Festival program for what’s on.

We also have a lot of fun attending the Edinburgh Art Festival and since everything is spread throughout the city, nothing was very crowded when we visited and it was fun to go from exhibit to exhibit using the map. Almost all the city’s art museums and galleries also had special exhibits going on and it is hard not to just stumble upon some of these pieces as you move about the city!

Most of the installations and exhibits stay up throughout the festival making them easy to visit, and some even stay much longer. We’d definitely recommend checking out the online program and grabbing (or downloading) a free map of the exhibitions!

Edinburgh Festival #2: Edinburgh International Festival

The Edinburgh International Festival was the very first of the current major Edinburgh festivals, debuting in 1947, and includes opera, music, theater, and dance performances from some of the best international companies in the world. It runs for about 3 weeks and has several performances taking place each day, many of them evening shows.

The Edinburgh International Festival has begun to kick off each year with a special opening event. These are normally free to the public, but you do need to book a free ticket as space is limited.

For example in 2016, it was the Standard Time Deep Time event , which took place on the Edinburgh Castle terrace arena. The event was a mixture of music, projections, and illuminations on the side of the castle that went through 350 million years of history inspired by Edinburgh’s geological and man-made history!  This event was spellbinding.

In 2018, the opening event was called Five Telegrams and was a free outdoor digital performance celebrating Scotland’s Year of Young People and reflecting on the centenary of the end of World War 1. It was both emotionally moving and visually spectacular.

The Edinburgh International Festival also uses closes with an event, normally a concert and fireworks show. The fireworks show is normally in Princes Street Gardens and there is a fee to get a ticket to attend. The fireworks show has been sponsored by Virgin Money and called the Virgin Money Fireworks Show since 2011.

These dazzling opening and closing events are very well worth your time to attend if you are in the city.

The main events during the Edinburgh International Festival are of course the performances, and the festival attractions big name shows from production companies worldwide. There is always a bit of a mix of different types of shows across Edinburgh’s many venues, including plays, musicals, music recitals, choirs, talks, operas, and dance. 

The first performance we attended a couple of years ago was of  The Glass Menagerie,   a family drama memory play written by Tennessee Williams. This was the European premiere of this Broadway production. We’ve also seen  Shake  which was a modern French rendition of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night set at a seaside holiday resort in 1970’s France, and The Barber of Seville , a comic opera by Gioachino Rossini.

There are several venues that host the performances. During the festivals in Edinburgh, we’ve seen shows in the King’s Theatre (built in 1906), The Lyceum (beautiful 1833 Victorian theater), and the Festival Theatre (another historical theatre and a top festival venue). All are lovely venues.

We always have a good time at the Edinburgh International Festival and we enjoy being able to see more traditional performances in beautiful theaters during the festival. It is a nice contrast to the Fringe festival events. 

Edinburgh Festival #3: Edinburgh Festival Fringe

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe, generally referred to simply as “the Fringe” or Edinburgh Fringe, has an interesting humble beginning when eight acts who were not invited to perform at the 1947 Edinburgh International Festival performed anyway at alternative venues in the city.

This fringe festival has grown to become the largest arts festival in the world! It is an open-access festival so anyone with an act and a venue can perform. In 2016 there were 3,269 shows with 50,266 performances across 294 different venues!

Both well-known artists and first-time performers come to take part in theater, comedy, dance, physical theatre, circus, cabaret, children’s shows, musicals, opera, music, spoken word, exhibitions and more! You’ll find everything from traditional performances to zany and quirky one-of-a-kind shows!

Venues can be anywhere, venues have included traditional theaters, old churches, bars, sidewalks, phone booths, and swimming pools!

The performances and events change every year although there are some artists and acts that return for many years to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. For popular returning acts, I’d book these in advance if you can as they are likely to sell out.

The very first Edinburgh Fringe performance we went to was actually an evening Fringe preview show that featured over a dozen acts scheduled to perform at Assembly venues. There were 12 acts performing shortened versions of their shows, and these ranged from singers to acrobats to dance performances. We did a similar showcase show in 2018.

These introduction showcase shows are a great way to see a lot of variety in a short time and for us to think about what shows we wanted to try to see during Fringe.  This intro shows also help these acts gain more exposure and allows media to preview the acts. I would definitely recommend attending one of these if you have the chance as they happen right before or during the opening of the Fringe festival. Note that some are for media and VIP only, but the ones we attended were both ticketed and open to the public.

Here’s what we saw one year as an example for the variety of ticketed performances out there:

The first full Fringe performance we saw was  Adler & Gibb which was a surreal sort of drama about an American artist who rejects the art world in favor of a private life. We both really enjoyed it, and it was probably my second favorite Fringe performance. Laurence and I actually thought that during the play it was actually about a real artist, but discovered afterward it was all fictional.

Next was a popular family-friendly comedy show called AAA Batteries with British comedian Chris Turner. Chris Turner was very funny and I loved his freestyle acts and interaction with the audience; however, half the show was taken over by another guest comedian who I found much less funny.

Another comedy show we saw was called Scissor with Alfie Brown and this time the comedy was definitely not family-friendly. We both found the routine hit-and-miss with some funny material mixed in with some not-so-funny material along with, in our opinions, too much information about his girlfriend’s pregnancy, sex life, and new child.

The next performance we saw was called Selfie with Eggs , and was by far the strangest show we saw at Fringe. It included a German hand balancer called Natalie Reckert who loves handstands and tests her body stability on various things including eggs. At one point she was rolling around on the eggs until they all broke! Although strange it was interestingly endearing and funny, and she was obviously a very skilled acrobat. The last set which she did to Prince’s song Purple Rain  was very impressive.

Our favorite performance at Fringe that year was actually not one we had planned to go to or one we had been recommended, which stresses our recommendation to just see a show or two on a whim. We actually came across the actors on the Royal Mile who were advertising their play dressed in strange outfits, talking about leprosy, and handing out flyers. Who doesn’t want to see a play about leprosy set in the Deep South?

We started chatting with the American actors and we learned that their play called Bend in the River was set in an area (the River Road in Louisiana ) which we had recently visited. So we took the flyer and decided to see it later in the week.

The Southern Gothic play told of the real-life story of the National Leposarium in Carville, Louisiana and focused on a couple who falls in love at the leprosy hospital in the 1940’s. We really enjoyed the story and also learning more about leprosy, also known as Hansen’s Disease. One of the first effective treatments for leprosy, or Hansen’s Disease, was tested at Carville by one of the play’s characters, Dr. Guy Henry Faget. 

Lastly, the Fringe is not just about performances, there are also lots of other fun things happening. Examples include Thai cooking classes, acting lessons, artist meet-ups, pop-up restaurants, and architecture tours. 

For instance one year we attended one of their pop-up restaurants. Dram & Smoke took over a former biscuit factory for the entire month of August and served meals during the festival. The four-course menu featured Scottish and the event had a  house party vibe. One of our favorite (and most tasty) Fringe experiences that year.

Definitely recommend seeking out some of “other” events happening in August during the festival season!

Edinburgh Festival #4: Edinburgh International Book Festival

The Edinburgh International Book Festival is the world’s largest celebration of books and very appropriately it takes place in the world’s first UNESCO City of Literature! The two weeks are full of book readings, author talks, children’s events, book signings, and workshops.

Authors range from the famous (authors have included J.K. Rowling, Philippa Gregory, Ian Rankin, and Val McDermid) to the relatively unknown. In fact a not-yet-famous J.K. Rowling read her first Harry Potter here to a small group of children back in 1997! There are over 900 authors participating in the festival in 2018!

Unlike the other August Edinburgh festivals we had attended, this one takes place almost entirely at Charlotte Square gardens in a series of large tents. Anyone can enter for free and peruse the book stores, read a book in the square, go to book signings, and take part in the free programming.

If the weather is good, you could spend a few pleasant hours reading a book in the square and enjoying a cup of coffee (there is an on-site café). 

The highlights for us are definitely the authors talks. Laurence likes sci-fiction and fantasy and I like historical fiction and nonfiction, so we during our first Edinburgh Book Festival compromised in seeing one futurist author and one historical fiction author.

The first was Richard Watson who talked about how technology is predicted to advance and change our society, and he believes that our lives, at least in some ways, will be almost unrecognizable in 50 years time. One of his points is that he believes as we become even more connected and reliant on ever-advancing technology, that we will need to learn how to handle it and to also figure out what separates us from technology that will likely, and perhaps already does, surpass human abilities in almost all areas.

“Out of Artificial Intelligence will come a quest for what makes us human” predicted Watson, and he warned that “we should be careful about what we put in our heads” and “exercise selective ignorance”.  He discussed his latest book and answered questions from the audience. His talk actually ruffled a few feathers in the audience and it was an enjoyable presentation which was much more meaningful than we had anticipated. We both really enjoyed it and Laurence even got a chance to ask Watson a question about AI.

The second was famous author Philippa Gregory who is a very well-known writer in the area of historical fiction, typically focusing on female members of the British royalty such as Mary Queen of Scots and the wives of King Henry VIII. I have read many of her novels. If you have seen the movie The Boleyn Girl , the film was based on one of her books, although when asked about the film she noted that they did not exactly consider her input during the filming.

Gregory spoke mainly about her last book  Three Sisters, Three Queens which focuses on the story of King Henry VIII’s older sister Margaret Tudor. Gregory noted that she feels that Margaret Tudor has not been fairly characterized by most writers and she wanted to breathe some life into this medieval women who played such an important role in British history. Gregory is a gifted speaker and seemed funny, intelligent, and authentic in both her talk and answers to audience questions. Laurence, who was not excited to attend, very much enjoyed the talk and it was definitely a highlight of the Book Festival for us both. 

This is a great festival to feed your intellectual side. If you love books I would definitely plan to stop by if you are in town during this festival. If you want to see any of the author talks or workshops (highly recommended!), be sure to book tickets in advance. The most popular talks often sell out in advance. The Phillipa Gregory talk actually sold out about a month in advance and we were very fortunate to be able to attend.

Also be sure to arrive a little early as the Book Festival is very strict about not admitting any latecomers to events. Many festivals have this policy, but the Book Festival is particularly strict about it and you don’t want to be disappointed after buying tickets!

The Festival also has other events including talks from non-authors about world topics. For this year there is a lot of programming about the meaning of freedom. There is also a free mini-festival called Unbound which  nightly literary cabaret which takes place in the Spiegeltent. This is where authors can experiment with non-traditional stuff and includes a mix of performance, literature, music, spoken word, comedy and a few surprises.

Edinburgh Festival #5: The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo

The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo  is one of the most anticipated Edinburgh festivals as it is currently the most well-known military tattoo performance in the world. In fact, about 70% of those who attend The Royal Edinburgh Tattoo report that it is their sole reason for coming to Scotland! The 90-minute performances showcase traditional military music alongside military pageantry, dances, modern music, fireworks, and special effects.

The term military tattoo comes from an early 17th century Dutch phrase doe den tap toe  (“turn off the tap”), a signal sounded by a local regiment as it marched through the streets to instruct innkeepers to stop serving beer and for soldiers to return to their barracks. 

The first Edinburgh Tattoo was held in 1950, and today each performance includes over 1,000 military and civilian performers and the performance is set against the backdrop of Edinburgh Castle . It is a very popular festival event.

Each year the  program, theme, and invited military bands change although the basic structure is the same. Although there are always some surprises and each year has a different theme. 

For example in 2016, the Tattoo’s theme was Tunes of Glory  and paid tribute to Her Majesty the Queen in her 90th year and also commemorated The Battle of Jutland and the Great Arab Revolt. Bands were diverse and included five British military bands, the Jordanian Royal Guard, the US Army Europe Band, New Zealand Army Band, and the Nepal Army Band. Other performers included Highland dancers, choirs, and the Imps Motorcycle Display Team daredevils.

Highlights for us included the Massed Pipes and Drums, the Massed Military Band performances, the Highland dancers, the U.S. Army’s upbeat music, the New Zealand performances, and of course the haunting sound of the Lone Piper. The projections on the castle of flags, dragons, photos of the Royal family, and so much else were high-quality and really helped keep things lively and added to the performances.

There was even a snowfall special effect where some sort of white stuff was blown over the crowd. The only slight disappointment was that there were only a few fireworks at the end of our performance, so if you are looking for fireworks some of the performances have an extended fireworks display at the end (weather dependent of course).

The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is definitely a highlight of many festival goers August holidays in Edinburgh. The things about the Tattoo that differentiates it from other musical performances is obviously the military bands and the Edinburgh Castle setting, but I think also that some of the music commemorates loss, suffering, heroism, and freedom and is meant to evoke an emotional response.

If you haven’t seen a performance like this before, I’d highly recommend it. Just be sure to book well in advance as most of the performances typically sell out each year!

That One Crazy Day we Attended all Five Edinburgh Festivals!

As I mentioned earlier, one crazy day in August we actually ended up attending events from all 5 of the ongoing Edinburgh festivals. This was planned in advance so we did have tickets which made it a bit easier and more feasible. We actually ended up attending 6 events across 5 festivals in a single day!

Our day went like this: 8:30am bus ride to Edinburgh, 10:00am Bartholomew’s Waltz (Art Festival event), quick lunch, 12:30pm Richard Watson talk (Book Festival), 2:35pm AAA Batteries (Fringe show), 4:00pm: Selfie with Eggs (Fringe show), dinner, 7:30pm Shake (Edinburgh International Festival), 10:30pm: Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, and then a 12:20am  taxi ride back home.

Part of our day was a bit rushed as getting from venue to venue on foot took a bit longer than we anticipated and sometimes it took a bit of time to exit venues after performances or performances ran a bit longer than scheduled. However, while I would not recommend trying to cram so much as we did into a single day, I think the above demonstrates that it is very easy to experience multiple festivals during your time in Edinburgh!

It is a unique time to be in Edinburgh and even if you just came for one festival, try to check out some of the other wonderful events happening all over the city!

There you have it, our guide to the Edinburgh festivals in August! Clearly we had a wonderful time and are looking forward to returning next year. Have you ever been to any of the Edinburgh festivals? Which Edinburgh festivals do you think you would enjoy visiting? If you have been to any of the festivals, feel free to share your own experiences and tips!

As always, feel free to ask us any questions about the August Edinburgh festivals or about Edinburgh in general!

**Disclosure: We partnered with Festival Edinburgh who helped us plan the logistics of our Edinburgh festival experiences, and who also covered some of our transport, meals, and event entry in order for us to share our experiences as travel writers. However, as always, this article contains only our own honest thoughts and opinions. You can read more in our  Ethics Code about how we accept work.**

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Linda Williams Post author

October 4, 2020 at 2:44 am

Tks, but confused. Can’t copy to here so synopsis: Virgin Money FIreworks Concert – over 400,000 fireworks launched from Edinburgh castle originally scheduled for Aug 26, 2019 (cancelled cause of Covid). Biggest fireworks in world Concert and fireworks last approx 1.15 hrs. concert is first and then 4 tonnes of “fireworks will be set off during a 45 minute show.” Have sent several e-mails to box office, response is they’re manning the offices (which I assume to be to also answer e-mail) only sporadically now. yet, you say you’re not aware of these???? Please clarify.

Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author

October 4, 2020 at 7:45 am

Happy to try to help. Thanks for clarifying the specific fireworks show. So yes, the Virgin Money Fireworks Concert normally takes place at the end of August as part of the finale for the Edinburgh International Festival as mentioned in the article and on the EIF website. That would definitely be the largest of the fireworks displays in August.

I don’t work for the festivals so can’t say why they are not responding to your emails but many people are working from home due to the pandemic and most festival staff are seasonal. As noted, the festivals will not know or set out the dates until much later in the year. The box office website says “the programme will be announced in the spring.” So they are probably not able to answer your question if you are asking for dates or for tickets as there is no current event schedule.

But I would assume that it will be on a similar date as it was scheduled in 2019 and 2020. I would check again in the Spring. If the event takes place this summer as in past years, you can purchase tickets if you are interested in the concert part and being in paid area. But if you just want to see the fireworks, you can see them for free from many areas of the city. The concert normally takes place in Princes Street Garden and the fireworks are shot off from Edinburgh Castle.

Hope that helps!

Best, Jessica

September 25, 2020 at 7:16 pm

Can you tell me exactly what is the planned date for the August 2021 fireworks? We have a tour and want to make sure we stick around long enough after the trip ends in Edinburgh to see the fireworks. i have heard it is spectacular!

September 27, 2020 at 9:06 am

I am not sure which fireworks you are referring to in August in Edinburgh. There are normally fireworks that are part of each of the evening Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo performances. So you should see fireworks if you attend any of those evening Tattoo performances. The performance we attended did not have a very long fireworks display; however, I think they may have a slightly longer fireworks show (particularly at the finale show). The 2020 shows were all canceled and the schedule for 2021 won’t be out for awhile, but they will be on the official Tattoo website once they have dates set and tickets available. You would want to pre-book these tickets as they often do sell out in advance. If you are specifically interested in the fireworks, I would recommend calling their office once they have their schedule out and see which may have longer fireworks shows.

There is also often some sort of light/sound show as the opening event for the Edinburgh International Festival. This may include fireworks but it changes every year. There is also typically a closing fireworks show. Again, there is no schedule out for the 2021 Edinburgh International Festival events this far in advance.

Most of the August festivals don’t put out their schedules until much closer to the summer, particularly the Fringe festival.

Honestly, though the best annual firework show in our opinion takes place as part of the Edinburgh Hogmanay celebrations (New Year’s Eve).

I am not sure I would plan your trip around them if visiting in August and planning now, as you will likely have to wait several months before dates are announced for specific summer festival events.

Hope that helps, and let us know if you have any further questions as you plan your trip! Jessica

Luther Brown Post author

August 7, 2020 at 11:55 am

Speaking of awesome travel experience, these festivals sound amazing! Is Airbnb a good place to find stays in Edinburgh?

August 8, 2020 at 5:56 am

Yes, it is a shame that these Edinburgh festivals were not able to take place in 2020, but many have already begun planning for the 2021 festival season!

Yes, you can definitely find places to stay on Airbnb, and you can see those available in Edinburgh here . But for the UK, I’d also recommend checking out these UK holiday home websites for booking apartments and holiday homes in Scotland and the rest of the UK for more options.

I’d recommend trying to stay near the city center if possible so you can walk to most of the festival venues. Although it is pretty easy to get around by public bus as well if you don’t have a car.

Marius Dan Post author

May 1, 2017 at 7:11 am

One day I will return to Scotland as I had a wonderful time there (2012-2013). I might even try to teach in Scotland as I am qualified for the registration procedure. Maybe sooner, maybe later, but I will, that is for sure…:):):) The festivals in Edinburgh look great!

May 4, 2017 at 1:16 pm

Hi Marius, I hope you get a chance to attend some summer festivals in Edinburgh when you return to Scotland – hopefully you get a chance to return sooner rather than later! Best, Jessica

eileen g Post author

October 28, 2016 at 11:52 am

Edinburgh festivals are immensely popular for a reason. I imagine they are spectacular. But i can’t imagine being in that city when it’s packed to the gills with festival goers. I think the crowds would get to me. But I admire you for taking the plunge and trying it and I’m sure you were rewarded!

travelcats Post author

October 29, 2016 at 3:34 am

Hi Eileen, Yes, that are definitely popular and quite spectacular. The city is definitely busy and in some places crowded, so like any big festival time in any city, it may not be the best place for those who do not like crowds! However, I think that if you have mainly visited just the Royal Mile as most visitors then the city seems a bit smaller than it is but the festivals are spread out a bit throughout the city so it doesn’t feel quite as crowded as you might imagine as we were virtually alone at the Leith docks and on some of the Edinburgh Art Festival walks. Summerhall and some of the other venues are a bit from the center which also helps get away from the crowds on the Royal Mile. Best, Jessica

Victoria Post author

October 24, 2016 at 8:55 pm

This post is packed with all sorts of useful info about Edinburgh, not just the festivals:) Scotland is on my short list and i am pinning this. Thank you!

October 25, 2016 at 3:43 pm

Hi Victoria, Thanks for your comment. Yes, I think that festivals may bring new visitors to Edinburgh but that everyone should also check out the city’s attractions while they are here. If you are coming to Scotland for the first, time, you can check out our other Scotland & UK post s which should help you plan your trip and you can also just send us a message or email if you have any questions! Best, Jessica

Ruth Post author

October 22, 2016 at 9:44 pm

Wow! August seems like the best month to be in the city. I like when cities have all these festivals and events taking place. This summer we ran into festivals, events and concerts in Vienna and Budapest. It is a great way to learn more about what the cities have to offer and mingle with the locals, Those opportunities made our trip extra special. #wkendtravelinspiration

October 24, 2016 at 8:36 am

Hi Ruth, Yes, if you love festivals and there being a lot going on, August is definitely your month to visit Edinburgh. July is also busy but there are fewer festivals events, and New Years brings Hogmanay and crowds but you just get the one festival. Locals generally also really love August and all the festival events and stay up late to participate although some like to just take their vacations in August and leave the city to avoid the crowds (and many make money renting out their apartments to tourists!), so it depends. But August is definitely the most happening month of the year in Edinburgh whether you are a local or a visitor. ~ Jessica

Ahila Post author

October 22, 2016 at 6:30 pm

The international book festival and the Edinburgh Mela sounds like particularly wonderful festivals to participate in. I visited Edinburgh during July and they were hosting the jazz and blues festival then.

October 24, 2016 at 8:32 am

Hi Ahila, Yes, we were briefly at the Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festivals this year as well! Another one of the smaller great festivals that takes place outside the busier August season. The Book Festival is a book lovers paradise with so many great authors speaking and an opportunity to meet and get books signed. Also if the sun is out, Charlotte Square Gardens is a great place to just sit and read in between author talks and events. We were sad the Mela did not happen this year, but it will be back next year and we’ll catch that which should have some great food & performances! ~ Jessica

Anda Post author

October 21, 2016 at 7:57 pm

The price to attend one of these festivals can be quite high. All the ones you listed here seem very interesting, but I would particularly enjoy going to the Edinburgh Military Tatoo.

October 21, 2016 at 10:56 pm

Hi Anda, Attending a lot of the paid festival events can be pricey, especially the Edinburgh Military Tattoo and the Edinburgh International Festival performances. However, many of the festival events are free – the Art Festival is mostly free events, the Mela has only a small entrance fee, and there are hundreds of free Fringe shows each year. Many people with smaller budgets come to the festivals and can still enjoy a lot of festival events! Travel and accommodation can also be expensive in August, but if you plan well in advance you can help minimize the costs a bit. Planning is key I think! Best, Jessica

Lyn @ A Hole in my Shoe Post author

October 21, 2016 at 6:17 pm

Wow what an amazing post. I attended the Military Tattoo in Melbourne earlier this year and we have a Fringe Festival here in Perth each year too. My maiden name is Stewart so I have a yearning to get to Edinburgh one day and would love to include some of the festivals you have seen.

October 21, 2016 at 10:50 pm

Hi Lyn, Yes, I remember you writing about your time seeing the Military Tattoo in Melbourne! I hope you get to see Edinburgh some day soon – Scotland is a great place to visit and August is a great time if you love festivals. Best, Jessica

Seana Turner Post author

October 17, 2016 at 1:35 pm

It is eye opening to even know these festivals all take place. I didn’t know. It would be a bummer to plan to go in August – hoping for good weather – and then find out that you were shut out of all the festivals or be unhappy to discover it so crowded. I feel like maybe I should go in another month first, just to visit the standard sites and get my bearings. Then go back and plan to attend the festivals. The military one looks incredible to me…. I think my oldest would adore the book one. Advance planning seems like the secret sauce to enjoy this one!

October 17, 2016 at 1:44 pm

Hi Seana, Yes, we didn’t realize that there were this many festivals in Edinburgh until we moved here! I think that bad weather is pretty much always a possibility if you are visiting Scotland but I think that if you come prepared with the right clothing and gear, you’ll be fine. Almost nothing gets cancelled due to weather here – the Tattoo has actually never cancelled a show due to weather (not to say it won’t happen, knock on wood!). Most events are inside or covered anyway. I do think that if you are more interested in seeing the other great attractions in the city, that avoiding August can be a good idea so that you can avoid the crowds and more leisurely see the city, not to mention get cheaper hotel rooms and flights 🙂 The most crowded times here are July/August and then Christmas/New Year’s. Jessica

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Best Time To Visit Edinburgh Explained

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There is no bad season for an Edinburgh break, but depending on your travel budget, style, and reason for visiting, specific times of the year may suit you best! This guide to the best time to visit Edinburgh will discuss what’s happening in Scotland’s capital each month, the expected temperatures, and events during that time! 

Note: We use Degrees Celsius in the UK, but we’ve also included Fahrenheit for our US readers. For example, 19C/66F means 19 Degrees Celsius and 66 Fahrenheit.

You may also like our guide to planning a trip to Edinburgh and how much Edinburgh cost .

Join me in my free Scotland Facebook group to ask questions about your trip to Scotland.

When is the Best Time To Visit Edinburgh? 

To avoid repetition, let’s talk about the elephant holding the tartan brolly in the room and the weather in Edinburgh! 

Rain in Edinburgh 

Since Edinburgh is an east coast destination, it sees less rainfall than Scotland’s biggest city, Glasgow, in the west, but it does still experience downpours and light showers. 

Pack for all seasons and include a waterproof coat and shoes to avoid soggy clothes and sour faces.

We cover what to pack for each season in our Edinburgh packing list , including pictures of items. 

According to Statista , the rainiest seasons are autumn and winter; no month consistently takes the crown for the wettest month.

The driest month in Edinburgh tends to be April; so much for April showers!

Look at the best things to do when it rains to factor these attractions into your Edinburgh itinerary. 

Overall Temperatures in Edinburgh

Edinburgh freezes in winter, and locals aren’t afraid to take their ‘taps aff,’ which means ‘tops off’ in summer.

Winter lows hit -6C/21.2F, and summer day highs are between 23C/73.4F and 26C/78.8F.

The hottest temperature recorded in Edinburgh was 31.2C/88.16F in 2019.

An extremely cold night in 2021 hit a record of -12.9C/8.78F.

When we refer to the highs and lows, we focus on the temperatures you can expect during the day. ‘High’ means the highest recorded lately and ‘low’, the lowest recorded.

This tends to be early morning, around 6am, and early evening before the night temperatures start.

Naturally, no temperature is certain, so pack for comfort.

If you are visiting from Florida, your cold threshold will be lower than that of someone arriving from a similar climate, such as England!

Going further afield than Edinburgh? Let us help you plan your trip with our free 7-day Scotland itinerary .

Summer in Edinburgh (June, July and August)

Summer is by far the busiest time to travel to Edinburgh, and it includes June, July, and August.

Some of the towns close to Edinburgh, such as Burntisland in Fife, hold a summer festival that includes a Games Day.

This is where Highland dancers compete, pipe bands play, and athletes throw caber. 

Mornings start early, with sunrise around 04:30 and the sun setting late around 22:00. 

Summer days are gloriously long, so that you can fit lots into your Edinburgh itinerary.

Edinburgh in June

June is the quietest of the summer months.

Scottish schools do not break off on holiday until the very end of the month or the start of July.

Temperatures see highs of 24C/75.2F and lows of 8C/46.4F.

Average temperatures hit highs of 17C/62.6F and lows of 9C/48.2F.

When the temperature drops by only a few degrees Celsius in summer, it can mean the difference between bare arms and a warm coat.

When the sun shines, locals picnic in the parks and gardens and head to the local East Coast beaches .

Events and Festivals in June 

• Pride Edinburgh
• Scotland Highland Show 4-day event
• Leith Gala Day
• Meadows Festival

Food in June 

Seafoods such as lobster and plaice are in season in June, and fruits such as blackcurrants and strawberries are ripe for picking.

Craigies Farm in Queensferry is a popular choice for pick-your-own days out.

Edinburgh in July

School’s out for summer! 

The streets of Edinburgh are noticeably busier, with families visiting the best attractions for kids .

Locals giggle from the beer gardens, and walking tours are in full flung on the Royal Mile. 

Edinburgh is buzzing in July.

It’s not quite peak crowd level, as that comes next month, but it’s a busy yet fun time to visit the city.

Booking walking tours and popular things to do, such as Camera Obscura , Edinburgh Castle, and the South Bridge Underground Vaults , is highly recommended to avoid missing out.

Skip-the-line tickets will help speed up your day so you can pack more in.

Book ahead to avoid disappointment if you plan to drink at Edinburgh’s beer gardens at the weekend.

Temperatures see highs of 26C/78.8F and lows of 11C/51.8F but averages of 19C/66.2F and 11C/51.8F.

Events and Festivals in July

• Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival

Food in July 

Lemon sole is in season, as are brambles.

Edinburgh in August

Whoah! Welcome to August in Edinburgh, the craziest month when the Edinburgh Festival Fring e takes over the city.

Every nook and cranny is crammed with shows and events covering a range of genres, such as comedy, music, and theatre. 

Some people love the Fringe, others loathe it.

I can’t get enough of it and spend lots of time hopping between shows from afternoon to night.

Clubs enjoy a late licence, staying open until 05:00, and numerous pop-up bars are dotted around the city at spots such as George Street, Teviot, and the Pleasance. 

If you plan to visit the Fringe, you must book your accommodation in advance and plan to spend 2-3 times more than you normally would. 

Here’s our guide to accommodation in Edinburgh . 

Schools go back around the first or second week of August.

August has two public holidays, but they do not impact tourist attractions.

Temperatures see highs of 23C/73.4F and lows of 11C/51.8F and averages are 19C/66.2F and 11C/51.8F.

Events and Festivals in August 

• Edinburgh Festival Fringe
• The Edinburgh Military Tattoo
• Edinburgh International Film Festival
• Edinburgh Art Festival
• Edinburgh International Book Festival
• Edinburgh Mela
• Scottish football kicks off

Food in August 

During the Fringe, you can enjoy a huge variety of food truck food, including baked potatoes, churros, and halloumi fries!

Cod and squid are the seasonal seafood items to look out for on restaurant menu specials.

Autumn/Fall in Edinburgh (September and October)

Fall, or autumn as we call it in Scotland, is an enchanting time to visit, and we’ve provided an extensive list of things to do during the autumn season here .

Autumn colours spread over Edinburgh, the air is crisp, and this medieval city turns particularly spooky with Hallowe’en. 

By the end of September, sunrise doesn’t show until around 07:00, and by the end of October, 08:15, so plan for lazy mornings.

Sunsets creep from 21:00 at the start of autumn to dinner time around 17:30 by October 31st, perfect for trick or treating, which we call guising in Scotland!

Read next: Everything Americans need to know before visiting Edinburgh

Edinburgh in September

September sees the city settle after the craziness of the Fringe.

University students start their courses at Edinburgh University, Napier, and Heriot-Watt.

Schools enjoy an autumn holiday near the end of the month.

The start of the month can be warm, so pack for summer and fall.

Temperatures see highs of 21C/69.8F and lows of 7C/44.6F and averages of 16C/59F and 9C/482F.

Events and Festivals in September

• Doors Open Scotland

Food in September

Razor clams are the seasonal delight.

Edinburgh in October 

Darker mornings creep in, and a prominent chill sweeps through the city, calling for many layers.

Schools in Scotland take their ‘tattie holidays’ for one or two weeks, depending on the region.

October 31st in Hallowe’en is the perfect time to enjoy a spooky tour and learn more about legends such as Deacon Brodie.

Pubs and clubs enter the spirit (boom boom) by decorating their premises and hosting themed events. 

Local kids go guiding, aka trick or treating. 

If you have time to travel outside of Edinburgh, visit the Perthshire area to see the most incredible red, orange, and yellow foliage. 

Temperatures see highs of 17C/62.6F and lows of 4C/39.2F and averages of 16C/F60.8 and 9C/48.2F.

Events and Festivals in October

• Scottish Rugby Autumn Nations kicks off
• Scottish International Storytelling Festival

Food in October 

Monkfish makes it onto seasonal menus.

Edinburgh in Winter (November, December, January and February)

The city brightens early nights with its festive street lights, hotel decor, and the Edinburgh Christmas market. 

Some attractions in Scotland close for winter. This is not the case in Edinburgh.

Mornings are dark, with sunrise around 07:15 in November, creeping to 08:45 in January. The sun sets at 16:30 in November and even earlier in December at 15:40, giving the Christmas decorations lots of time to shine.

By February, sunsets are later, around 16:30 – 17:30.

It can snow in Edinburgh, but it doesn’t last long.

You’ll want to pack a padded or wool coat, hats, and gloves! 

Edinburgh in November 

November starts the many winter festivities, including Bonfire Night and St Andrew’s Day.

Bonfire Night, also known as Guy Fawkes Night , occurs all over the city around November 5th.

Bonfires are lit, and crowds enjoy fireworks displays. 

Edinburgh’s Christmas begins with the official light switch on and market in Princes Street Garden s.

People start Christmas shopping around Princes Street, George Street, St James Quarter, Ocean Terminal ( Leith ), and The Fort. 

Hotels and restaurants reveal their Christmas decorations , The Botanics opens its doors for its Christmas lights display, and Santa starts to see all the good girls and boys. 

You may also like our guide to the most festive hotels in Edinburgh . 

While the national holiday, St Andrew’s Day (30th November), is not a public holiday for Scots, some restaurants and bars put on a special menu or event like a ceilidh/Scottish dancing.

Temperatures see highs of 14C/57.2F and lows of 4C/39.2F and averages of 10C/F50 and 3C/35.6F.

Festivals and Events in November 

• Bonfire Night firework displays take place around November 5th
• Christmas parties and menus kick off at the end of November; booking a ticket/table is recommended 
• November 30th is St Andrew’s Day, the national holiday celebrating Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland, but it is not a day off for Scots
• Edinburgh Christmas Market

Food in November 

Duck is the meat specialty on menus.

Edinburgh in December 

The Christmas events continue until the first week in January and really ramp up in December.

Christmas Day (25th December), Boxing Day (26th December), New Year’s Day (1st January) and 2nd January are public holidays. 

Most shops, restaurants, bars, and attractions close on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, and some hotels offer a dedicated Christmas Day dinner menu. 

Traditionally, sales start on Boxing Day, however, of late they have started before then.

31st December is Hogmanay (New Year’s Eve), and Edinburgh hosts the world’s biggest street party with live bands, a ceilidh, and fireworks to ring in the new year. 

Hogmanay events actually start on ‘the night afore,’ the 30th, with the Torchlight Procession and continue until the 1st with the unofficial Loony Dook swim at South Queensferry . 

Schools go on winter break for two weeks over Christmas and New Year.

Temperatures see highs of 10C/50F and lows of -1C/30.2F and averages of 7C/44.6F and 1C/33.8F.

Festivals and Events in December 

• Hanukkah – Festival of Lights
• Edinburgh Hogmanay

Food in December

Eat, drink, and be merry in December! Many locals will enjoy a Christmas meal of turkey, vegetables, and stuffing at various Xmas events on the 25th.

Visitors can enjoy a traditional Christmas meal at restaurants and hotels .

Edinburgh in January 

For many, the year starts with nursing a Hogmanay hangover! 

January is often one of the cheapest months to visit Edinburgh , with hotel prices dropping to encourage overnight stays. 

25th January is Burn’s Night, a celebration for Rabbie Burns.

Some restaurants advertise special menus and events to ‘address the haggis’. 

Temperatures see highs of 10C/50F and lows of -5/23F and averages of 7C/44.6F and 1C/33.8F.

Festivals and Events in January

• Rabbie Burns events

February in Edinburgh 

February is the last month of winter.

It is quiet, with the busiest days occurring around Valentine’s Day and the closest weekend to it. 

Check out incredibly romantic guides, things to do for couples , special places to propose , lovely restaurants , and Edinburgh’s most romantic hotels .

Schools in Scotland go on February break, which lasts two days to a week, depending on the region. 

Temperatures see highs of 11C/51.8F and lows of -13C/8.6F and averages of 7C/44.6F and 1C/33.8F.

Festivals and Events in February 

• Six Nations Rugby

Edinburgh in Spring (March, April and May)

Lighter mornings, fresh winds, budding flowers, spring in Edinburgh is always welcomed after a long Scottish winter! 

The unmissable cherry blossoms start to flower around the end of April into May, taking over The Meadows, Princes Street Gardens, and Starbank Park . 

From March, sunrise starts around 7:00, and by the end of May, 05:25.

The sun sets at 17:50 at the start of spring and 21:45 by the end, smoothly transitioning into the long summer days.

March in Edinburgh 

March is the quieter month in spring as schools are still in session, and the weather is unpredictable.

This is the best time to go to Edinburgh if you don’t mind short days and want to avoid crowds.

Temperatures see highs of 18C/64.4F and lows of -2C/28.4 and averages of 9C/48.2F and 2C/35.6F.

April in Edinburgh 

The city starts to enjoy a spring awakening in April, which can often be confused with summer!

Cherry blossoms tend to start to bloom at the end of April, with a full flush of pink taking over the parks and gardens during the first week of May. 

Once the cherry blossoms pass, lilac wisteria is photographed clinging to the New Town buildings in Stockbridge . 

On Easter weekend, families decorate boiled eggs to roll down hills and follow clues during Easter egg hunts. 

This tends to be privately organised by families or as a small community event.

Schools are on Easter holidays for two weeks.

Good Friday and Easter Monday are public holidays. 

The exam diet at university and high school starts in April and ends in May. 

Temperatures see highs of 18C/64.4F and lows of -6C/21.2F and averages of 12C/53.6F and 4C/39.2F.

Festivals and Events in April

• Edinburgh Science Festival

May in Edinburgh

May is often called Scotland’s summer with many promising ‘taps aff’ sunny days.

However, this has not been the case of late. 

On sunny days, parks and gardens will be packed with university students and young people. 

There are two public holidays that have no impact on tourism in May. 

Temperatures see highs of 18C/64.4F and lows of 1C/33.8F and averages of 14C/57.2F and 6C/42.8F.

Festivals and Events in May

• Edinburgh Children’s International Festival
• Harry Potter Day May 2nd, Potterheads check out our locations guide.

Final Words

So when is the best time to visit Edinburgh?

There’s no right answer to this frequently asked question, as it depends on what you want from the trip!

When do you plan to visit? Tell us in the comments below. 

Essential Edinburgh Information 

Food & drink in Edinburgh Best time to visit Edinburgh Things to do in Edinburgh How much does Edinburgh cost? Free 7-day Scotland itinerary

Plan Your Trip To Edinburgh 

Book accommodation at Booking.com Reserve a skip the line pass or guided tour at GetYourGuide Save money with this Edinburgh Pass

Temperatures are provided by Time and Date . Seasonal food information from this calendar .

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Best Time to Visit Edinburgh: Weather, Festivals & Costs

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So, when is the best time to visit Edinburgh, and most importantly, why?!

I visited in early June for about a week before heading to the rest of my UK tour, and while the rain dampened a few of my plans, it was still one of the prettier (and fun-forward) cities I’ve been to. 

The capital city of Scotland is popular for a ton of reasons, weather not being one of them! 😀

The city is famous for its rich history and well-preserved historic sites, like The Royal Mile, Edinburgh Castle, and Holyrood Palace, to name a few. It is also popular for its festivals, with the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August being the largest arts festival in the world. 

I also love the Scottish cultural heritage you get to see in Edinburgh (beyond the pubs and the kilts), the friendly atmosphere, and, oddly enough, their obsession with ghosts and haunted things. Yea… it’s a thing!

So let’s deep dive into the best time to visit Edinburgh, the weather by season, the festivals by month, where to stay in the city, and what to do throughout the year!

Table of Contents

Overall Best Time To Visit Edinburgh

The best time to visit Edinburgh depends on what you want to do, but my recommendation is to go in the summer season when the weather is decent and the festivals make the city come alive.

If you prefer milder weather and fewer crowds, autumn is a great option too. That said, even winter has its moment with the Edinburgh Christmas Markets and New Year’s Eve parties. 

What is the best month to vacation in Scotland?

I think July and August are the best times to visit Scotland due to the warmer weather.

Temperatures are normally in the 60s Fahrenheit, and the usual rains are holding back. The days are longer than you’d imagine, flowers are in bloom, and everyone is out and about in nature.

This is also the peak tourist season, and accommodation prices will be at their highest, so book and plan ahead.

What is the cheapest time to go to Scotland?

The cheapest month to visit Scotland in terms of accommodation and tourism expenses is typically during the winter months, specifically from November to February. 

Winter experiences lower tourist numbers due to colder weather and shorter daylight hours. As a result, you may find more affordable prices for accommodations and flights. 

However, while you might save on accommodation and certain expenses, you should be prepared for the colder weather and the rain. You will need a heavy winter jacket, gloves, and a shot of strong Scottish whiskey to keep the blood pumping every morning . 

Best Time To Visit Edinburgh [By Season & Festival]

I recommend visiting Edinburgh in the summer or early fall, specifically in July and August. Here is a breakdown of what the weather looks like and things to do, season to season.

Edinburgh In The Summer (June to August)

⭐️ Best For: Edinburgh Fringe Festival (August), outdoor activities, and generally the best time to visit.

Summer is the peak tourist season in Edinburgh, and it’s also when the city comes alive with various festivals. During this time, the city is filled with performances, shows, exhibitions, and street entertainment.

Festivals in July and August :

• Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival (July)
• Edinburgh Art Festival (July-August)
• Edinburgh International Festival (August)
• Edinburgh International Books Festival (August)
• Edinburgh International Film Festival (August)
• ⭐️ Edinburgh Fringe Festival ⭐️(August)
• Edinburgh Military Tattoo (August)

The summer months in Edinburgh typically bring milder temperatures and longer daylight hours . While the weather can still be unpredictable in terms of rain and clouds, it’s generally more pleasant. 

Summer is also the busiest time for tourism in Edinburgh , which means that popular attractions, restaurants, and accommodations can be quite crowded. It’s advisable to book lodging well in advance and be prepared for lines at popular spots.

With the improved weather, summer is a great time to explore Edinburgh’s outdoor attractions. You can hike up Arthur’s Seat or Calton Hill for panoramic views of the city (which I loved!), or take leisurely walks along the Water of Leith Walkway or Princes Street Gardens.

Lastly, the city’s parks and gardens are in full bloom during the summer, making it a perfect time for picnics or simply relaxing amidst greenery. The Royal Botanic Garden and Princes Street Gardens are especially beautiful this time of year.

👉 Did You Know: With the sun setting later in the evening, you have more time to explore and enjoy the city.

In summary, Edinburgh in the summer is amazing. Just be prepared for crowds and definitely book accommodations and tickets to things in advance.

Edinburgh In The Fall (September to November)

⭐️ Best For: International Storytelling Festival (October), Pretty Changing of the Leaves

Edinburgh in the fall, offers a different but equally charming experience compared to summer. 

One of the highlights of visiting Edinburgh in the fall is the beautiful transformation of the city’s foliage. The trees in parks, gardens, and along the streets turn shades of red, orange, and gold, creating a picturesque and colorful backdrop for your visit.

The weather in the fall is generally mild and cooler compared to the summer months. It’s a comfortable time to explore the city without facing the extreme cold of winter.

As the peak tourist season tapers off after the summer festivals, you’ll encounter fewer crowds , which means you can enjoy popular attractions and historic landmarks with more space and less wait time.

While not as heavily festival-focused as the summer, Edinburgh still hosts various events and festivals during the fall months, most notably the International Storytelling Festival (October). 

Edinburgh’s food scene often incorporates seasonal ingredients, and in the fall, you might find dishes featuring locally sourced produce. It’s a good time to try heartier, warming meals and traditional Scottish cuisine. 

The stunning foliage, comfortable weather, and fewer crowds make it a great time to explore the city’s attractions and enjoy its cozy ambiance. Just be prepared for shorter days and potentially rainier weather.

Edinburgh In The Winter (December to February)

⭐️ Best For: Christmas Markets, Hogmanay New Years Celebration (December), Burns Night (January)

Edinburgh in the winter is a festive experience, despite the colder temperatures. And when I say cold, I mean pack a winter jacket!

Edinburgh gets decked out in beautiful holiday decorations, especially in the city center. The streets and shops are adorned with festive lights, Christmas trees, and decorations, really ringing in the holiday spirit.

The city hosts several Christmas markets, the most prominent being the Edinburgh Christmas Market in Princes Street Gardens – think handcrafted gifts and mulled wine, caroling and little holiday gifts waiting to be purchased. 

Despite the colder weather, the city takes on a cozy and warm ambiance . Cafes, pubs, and restaurants often have fireplaces and offer hearty comfort foods to help you stay warm and comfortable.

Winter is a great time to explore indoor attractions, such as museums, art galleries, and historical sites. Edinburgh Castle and the many museums provide educational experiences without having to brave the cold.

Hogmanay is the Scottish New Year’s Eve celebration , and Edinburgh is renowned for its spectacular Hogmanay festivities. The city hosts a series of events, including a massive street party, fireworks display, and live music performances, making it a great way to ring in the new year.

👉 Keep In Mind: Dress warmly with layers, a good coat, and waterproof gear to stay comfortable while exploring.

In summary, Edinburgh in the winter offers a festive and cozy atmosphere with holiday decorations, events, and a unique charm. While the weather is colder and the days are shorter, the city’s winter offerings make it a special destination for those who enjoy holiday festivities and a cozy ambiance.

Edinburgh In The Spring (March to May)

⭐️ Best For: Edinburgh International Children’s Festival (May) and relaxed sightseeing.

Edinburgh in the spring is an OK time to visit. You’ll still need a winter jacket in my opinion, as the weather will be in the 30s and 40s Fahrenheit. 

One of the highlights of spring in Edinburgh is the burst of color as flowers start to bloom in the city’s parks and gardens. The Royal Botanic Garden, Princes Street Gardens, and other green spaces come to life with vibrant blossoms, making it a perfect time for leisurely walks. 

Spring is considered a shoulder season, meaning there are fewer tourists compared to the busy summer months. This provides a more relaxed atmosphere for sightseeing and exploring popular landmarks.

If your visit coincides with the Easter holiday, you can expect various Easter-themed events, egg hunts, and special menus at cafes and restaurants.

In summary, Edinburgh in the spring is a time of blooming gardens, longer days than winter, milder weather (but still cold), and a quieter atmosphere compared to the busy summer season.

What Is The Worst Time to Visit Edinburgh?

The worst time to visit Edinburgh largely depends on your preferences and what you want to experience during your trip. Here are my thoughts on the two worst times to visit Edinburgh.

❌ Winter (December to February)

Edinburgh can experience cold, damp, and often rainy weather during the winter months.

Additionally, the days are quite short, with limited daylight hours. While the city can still be charming with its festive decorations during the Christmas season, the weather might not be ideal for outdoor activities.

Surprisingly, while August is a great time to visit due to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, it can also be the worst.

Its popularity also means that the city will become extremely crowded and accommodations will be more expensive. If you’re not a fan of large crowds and higher prices, you might want to avoid this time.

Is Edinburgh good in October?

It’s not my cup of tea because the weather has turned for the rainy and cold variety, but there are both advantages and “think again” moments you should be aware of before planning your trip to Edinburgh in October:

Advantages of Visiting Edinburgh in October

✅ fall foliage.

October is a time to see the changing colors of the foliage in and around Edinburgh. The city’s parks and gardens take on a picturesque look as the leaves turn various shades of red, orange, and yellow.

✅ Fewer Crowds

While October is still a popular month for tourists, it tends to be less crowded than the peak summer months. This can mean shorter lines and a more relaxed atmosphere.

✅ Fun Festivals

Edinburgh often hosts various events and festivals. Here is one of my favorites in October: International Storytelling Festival . 

“Think Twice” Before Visiting Edinburgh in October

❌ weather sucks.

While the weather might be milder compared to winter, it can still be quite changeable. Expect rain and pack layers – temperatures are in the 40s Fahrenheit.

❌ Shorter Days

As you move into autumn, the days start getting shorter, with fewer daylight hours for sightseeing and exploring.

❌ Operating Hours

Some attractions and tours might have reduced operating hours or even closures as they transition from the peak tourist season to the off-peak period.

In summary, visiting Edinburgh in October can be a great option if you enjoy autumnal prettiness, staying on a budget, and having fewer crowds. Just be prepared for cold, rainy weather and shorter daylight hours.

Best Places To Stay In Edinburgh

The best area to stay in Edinburgh can depend on your preferences, budget, and the purpose of your visit. Here are some popular neighborhoods to consider:

➡️ Old Town: The historic heart of Edinburgh, known for its cobblestone streets, medieval architecture, and iconic landmarks like the Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Mile. Staying in the Old Town provides easy access to many of the city’s top attractions.

➡️ New Town: Despite its name, New Town was built in the 18th century and is characterized by its Georgian architecture, wide streets, and elegant squares. It’s a more upscale area with a range of boutique shops, galleries, and restaurants. Princes Street is a major shopping and dining street in this area.

➡️ Stockbridge: A charming and trendy neighborhood known for its independent boutiques and artisanal food shops. It offers a more relaxed atmosphere while still being within walking distance of the city center.

➡️ Leith: This once-industrial area has transformed into a vibrant hub with a creative arts scene, trendy bars, and a variety of eateries. The Royal Yacht Britannia and the Shore area are notable attractions in Leith.

Keep in mind that Edinburgh is a fairly compact city, so many areas are easily accessible on foot or by using public transportation.

How many days do you need in Edinburgh?

When I went in early June, I spent about a week and was really able to see all the sites of Edinburgh, get a bit tipsy in the pubs with the locals for a few nights, and even sneak in a day trip to the Highlands to see the famous Scottish coos. 

Here’s a rough guideline for you to gauge how you want to plan your trip:

✅ 2 – 3 Days : If you’re short on time, you can cover the main highlights in a couple of days. This would include visiting the Edinburgh Castle, exploring the Royal Mile, walking up Arthur’s Seat for panoramic views of the city, and visiting some of the major museums like the National Museum of Scotland.

✅ 4 – 5 Days : With a bit more time, you can delve deeper into the city’s attractions. In addition to the above, you can explore the Palace of Holyroodhouse, take a stroll through the Dean Village, visit the Scottish National Gallery, and take a ghost tour or a literary tour to learn about Edinburgh’s rich history and literary connections.

✅ 6+ Days : If you want to truly immerse yourself and perhaps take day trips from Edinburgh, you can spend more time exploring the city’s neighborhoods like Stockbridge and Leith. You can also consider day trips to the Rosslyn Chapel, Stirling Castle, or even a trip to the Highlands.

Conclusion: Best Time To Visit Edinburgh is Summer!

Overall, the combination of history, festivals, natural beauty, and warm hospitality makes Edinburgh a popular city to visit, especially so if you choose your timing carefully.

My favorite time to visit would be in August because, despite the crowds and higher costs, I love the sun and the festival ambiance!

Mariana Barbuceanu is the owner and author of the Road Trip EuroGuide, a blog that inspires fellow travelers to explore Europe more authentically through slower travel and digging deeper into the culture of a place. When she isn't writing about her adventures, she is planning trips for her community and coaching people on how to take that next step towards a much-needed sabbatical.

10 Marvellous Things To Do In Edinburgh This August

The biggest month of the year has finally arrived to Edinburgh!

The busiest month of the year is here, and it’s pretty much bigger than Christmas. That’s right, it’s time for one of the biggest art festivals in the world, the Edinburgh Fringe . While the city will be at its most crowded, we have gathered up the very best things to do in Edinburgh this August.

1. See some shows at the Edinburgh Fringe

While the Edinburgh Fringe programme might appear a tad overwhelming, we have put everything in one place. From the funniest shows to see to the most unusual ones, check out our guides to the Edinburgh Fringe to make the most of the festivities. What is more, we have also put together a guide of our top tips and tricks to improve the festival experience !

2. Indulge in a dazzling candlelit concert

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Warren Mailley-Smith (@wmailleysmith)

Classical music lovers, rejoice! Chopin by Candlelight is coming to Edinburgh this August, showing audiences how it’s done. Right as the Edinburgh Festival Fringe is coming to an end (sob) on August 24 , St. Giles Cathedral will light up with a sea of candles , creating an enchanting evening of the best works from Chopin performed by Warren Mailley-Smith . You can book your tickets here .

3. Try out the juiciest burgers in town

George Street is home to Fat Hippo in Edinburgh, welcoming burger lovers to try out the menu in full glory.   When visiting Fat Hippo, it is all about getting the food all over your face, so don’t wear anything you’d not want to get sauce on. The signature beef and boneless buttermilk chicken patties come with free hand-cut chips, with a range of vegan, gluten-free  and  dairy-free  options available.

4. Explore waterfalls around Edinburgh

When it comes to nature outings, they become even more appealing when it involves waterfalls . Whether you just want to have a short walk near Crammond Falls or want to adventure outside of the city, we put our favourite waterfalls near Edinburgh in a handy guide.

5. Try the best fish and chips in Edinburgh

Scottish Chippy Awards named the best chippies in our wee country recently. A local family-owned business that is renowned within the community was named the ‘Best in Edinburgh’. #Fish in  Marchmont  is officially the best fish and chips in Edinburgh, also known for their sustainably sourced fish . The chippy has served an impressive  97 various seafood options since #Fish opened its doors. So, give it a try and tell us what you think!

6. Learn the legends behind the enigmatic Rosslyn Chapel from The Da Vinci Code

When it comes to mysterious places, Rosslyn Chapel is filled with myths and legends tracking back centuries. The chapel was a major inspiration for the bestselling novel The Da Vinci Code  by  Dan Brown , as well as being the location of its finale. However, the fictional hidden mysteries of Christianity are not the only point of the chapel’s allure: it has been the focal point of various myths, legends and magic long before the book came out.

7. Enjoy street food in a fine dining concept

That’s right, that comforting sense of street food can now be enjoyed in a more elegant way at Junk  in Newington . Located on South Clerk Street , the restaurant and bar offer comfort food in a way you’ve never had it before, having been prepared by chefs who previously worked at Michelin-star restaurants. We’d recommend going all out for the Dealer’s Choice surprise menu to try out some of the chef’s favourite dishes along with some creative cocktails. Plus, it’s a local family-run business that just opened in November 2022, so give them some much-needed love!

8. Try out one of the best things to do in the world

View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Chocolatarium (@chocolatarium)

The Chocolatarium Chocolate Experience is the fourth best thing to do in the world , according to TriAdvisor. Now that’s quite a title, but who doesn’t love chocolate (unless you’re allergic, then I’m so sorry)! Apparently, only less than 1%  of the platform’s  8,000 listings made the cut in the first place, and Edinburgh made it fourth on the list. The Chocolatarium Chocolate Tour experience will take guests on a 90-minute delicious discovery adventure, with chocolate sampling, learning more about the ins and outs of chocolate making and its origins, as well as making your own bar  of chocolate.

9. Discover our favourite beaches around Edinburgh

Us Scots are not put away from a wee day out by some rain, and it certainly won’t stop us from all the things to do this August. Even though glorious sunshine would be the ideal scenario, Scottish weather can often surprise us with all four seasons in one day. While there are two beaches in Edinburgh, Cramond Beach and Portobello  Beach , the East Coast is also worth exploring further afield. So we’ve put together a list of the very best beaches  near the capital city for you to make the most of your trip to the beach.

10. Enjoy brunch with chocolate on tap

View this post on Instagram A post shared by HAUTE I DOLCI OFFICIAL (@hautedolci)

Chocolate flows endlessly a t Haute Dolci, located in St Jame’s Quarter . D essert lovers can experience the flowing chocolatey extravaganza in person, indulging in an abundant menu set to satisfy every sweet tooth person. The Lotus Biscoff Croffles with Biscoff gelato and sauce is a noteworthy highlight, and it’s as sweet as it sounds. What is more, The Berry Good French Toast will make anyone’s day as well, with its thick, fluffy stack. 

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How to Spend 1 Day at the Edinburgh Festivals in August 2024

Categories Edinburgh , Edinburgh & The Lothians , Scotland

The captivating sound of bagpipes, crowds encircling street performers and rounds of applause take over Edinburgh during the month of August. It’s when Edinburgh comes alive- attracting performers and tourists from all over the globe for the Edinburgh Festivals.

Table of Contents

Did you know there are five festivals in Edinburgh every August? 

Did you also know it’s possible to see them all in just one day?

In August the population of Edinburgh doubles. It can be overwhelming if you’re visiting for the first time; I know that when I first moved to Edinburgh it took me some time to get my head around all the festivals. While some dislike the crowds, I love being in the city in August- the city feels so alive!

Edinburgh Festivals Guide: Five Festivals in 1 Day

Out of the 11 festivals that happen in Edinburgh every year, five of them occur in August. 

They are: 

Edinburgh Art Festival

Edinburgh international festival, edinburgh festival fringe, edinburgh international book festival.

• The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo 

Rather than each festival having its own venue, the events intermingle across the entire city. The main action is in Edinburgh’s Old Town, so you can easily see multiple events across all of the festivals in this one area. These festivals run for three weeks in August, usually around the same time. 

If this is your first time visiting Edinburgh during the festival season, don’t worry- I’ve got your back. I’ve covered the basics in this Edinburgh Festivals guide for August, and how you can see them all in one day.

Disclosure: I was invited to spend a day in Edinburgh to experience all of the August festivals by Edinburgh Festivals. This is a sponsored article, however all opinions are entirely my own (as always). If you’d like to know more, read my Privacy Policy.  

I recommend starting your day off by exploring the Edinburgh Art Festival . This festival turns historic spaces and streets in Edinburgh into incredible art displays. For example, in 2019 they turned Parliament House into a gallery- hanging installations from a local Scottish artist in the hall.

This festival is very accessible on foot. I suggest picking three displays in the Old Town and taking yourself on a walking tour. Allow yourself between 1.5-2 hours to do this.

Why you should go to this festival: The majority of the Art Festival is free, so if you’re counting your pennies this is a very affordable festival to attend in August!

>> Read more: 11 cheap pubs in Edinburgh

The Edinburgh International Festival was the original Edinburgh festival that started in 1947. This festival selects some of the best music, theatre, opera and dance acts from all over the world.  

Six of Edinburgh’s major theatres play host to the acts, as well as several smaller venues across the city. Aside from exhibitions, there are also performances, screenings, artist talks and guided tours.

I recommend buying a ticket to one of the theatre shows or musical events. Allow yourself at least two hours and make sure you book your tickets as far in advance as possible for this festival.

Why you should go to this festival: It’s a fantastic opportunity to see some of the best and most original performances in the world.

>> Read more:   How to spend 4 days in Scotland

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe was started by eight performers who weren’t invited to the Edinburgh International Festival- so they started their own festival on the fringes of Edinburgh! It’s now considered the biggest festival in Edinburgh during August, and takes over Edinburgh’s Old Town and beyond. Anyone (provided they can find a space) can perform at the Fringe Festival. 

The amount of shows on offer can be overwhelming, so picking up a copy of the Fringe Programme and circling the shows that interest you is a good idea.

Sustainability Tip: Photograph Festival Brochures & Flyers When you walk the streets of Edinburgh you’ll be handed all kinds of flyers from people promoting shows. It’s far better to photograph a flyer and hand it back to be reused rather than keeping and eventually throwing the flyer away. Check out my post on sustainable tourism in Scotland for more tips.

I recommend checking out a stand-up comedy show. Some of the world’s best up-and-coming comedians put on performances, and they make up one-third of the performers at the Fringe.

Also, make sure you take a stroll down the Royal Mile to see the many (free) street performers!

I would allow 2-3 hours at the Festival Fringe, depending on how many shows you want to see.

Why you should go to this festival: Just like the art festival, there are plenty of free events at the Fringe . Please note, tipping is expected at the end of these shows.

>> Read more: A guide to visiting Craigmillar Castle in Edinburgh

If you’re anything like me and are a tad obsessed with books- you will adore the Edinburgh International Book Festival .

Nestled away in Charlotte Square Gardens in New Town, this festival is a quiet escape from the masses on the Royal Mile. It is especially dreamy when lit up at night! 

Head along to the pop-up bar for an evening of live poetry, then explore the thousands of books for sale in the giant tents. This festival is a great way to relax before heading to the bright lights and booming bands at the Edinburgh Royal Military Tattoo.

Why you should go to this festival: It offers over 800 events featuring the world’s greatest writers and thinkers, from new hit writers on the scene to Nobel Prize winners.

>> Read more: A day trip to Cramond Island Edinburgh

The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo

The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is one of the greatest shows that you can see in Scotland- and the world. Often a sell-out, the Military Tattoo is a showcase of music, dance and precision from performers all around the world. They perform against the magnificent backdrop of Edinburgh Castle.

FUN FACT The term ‘’tattoo’’ originated from the Dutch phrase  doe den tap toe,  which means ‘’turn off the tap.’’ Drummers or trumpeters would play a tune to instruct innkeepers near military garrisons to stop serving alcohol so soldiers would return to their barracks. 

The Military Tattoo is a fantastic way to end your day at the Edinburgh festivals. The Tattoo begins at 9pm each night, with two shows each Saturday (one at 7pm, and one at 9pm). Each performance commences with a display of fireworks over Edinburgh Castle. It is truly an event you cannot miss if you’re visiting Scotland during August!

Why you should go to this festival: Offering both a glimpse into past and present, the Tattoo is a world-class performance of international acts, rooted in Scottish tradition.

SCOTLAND TRAVEL TIP Tickets for the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo go on sale each December, around eight months in advance before the actual show. The tickets all have different prices, and it’s not uncommon to see all the cheap seats disappear months before the event. My advice is to buy your tickets as early as possible, however, if you’ve left it too late you can still pick up discounted tickets in July and August. There is a practice night the Thursday before the Tattoo officially begins, and half-price tickets for this go on sale around 10 days in advance.  Another tip I have is to go to the Tattoo office at the bottom of Cockburn Street as soon as they open. Occasionally you can pick up cheaper tickets here as they hold back some tickets to sell on the day. Sometimes people who have purchased tickets but can’t make the show will re-sell them here too!

Visiting outside of August?

Are you visiting Edinburgh at another time? There are six other festivals throughout the year:

👉 Edinburgh Science Festival – April 👉 Edinburgh International Children’s Festival – May 👉 Edinburgh International Film Festival – June 👉 Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival – July 👉 Scottish International Storytelling Festival – October 👉 Edinburgh’s Hogmanay – December/January

The five Edinburgh festivals in August offer a diverse palette of the arts, Scottish culture and fun. There really is something for everyone, and each of these festivals offer plenty of new experiences. I feel everyone should experience the festivals in Edinburgh- and visiting in August allows you to tick off almost half of the festivals on offer in Edinburgh every year.

As for visiting each festival in one day, it’s totally doable. Just make sure you start your day early and allow at least 1.5 hours for each festival.

I recommend going to the Edinburgh Festivals website for programmes and more information on each of the festivals in Edinburgh.

Did you enjoy my one day at the Edinburgh Festivals guide? What festival do you want to go to the most?

Related posts

Cathy Adamson

Thursday 18th of July 2024

I have two tickets to opening night of the tattoo that includes the dram experience. I think I can transfer them. I had to cancel my trip, if you can attend, I’d love to give them to you. Can you attend? I can send you what I have. The emails I’ve received says the QR code is emailed two days prior. Free, no charge if you could use them

Yvette Webster

Saturday 27th of July 2024

Hi Cathy, that is so kind of you to offer! We will unfortunately be away in the Highlands during the first week of August, but you are more than welcome to share them in my Scotland Travel Tips Facebook group to see if anyone would like them :) Yvette

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King of the castles: why August is the best time to visit Edinburgh

by Jason Brasier | 14 Apr 2023

With fantastic weather and a festive buzz, August is the best time to visit Edinburgh if you want to see the iconic Scottish capital in style. The city becomes electric with a mix of creative energy and radiant sunlight, bringing a youthful color to its historic Georgian, Neo-classical and medieval architecture. As you wander along the paved cobblestone streets, exploring all the sights and insights of this ancient city, you’ll feel the buzz in the air – a sign that you’ve picked the best time to visit Edinburgh.

Browse Scotland guided tours

FESTIVALS GALORE

In August, Edinburgh is transformed from a city of stoic architecture and serious history into a cauldron of culture, with festivals of all kinds bubbling up.

EDINBURGH FRINGE FESTIVAL

Welcome to the largest arts festival in the world . Performers, artists and creatives from all countries and creeds come to showcase their talents in a manic month-long festival where there’s something to find in every corner and cranny.

Indeed, the whole city becomes a stage, with every possible space used to house some sort of performance. You could be watching a play in a traditional theater or concert hall, and then comedy in the backroom of a bar. There’s sketch shows in university lecture halls, poetry readings in cafe staff rooms, and even shows in people’s living rooms or in the back of taxis.

You get to see particularly unique shows at the Fringe because it’s an open-access festival. This means that anyone can participate, regardless of their experience or background. This ties in with its history when in 1947, eight theater groups turned up uninvited to the Edinburgh International Festival . This festival celebrated high culture and performing arts, yet these eight groups performed their own DIY shows on the “fringes” of the main festival, and thus the Fringe was born.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Edinburgh Festival Fringe (@edfringe)

This ethos has become the soul of the festival, making for a wonderfully diverse and eclectic mix of performances. You have everything, ranging from slick shows produced by professional theater companies to the wacky, weird, and wonderful creations of those on the ‘fringe’.

But the Fringe isn’t just about the performances – it’s also about the atmosphere. The city turns into something new during the festival, with performers, buskers, food vendors, and pop-up bars filling the streets. There’s a palpable energy and excitement in the air, and you can’t help but get swept up in the festive spirit, especially along the city’s famous Royal Mile. The Fringe could be reason alone why August is the best time to visit Edinburgh. As it happens, there are plenty more reasons to come.

You may also like: What to see on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile

THE EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL

Another major event that takes place in Edinburgh in August: one of the largest and most prestigious book festivals in the world. Held in the Book Festival Village, this event brings together writers, poets, and thinkers from around the world to discuss their work, share ideas, and engage in conversation with audiences.

You may also like: A night of Robert Burns

THE EDINBURGH ART FESTIVAL

As well as live performances and book festivals, you’ll be able to explore a range of galleries, museums, and public spaces that’ll showcase contemporary art from around the world. From installations and sculptures to paintings and drawings, the art festival offers a fascinating insight into the current state of the art scene

With a diverse program of exhibitions, installations, and events, you’ll be able to see the work of both established and emerging artists from Scotland and around the world.

One of the highlights of the Edinburgh Art Festival is its focus on public art, with a number of large-scale installations and sculptures on display throughout the city’s streets and public spaces. This creates a unique and engaging environment for you to explore and interact with the artwork, adding to the electric vibe that takes over the city streets.

THE EDINBURGH FOOD FESTIVAL

To top off Edinburgh’s festival craze, you’ll also find a fantastic food festival to whet your appetite. Here, you’ll be able to taste a range of award-winning local and international cuisine, as well as cooking demonstrations, tastings, and workshops. For example, you could attend a chef demo, children’s cooking classes, and interesting events like coffee + mushroom growing workshops.

You may also like: A wee treat: 4 ways you’ll taste the very best of Scotland with Insight

THE ROYAL EDINBURGH MILITARY TATTOO

View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo (@edinburghtattoo)

While festivals rage on in the city, watching above is old, wise Edinburgh Castle . Built on Castle Rock, this fortress sits on a vantage point that is said to have been inhabited since the Iron Age. It’s here, on the Castle’s esplanade, that the world-famous Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo takes place. This spectacle of dance, music and military pageantry has been entertaining audiences since its inception in 1950.

The idea behind The Tattoo was to showcase the rich and varied traditions of the Scottish military, as well as the cultural heritage of Scotland as a whole. Expect military marching bands, drum bands, dancing and fireworks, with a tribute to the Armed Forces through a moving rendition of the “Last Post”.

You may also like: Behind the scenes: Ardgowan Estate

But The Tattoo is more than just a showcase of military music and dance, it’s a celebration of Scottish culture and heritage. In the massed pipes and drums, hundreds of pipers and drummers come together to perform traditional Scottish tunes. You’ll see elements of Scottish folklore, including a recital of the famous “ Address to a Haggis ” and a display of the .

The spectacle is broadcast to millions of viewers around the globe, but there’s nothing quite like experiencing it in person with the backdrop of Edinburgh Castle. The pipes and the drums ring out and echo across the city, making it clear that August is undoubtedly the best time to visit Edinburgh.

You may also like: Ten facts you never knew about the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo

SUMMER WEATHER

While Edinburgh is known for its unpredictable weather, the August days are long and mild, with an average temperature of around 64°F (18°C). There’s truly no better time of year to explore the beauty of Scottish nature, both inside the city walls like in the Royal Botanic Garden, and outside such as nearby Arthur’s seat. Here, you can take a hike up and enjoy a picnic with breathtaking views of the city. Or, try a day trip out to Scotland’s famous Highlands for rugged landscapes and beautiful wilderness.

You may also like: The great clans of Scotland

THE BENEFITS OF GOING GUIDED

INSIGHT VACATIONS TAKE THE WORK OUT OF TRAVEL

Taking a tour with Insight Vacations, you can leverage the knowledge and expertise of travel professionals who have already done the legwork. They’ve built fantastic itineraries that will show you all the gorgeous sights and fascinating insights of the Scottish capital. You’ll be able to enjoy a more sophisticated travel experience with access to insider knowledge, unique experiences, and off-the-beaten-path destinations that might otherwise be overlooked. Plus, you don’t have to do any more researching or planning – it’s already taken care of. If you’re still considering when to visit Edinburgh, opt for a stylish August visit with one of Insight’s carefully crafted Scotland tours.

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When Is The Best Time To Visit Edinburgh?

The best time to visit Edinburgh really depends on what you’re looking for on your trip and what’s most important to you. If you’re thinking about travelling to Edinburgh some time this year, you might want to consider some of these factors before deciding when to book.

The most commonly asked questions about travelling to Edinburgh relate to

• Availability of hotels

Cost of staying in Edinburgh

• Entertainment (What’s On)
• Weather and climate

We’ve collected some facts and figures on all of the above to help you make your decision. We’ve also created a handy infographic (at the end of this article) which you can download, print off or share with others.

Availability of Hotels

Edinburgh attracts over 4 million visitors every year and is the UK’s leading destination for overseas visitors after London.  The city hosts numerous festivals all year round, including the world’s largest arts festival.

Edinburgh is also a world-renowned leisure and business destination, attracting more than 1 million overseas visitors every year, making it second only to London in UK terms.

Consequently, Edinburgh is always busy but the population swells and peaks in August and again during the Christmas holidays.

This is reflected in the recorded number of shoppers on the city’s famous Prince Street. Footfall levels here were recorded recently at over 1 million in most months with December (Christmas period) and August being the busiest.

In terms of hotel availability, Edinburgh has more than 10,000 hotel rooms in the city, with over 40 four and five-star hotels. But such is the popularity of Edinburgh that most of these are booked fast and frequently in peak months. As a result, Edinburgh hotels have one of the highest average occupancy rates in Europe. In the UK, Edinburgh’s occupancy rates are second only to London (with an annual average of nearly 80%). Between July and September last year Edinburgh hotels enjoyed average occupancy rates of 90% or higher.

To summarise :

• January and February are the quietest months and easiest time to find accommodation
• It gets increasingly busier from March
• July and August are the peak months
• It then gets increasingly less busy between September and November
• December can be very busy over the Christmas and New Year dates
• Book your hotel well in advance especially during the busier periods.

Edinburgh attracts a mix of different types of visitors: local visitors on short city breaks, leisure visitors from across the UK or from overseas on a short stay or on holiday, and a significant volume of business visitors.

The average daily expenditure of visitors to Edinburgh can be broken down as follows: (VisitScotland data, 2016)

Clearly, hotels and accommodation represent the greatest spend by visitors to Edinburgh.

The average daily rate (ADR) is the average amount without tax and breakfast in pounds paid by guests to hotels for their night’s stay. This varies from month to month and for Edinburgh this is no different.

Our infographic shows the ADR for all 12 months in the year for Edinburgh hotels. Perhaps not surprisingly the ADR correlates very closely with the levels of visitors in the city at the time.

Winter (excluding Christmas) till early Spring is a quieter period for hotels when prices are generally lower and more special offers can be found. While June to September is the busiest and most expensive period for hotels with August the most expensive.

• Hotels and accommodation represent the biggest expenditure for Edinburgh visitors.
• January to March is the best value period to stay.
• April to May is the shoulder period with value prices.
• June to September is the most expensive period.
• August is significantly more expensive, as is Christmas week up to New Year.

Entertainment (What’s on in Edinburgh?)

The Edinburgh International Festival and Edinburgh Fringe season dominates the social calendar every year in Edinburgh. There are 12 international festivals that attract huge numbers (over 4 million visitors) and most of them take place in August when more than 25,000 artists, entertainers and thinkers populate the city with over 1,000 shows per day. The number of tickets sold for Edinburgh’s festival events are only exceeded by the Olympics and the World Cup.

But there are many other events also taking place in Edinburgh throughout 2019. Here are some of the most popular, broken down by time of year:

January and February

• The Loony Dook (Jan 1)
• Burns Night (25 to 27 Jan)
• Edinburgh Mountain Film Festival (8 to 9 Feb 2020) (no festival in 2019)
• Rugby Internationals (kick off in Feb)

March to April

• Meadows Marathon (3rd March)
• Scottish Motorcycle Show (9-10 March)
• Edinburgh International Science Festival (6 to 21 April)
• Edinburgh Craft Beer Festival (24-25 May)
• Beltane Fire Festival (Apr 30)

May to June

• TradFest Edinburgh (April/May)
• Festival of Museums (May)
• World Whisky Day (18 May)
• Edinburgh Marathon (26 May)
• Edinburgh International Film Festival (19-30 June)
• Gardening Scotland (31 May-2 June)
• The Moonwalk (8 June)
• Royal Highland Show (20-23 June)

July to August

• Scottish Car Show (15 July)
• Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival (12-21 July)
• Edinburgh Food Festival (July)
• Edinburgh Art Festival (25 July to 25 Aug)
• Edinburgh Fringe Festival (2 to 26 Aug)
• Edinburgh International Festival (2 to 26 Aug)
• Edinburgh Royal Military Tattoo (2 to 24 Aug)
• Edinburgh International Book Festival (10 to 26 Aug)
• Edinburgh Mela (August)

Sept to October

• Edinburgh Festival of Cycling (6-16 June)
• Edinburgh Doors Open Day (Sept)
• Edinburgh Oktoberfest (Oct)
• The Scottish International Storytelling Festival (Oct)

Nov to December

• Bonfire Night and Fireworks (5th Nov)
• St Andrews Day (30th Nov)

Christmas and New Year in Edinburgh

Christmas time is magical in Edinburgh. Princes Street and its gardens features a Winter Wonderland, a German market, funfair, big wheel, ice rink and an array of lights and Christmas decorations. The annual torchlight procession down The Mound through the historic street, and past the vast Norwegian Christmas tree which overlooks the city, is like something out of a classic old Christmas movie.

The Christmas season finishes on a high with Edinburgh’s famous Hogmanay celebration on the 31 December. Hundreds of thousands of revellers enjoy a huge street party along Princes Street with live music and culminating in the spectacular fireworks display at Edinburgh Castle.

Other Attractions and Nightlife

Outside of the huge range of events available, visitors are also spoiled by the many attractions Edinburgh has to offer and which draw visitors in their hundreds of thousands every year.  These include Edinburgh Castle, The National Museum of Scotland, Scottish National Gallery, St Giles Cathedral and the Royal Botanic Gardens.

Locals and visitors enjoy an excellent variety of top restaurants and a vibrant nightlife. Edinburgh has more restaurants per head than anywhere else in the UK. Scotland’s capital also has more than 400 pubs and a diverse range of nightclubs catering for different tastes. Homegrown and international live acts and DJs perform regularly in Edinburgh.

• August is unbeatable for entertainment value when the city is awash with Festivals and events.
• Christmas and New Year are also hugely entertaining and popular.
• Outside of these very busy months, there remains a lot to offer Edinburgh visitors in terms of year-round entertainment, events, attractions, restaurants and bars.

Weather and Climate

Edinburgh has a mild temperate climate without any extremes of temperature and precipitation. Over the course of a year, the temperature typically varies between 1 or 2 degrees Celsius in the Winter to 19 or 20 degrees Celsius in the Summer.

In terms of rainfall, Edinburgh is one of the driest places in Scotland and the UK as a whole. Average rainfall doesn’t vary much throughout the year with August to October seeing slightly more rain than other months. February and April are statistically the driest with 41mm rainfall on average.

In the Summer, days are gloriously long with extended daylight and it rarely gets dark before 10pm. Good news for both residents and the huge numbers of tourists who come to Edinburgh for the Festival season.

No matter what time of the year, visitors should stay equipped for all 4 seasons. Edinburgh is quite typical of Scotland – in so much as the weather can change quickly from one hour to the next, and change back again just as easily.

To summarise:

• Edinburgh has a mild climate
• On average, January is the coolest month
• July and August are the warmest months
• Edinburgh has less rain than most places in the UK
• The driest months of the year are in Spring and early Summer
• October sees the most rainfall on average

Overall Summary

So when is the best time to visit Edinburgh?

There is no doubt that August is the busiest, liveliest, and most entertaining month. With the best of the weather and the longer days, it is easy to see why so many people arrive in Edinburgh during the peak Festival season.

Christmas and New Year are also very popular with so much going on at this magical time of year.

These busy periods will represent the best time for many to visit Edinburgh, as demonstrated by the sheer number of visitors at this time.

But as you can see, Edinburgh is a fantastic place to visit no matter what time of year. Hotels, bars, restaurants, shops, attractions and parks are open all year as are the numerous theatres, music venues and art galleries.

The best time to visit will depend on the type of person travelling and their reasons for coming to Edinburgh. International or domestic visitors, , people visiting friends or family, business travellers, younger adults, older adults, families, couples, and groups will all want different things from their trip to Edinburgh.

Take a look at our infographic below where we’ve compiled a lot of these facts and figures. Do you have a favourite time to visit Edinburgh?

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Our campervan trip to Edinburgh quickly went from Famous Five to feral and grubby

P lenty of people fantasise about campervans (each to their own). Take off on the open road, sleep where you want, no fuss with hotels, freedom! A campervan is a thrillingly liberating mode of travel, especially if the place you want to travel to is Edinburgh in August, where hotel rooms are a billion pounds each (breakfast extra). 

My mother, my sister and I were heading north to see my little brother perform his stand-up show at the Fringe . Mum has had a rotten year of another cancer diagnosis – except this time it was in her brain – so after her treatment we wanted to do something cheery and bonding together. Why not be bold and hit the M1 in a campervan? It would be easier and cheaper to find a campsite than a hotel room, surely? And we could bring the dogs – Mum’s five-year-old terrier, Beano, along with his wayward apprentice, my four-month-old terrier, Dennis.

Naturally, we would do this in a Volkswagen campervan, the king of campervans, originally devised in the 1950s and now in its sixth incarnation. As a teenager, peculiarly obsessed with the hippies in Forrest Gump , I’d insisted that my first car would be a VW campervan (it was a Fiat 500 in the end). 

But now, finally, I was going to drive one, and a posh new one too, with a seven-speed automatic gearbox and bed space for up to four people. The dream.

The scenic campsites around North Berwick were fully booked , it turned out. Never mind.

There was a space available in a 900 acre council-run campsite just outside Linlithgow. It would cost £124 for three nights for a campervan plus a tent pitch, because my sister had, prophetically, expressed doubts about the quality of sleep with three humans and two dogs in the van.  

We set off from Sussex bright and early, rattling down Mum’s drive. We’d stashed pillows and duvets in the boot, and saucepans and mugs in the cupboard space under the stove – along with wine glasses, bowls, plates, salt and pepper, and bags of pasta and crisps. 

The storage space in the California reminded me of a boat, no nook overlooked. Safely stowed in the little fridge unit beside the stove was a carton of milk, some double cream, a packet of ham, a lump of parmesan, a bottle of Sauvignon blanc and several bars of chocolate. If you ignore the Sauvignon blanc, it felt quite Famous Five.

The first drama was the puppy being sick in the back somewhere outside Birmingham. “We’re going to need another bag,” my sister moaned from the back as she cleared it up. I couldn’t help much because we were beetling along in the fast lane. While you have to take corners with some caution in this campervan, because it’s behind swings like a trailer, on the straight and narrow you can tick along at quite serious speeds and remain comfortable. 

If you were a flower child meandering towards San Francisco in the 1960s, the speed (of your vehicle) may not have been uppermost in your mind. But the van can shift if you need it, which was lucky because we had a campsite to reach.

We arrived after 10 hours on the road, were handed a map with our plot on it and parked up among a semi-circle of five caravans. 

What is the etiquette of camping? We waved merrily at the others, told the dogs not to bother them and set about organising ourselves for the evening. After half an hour, we’d cracked the three switches that needed to be turned for the gas stove to work, the pasta was on, the wine was open and the Scrabble board was laid out on the table that comes with the campervan (it clicks into place on the inside of the passenger door. Neat.) 

The evening sun filtered through the surrounding pine trees and we sat under the awning fitted to the side of the van listening to the distant work of a woodpecker while scoffing at those who paid for expensive Edinburgh Airbnbs. This was a proper adventure. 

It was exciting to get ready for bedtime, too. I tapped at a little flatscreen above the driver’s seat and erected the pop-up roof, then heaved myself up. I’d been nervous about this space beforehand. Would I feel claustrophobic? Not at all. So roomy, with three little window hatches I could unzip to allow more air in. I Googled the roof’s weight limit to check I wouldn’t fall through in the night (150kg, so I reckoned I’d be fine), fetched my pillow from the boot and unfurled my duvet. 

Oh. It turns out I’d managed to pack a single mattress topper, not a duvet, but that was alright. It didn’t feel chilly. In the cabin underneath, Mum tugged on a lever beneath the back seats and her flat-bed rolled out. Rosie set off for her tent. We bedded down: me on the roof, Mum beneath me with a dog under each arm because we’d decided that was more practical than having Dennis on the roof with me.

I would say it was a  fitful night. Every time I clambered down to pee, or Mum did, squatting behind the van because the communal bathrooms were a five-minute walk away, the dogs leapt up and insisted on coming outside too. Without suitable bedding, I froze. And while there is a mattress on top of the van, above the sprung roof, it wasn’t exactly feathery soft. I woke up in the morning as crooked as Quasimodo.

Still, that was just the first night, we told ourselves as we put away Mum’s bed, made a pot of coffee on the stove and took turns to traipse between the van and the communal shower block. The first night somewhere is always restless. It would be better the second night.

It  was better the second night – after a long and tiring day of walking on a nearby beach, and heading to the nearest B&M so I could buy a £10.99 duvet. Although, we made the amateurish mistake of cooking curry on the stove, which meant everything in the van smelled of curry afterwards: my hair, my towel, my pillow – even Dennis the puppy smelled of curry. I’d stick to pasta and omelettes if you’re planning a campervan menu any time soon. But I slept easier; less alert to the strange noises outside and warmer under my new duvet.

The following morning, we slid the roof back down and converted Mum’s bed back into seats again, all of which takes seconds, and motored into Edinburgh for Henry’s (excellent) show. Cor, the Royal Mile was packed. After a few hours of weaving between tourists, I longed for the relative peace of our rural campsite again.

But the third night, oh dear, the third night was abysmal. It didn’t start off too badly. When we returned from Edinburgh, a light drizzle had started, but we were hardy campers and we wouldn’t let that spoil our evening. We spun the passenger seats around, again very easy with the click of a lever, and hunkered down inside for (more) pasta and (more) Scrabble while the windows steamed up around us. Although at least the smell of wet dog finally overcame the smell of curry.

Nobody slept though, because it blew a gale. At midnight, Rosie ran in from her tent, which had blown down, and cosied up next to Mum and the dogs while the rain and wind buffeted us from outside. This is the problem with a campervan – for me, at least. 

Lovely in sunny weather. If you were driving through Big Sur or meandering along the Gold Coast in Australia, and you could park wherever you wanted every night for dinner outside before retiring to your nice dry bed, well, that would be just swell.

In a rainstorm, it’s less jolly; nothing dries. So my hair was damp, as were my feet and pillow, and my duvet felt clammy. The only place that was warm on the campsite was the communal washing up room, but we could hardly sleep in there. And after three days of living in this small space with Mum, the van was starting to feel chaotic. Why were a pair of dirty socks stashed in my cupholder? Why were two used foam earplugs in the glovebox? (So the puppy didn’t eat them, Mum explained.) The situation had become feral and grubby in a way I suspect it wouldn’t if you were somewhere dry and hot.

I can see why the camping lifestyle appeals. I observed other campervanning families at the site, the children scampering around outside all evening playing games (no screens), while the parents watched on with a drink. Proper camping sorts – one of them even had a bird feeder hanging from the corner of their awning. How wholesome. And you’ve got to buy into the lifestyle, really, if you consider that this latest incarnation of the Volkswagen California is a £77,000 investment .

But if you only get two or three hours of sleep because there’s a Force Seven blowing outside, then everything the next day becomes that much harder and more frustrating. I longed for a proper bed and a bath. Mum, Rosie and I had a very funny, bonding time together, which was the whole point, really. All I’m saying is, next year I wouldn’t mind it if my little brother took his show to, say, Puglia or Paros.

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Royal GCSEs: How did Prince William, Princess Kate and more do in their exams?

The duke and duchess of edinburgh's son, james, earl of wessex, is among the pupils getting his exam results.

Students across England, Wales and Northern Ireland received their GCSE results on Thursday 22 August, including the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh 's son, James, Earl of Wessex .

It's a huge milestone for youngsters as their GCSE grades are important for their future educational and career opportunities.

James, 16, and his sister, Lady Louise Windsor , who is studying English at St Andrews University, are likely to carve out their own livelihoods rather than become senior working royals.

But despite the likes of the King and Prince William 's futures being mapped out for them, many of the royals have some impressive GCSE results.

Read on to find out more…

• King Charles

At the time of his education in the 1960s, the then Prince of Wales studied for his O-Levels, passing six of his exams at Gordonstoun. The O-Level qualifications were replaced by the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE), in 1986.

Princess Anne

The Princess Royal left Benenden School in Kent in 1968 with six O-Levels and two A-Levels. She then began to carry out full-time royal duties in 1969.

• Prince William

The future King left Eton College with an impressive 12 GCSEs and an 'A' in geography, a 'C' in biology and a 'B' in history of art in his A-Levels. He went on to gain a place at St Andrews, where he studied the history of art before later switching to a geography degree. The Fife-based university was where he met and fell in love with his future wife, Kate Middleton.

Princess Kate

The future royal achieved 11 GCSEs at Marlborough College in Wiltshire before leaving with As in Maths and Art and a B in English in her A-Levels. Like William, Kate took a gap year before enrolling on the history of art course at St Andrews.

ROYAL EDUCATION

• Prince Harry

The Duke of Sussex enrolled at Sandhurst Military Academy after leaving Eton College, where he achieved 11 GCSEs and two A-Levels.

• Princess Beatrice

The Duke of York and Sarah, Duchess of York's eldest daughter achieved two A*s, two As and five Bs in her GCSEs from St George's School in Ascot in 2005, later earning an 'A' in Drama and 'Bs' in History and Film Studies in her A-Levels. Beatrice went on to study History and History of Ideas at Goldsmiths in London.

• Princess Eugenie

In 2006, it was revealed that Prince Andrew and Sarah's youngest daughter, Princess Eugenie, scored two A*s, four As and three Bs after sitting her GCSEs at Marlborough College in Wiltshire. She went on to achieve As in Art and English Literature as well as a B in History of Art in her A-Levels and then studied English Literature and History of Art at Newcastle University.

• Lady Louise Windsor

Prince Edward and Sophie's daughter received her GCSE results in August 2020, but Buckingham Palace did not share Lady Louise's grades, stating that they were a private matter. Her A-Level results in 2022 were also not disclosed but standard entry requirements to the University of St Andrews are AAA, where Lady Louise is now doing an English degree.

LOVE THE ROYALS? JOIN THE CLUB!

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What is it?

Interactive community offering behind-the-scenes access, exclusive royal interviews, unmissable royal insights, and an illustrious royal  Inner Circle .

Member benefits

• Two weekly newsletters, one from  Emily Nash
• Video posts and audio notes from Emily Nash and the HELLO! Royal team
• Access to our royal community and opportunity to interact with club writers and members
• Participate in polls, comments and discussion threads
• Royal-themed puzzles with a weekly prize to be won
• Access to our Ask Me Anything sessions with our journalists
• Invitations to in-person and virtual events
• A subscription to the digital edition of HELLO! Magazine (Worth £82 annually)*
• Future ‘Inner Circle’ benefits

By royal decree

You are royally invited to join The HELLO! Royal Club – and then to go forth and spread the word to your fellow royal fans. See you in the club!

• British Royals
• Kate Middleton, The Princess of Wales

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LONG DISTANCE ★★★★ Edinburgh Festival Fringe

LONG DISTANCE at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe

“the dialogue is funny, elastic and fizzles with energy”

Contemporary living, for most, has become inextricably intertwined with technology. It crops up in more and more places, knitting segments of our lives together. In Long Distance, the phone is the connective tissue between two young queers – and the lens through which we understand them and their relationship to each other. As the play travels from meet-cute to breakup, the pair exchange text messages at significant moments in their relationship, slowly discovering more about each other.

Strong writing by playwright and director Eli Zuzovsky keeps the pace up and drops tantalizing details at appropriate intervals. The play leads its audience along the contours of the relationship, structured well to maintain an interest. Despite its static staging – the two characters never touch and look out at the fourth wall for most of the play – the dialogue is funny, elastic and fizzles with energy. Texting’s pitfalls are well documented by awkward misreadings, cringey innuendo, and awkward silences.

That energy is ably parried by the two lead performances. Jonathan Rubin crafts a stunning journey throughout the play, creating a fully formed character despite his dialogue being limited to text messages. It is a performance filled with depth and intention, and admirably executed in so much silence – each gasp, tremble, or knitted brow shares more and more about the character. Freddie MacBruce, stepping in last minute to help the show go on, is a remarkable foil – assured yet unconfident, he holds all the tensions of his character at once. The textures of the actor’s voices create a beautiful quality to the play – Rubin’s flitting vulnerability crashes into and hugs MacBruce’s nonchalant solidity. Though their dynamic starts to sink into stereotype by the end of the play, both performances remain strong, detailed, and truthful throughout.

The play has mined the possibilities of presenting text messages on stage – one of its most interesting elements is the tension between the inherently nondescript act of texting and the detail that live theatre, with all its elements, provides. Occasionally the tension jars – in translating texts for the stage, some believability is lost. There are incongruous transitions into monologues which reveal further interiority but clash against the naturalism the play seems to strive for – the drawn-out silence and resultant confusion created by a phone dying, our reliance on emojis and gifs and memes to communicate how we feel.

Long Distance is an interesting and evocative meditation on our phones and how they help and hinder us in communicating with each other. The play deliberately obscures the central relationship, limiting the couple’s interaction to the online realm. We never experience how, or if, the two interact in person. The play asks whether that is a problem at all. Is authenticity obstructed by an online setting? Perhaps not, but what the play does make clear is our increasing reliance on digital communication to connect us to those we love – and it is a timely reminder to reflect and reassess how we think about that mode of communication in our lives. A thought-provoking and timely play, Long Distance is a sobering and affecting experience.

LONG DISTANCE at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe – ZOO Playground – Playground 1

Reviewed on 22nd august 2024, by theo chen, photography by lidia crisafulli.

LONG DISTANCE

Click here to see all our reviews from edinburgh 2024.

Travel | Travel Troubleshooter: Lack of staffing causes…

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Travel | Travel Troubleshooter: Lack of staffing causes a missed flight and a mountain of fees

Aer Lingus wrongly charged me to rebook my flights and get home. A representative told me that I could get a refund by submitting an online claim. I have been contacting Aer Lingus for the past six months, and I am still not getting anywhere with their customer service. I also emailed their CEO and was just passed to another customer service rep who takes weeks in between correspondence to email.

Can you help me get the $1,200 in rebooking fees refunded?

— Catriona Garry, Norwood, Massachusetts

ANSWER: Aer Lingus should have had more than one employee at the airport to check you in. But it didn’t, and as I reviewed the paper trail of correspondence between you and Aer Lingus, it’s clear what happened. Your departure was scheduled during the busy summer travel season, when airports are crowded and flights run at full capacity. And it looks like the sole employee who checked you in worked for a third party called Swissport, not Aer Lingus.

And there was another complicating factor: The first leg of your ticket was not on Aer Lingus but on Emerald Airlines, a code-share partner. According to Aer Lingus, you didn’t have a connecting flight to Boston on your itinerary, but it’s unclear how that could have happened.

You missed your flight to Dublin because of the slow line caused by a confluence of events. But when you didn’t make it to Dublin for your return flight to Boston, Aer Lingus considered you a “no show” and canceled your reservation. (All airlines do this, so it’s not just an Aer Lingus policy.)

When you applied for a refund, you received a form letter from Aer Lingus that reminded you to show up for your Emerald Airlines flight on time:

“Our recommendation is that all guests arrive at the airport 2 to 2½ hours in advance of departure for flights within Europe and 3 to 3½ hours in advance of departure for flights to/from North America, regardless of whether you have checked in online or via mobile,” the letter said.

Obviously, Aer Lingus hadn’t read your account. You were waiting in a 3½-hour line, so you had hours to spare at Edinburgh Airport.

You did a great job of keeping a paper trail and eventually appealing to the CEO of Aer Lingus. It felt like Aer Lingus was trying to wear you down with form responses and empty promises. The airline relied on a third party to provide adequate staffing in Edinburgh, but this third party didn’t meet its obligations. So, Aer Lingus is still responsible, even if you’re flying on Emerald Airlines.

If this happens again, ask the ticket agent to make a notation in your reservation that you were delayed for reasons beyond your control. This will allow another ticket agent down the line in Dublin, or wherever you’re connecting, to waive your rebooking fees. And if you’re working with a travel advisor, don’t forget to contact them. They can get you out of a situation like this without your having to pay extra fees.

I contacted Aer Lingus on your behalf. After a few weeks, you got some good news. “Aer Lingus has finally refunded me the rebooking fees almost seven months after my trip,” you said. “I really appreciate your assistance.”

Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy , a nonprofit organization that helps consumers solve their problems. Email him at [email protected] or get help by contacting him at elliottadvocacy.org/help/. (c) 2024 Christopher Elliott Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

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‘blink twice’ review: zoë kravitz’s intriguing horror-thriller promises more than it delivers, alex garland & producer andrew macdonald on the viral ‘ex machina’ dance scene and almost casting jake gyllenhaal as the film’s lead: “it was never gonna work” — edinburgh.

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Jake Gyllenhaal almost landed in one of the lead roles in Alex Garland ’s Oscar-winning debut feature Ex Machina after the filmmaker and his longtime producer, Andrew Macdonald , were pushed to consider the actor to secure financing. 

“The sales companies wanted us to cast Jake Gyllenhaal because he was bankable and they could sell foreign territories,” Macdonald said yesterday afternoon during a Q&A alongside Garland at this year’s Edinburgh Film Festival. 

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“I remember having a conversation with Jake Gyllenhaal’s lawyer about his needs. It was never gonna work,” Macdonald said to laughs from the packed ground in Edinburgh. 

Alicia Vikander and Oscar Isaac were later cast in the film’s lead roles. But Macdonald added that at the time, neither actor carried enough weight to “raise the money through international sales.” Macdonald and Garland instead decided to turn to Hollywood to secure financing, which they said offered them the freedom to pull in the collaborators they wanted thanks to a unique set of circumstances. 

“We decided to make the film with Universal International and they had a film with Oscar Isaac, the Coen brothers film, and they believed it would win Oscars, so they thought he was a winner,” Macdonald said. “They also had an Alicia Vikander film that they thought was gonna be a winner as well, so they backed us.” 

Garland described Ex Machina as his favorite directorial effort so far and said it served as an antidote to some of the “toxic” film sets he had spent time on as a writer. 

“The cast was young and hard-working and committed,” Garland said of his Ex Machina crew. “We had a friendly crew that believed in the project and were working hard. There was a good vibe, and everyone was pulling together.”

Garland continued to share a little more insight on Ex Machina, telling the audience the origins of the film’s now-viral disco dancing scene. In the scene, Oscar Isaac’s mad billionaire Nathan breaks out into a spontaneous dance with his mute, human android played by Sonoya Mizuno. 

“I remember showing the film to my then-wife who said it was a very solid 6/10,” Garland said of Never Let Me Go . “The problem the film had had nothing to do with the source material. That was a brilliant novel. The film hit a particular note but then didn’t vary that note. It’s a good film in some ways, but flawed in that respect.”

Garland added: “The reason that the Ex Machina disco dancing scene exists is because of Never Let Me Go . I thought I had to disrupt what was happening in the film. I couldn’t be afraid to disrupt the tone. In fact, I had to seek out to disrupt the tone. And it turned out to be a GIF.” 

Never Let Me Go was an adaptation of Nobel Prize winner Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel of the same name and one of the last screenplays Garland wrote for another director. Garland would go on to direct Ex Machina, Annihilation, Men, and Civil War , all with Macdonald on board as producer. The pair have once again reteamed to revisit one of their earlier projects, the zombie flick 28 days later . Garland has penned a sequel titled 28 Years Later , which is set as the first part of a 28 Years trilogy . Danny Boyle is directing the feature, which Macdonald confirmed has completed production and is set in the north of England.

“Tomorrow morning we start part two. And then we hope there’s gonna be a third part and it’s a trilogy,” Macdonald said.

The Edinburgh Film Festival ends on Wednesday.

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