Itinerary · Two, three or four days · Checked against operators’ own pages
Edinburgh in 2, 3 or 4 Days: One Plan, Grouped by Area
Find your Edinburgh experience
Three days: the default plan
Group Edinburgh by three areas, not a ranked list. The Old Town’s castle and palace come first, the New Town’s free attractions second, and the Royal Botanic Garden third.
- Day 1: Edinburgh Castle at your booked time, the Royal Mile and the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
- Day 2: Princes Street, the Scott Monument, the Scottish National Gallery, Calton Hill and free museums.
- Day 3: the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, free to enter and one mile from the centre.
- Before you fly: book Edinburgh Castle online; tickets sell out far in advance and morning slots fill first.
- Day order: no weekday closures set the plan, but the castle’s online tickets should be secured first.
Day 1: Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Mile and Holyroodhouse
The Royal Mile runs down the Old Town and connects Edinburgh Castle with the Palace of Holyroodhouse via a mile of cobbled street. The walk between them is about 2.5 km and takes about 33 minutes.
- Book Edinburgh Castle online a few weeks before: tickets often sell out far in advance, and morning slots are busier later in the day.
- Enter the castle at 9.30am when it opens; from April to September last entry is 5pm and from October to March it is 4pm.
- Allow at least two hours to see the main attractions.
- Walk the Royal Mile downhill to the Palace of Holyroodhouse; exploring the whole palace takes around an hour with the free audio guide.
- Photography is not allowed inside the palace.
Good to know
- A guided tour ticket at Edinburgh Castle includes a 30-minute tour and costs extra.
- The palace ticket includes a free audio guide in different languages.
- Edinburgh Castle is closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
On your own
Book the castle online in advance; the palace audio guide is included with entry.
With a guide
A guided tour at the castle includes a 30-minute tour and costs extra.
Day 1: the castle, Royal Mile and palace.
Prices checked 23 Sep 2026 · per person, tickets and transport, excluding accommodation
Day 2: Princes Street, Calton Hill and free museums
New Town free attractions and viewpoints: Scottish National Gallery in the city heart, Calton Hill's paved path, and Scott Monument, the largest monument to a writer.
- Start on Princes Street at the Scott Monument, open 10am to 7pm from April to September and 10am to 4pm from October to March.
- Walk to the Scottish National Gallery, one of the top free attractions in Edinburgh.
- Climb Calton Hill on its paved pathway for a short, easy walk to the top.
- Visit the National Museum of Scotland, which has free admission, and Dean Village, a short walk from Princes Street on the Water of Leith.
Good to know
- The Writers Museum on the Royal Mile is free, and some attractions ask only for a voluntary donation.
- The Millenium Clock at the National Museum of Scotland chimes every hour.
On your own
The New Town day costs nothing except any voluntary donations at free museums.
With a guide
No guide is needed to follow the paved path up Calton Hill.
The New Town day is free: Princes Street, Calton Hill and free museums.
Prices checked 23 Sep 2026 · per person, tickets and transport, excluding accommodation
Day 3: Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is the largest free green-space attraction: 72 acres one mile from the centre, first established in 1670.
- Enter free at the West Gate on Arboretum Place or the East Gate on Inverleith Row.
- From February to October the garden is open 10am to 5pm; in November and January 10am to 4pm; in December 10am to 3.30pm.
- The garden is closed on 25 December and 1 January; in extreme weather it can close at short notice.
- The East Gate is served by bus routes 8, 9, 23 and 27; the West Gate by Lothian Buses 29 and 24 via Stockbridge.
Good to know
- Bicycle stands are at both gates; metered on-street parking is near the West Gate.
- Blue Badge parking spaces are located on Arboretum Place.
| Option | Our verdict |
|---|---|
| On your own | The garden is free to enter; allow half a day for 72 acres. |
Day 3: the Royal Botanic Garden is free, 72 acres and one mile from the centre.
Prices checked 23 Sep 2026 · per person, tickets and transport, excluding accommodation
If you have a fourth day: Stirling or St Andrews
A fourth day is a day trip out of the city. Stirling Castle and St Andrews both make realistic options.
Good to know
- Stirling Castle opens daily from 9.30am to 6pm from April to September and 9.30am to 5pm from October to March; last entry is one hour before closing.
- Booking online in advance gives the best price; arriving car-free with code GOOD25 and showing a bus or train ticket gives 25% off.
- Suitcases and large rucksacks of 30 litres or over are not permitted; the castle cannot store luggage.
- St Andrews is under two hours from Edinburgh by car; catch the train to Leuchars then a short bus ride.
| Item | £ per adult | US$ |
|---|---|---|
| Online adult (16-64) | £18.50 | ≈ US$24 |
| Online concession (65+) | £15 | ≈ US$19 |
| Online child (7-15) | £11 | ≈ US$14 |
A fourth day is best spent on one day trip: Stirling Castle or St Andrews.
Prices checked 23 Sep 2026 · per person, tickets and transport, excluding accommodation
If you have two days
The Old Town and New Town cover the city’s two halves; skip the Royal Botanic Garden for a two-day visit.
- Start with Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Mile and Holyroodhouse, exactly as written.
- Day 2: Princes Street, Calton Hill and the free museums, exactly as written.
- Book the castle online in advance even for a two-day visit; tickets sell out.
Facts that shape the trip
Opening times, not closures, set the order. Edinburgh Castle sells out first, so book it before anything else.
Good to know
- Edinburgh Castle opens at 9.30am daily except Christmas closures; from April to September it closes at 6pm, from October to March at 5pm.
- The Royal Botanic Garden opens at 10am year-round but closes at 5pm February to October, 4pm November and January, and 3.30pm December.
- The National Museum of Scotland has free admission.
| Apr to Sep | Oct to Mar | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edinburgh Castle | opens 9.30am, closes 6pm | opens 9.30am, closes 5pm | closed 25-26 Dec |
| Royal Botanic Garden | 10am to 5pm | 10am to 4pm (Nov & Jan) | 10am to 3.30pm |
| Scott Monument | 10am to 7pm | 10am to 4pm | 10am to 4pm |
Book first
Edinburgh Castle tickets often sell out in summer; once sold out online, no more are available at the castle.
Book last
The Royal Botanic Garden and the National Museum of Scotland need no ticket, so they can stay flexible.
What it costs, and where to book
| Plan | Tickets and transport | Book |
|---|---|---|
| Stirling Castle online adult entry | £18.50 | – |
Prices checked 23 Sep 2026 · per person, tickets and transport, excluding accommodation. Amounts over 20 are rounded up. Ticket prices are per person for the first reviewed ticket and change by date.
Explore Edinburgh Before You Book
Take a virtual drive or walk, then find tours and tickets for the places you like.
Where a guided tour earns its money, and where it does not
Edinburgh Castle’s guided tour adds a 30-minute tour and costs extra; a guide also helps on the Royal Mile. The Botanic Garden and free museums need no guide.
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Questions people ask
How many days do I need for Edinburgh?
Three days cover the Old Town, New Town and Royal Botanic Garden; add a fourth for Stirling or St Andrews.
Should I book Edinburgh Castle in advance?
Yes. Tickets often sell out far in advance, especially in summer; once sold out online there are no tickets at the castle.
Is the Royal Botanic Garden free?
Yes, all 72 acres are free to enter. It is one mile from the city centre.
Which day trip is easiest from Edinburgh?
St Andrews is under two hours by car, or take the train to Leuchars and a short bus ride.
Can I visit Edinburgh Castle and Holyroodhouse in one day?
Yes, the Royal Mile connects them; the walk is about 2.5 km and takes about 33 minutes.
Plan deeper in Edinburgh
Sources (9)
Every figure above was checked on the dates shown.
- Edinburgh Castle, Opening times — www.edinburghcastle.scot/plan-your-visit/opening-times/ (checked 2026-09-23)
- VisitScotland, 12 Fascinating Things to Do in Edinburgh — www.visitscotland.com/places-to-go/edinburgh/things-to-do (checked 2026-09-23)
- VisitScotland, 10 Amazing Free Things to Do in Edinburgh — www.visitscotland.com/things-to-do/attractions/free/edinburgh (checked 2026-09-23)
- VisitScotland, St Andrews — www.visitscotland.com/destinations-maps/st-andrews/ (checked 2026-09-23)
- OpenStreetMap foot routing -- Edinburgh Castle to the Palace of Holyroodhouse (via the Royal Mile) — routing.openstreetmap.de/routed-foot/route/v1/foot/-3.2009,55.9486;-3.1727,55.9526?overview=false (checked 2026-09-23)
- Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Plan your visit — www.rbge.org.uk/visit/royal-botanic-garden-edinburgh/ (checked 2026-09-23)
- City of Edinburgh Council, Scott Monument — www.edinburgh.gov.uk/directory-record/1086071/scott-monument (checked 2026-09-23)
- VisitScotland, 12 Fascinating Things to Do in Edinburgh — www.visitscotland.com/places-to-go/edinburgh/things-to-do (checked 2026-09-23)
- Historic Environment Scotland, Stirling Castle: Plan your visit — www.historicenvironment.scot/visit/all/stirling-castle/plan-your-visit/ (checked 2026-09-23)