Month guide · Edinburgh · United Kingdom
Edinburgh in August
What August is really like in Edinburgh: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Mtcv, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
August is a shoulder-season month. Expect average highs of 19°C (66°F), lows of 11°C (52°F), about 10 rainy days and roughly 15.1 hours of daylight. Festival month: the population swells, the streets fill with performers and hotel prices reach their annual peak.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 19°C (66°F) / 11°C (52°F)
- Rainy days
- About 10
- Daylight
- About 15.1 hours
- Sea temperature
- 14°C (57°F)
- Crowds
- Very busy
- Hotel prices
- Highest
Weather in August
August is the 2nd-warmest month in Edinburgh: days average 19°C (66°F) against a yearly average high of 13°C (55°F), and nights fall to about 11°C (52°F). Rain falls on roughly 10 of its 31 days. Compared with July (19°C (66°F)), August is about as warm; by September highs drop to around 17°C (63°F).
- Sunrise (15 August)
- About 05:44
- Sunset (15 August)
- About 20:51
- Daylight
- About 15.1 hours
- Sea
- 14°C (57°F)
Summer (June–August). Long, mild days with up to 17 hours of light and August's festivals; the busiest and most expensive season.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, August rates 5 for crowds (the peak is August at 5) and 5 for hotel prices (highest in August). Book accommodation early: August is one of the pricier months.
Events in August
- Edinburgh Festival Fringe (usually most of August)
- Edinburgh International Festival (usually August)
- Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo on the Castle Esplanade (usually August)
- Edinburgh International Book Festival (usually August)
Dates move from year to year. Check the organiser’s site before booking travel around an event.
What to do in August
With frequent rain, plan around indoor sights and keep outdoor time flexible.
Garden · Inverleith
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
Founded in 1670 as a physic garden, the Royal Botanic Garden covers about 70 acres north of Stockbridge, with a celebrated rock garden, a Chinese hillside, an avenue of giant redwoods and a lawn with a view over the skyline to the castle.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Nature
- Outdoors
Historic site · Old Town
Greyfriars Kirkyard
Look for the carved memento mori on the tombs along the walls, and stop at Bobby's statue on Candlemaker Row on the way out.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Off the beaten path
Street · Old Town
Victoria Street and the Grassmarket
Victoria Street curves down from George IV Bridge to the Grassmarket in a row of brightly painted shopfronts with a raised terrace walk above.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Shopping
- Photo spot
- After dark
Island · Cramond
Cramond Island
Check the tide times posted at the causeway and leave the island well before the crossing closes; people are regularly cut off by the rising tide.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Off the beaten path
- Nature
- Active
What to pack
For highs near 19°C, lows near 11°C and 10 wet days: layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings; a packable rain jacket for showers; comfortable walking shoes.
Is August a good time to visit Edinburgh?
A shoulder-season month, with 4 notable events on the calendar. If your dates are flexible, May–June and September are better overall. Compare every month.
Edinburgh in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is August a good time to visit Edinburgh?
It is a shoulder-season month. Festival month: the population swells, the streets fill with performers and hotel prices reach their annual peak.
+How warm is Edinburgh in August?
Average highs are around 19°C (66°F) and lows around 11°C (52°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Edinburgh in August?
Expect rain on about 10 days of the month.