Season guide · Edinburgh · United Kingdom
Edinburgh in autumn
September–November: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Kim Traynor, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Quieter after the festivals, with autumn colour in the parks and atmospheric misty days; increasingly wet by November. Expect highs up to 17°C (63°F) and lows around 4°C (39°F), with about 34 rainy days across September–November. September is among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- September–November
- Temperatures
- 4°C (39°F) to 17°C (63°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 34
- Sea
- 10°C (50°F) to 14°C (57°F)
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in autumn
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September | 17°C (63°F) | 9°C (48°F) | 10 | 12.6 h | 3/5 |
| October | 13°C (55°F) | 7°C (45°F) | 12 | 10.3 h | 3/5 |
| November | 10°C (50°F) | 4°C (39°F) | 12 | 8.1 h | 2/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 13°C (55°F) against a yearly 13°C (55°F), and 34 of the year's roughly 125 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 3/5 and hotel prices 3/5 on average.
What's on in autumn
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- September: Doors Open Days — free access to normally closed buildings (usually September)
- October: Scottish International Storytelling Festival (usually October)
- October: Samhuinn fire festival and Halloween ghost tours (31 October)
- November: Edinburgh's Christmas markets open (usually mid-to-late November)
- November: St Andrew's Day — Scotland's national day (30 November)
Good choices for autumn
Museum · Leith
Royal Yacht Britannia
The royal family's floating residence for 44 years is moored at Ocean Terminal in Leith.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Museum · Old Town
Camera Obscura and World of Illusions
Time the camera obscura show for a bright day, when the projected image is sharpest.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Views
Museum · Holyrood
Dynamic Earth
Beneath a white tented roof beside the Scottish Parliament, Dynamic Earth takes visitors through the planet's story from the Big Bang to the polar ice caps, with a simulated earthquake, a tropical rainforest room and a 360-degree dome cinema.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
Historic site · Old Town
The Real Mary King's Close
Check the minimum age before booking with young children; some find the dark rooms frightening.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
Gallery · Dean Village
Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art
Two neoclassical buildings facing each other across Belford Road hold Scotland's national collection of modern and contemporary art, from Dalí and Magritte to the Scottish Colourists, with Charles Jencks's grassy landform sculpture on the front lawn.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Art
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
- Outdoors
Day trips in autumn
- Rosslyn Chapel (About 45 minutes by bus) — This 15th-century chapel in Roslin village is covered in extraordinarily dense stone carving, including the Apprentice Pillar and scores of 'green men', and drew worldwide attention after appearing in The Da Vinci Code.
- South Queensferry and the Forth Bridges (About 15 minutes by train) — Three bridges from three centuries span the Firth of Forth at South Queensferry, including the red cantilever Forth Bridge of 1890, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
What to pack
- Layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings
- A compact umbrella and waterproof shoes — rain is frequent
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is autumn a good time to visit Edinburgh?
Yes: September is among the best months. Quieter after the festivals, with autumn colour in the parks and atmospheric misty days; increasingly wet by November.
+What is the weather like in Edinburgh in autumn?
Highs of up to 17°C (63°F) and lows around 4°C (39°F), with about 34 rainy days over the season.