Season guide · Edinburgh · United Kingdom
Edinburgh in summer
June–August: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Carlos Delgado, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Long, mild days with up to 17 hours of light and August's festivals; the busiest and most expensive season. Expect highs up to 19°C (66°F) and lows around 9°C (48°F), with about 29 rainy days across June–August. June is among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- June–August
- Temperatures
- 9°C (48°F) to 19°C (66°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 29
- Sea
- 12°C (54°F) to 14°C (57°F)
- Crowds
- Busy
- Hotel prices
- High
Weather in summer
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June | 18°C (64°F) | 9°C (48°F) | 9 | 17.6 h | 4/5 |
| July | 19°C (66°F) | 11°C (52°F) | 10 | 17 h | 4/5 |
| August | 19°C (66°F) | 11°C (52°F) | 10 | 15.1 h | 5/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 19°C (66°F) against a yearly 13°C (55°F), and 29 of the year's roughly 125 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 4/5 and hotel prices 4/5 on average.
What's on in summer
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- June: Royal Highland Show — Scotland's agricultural show at Ingliston (usually June)
- July: Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival (usually July)
- August: Edinburgh Festival Fringe (usually most of August)
- August: Edinburgh International Festival (usually August)
- August: Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo on the Castle Esplanade (usually August)
- August: Edinburgh International Book Festival (usually August)
Good choices for summer
Museum · Old Town
National Museum of Scotland
Start children in the hands-on science and technology galleries, then go up to the roof terrace for the castle view.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Rainy day
- History
Gallery · New Town
Scottish National Gallery
On the Mound between the Old and New Towns, this free gallery holds Scottish and European art from Raphael, Titian and Velázquez to Raeburn's skating minister and works by Ramsay and Wilkie.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Art
- Rainy day
Museum · Leith
Royal Yacht Britannia
Take the tram to Ocean Terminal and combine the visit with lunch on the Shore.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Museum · Old Town
Camera Obscura and World of Illusions
Beside the castle at the top of the Royal Mile, the Camera Obscura has projected live images of the city onto a viewing table since 1853, and five floors of optical illusions, mirror mazes and a spinning vortex tunnel sit below its rooftop terrace.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Views
Museum · Holyrood
Dynamic Earth
Pair it with a walk in Holyrood Park next door to see real volcanic rock on Salisbury Crags.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
Day trips in summer
- Glasgow (About 50 minutes by train) — Scotland's largest city has free museums such as Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum and the Riverside Museum, grand Victorian architecture, a strong live-music scene and some of the country's best shopping along Buchanan Street.
- 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.
What to pack
- Layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is summer a good time to visit Edinburgh?
Yes: June is among the best months. Long, mild days with up to 17 hours of light and August's festivals; the busiest and most expensive season.
+What is the weather like in Edinburgh in summer?
Highs of up to 19°C (66°F) and lows around 9°C (48°F), with about 29 rainy days over the season.