Season guide · Edinburgh · United Kingdom
Edinburgh in winter
December–February: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Maccoinnich~commonswiki assumed (based on copyright c, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Short, cold days, Christmas markets and Hogmanay, then Burns Night and the lowest prices of the year. Expect highs up to 8°C (46°F) and lows around 1°C (34°F), with about 34 rainy days across December–February.
Key facts
- Months
- December–February
- Temperatures
- 1°C (34°F) to 8°C (46°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 34
- Sea
- 7°C (45°F) to 9°C (48°F)
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in winter
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7°C (45°F) | 1°C (34°F) | 12 | 7.6 h | 2/5 |
| February | 8°C (46°F) | 1°C (34°F) | 10 | 9.5 h | 2/5 |
| December | 7°C (45°F) | 2°C (36°F) | 12 | 7 h | 4/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 7°C (45°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 winter
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- January: Burns Night suppers — haggis, whisky and poetry (25 January)
- February: Six Nations rugby at Murrayfield (February–March)
- December: Edinburgh's Christmas markets and fair (usually until early January)
- December: Hogmanay — torchlight procession, street party and fireworks over the castle (around 29–31 December)
Good choices for winter
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
Historic site · Old Town
The Real Mary King's Close
Beneath the City Chambers on the Royal Mile lie streets of 17th-century houses that were partly demolished and built over in the 18th century.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
Gallery · Dean Village
Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art
Walk there along the Water of Leith from Dean Village; steps lead up from the riverside path to the gallery grounds.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Art
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
- Outdoors
Religious site · Old Town
St Giles' Cathedral
The High Kirk of Edinburgh, with its crown-shaped spire, was John Knox's church during the Reformation.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
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Palace · Holyrood
Palace of Holyroodhouse
Check dates before you go: the palace closes to visitors during royal visits, usually in early summer.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Day trips in winter
- 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.
- St Andrews (About 1.5 hours by train and bus) — The home of golf has the Old Course, Scotland's oldest university, the ruins of a vast medieval cathedral and a clifftop castle, and the long West Sands beach used in Chariots of Fire.
What to pack
- A warm coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers
- Shoes with good grip for icy pavements
- A compact umbrella and waterproof shoes — rain is frequent
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is winter a good time to visit Edinburgh?
It is a trade-off: Short, cold days, Christmas markets and Hogmanay, then Burns Night and the lowest prices of the year. The best months overall are May–June and September.
+What is the weather like in Edinburgh in winter?
Highs of up to 8°C (46°F) and lows around 1°C (34°F), with about 34 rainy days over the season.