How many days in Edinburgh?

One day covers the essentials that lie close together.

Edinburgh Central Mosque · St Mary's Metropolitan Cathedral (RC) · Calton Hill · The Scottish Parliament · Holyrood Abbey · Palace of Holyroodhouse

A second day lets you go beyond the very centre.

National Museum of Scotland · St Giles' Cathedral · Edinburgh Castle · Mons Meg · National Gallery

Three days are comfortable — enough for museums and places further out.

Lauriston Castle

An account lets you save the plan, change it and tick things off as you go.

We measured walking times to the main sights from different parts of the city. From the area below you reach them in 12 min on average, 18 min at the furthest, and 8 of them are within walking distance.

• St Giles' Cathedral (451 m)
• National Museum of Scotland (545 m)
• Calton Hill (546 m)

For comparison: from the worst-placed area it is 27 min on average to the same places.

Open: Apr 01-Sep 30 09:30-18:00; Oct 01-Dec 23,Dec 27-31,Jan 02-Mar 31 09:30-17:00; Dec 24 09:30-16:00; Jan 01 11:00-17:00; Dec 25-26 off

Scottish Parliament

Holyrood Palace

Open: Nov 01-Mar 29 09:30-16:30; Mar 31-Oct 31 09:30-18:00

Scottish National Gallery

Open: Mo-Su 10:00-17:00; Th 10:00-19:00

Open: Mo-Su 10:00-17:00; Jan 01 12:00-17:00; Dec 25 off; Dec 26 12:00-17:00

Open: Apr-Oct Mo-Fr 10:00-18:00; Apr-Oct Sa 09:00-17:00; Apr-Oct,Nov-Mar Su 13:00-17:00; Nov-Mar Mo-Sa 09:00-17:00

Open: Feb-Oct 10:00-17:00; Nov,Jan 10:00-16:00; Dec 10:00-15:30

Open: Mo-Su 10:00-17:00; Th 10:00-19:00

Open: Mo-Su 10:00-21:00

Royal Observatory

St Mary's Cathedral

St Mary's Cathedral

Princes Street Gardens

Open: Jan 01-Mar 24: 07:00-18:00; Mar 25-Apr 21: 07:00-19:00; Apr 22-May 26: 07:00-20:00; May 27-Aug 25: 07:00-22:00; Aug 26-Sep 22: 07:00-20:00; Sep 23-Oct 27: 07:00-19:00; Oct 28-Dec 31: 07:00-18:00

St Margaret's

Open: Mo-Su 10:00-17:00

Open: Mo-Su 08:00-21:30