The moment you step off the train into Edinburgh Waverley railway station is the movie-like moment you fall in love with Scotland at first sight.
Edinburgh is small yet mighty in its attractions, allowing a single day of exploration to suffice, though tempting you to spend weeks discovering the city’s rich history beyond the Royal Mile.
Use our Edinburgh City Guide to plan out a memorable day in Edinburgh, rain or shine.
And just a wee note: Edinburgh is pronounced “Ed-in-bur-uh” or “Ed-in-bruh”. If you’re pronouncing Edinburgh like Pittsburgh, then yinz are gonna look like a tourist.
The top 5 things to do in Edinburgh
- Tour Edinburgh Castle: There are British castles, then there’s Edinburgh Castle. It’s one of the most regal in the UK and one of the oldest in all of Europe.
- Climb Arthur’s Seat: If not for the amazing views of the city, then to burn off the deep-fried haggis you got from the chippie.
- Make an appointment at Surgeons’ Hall Museums: An alternative to tame collections in surrounding museums, these exhibits showcase 500 years of medical history from the surgical tools of the 1500s to today’s robotic patient care practices.
- Cross The Cramond Causeway: Hike across the causeway to Cramond Island at low-tide then hussle back to Cramond Beach for a pub dinner in this quieter corner of Edinburgh.
- Visit during The Fringe: The annual Edinburgh Fringe Festival fill’s nearly every day of August with theater, cabaret, music, comedy, and basically any other artform fit for the stage.
How to spend a rainy day in Edinburgh
Edinburgh weather is so welcoming to visitors that the Scottish sky will show off its vast potential in a single afternoon.
The forecast? Your guess is as good as ours. It can skew from sun to showers at a moment’s notice which means you’ll never regret having a pocket umbrella and jacket on-hand even for the shortest of walks down the Royal Mile of Edinburgh.
Here are a few of our favorite places to duck into when the rain arrives.
- The Edinburgh Vaults: You can’t get rained on if you’re underground. Only accessible with a tour guide, the Blair Street Underground Vaults are a spooky set of subterranean caverns built in the 1700s and their alleged haunting may send a shiver down your spine colder than the storm above your head.
- The Scotch Whisky Experience: At the top of the Royal Mile, find the bottom of a dram at the Scotch Whisky Experience. There are many more things to do in Edinburgh than drink but no self-respecting Scot would allow you to leave the city without sampling one of the country’s smoothest Scotch whiskies.
- Camera Obscura and World of Illusions: No, you haven’t had one too many drams; Obscura is a dizzying five-floored attraction full of interactive illusions and exhibits, all leading up to a rooftop terrace with the best panoramic views of Edinburgh.
Another wee remark: Do mind your ‘p’s, ‘q’s and ‘e’s in Scotland. Whiskey with an ‘e’ is from the U.S. and Ireland. Scotland has no ‘e’ in its name and neither does its whisky.
How to get to Edinburgh from London
We can hook you up with both a bus ticket and a train ticket between Edinburgh and London, but let’s compare the pros and cons of each, shall we?
Traveling by bus…
- Cheap: it’s the best way to keep your pounds in your pocket for a Scottish spending spree.
- Long and achy: Edinburgh always rewards those who arrive, though a 9-hour journey is not the kind of delayed gratification we prefer. Plus, a bumpy overnight bus ride might interrupt your Zzzs with a few Fs.
Traveling by train…
- Comfortable & Convenient: Rides can take just over 4 hours in a comfortable seat with scenic views and a final stop right in the heart of Edinburgh.
- More Expensive: Perks will always up the price, but what’s of higher value: more money in your pocket or more time exploring Scotland’s enchanted capital?
The London to Edinburgh train also gives you an extra dose of magic: you’ll board the train at Kings Cross Station, home to Platform 9 ¾, which is a primer for a Potterhead planning to ride the real Hogwarts Express in Scotland.
So Download the Trainline app, purchase a bus or train ticket up to Edinburgh, and explore Scotland’s compact capital city.