Edinburgh Airport (EDI) is the 6th busiest airport in the United Kingdom with most flights coming from London. Via airplane is the most popular form of travel to get to Edinburgh from outside of Scotland.

If you are traveling within Scotland or northern England, the train via National Rail would be a good option. You can also check out the bus options when traveling from within Britain: National Express, Megabus, Citylink .

The bus takes 30 minutes and a one-way costs €5, the tram costs €6.60 and takes 35 minutes to reach the city center. This is a good and cost efficient way to get into the city, however if you have a lot of luggage you likely want to opt for a taxi or if you are planning on traveling a lot within the city, as well as further away sites and activities, it may be most convenient to hire a car for your trip.

Get the full Scottish experience in and around this cuture-rich and medieval city. Sip whisky, find the Loch Ness Monster, explore the Highlands, take a tour of the Royal Mile and more.

This is the top attraction of Edinburgh and can be seen sitting on top of the hill from just about any point in the city. Visit one of the oldest fortified castles in Europe and walk in the steps of past Kings and Queens.

We spent about 2 hours wandering Edinburgh Castle and visiting all of the different areas. Albeit, a good portion of that time was listening to some live music and soaking in the views.

Tickets often sell out pretty far in advance, so you’ll want to book ahead of time here.

Climbing to the summit of Arthur’s Seat is a rite of passage for adventurers visiting Edinburgh. It takes around two hours to hike up and down this 2,000 year old hill fort. And it clocks in at about 1.2 miles.

Don’t worry though, the spectacular views from the top are completely worth the climb.

This is an exciting tour that takes you into the depths of Mary King’s Close while telling the ghost stories of centuries past. You’ll explore the underground past lives of the Close’s residents living below the Royal Mile.

We ended up booking this tour in person since we wanted to save it as an activity we could do in Edinburgh if it got to rainy. But you can also book it ahead of time here if you are tight on time. Tours last an hour and are usually available 10am – 5pm. Though I believe they’re open longer in the warmer months.

No photos are allowed on this tour, but there is no forgetting your experience there!

Also known as Victoria street, it is easy to get to off the Royal Mile and is well-know for being the inspiration for J.K. Rowling’s Diagon Alley in her Harry Potter book series.

The Elephant House Cafe on the street is also where a large portion of the book series was written.

Not to overwhelm you with ghostly options, I still want to add the Greyfriars Kirk to the list of places to see in Edinburgh. You’ll inevitably hear a story about Bobby the dog who guarded his owner’s grave for 14 years. Or about the world’s worst poet. Or another point of inspiration for much of the Harry Potter world and characters.

This is the best place to wander around and learn about these surprising bits of Edinburgh’s history.

When you look for a place to stay in Edinburgh, you are going to want to stay as close to the the Royal Mile in Old Town as possible. This is the best neighborhood by far to stay in, as you are in the heart of the medieval city’s history.

And if you’re traveling by bus from the airport, being walking distance from the Mound Stop is really convenient. We loved our stay on Lawn Market St, but also think these hotel and hostels are very well-located too:

Edinburgh has cold and humid winters and mild summers. The annual average temperature is 48°F (9°C) and it rains throughout the year.

The busiest, and most temperature-friendly months are during Summer. However, if you don’t mind bundling up and carrying an umbrella don’t be deterred from visiting the rest of the year. Wandering Edinburgh without the throngs of people that come for the Summer festivals and weather, really gives you a great feel for the true essence of the city.

This wouldn’t be a very good Edinburgh travel guide if we didn’t give you an idea of how to best get around and explore the city. Firstly, Edinburgh can be done almost completely on foot (outside of getting to/from the airport) if you plan to stay near the Royal Mile in the historic old town area.

Though, if you would like to explore more of Scotland and are using Edinburgh as your base camp, your best bet is to sign up for a tour that includes transportation. That is because most other stops will be hours away and possibly in poor weather.

Scotland has the same entry requirements as the rest of the UK. American, Canadian, Australian and EU citizens do not need a visa for a visit less than 6 months long. They will just need to present a valid passport. To check if you need a Visa to travel to Scotland, checkout iVisa.