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The Old Town skyline with the towers of New College, seen from Princes Street GardensLudovic Delot · CC BY-SA 4.0

Itinerary · 2 nights

Two nights in Edinburgh, candles by the castle, a volcano and the port at lunchtime.

Arrival and a candlelit dinner at the castle gates, a Saturday of palace, volcano and whisky, and a Sunday by the river before the flight, sleeping in a Gothic suite.

Leaves from Edinburgh · 0 min

Part of EdinburghHarry Potter filming locations

The planMap1. When to go2. How you travel3. Where to stay4. Where to eatQuestions
Duration2 nights
Getting aroundOn foot and by tram
Best timeMay – June · September – October
Book aheadSuite, dinner, Holyroodhouse
BudgetFrom 650 € pp, without flights

The plan

The plan, hour by hour

Designed to arrive on a Friday afternoon and fly out on Sunday afternoon, without a car. Both nights are in a suite at The Witchery, on the castle esplanade, or, if you prefer quiet and gardens, at Prestonfield House, at the foot of Arthur's Seat. Saturday is split between the volcano, the palace, the port and a tasting; Sunday, the river and a hill before the airport.

Friday

  1. 118:00Arrival on Castlehill

    Tram from the airport to the centre and a short taxi with the luggage to the castle esplanade. Leave your bags in the suite.

  2. 220:00Dinner at The Witchery

    Downstairs, among wood panelling, candles and tapestries. Without leaving the building.

Saturday

  1. 108:00Arthur's Seat early

    The whole Royal Mile downhill, empty at this hour, and the climb from the palace with few people around and the low light over the estuary.

  2. 211:00Holyroodhouse

    Mary Queen of Scots' chambers and the abbey ruins, at the foot of the hill you've just come down.

  3. 313:30Tram to Leith, the Britannia and seafood on The Shore

    The royal yacht at Ocean Terminal and a late lunch at Fishers, in a 17th-century watchtower on the quay.

  4. 418:00Tasting at the Scotch Whisky Experience

    Back on Castlehill, the Gold Tour: four malts from different regions to compare and the bottle collection room, with an audio guide in Spanish. Two minutes from the suite.

Sunday

  1. 110:00Dean Village and the river

    Breakfast in the suite, a walk down to the old mill village and a stroll along the Water of Leith to Stockbridge, with the Sunday market.

  2. 214:00Calton Hill and farewell

    The last view of the castle from the hill of monuments, and the tram to the airport from St Andrew Square, at its foot.

For two, Edinburgh has something few cities offer in a weekend: a Gothic-novel atmosphere at the hotel door and, twenty minutes away, a volcano with the sea at its feet. This plan doesn't try to see everything. It picks a base with character, two dinners to remember and a day split between the high and low parts of the city: the hill, the palace, the port and a whisky tasting. What you need to book well ahead is the suite and Friday's table.

What does it cost?

WhatHow muchNote
Suite at The WitcheryDepends on dateTwo adults only; champagne when booking on their website
Dinner at The WitcheryHigh price levelBook; from age 10
Holyroodhouse£22 in advanceIn winter, Thursday to Monday
Royal Yacht Britannia£23 onlineAbout two hours on board
Scotch Whisky Experience, Gold Tour£39.7575 minutes, tasting of four whiskies, over-18s only
Arthur's Seat, Dean Village, Calton HillFreeNo booking

Where to stay?

There are nine suites at The Witchery, all for two, above the restaurant and on the castle esplanade itself: four-poster beds, dark wood, and breakfast they can bring up to you in a hamper. Booking on their website, there's a bottle of champagne every night. If you like Harry Potter, ask for The Heriot, with views of the school associated with Hogwarts. They have no parking or extra beds.

If you prefer quiet, Prestonfield House is a 1687 mansion with 23 rooms in gardens at the foot of Arthur's Seat, ten minutes by taxi from the Royal Mile. It's the option if you're coming by car: parking is free.

Where to eat?

On Friday, The Witchery, without leaving the building. On Saturday, Fishers in Leith, with Shetland mussels or the smoked fish platter. On Sunday, the stalls at Stockbridge market, or a roll from Oink on Victoria Street if you're leaving early.

Map

The stops, in order

What to do Eat 88 €Stay Services

Plan the trip

Edinburgh, step by step

Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.

  1. 11. When to go
  2. 22. How you travel
  3. 33. Where to stay
  4. 44. Where to eat

When to go

When to go to Edinburgh

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Best timeGood timeLow season

How you travel

The same break, your way

The plan stays the same. What changes is where you sleep, how you get there and how much you spend.

Direct flight to Edinburgh and the tram to the centre

Edinburgh has direct flights from many Spanish airports. All year round they leave from Madrid, Barcelona, Málaga, Alicante, Seville and Santander, and from Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, with Ryanair, easyJet, Jet2 and Vueling depending on the route. In season Valencia, Palma, Ibiza, Menorca, Reus, Girona and Bilbao are added, as well as Iberia Express from Madrid and British Airways from San Sebastián. From Madrid the flight takes about three hours. The airport is about 20 minutes by car from the centre, but you don't need one: the tram and the Airlink bus drop you near Princes Street in half an hour.

  • ArrivingEdinburgh Airport (EDI), west of…
  • Getting aroundOn foot between the Old…
  • SleepingMotel One Edinburgh-Royal, next to…
  • ServicesFrom the airport to the…

Arriving

  • Edinburgh Airport (EDI), west of the city, about 20 minutes from the centre by car
  • Tram from the terminal door: about 30 minutes to St Andrew Square, £7.90 single
  • Airlink 100, 24 hours a day, about 30 minutes to Waverley Bridge, £6 single
  • Capital Cars taxis at the official rank, a step from arrivals

Getting around

  • On foot between the Old Town and the New Town: from Waverley to the castle there's a short climb
  • Buses and trams with contactless, capped at £5.70 a day
  • Tram to Leith for Britannia and the seafood on The Shore
  • Hire car from the airport's car rental centre, only if you're heading to the Highlands on your own

Sleeping

  • Motel One Edinburgh-Royal, next to Waverley, for the first night
  • Premier Inn Princes Street, near the Princes Street tram stop
  • The Witchery, for a couple's arrival next to the castle

Services

  • From the airport to the centre by tram
  • Airlink 100
  • Buses and trams with contactless
  • Waverley station

How much does it cost?

People2
Nights2

Approximate, for 2 people and 2 nights: staying, eating and getting around there for each way of travelling. Getting there is not included.

Where to stay

Where to stay if you're flying

We show you what suits the way you travel.Change how you travel

The front of the Motel One Edinburgh-Royal lit up at dusk© Motel OneHotel

Motel One Edinburgh-Royal

Next to Waverley · two streets from the Royal Mile · whisky bar · family room

Dogs welcome

Why we like it: Affordable design hotel on Market Street, next to Waverley and two streets from the Royal Mile. Compact rooms, a bar and a buffet breakfast.

View details
The hostel's main lounge, with high ceilings and yellow walls, seen from the mezzanine© Castle Rock HostelHostel

Castle Rock Hostel

Below the castle · over-18s only · shared kitchen · 24 h reception

Why we like it: Over-18s hostel on Johnston Terrace, below the castle rock, with dorms and private rooms, a large kitchen and 24-hour reception.

View details
The Turret suite, with a red four-poster bed, tapestries on the walls and lamps lit© The Witchery by the CastleSmall hotel

The Witchery by the Castle, suites

Nine suites for two · next to the castle · four-poster beds · breakfast in the suite

Why we like it: Nine gothic suites for two above The Witchery restaurant, on Castlehill, next to the castle. Four-poster beds and champagne if you book direct.

View details
A bed with a carved green headboard under a chinoiserie tapestry, with fabric lamps lit© Prestonfield HouseHotel

Prestonfield House

Five stars · 17th-century mansion · grounds below Arthur's Seat · free parking

Dogs welcome

Why we like it: A 1687 mansion turned five-star hotel, with 23 rooms and suites in eight hectares of grounds below Arthur's Seat. Dogs and children welcome.

View details

Services for this trip

From Edinburgh Airport to the city centre by tramThe tram leaves from beside the terminal and reaches the centre in about 30 minutes, stopping at Haymarket, Princes Street and St Andrew Square. Single ticket £7.90.
Airlink 100, the airport express busLothian bus linking the airport with the centre 24 hours a day, every 10 minutes during the day, in about 30 minutes. Single £6, return £8.50.
Buses and trams with contactless (TapTapCap)On Lothian buses and the tram you pay with your card or phone and the system applies the cap: £5.70 a day and £26.50 a week in the city.
Edinburgh Waverley stationEdinburgh's main station, between the Old Town and Princes Street, with left luggage, lifts to every platform, taxis and the Airlink at the door.

Where to eat

Where to eat in Edinburgh

A table with candelabras by the arched window of one of The Witchery's dining rooms© The Witchery by the CastleCandlelit dinner next to the castle

The Witchery by the Castle

Restaurant · Edinburgh · Castlehill, Royal Mile · €€€€

What to order: the Scottish beef tartare or the Glenfeshie venison; at midday, the two or three-course lunch menu

Every day 12:00 to 22:30 (last booking) · over-10s only · groups of up to 6
The cream façade of Mary's Milk Bar, with number 19 above the door, in the Grassmarket© Mary's Milk BarGelato of the day below the castle

Mary's Milk Bar

Café · Edinburgh · Grassmarket · €€€€

What to order: a scoop of the flavour of the day; if it's cold, the hot chocolate float, hot chocolate with ice cream on top

Wednesday to Saturday 11:00 to 19:30 · Sunday from 11:00 · closed Mondays and Tuesdays · takeaway
Fishers' white and blue corner with The Shore sign and a hanging basket© Fishers RestaurantsSeafood on the Leith quayside since 1991

Fishers in Leith

Restaurant · Leith, Edinburgh · The Shore · €€€€

What to order: Shetland mussels in white wine, the house fish soup or, to share, the smoked platter

Kitchen Monday to Saturday 12:00 to 21:30 and Sunday 12:30 to 21:30 · lunch menu Monday to Friday
The stone front of The Abbotsford lit up at night, with its red door on Rose Street© The Abbotsford Bar & RestaurantEdwardian pub with haggis and pie

The Abbotsford

Bar · Edinburgh · Rose Street, New Town · €€€€

What to order: haggis with neeps and tatties, the steak and stout pie or haddock and chips; a pint of the guest ale

Bar 11:00 to 23:00 (Friday and Saturday until midnight) · kitchen 12:00 to 21:30 (Friday and Saturday until 21:45)
The façade of The Elephant House on George IV Bridge© The Elephant HouseRowling's café, reopened

The Elephant House

Café · Edinburgh · George IV Bridge, Old Town · €€€€

What to order: a tea or a coffee in the back room, the one with the window onto the castle; at the second premises on Victoria Street, their Butterscotch Beer with cream

Every day from 9:00 to 18:00 · no booking

Takeaway and markets

Oink Victoria Street, Edinburgh · Victoria StreetEvery day 11:00 to 17:00 or until sold out · takeaway

Tips

Worth knowing first

Local tip

Between November and March, Holyroodhouse opens Thursday to Monday with last entry at 15:15: with this plan it fits on Saturday without a problem, but check if you change the days.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

What to do in Edinburgh as a couple?

Climb Arthur's Seat early, see Holyroodhouse, take the tram to Leith for the Britannia and seafood, do a whisky tasting and have dinner at The Witchery.

Where to stay as a couple in Edinburgh?

In a suite at The Witchery, by the castle, or at Prestonfield House, a mansion with gardens at the foot of Arthur's Seat.

Are two nights enough?

For this plan, yes. With a third night you can fit in the inside of the castle or the Loch Ness trip.

How much does it cost?

From about 650 € per person with two nights in the suite, two dinners, tickets and transport, without flights. The suite is the biggest cost.


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