The Castle and the Royal Mile. Things to do, costs, the best time to visit and nearby day trips, with approximate prices and open data sources.
Edinburgh Castle is a historic castle in Edinburgh, Scotland. It stands on Castle Rock, which has been occupied by humans since at least the Iron Age. There has been a royal castle on the rock since the reign of Malcolm III in the 11th century, and the castle continued to be a royal residence until…
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The Royal Mile is a series of streets forming the main thoroughfare of the Old Town of Edinburgh, Scotland. The term originated in the early 20th century and has since entered popular usage. The Royal Mile runs between Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Palace, two significant locations in the royal…
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The Palace of Holyroodhouse, also known as Holyrood Palace, is the official residence of the monarch of the United Kingdom in Scotland. Located at the bottom of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, at the opposite end to Edinburgh Castle, Holyrood has served as the principal royal residence in Scotland…
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Arthur's Seat is an ancient extinct volcano. It is the main peak of a group of hills in Edinburgh, Scotland, which form most of Holyrood Park. Robert Louis Stevenson described it as "a hill for magnitude, a mountain in virtue of its bold design". It is situated just to the east of the city centre…
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Calton Hill is a hill in central Edinburgh, Scotland, situated beyond the east end of Princes Street and included in the city's UNESCO World Heritage Site. Views of, and from, the hill are often used in photographs and paintings of the city. Calton Hill is the headquarters of the Scottish…
Wikipedia ↗Approximate prices per person, in euros. We estimate them from World Bank price levels and our own research; use them for planning and always double-check before booking.
| Hostel bed | €47 |
|---|---|
| Private room, shared bathroom | €75 |
| Private room with bathroom | €100 |
| Standard hotel | €150 |
| Budget | Standard | |
|---|---|---|
| Food | €30 | €60 |
| Local transport | €5 | €8 |
| If you cook yourself | €16 | |
| Total per day | €135 | €218 |
| Edinburgh Castle | €28 |
|---|---|
| Palace of Holyroodhouse | €26 |
| The Real Mary King's Close | €33 |
💶 3 days in Edinburgh: ≈ €492 on a budget or ≈ €741 at a standard level, entrance fees included and flights excluded. Work out your whole trip →
🚌 Walkable centre. Lothian Buses / tram: €2.20 per ride or a Day Ticket ~€6.
The most pleasant months are July, August. Monthly averages 2016–2025 (Open-Meteo, ERA5 reanalysis).
Seaside university town, the home of golf and cathedral ruins
🚆 ≈ 1 h 20 by train + bus · ≈ €25–€35 returnOn a budget, about €135 per person per day (private room with bathroom, food and local transport); at a standard level, about €218. For 3 days, including the main entrance fees, budget ≈ €492 to €741, not counting flights.
Based on average weather over the last 10 years, the most pleasant months are July, August.
We recommend 3 days to see the essentials without rushing, plus one more if you want to add St Andrews.
The must-sees: Edinburgh Castle and the Honours of Scotland; The Royal Mile and The Real Mary King's Close; Palace of Holyroodhouse; Climb Arthur's Seat at sunset; Calton Hill and the New Town.
Leith / Haymarket (on the tram line). A private room with bathroom costs around €100 per night and a hostel bed €47.
Tell us how you like to travel and MiTour builds the route, the budget and an animated map with Edinburgh locked in as a must-visit stop.
🚀 Plan my tourPhotos: Wikimedia Commons (each photo with its licence and author on Commons). Place descriptions: Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA. Prices are approximate; we are not a travel agency.
