This guide of Edinburgh in two days It is designed not to miss anything important in one of the cities with more atmosphere in Europe, making the most of a weekend or for your first 2 days.
Although we know that it is difficult to know the capital of Scotland in such a short time, if you take into account that the historic center is not very large and all the points of interest can be reached on foot, we can assure you that by charting the itineraries well, you can know the most important places in the city.
After touring during the first day the most interesting places of the Old Town, such as the Castle, the cathedral, the Royal Mile, Victoria Street and the Palace of Holyrood, on this second day you will know several points of interest of the new part of the city and you will end the day going up to the Arthur's Seat to see the best sunset over Edinburgh.
To make this guide to know the best of Edinburgh in 2 days we have based on the time we spent in the city during our trip to Scotland in 11 days. We start!
Recommended accommodation in Edinburgh
Our recommended accommodation for touring Edinburgh on a weekend or two days, is the Canon Court Apartments, located about 15 minutes walk from Old Town. In addition to their excellent location in a quiet area, these spacious apartments have free parking and one of the best quality / price ratios in the city.
If you do not have a car and want to be closer to the center we recommend the Old Waverley Hotel located next to the Waverley train station and with a good connection to the airport. In addition to its fantastic location on the famous Princes Street, it has one of the best quality / price ratios in the city.
Transfer from the airport to the hotel or to the city center
The best means of transportation to get from the airport to your hotel or to the city center are:
- Bus: The Airlink 100, which operates 24 hours, will take you in half an hour to Princess Street or Waverley Bridge, for about 4 pounds. The 35 and N22 city buses are cheaper and less comfortable, taking more than an hour to reach the center. You can book the Airlink here in advance.
- Trolley car: The tram takes you in about 35 minutes to Princes Street for a price of 5.5 pounds.
- Cab: The taxi costs about 25 pounds and is only a good option if you are staying away from a bus or tram stop.
- Private transport: This is a comfortable and profitable alternative if you are a large group by having vehicles with 8 and 12 seats. You can book it here.
For more information on the transfer you can check this post on how to go from Edinburgh airport to downtown.
Tips for traveling to Edinburgh
This list of practical tips will help you have a good first contact with the city:
- Book this free tour of EdinburghFree! With a guide in Spanish it will allow you to know the history of the city and its most interesting places.
- Buy the Day Ticket if you are going to do 3 or more city bus trips during the day. If you are going to make fewer trips, remember to bring enough coins since they do not return the change.
- Remember that the plugs are of the three-pin type and adapters are needed.
- A good way to save time is to book the tourist bus, which stops at the most important places in the city.
- Most museums in Edinburgh have free admission.
- If you are going to complete your trip to Edinburgh with a route through the country, we recommend following this list of essential tips for traveling to Scotland.
- Check if it is profitable to book the 48-hour Royal Edinburgh card that includes the tourist bus and the entrance to several attractions such as Edinburgh Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
- Remember that in order not to pay commissions and always have the current change we recommend you use the N26 card to pay and the Bnext and Revolut cards to get money at the ATMs. They are the ones we use, They are free and will save you a lot. You can find more information in this article about the best cards to travel without commissions.
For more recommendations you can consult this essential tips for traveling to Edinburgh.
Edinburgh's first day on a weekend
The first day of Edinburgh in two days Start early in the morning with a visit to Edinburgh Castle, one of the most essential places to visit in Scotland. In addition to visiting all the interesting points inside, it is worth approaching its walls to enjoy fantastic views of the entire city.
A good option to learn first-hand the history of the castle is to book this guided tour in Spanish or book tickets in advance to save your queue and make the visit on your own.
Edinburgh Castle
The route of Edinburgh in 2 days Continue on the Royal Mile, the most famous street and another of the places to visit in Edinburgh. This street that begins in the castle is full of historic buildings, churches, pubs, restaurants and closes, which are covered passageways that lead to ancient interior courtyards.
One of the first courtyards you will see is Lady Stair's Close, although there are other interesting ones throughout the Royal Mile such as Tweeddale Court, Bakehouse Close, Dunbar's Close, White Horse Close or Old Fishmarket Close, where the recommended ghost tour begins with a guide in Spanish.
After passing the impressive Gothic-style Highland Tolbooth Kirk church, buying some souvenirs at the Tartan Weaving Mill and Exhibition and seeing the Lady Stair's Close, you will head to Victoria Street, a two-level street with terraces and beautiful houses of colors, which will take you to Grassmarket, a perfect place to take the first pint of the day and enjoy the views from the The Vennel Steps.
Victoria Street
Leaving Grassmarket behind you will arrive at Greyfriars Cemetery, where Bobby's dog's grave is located and for Harry Potter's followers, Lord Voldemort's grave.
Another essential place for the fans of the writer J.K. Rowling, which is also near the cemetery, is the Elephant House, a place where he wrote much of the Harry Potter books. If you are a big follower of this saga we recommend you book this free tour in Spanish that goes through all the places that inspired its author.
The next stop of Edinburgh on a weekend is the Deacon Brodie's Tavern, one of the most recommended restaurants, perfect for trying typical Scottish food, such as its star dish, haggis.
When eating out, you will continue with the Royal Mile tour visiting the beautiful interior of the 12th century St Giles Cathedral and the Mary King's Close alley. To explore this underground alley you need to book the visit in advance on this official page.
At this point of the tour and if you have not yet found the perfect gift, you can deviate from the Royal Mile by Cockburn St, to look for it in the original Miss Katie Cupcake shop.
The walk through the Royal Mile ends in the Palace of Holyrood, where you can visit some royal apartments and the impressive ruins of the abbey being a good option to save time, book the ticket in advance that includes audioguide in Spanish.
Holyrood Abbey
To end the first day of Edinburgh in two days, you can climb to Calton Hill, where you will enjoy one of the best views of the city while the sun sets.
When you go down the hill we recommend you go to dinner at The dome, an original pub located in an old bank, where you can dine a good meat accompanied by a pint.
(Extended information of the first day here)
Map of the first day in Edinburgh on a weekend
What to see in Edinburgh in two days
The second day of what to see in Edinburgh in two days It starts early in the morning with the ascent of the 287 steps of the Scott Monument, which opens at 10 am. This 61 meter high Gothic spire, which has 68 statues representing characters from Walter Scott's novels, offers incredible panoramic views of the city from its top, which will make you start the day in the best way.
Walter Scott Monument
When you get off the monument you will find yourself in front of the Jenners department store, known as the "Harrods"Scots, with a good exterior architecture, to which we recommend a brief visit.
Continuing the route on Princess Street you will reach Princes Street Gardens, located at the foot of Edinburgh Castle. Strolling through these well-kept gardens of the year 1820, in which the Ross fountain stands out, is one of the best things to do in Edinburgh.
Princes Street Gardens
For art lovers, on one side of the gardens, there is the National Gallery of Scotland, free admission. In this beautiful neoclassical building you can see works by El Greco, Van Gogh, Velázquez, Rembrandt or Rubens, among other great masters.
Finished this part of Edinburgh in 2 days, the route continues with a walk of about 15 minutes to Dean Village, another of the most charming places in the city. This village, on the banks of the Water of Leith River, seems taken from a story with its stone houses and bridges, surrounded by greenery. In addition to admiring the landscape you can visit the Dean Cemetery and the beautiful Well Court building, 1880.
An interesting option to know the history of this village and not miss anything is to book this tour with a guide in Spanish.
Dean village
Back in the center of the city you can stop at Georgian House, a building that has been magnificently restored to show what life was like for rich families between the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
When you leave this Georgian house you can look for a good place to eat like Usquabae or Wildfire, two of the most recommended restaurants in this area.
After eating, the route of Edinburgh in two days continue in the afternoon with a walk through the elegant and exclusive streets George Street and Rose Street, until you cross Princess Street a street that delimits New Town, located to the north, with Old Town.
Old Town in Edinburgh
The first visit in the old part of the city will be Gladstone's Land, a 1550 house with 6 floors. About to be demolished, this building was carefully restored preserving much of its decoration and furniture, making it a museum that shows the lives of wealthy families of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries in Edinburgh.
After the visit you can go down George IV Bridge to the National Museum of Scotland, the most important in the city, where during the tour of its rooms, you will discover thousands of objects that will take you throughout history from Scotland. You can also see the sheep "Dolly", the first mammal cloned from an adult cell.
National Museum of Scotland
In the afternoon, when there are still about 2 hours left for the sunset, we recommend you start the road to Arthur's Seat, an ancient volcano located in the Holyrood Park, which is the highest point in Edinburgh and offers one of the best views of the city. Note that for this part of the route by Edinburgh in two days, it is advisable to wear comfortable shoes and water.
Arthur's Seat
After getting off Arthur's Seat you can regain strength by having a good Scottish home-cooked meal at Pibroch or more modern food in Lovage.
To finish the Edinburgh on a weekend nothing better than having a last pint or a scotch in Whistle Binkies, a place with very good atmosphere and live music.
If you have more days, you can follow this Edinburgh guide in 3 days.
Map of the Edinburgh route in 2 days
Do you want to organize a trip to Edinburgh in two days?
Get it here:
The best offers of Flights to Edinburgh here
The best hotels at the best prices in Edinburgh here
Book your transfer Airport⇆Edinburgh here
Book the best tours and excursions in Edinburgh in Spanish here
Edinburgh guide in one day
Rent your car in Scotland at the best price here
Book your travel insurance with a 5% discount here
Get € 35 for your reservation with AirBnb here
The best offers of Flights to Edinburgh here
The best hotels at the best prices in Edinburgh here
Book your transfer Airport⇆Edinburgh here
Book the best tours and excursions in Edinburgh in Spanish here
Edinburgh guide in one day
Rent your car in Scotland at the best price here
Book your travel insurance with a 5% discount here
Get € 35 for your reservation with AirBnb here
