Thinking of heading to Edinburgh for a long weekend? Here’s the 3-day itinerary I used for my trip last November.
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Day 1 – Edinburgh Zoo
Who doesn’t love a day at the zoo? We started our Edinburgh trip with Edinburgh Zoo, seeing all sorts of different animals from giraffes to penguins.
The zoo is a must-visit for me as it is home to Pandas Yang Guang and Tian Tian, whose names mean Sunshine and Sweetie in Mandarin. However, you will need to be prepared to check back on them throughout the day, as they are often hidden away sleeping.
(Update: As of 2023, the pandas have been returned to China.)
The penguins were another highlight of our visit. Several species live together in a shared enclosure, and a fantastic zookeeper was on hand to answer all our questions.
I recommend spending the whole day at the zoo as there is a lot of walking involved, and the grounds are surprisingly steep in places.
Tip: You can find directions and public transport options easily using Google Maps. We caught a bus from the city centre, and it only took around 15 minutes.
Day 2 – Princes Street, Victoria Street and Carlton Hill
Our second day was spent exploring around Edinburgh city centre. There are different bus tours readily available, but we choose to walk everywhere as it is a surprisingly small area with plenty of shops to pop into.
We started on the main high street, Princes Street. Princes Street is home to Scott’s Monument and the famous Christmas markets in the winter.
Next up was Victoria Street, which you’ve definitely seen on Instagram with its colourful row of buildings. Aside from the photo ops, there are some lovely independent shops and a fantastic lunch spot, Oink!
After this, we headed up Carlton Hill. With how hilly the whole of Edinburgh is, this really wasn’t much of a trek, but still offers some amazing views from the top. We arrived just in time for sunset and managed to capture some great photos.
Day 3 – Edinburgh Castle and Dean Village
You can’t go to Edinburgh without seeing the castle! No really, you can see it on top of the hill from pretty much anywhere! So we had to venture up to it on the 3rd day.
There is a slightly pricey entry fee (of £18 when we visited) and audio tours were an additional cost, but if you want to learn about the history and enjoy some great views from the top, it can definitely be worth it.
Tip: You can check prices and buy tickets via the official Edinburgh Castle website.
Afterwards, we visited the picturesque Dean Village, which was perfect for seeing a different side of Edinburgh. It is about a 20-minute walk from Princes Street, and you can continue along the water of Leith to finish up your trip.
Finally Thoughts
Edinburgh is a lovely short trip location, but be prepared for lots of walking!
Three days felt like the perfect amount of time for us, as it’s a relatively small and walkable city. That said, if you have an extra day or two, you’ll have no trouble filling it.
Ice skating in the winter or the camera obscura attraction are fun additions to this list. Alternatively, check out these popular tours below that would make a great addition to any itinerary too.
