NorahEdinburgh is easily one of my very favorite cities in the whole world. When you picture Harry Potter, you probably are also picturing Edinburgh. This stunning city feels like a set of a spooky movie, and has enough culture, adventure, and unique experiences to last a lifetime. I absolutely love Edinburgh, and in this guide I will be sharing my top recommendations for one full day in this special city. I also love traveling cheaply, so this guide will be a full breakdown of the great city of Edinburgh for the budget traveler.
When is the best time of year to visit Edinburgh?
Edinburgh can be a year round destination; it just depends on your activity interests and your tolerance for cold weather. The summer has the most consistently sunny weather, and the sun does not set until late in the evening. The fall has dreary weather and colder temperatures, but the changing leaves and moody atmosphere make the whole city feel like a dark academia novel. Winter has a wonderful atmosphere about it and there are lovely holiday markets. Spring perhaps is the one season I would not recommend traveling to Edinburgh, but there are still delightful and magical adventures to have in the city.
Where should I stay in Edinburgh as a Budget Traveler?
Most of the tourists traveling to Edinburgh stay along the Royal Mile-a historical district that has a variety of different shops, restaurants, and museums. If it is your first visit to the city, I would recommend staying along the Royal Mile. There are a variety of different lodging options for all different types of travelers, and staying along the Royal Mile will ensure that you have ample opportunity to make the most of your time in this amazing city.
If you are on a budget, I highly recommend staying at a hostel. There are so many hostels located along the Royal Mile, and they all offer excellent locations at a very reasonable price. We stayed at CoDe Pod, and cannot recommend it enough. It is located in an old prison, the rooms were clean, and it offered so many fun activities and resources for travelers.
What should I pack for my trip to Edinburgh?
Regardless of the season, you should definitely pack layers. I went to Edinburgh in the middle of the summer, and it was still chilly at night. I would also recommend packing rain gear-it rains quite a bit in Edinburgh. My final packing recommendation would be sturdy, strong walking shoes. There are multiple large hills in Edinburgh, and having sturdy shoes will make the whole trip more enjoyable.
If you need guidance on navigating from the airport to the city center, I have a full guide walking you through every step of the process!
Full Day Itinerary for the Budget Traveler
Morning
You will begin your one glorious day in Edinburgh by hiking up Arthur’s Seat. This massive mountain is in the middle of the city and is an easy walk from the Royal Mile area. The hike is quite steep, but the views are spectacular. The best part? The whole park is free, so you can experience one of the classic Edinburgh activities without paying a dime. This is an ideal activity for the budget traveler visiting Edinburgh.
After the hike, stop at one of the bakeries along the Royal Mile and have a delightful Scottish pastry. Scottish food is very meat heavy, so a sausage or beef pastry will probably be calling your name (I had a vegan sausage pastry, and it was delicious!). Bakeries in Europe are really just better, and Scotland is no exception. Plus, the bakery items are reasonably priced and quite filling.
Next up, you will be going on a tour! Edinburgh is truly historical city, and the Royal Mile has so many unique tours. There are food tours, drinking tours, historical tours, architecture tours, and the list goes on and on! Most of the tours are free, but operate on a tip system. There is not a fee to go on the tours, and at the end you can tip however much you want. This makes it ideal for Edinburgh budget travelers who want to ensure their money is going towards a good cause.
There are two Edinburgh tours I really recommend. There are dozens of variations of the basic city tour, but I absolutely recommend doing one of those. This can be a wonderful way to gather your bearings and learn about the general layout of the city. Popular spots on these tours include the National Museum of Scotland (free!), Victoria Street, Elephant House (where Harry Potter was written,and Greyfriar’s Bobby. All are spectacular, super interesting, and incredibly historical.
I also recommend taking a passion specific tour. If you like drinking, go on a pub tour! If you like history, take an in depth historical tour. I am a massive Harry Potter fan, so the Harry Potter tour was the perfect spot for me. I could have spent hours and hours going around to all the unique Harry Potter spots in the city, but the hour-long tour I did complete was just magical. Epic spots on the tour include where J.K. Rowling wrote most of the Harry Potter books, unique spots around the city that inspired the architecture in the movie, the cemetery where Tom Riddle lies, and the boarding school that inspired Rowling to create Hogwarts. If you are a Harry Potter fan, this tour is absolutely incredible.
Afternoon
At this point, you will have walked quite a bit. I recommend spending the remainder of the day strolling around the shops on the Royal Mile. I would particularly recommend the Victoria Street area-said to be the inspiration for Diagon Alley and an absolutely stunning corner of the city.
You can also buy tickets to visit the Edinburgh Castle or walk to Calton Hill. Both are stunning and so worth a stop! If you are trying to do Edinburgh as a budget traveler, you can still see a good portion of the castle from various viewpoints around the city.
Evening
For dinner, you must try haggis! This is a traditional Scottish food that consists of sheep heart, onions, and oatmeal. I am vegetarian, and there were so many plentiful vegetarian haggis options in the city. The dish is typically served with potatoes and turnips, bringing the whole dish to haggis, neeps, and tatties. It is delicious! If you are specifically looking for vegetarian haggis, I recommend Makars Mash and Pipers Rest.
After dinner, get comfortable at one of the pubs near your hostel. Be sure to try Scottish whisky and enjoy the incredible atmosphere. If you are lucky, there will be a rugby game on as well!
If you are interested in exploring more of Scotland, I also have a full guide to the Scottish Highlands!
At this point, your one beautiful day in Edinburgh has come to a close (depending on how long you spend at the pub!). Here are some additional tips if you are looking to save money:
- Don’t drink. This tip might be a bit unpopular, but if you are looking for ways to cut out excessive spending, limiting the amount you drink is always a good idea. Scotland is famous for its drinks, so definitely experience that! Just maybe don’t have five.
- Enjoy the free activities. Edinburgh is a cool city in the fact that it does not require you to spend a ton of money to see the unique spots. I recommend really enjoying walks around the park, and getting lost in all the small nooks of the city.
- Take the bus. Most of the spots in this itinerary are within walking distance of each other, but if you are interested in exploring the farther reaches of the city, definitely take the bus over an Uber or Bolt. The bus is easy to use, and there are apps like Google Maps that walk you through exactly what you need to know in order to navigate to the correct spot.
Edinburgh is truly one of my favorite cities in the whole world, and I hope this guide will be helpful for visiting Edinburgh as a budget traveler!
