This practical guide to Edinburgh in 3 days It is perfect to prepare a trip to one of the most charming European capitals, which we are sure will not disappoint.
During the first two days you will have walked through all the highlights of the trip and new part of the city, including its two great viewpoints Calton Hill and Arthur's Seat. On this third day, we recommend you take an excursion to one of the most essential places to visit in Scotland such as Loch Ness, the castles of Glamis and Dunnottar or the Lomond and Katrine lakes, among many others.
Based on the experience of our trip to Scotland in 11 days, we have made this guide to know the best of Edinburgh in three days. We start!
Practical advice for traveling to Edinburgh
This list of tips will help you have a good first contact with the city:
- To get from the airport to the center or to your hotel, you have several options: bus, tram or this direct transfer to the hotel.
For more information on the transfer you can check this post on how to go from Edinburgh airport to downtown. - To stay at the Edinburgh in 3 days We recommend Canon Court Apartments, located in a quiet area of the city and the Old Waverley Hotel located near the center, both have one of the best value for money in the city.
- To move around the city you have the urban bus, remembering that you must pay in cash since it does not return change.
- 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 it is necessary to bring adapters for the plugs and look both ways at the crosswalks, as you drive on the left.
- To learn more about the history and curiosities of the city, we recommend you book this free tour of Edinburgh, free!
- If you are a follower of the Harry Potter saga you can book this free tour in Spanish that goes through the places that inspired its author J.K. Rowling
- Keep in mind that most Edinburgh museums have free admission.
- If you are going to do an itinerary through the country we recommend you follow this list of essential tips for traveling to Scotland.
- 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.
First day in Edinburgh
The first day of Edinburgh in 3 days Start early in the morning with a visit to Edinburgh Castle from where you can enjoy fantastic views of the city. To tour this huge castle, full of points of interest and with a great history, you can book this guided tour in Spanish or visit it on your own by booking tickets in advance, which will save you the queues.
When you leave the castle you will go down the Royal Mile, the most famous street in the city, full of historic buildings, churches, taverns and closes, which are small alleys that lead to old interior courtyards. The first courtyard you can enter is Lady Stair's Close, although there are others recommended throughout the Royal Mile such as Bakehouse Close, Tweeddale Court, Dunbar's Close, White Horse Close or Old Fishmarket Close, where the interesting guided ghost tour begins In Spanish, one of the favorites of travelers.
The Royal Mile
During the first section of the Royal Mile you will also pass by Lady Stair's Close, the 74 meter Highland Tolbooth Kirk church and the Scottish gift shop Tartan Weaving Mill and Exhibition, where you can approach to take a souvenir of your trip.
The itinerary continues along the Royal Mile until the intersection with George IV Bridge, which will take you to Victoria Street, another of the essential places to visit in Edinburgh. This two-level street full of pubs, terraces, shops and colorful facades ends in Grassmarket, a square full of atmosphere, where you can take a pint and see the views of the castle from the The Vennel Steps.
The next stop of Edinburgh in three days it is the Greyfriars cemetery, where the tomb of the remembered dog Bobby and that of Lord Voldemort, famous for the Harry Potter books. Nearby is also Elephant House, another special place for J.K. Rowling, being the cafeteria where he wrote much of the books.
Upon leaving the premises, you will head back to the Royal Mile to try the famous haggis in Deacon Brodie's Tavern, one of the most popular taverns in Edinburgh.
In the afternoon the Edinburgh route in 3 days Start by entering the beautiful St Giles Cathedral, dedicated to the Patron Saint of Scotland. A few meters from the cathedral is Mary King's Close, the most famous alley in the city where to enter this labyrinth of underground passageways you have to book the entrance in advance on this page.
St Giles Cathedral
Following the Royal Mile, you will discover different closes in addition to having the possibility of entering some stores, such as the original Miss Katie Cupcake. The street ends at the Palace of Holyrood, where you can visit some rooms of the palace and enjoy the impressive ruins of the abbey. A good option to save time in the queues is to book the ticket in advance which includes audioguide in Spanish.
When sunset approaches, we recommend climbing Calton Hill to enjoy some of the best views and sunsets over the city.
To end the first day of Edinburgh in 3 days nothing better than going to dinner at The dome, a restaurant located in an old bank with a large dome that offers good food.
(Extended information of the first day here)
Map of the first day of Edinburgh in 3 days
Second day in Edinburgh
The second day of Edinburgh in 3 days Start early in the morning with the magnificent views of the city from the top of the Scott Monument where, when you go down, you will find yourself on Princess Street and in front of the Jenners department store building.
This street will take you to the Princess Street Gardens, a very well-kept park, where you can stroll until you find the Ross Fountain and visit the National Gallery of Scotland. Upon leaving the museum you will head to Dean Village, one of the magic corners of the city, located on the banks of the Water of Leith River. Strolling through its ancient streets, crossing its stone bridges, visiting places like Dean's Cemetery and the old Well Court building are, without a doubt, one of the best things to do in Edinburgh.
Dean village
From Dean Village you will return to the city center stopping before at the Georgian House, a historic building that takes us to the end of the 18th century, which we recommend you not to miss.
Being in this area and after a very complete morning, in the new part of the city, you can regain strength by eating in one of the two most recommended restaurants in this area: Usquabae or Wildfire.
The itinerary of Edinburgh in three days continue in the afternoon with a walk through the elegant streets George Street and Rose Street, until you reach Princess Street again from where you can take some of the adjacent ones to climb the Old Town. Before arriving at the Royal Mile we recommend entering Gladstone's Land, a 1550 house that is superbly preserved and shows the lives of rich families in the 17th and 18th centuries.
After the visit and crossing the Royal Mile, you will arrive at the National Museum of Scotland, where you can learn the history of the country and see the cloned sheep "Dolly".
National Museum of Scotland
When you leave the museum and when there are still a couple of hours left for the sunset, you will head to Arthur's Seat an ancient volcano located in the Holyrood Park, which offers one of the best sunsets over the city.
To finish the Edinburgh in 3 days We recommend you have dinner at Pibroch or Lovage and have a last drink in Whistle Binkies, while listening to good live music.
(Extended information of the second day here)
Map of the second day of Edinburgh in three days
What to see in Edinburgh in 3 days
On the third day of what to see in Edinburgh in 3 days We propose you to know some of the wonders that are close to the city, such as Loch Ness, the castles of Glamis and Dunnottar, the Lomond and Katrine lakes, Stirling, Saint Andrews, the Rosslyn Chapel or the Hadrian's Wall.
The first excursion we recommend for Edinburgh in three days It is the famous Loch Ness located in the highlands of Scotland. This deep lake of dark waters with worldwide fame by the legend of the monster Nessie, has in the ruins of Urquhart Castle its most impressive place. Although there is no scientific proof of Nessie's existence, boat trips are made from one of the lake's shores for her possible sighting. You can also visit the Loch Ness Exhibition Center in Drumnadrochit, where the legend of the monster is reviewed and buy a souvenir of Nessie at the souvenir shop.
The best way to get to the lake and tour a part of the Highlands or Highlands, one of the most beautiful natural landscapes in the country, is by booking a rental car that will offer you the possibility of stopping where and when you want something in a country With the landscapes of Scotland, it is a real privilege.
Another option is to arrive by train or bus to Inverness, a journey that takes almost 4 hours and from there take a bus that will take you in half an hour to Urquhart Castle or Drumnadrochit.
Although if you don't want to drive, keep in mind that you drive on the left, we believe that the most comfortable option is to book this excursion to Loch Ness and the Highlands, which includes the beautiful Glencoe Valley or book this excursion that includes the National Park of the Cairngorms, both tours with guide in Spanish.
If you have more time we recommend you book this two-day tour of the Highlands that will allow you to enjoy it more peacefully.
Loch Ness with Urquhart Castle
The second excursion that we propose for the Edinburgh in 3 days It is the visit to the city of Glasgow and the Lomond and Katrine lakes.
Glasgow is the second most important city in Scotland and although it may not have as much charm as Edinburgh, it is also worth spending some time. Our favorite place in the city is the Cathedral of St. Mungo, the only medieval cathedral in Scotland that stands on which highlights an impressive interior of Gothic style, with large windows, as well as the Necropolis that is next to the Cathedral.
Other highlights of the city are the Kelvingrove Museum, the George Square and its historic center, and its former university.
After visiting Glasgow you can go to Lake Lomond, an extensive lake surrounded by greenery where you can enjoy a boat ride and end the day at Lake Katrine, one of the most beautiful in Scotland.
You can get to Glasgow by train from Edinburgh Waverley Station or by bus from the Edinburgh Bus Station, both routes are an hour and a half and will leave you close to the center. To get to the lake area you can take a bus from Glasgow to Balloch, located south of Lake Lomond.
Although the most comfortable option, if you do not want to rent a car, is to book this excursion to Glasgow and the Lomond and Katrine lakes with a guide in Spanish.
Lomond Lake
The third proposal for the last day of Edinburgh in three days It is the visit to the castles of Glamis and Dunnottar, two of the most incredible castles in Scotland. The 15th-century Glamis tale castle, famous for being the place where Macbeth killed King Duncan, impresses with its towers and extensive gardens and will allow you to get to know some of the mysteries and legends that surround the castle's history. Taking into account everything that surrounds and surrounds this place, it is worth doing the guided tour through the rooms that preserve the furniture of the time in perfect condition.
Dunnottar Castle, located on a rocky cliff above the sea and only accessible by a narrow road, is our favorite of Scotland and although only some remains of the palace, stables and chapel are preserved, its location is so extraordinary that we are safe, you It will leave you speechless.
To get to these two castles by public transport you have to combine train and bus by consulting this page, which will help you chart the itinerary.
As in the previous proposals, the most comfortable and quick option, if you do not want to rent a car, is to book this excursion with a guide in Spanish.
Dunnottar Castle
Other of the best excursions in Edinburgh of one or more days, with a guide in Spanish are:
- Excursion to Stirling and Saint Andrews, two of the most famous and most charming places in Scotland.
- 3-day excursion to the Highlands and the Isle of Sky that includes some of the best castles and landscapes in Scotland.
- Excursion to Rosslyn and the Hadrian's Wall where you will visit the church that appeared in the book "The Da Vinci Code" and the most famous wall of the Roman Empire
- Tour of Harry Potter and the English castles, which includes Alnwick Castle, where numerous scenes from the Harry Potter movies were filmed. If you have one more day you can book the two-day tour that includes a route on the Jacobite Train, which inspired the famous Hogwarts Express.
Do you want to organize a trip to Edinburgh in 3 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
