Edinburgh itinerary from the Royal Mile to Arthur's Seat
Edinburgh is a hilly city of two halves: the medieval Old Town on its ridge and the Georgian New Town below. August brings the Fringe festival and prices to match. This prompt has your todo.is agent plan Edinburgh around the hills, the closes and the weather, with a Highlands or coast day trip.
The prompt
- Plan an Edinburgh itinerary for [NUMBER OF DAYS] days, [TRAVEL DATES], for [WHO IS TRAVELLING]. Include Edinburgh Castle (timed ticket), the Royal Mile and its closes, St Giles' Cathedral, the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Arthur's Seat, Calton Hill at sunset, the New Town, Dean Village and Stockbridge. Tell me if any festivals are on during our dates and how that changes the plan. Add a day trip to [DAY TRIP]. We are [FITNESS LEVEL], so adjust the walking and hills. Interests: [INTERESTS]. Suggest a pub with Scottish food and a whisky bar. Email me a PDF with map links and send a short version on Telegram. Don't book anything.
What to change
- [NUMBER OF DAYS]: E.g. "3". Two days for the city, three or four with a Highlands day.
- [TRAVEL DATES]: E.g. "8 to 11 August" (Fringe time) or "29 to 31 December" (Hogmanay).
- [WHO IS TRAVELLING]: E.g. "couple", "family with young kids", "solo Harry Potter fan".
- [DAY TRIP]: E.g. "Loch Ness and Glencoe tour", "St Andrews", "Stirling Castle", "North Berwick".
- [FITNESS LEVEL]: E.g. "happy to hike", "bad knees, avoid steep climbs", "pushing a stroller".
- [INTERESTS]: E.g. "history, ghost tours, whisky, literature".
Example result
- Edinburgh in 3 days, couple
- History, whisky, walking · October
- Day 1: The Old Town
- • Morning: Edinburgh Castle at opening time, with the Crown Jewels and the One O'Clock Gun.
- • Walk down the Royal Mile. Duck into the closes, like Advocate's Close.
- • St Giles' Cathedral and its Thistle Chapel.
- • Lunch: a pie or soup in a pub off the Royal Mile.
- • Afternoon: Victoria Street and the Grassmarket, then the National Museum of Scotland (free, with a rooftop view).
- • Evening: Calton Hill for sunset over the city, then a ghost or underground vaults tour.
- Day 2: Arthur's Seat and the New Town
- • Morning: hike Arthur's Seat from Holyrood Park (about 1.5 to 2 hours return).
- • Palace of Holyroodhouse and the Scottish Parliament building at the foot of the hill.
- • Afternoon: Princes Street Gardens, George Street and the Scottish National Gallery.
- • Walk the Water of Leith path to Dean Village and Stockbridge.
- • Evening: dinner in Stockbridge, then a dram at a whisky bar.
- Day 3: Highlands day tour
- • Full-day coach tour to Glencoe and Loch Ness, about 12 hours.
- • Bring snacks, layers and a rain jacket.
- • Lighter option: train to Stirling for the castle and the Wallace Monument.
- Getting around
- • The centre is walkable but steep. Lothian buses and the tram cover the rest.
- • The tram runs from the airport to the city centre.
- Good to know
- • In August, book rooms months ahead. The Fringe fills the city.
- • Weather changes fast. Pack layers and good shoes for the cobbles.
How to do it with todo.is
- Copy the prompt and fill in your days, dates, group, day trip, fitness level and interests.
- Paste it on the Today screen in todo.is or send it to your agent on Telegram.
- Your agent checks festival dates and tour options, then sends a PDF with map links.
- Reply with tweaks ("swap the tour for St Andrews", "add a Harry Potter walk") and book the tickets.
Tips for a better result
- Go to the Castle at opening time. By late morning the Esplanade is packed.
- Arthur's Seat is a real hill climb. Wear grippy shoes and skip it in strong wind.
- Highlands day tours are long. If you can, spend a night in Inverness or Fort William instead.
- Tell your agent your dates so it can warn you about the Fringe and Hogmanay.
Edinburgh itinerary: FAQ
- How many days do you need in Edinburgh? Two days covers the Old Town, New Town and Arthur's Seat. Three or four days lets you add a Highlands tour or Stirling.
- Can you see the Highlands on a day trip from Edinburgh? Yes, coach tours go to Glencoe and Loch Ness and back in about 12 hours. You'll spend much of it on the bus.
- What is the best time to visit Edinburgh? May to September has the best weather. August is festival month, so book early and expect high prices.
- Is Edinburgh walkable? Yes, the main sights are close together. The streets are hilly and cobbled, so comfortable shoes matter.
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