2 Day Edinburgh Itinerary
Two full days, split so you’re not backtracking across the city, with the Old Town on day one and New Town/Stockbridge on day two.
Two days in Edinburgh is enough to properly do the Old Town’s icons and still leave time for the quieter, equally worthwhile New Town and Stockbridge. Here’s how I’d split it, day by day.
The Old Town & the Icons
Start at Edinburgh Castle with a pre-booked ticket for 9.15am, before the day-trip crowds arrive. From there, walk the Royal Mile down toward Holyroodhouse, ducking into a few of the closes along the way, Advocate’s Close and the Real Mary King’s Close underground tour are two of the most atmospheric. St Giles’ Cathedral, free to enter, sits roughly halfway down.
Spend the afternoon at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the King’s official residence in Scotland, or the National Museum of Scotland if the weather turns, both free or ticketed depending on which. As the evening light softens, climb Arthur’s Seat from the Holyroodhouse end, 45 minutes to an hour to the summit, for one of the best urban views in Britain. Dinner back in the Old Town rounds out the day.
Midday The Royal Mile, St Giles’ Cathedral, the closes
Afternoon Holyroodhouse or the National Museum of Scotland
Evening Arthur’s Seat at golden hour, dinner in the Old Town
New Town, Stockbridge & the Water of Leith
Cross Princes Street Gardens into the New Town, an entirely different architectural character to the Old Town, elegant Georgian terraces rather than medieval closes. The Scottish National Gallery and the Scott Monument, which you can climb for a further view over the city, both sit right on Princes Street.
Walk north into Stockbridge, a genuinely village-like neighbourhood with its own weekend market, then follow the Water of Leith walkway toward Dean Village, one of the most photographed, least crowded corners of the city, converted mill buildings on a bend in the river. If it’s a Sunday, the Stockbridge Market is worth timing your walk around. End the second evening with dinner in Stockbridge itself, well away from the Old Town’s tourist strip.
Afternoon Stockbridge, the Water of Leith walkway, Dean Village
Evening Dinner in Stockbridge
Getting around across both days
Edinburgh’s centre is genuinely compact, most of what’s listed here is walkable, and the two days are deliberately split into two adjacent, self-contained areas so you’re not backtracking. Lothian Buses and the tram cover the rest of the city with a daily fare cap if your feet need a break, particularly useful getting out to or back from Stockbridge.
If you only have time for one thing each day
Day one, make it Arthur’s Seat at golden hour, it’s the single best view in the city and costs nothing. Day two, make it the Water of Leith walkway to Dean Village, quieter and more distinctive than anything on the main tourist route.
That’s everything I’ve got.
A note before you plan around this: prices, opening hours, booking requirements and admission details in this guide were correct at the time of writing, but venues change these often and sometimes without notice. Always check directly with the attraction or its official website before you travel or build a schedule around a specific time or price.
Before travelling to any destination featured on this site, please also check your government’s latest travel advice, as safety situations, entry requirements and travel warnings can change.
