Are you planning 3 Days in Edinburgh and dreaming of a magical, super fun adventure? I just returned from an incredible solo trip to this beautiful city, and I am so excited to share every detail with you!
Read on to get a full, detailed itinerary for 3 Days in Edinburgh!
3 Days in Edinburgh: Day 1
If possible, save some time by getting breakfast at your hotel. I stayed at the Roseate Hotel Edinburgh (which I highly recommend for solo travelers, by the way! Read my full review here).
Water of Leith, Dean Village, St. Bernard’s Well
From the Roseate Hotel Edinburgh, you can easily catch the long walking path known as Water of Leith! This is a gorgeous greenway that is very well maintained and almost entirely flat.
Along the path, you will see stunning stone walls, bridges and monuments. If you enjoy photography, you’ll love this walk. You’ll find a photo opportunity every 5 minutes and almost no tourists along the majority of it!
After about 20-30 minutes of walking, you’ll hit the famous Dean Village. Dean Village is a must-see! This extremely quaint, residential neighborhood north of the city center has some cute bridges with views, adorable courtyards, and provides an entirely different feel for Edinburgh.
Next, continue on the Water of Leith path until you reach St. Bernard’s Well. This enormous well along the water is a great picture spot and a very romantic place to take a break.
Stockbridge, Lannan’s Bakery, Royal Botanic Gardens
After St. Bernard’s Well, I recommend exiting the pathway and heading into the adorable neighborhood of Stockbridge. Walk up and down Raeburn Place and pop into some of the quirky shops. My favorite spot in Stockbridge was Rare Birds Bookshop
(be sure to read my roundup of the top 10 Edinburgh bookshops next!).
Then, pick up a coffee and pastry (sweet or savory) at Lannan’s Bakery for lunch. There will be a queue, but it moves fast! And the baked goods are absolutely worthwhile!
With your pastry and coffee in hand, head slightly north until you reach the gorgeous Royal Botanic Gardens. Good news, entry is free! There are so many stunning spots to sit and enjoy your pastry. Here are 3 ideas for you:
- The pagoda at the bottom of the “Chinese Hillside”
- The Terrace Café with beautiful views of Old Edinburgh
- The Greenhouse
These gardens are so underrated, are free to enter, have super clean bathrooms, and should absolutely be on your itinerary!
Circus Lane, Princes Street Garden, Waterstones on Princes Street
After you’ve loaded up on pastries, books, and gorgeous garden views, it’s time to head back south toward the city center.
Make sure to head down through Circus Lane, which is a stunningly picturesque residential area with cobblestone streets, hundreds-year-old homes, ivy covered walls, clock towers, and more.
After this beautiful photo spot, continue heading south until you reach Princes Street Garden. Here, you will get the most stunning views of Edinburgh Castle and Ross Fountain!
I bet by now you’re wanting a tea or coffee! Head to Waterstones on Princes Street. At the top level, you’ll find a cafe with absolutely unbeatable views of Edinburgh castle! This is a great spot to grab a coffee if you can find a seat!
Dinner
Time to head back to the hotel and get dinner along the way! Directly on the route back to Roseate Edinburgh, I stopped for dinner at the Palmerston. It’s certainly a popular spot with locals and tourists for good reason, and reservations are necessary!
Walking home from the Palmerston to Edinburgh at night (though still early, around 9pm) felt very safe. But if you would prefer, you can catch a tram which takes you very close to the hotel. Uber is also available in Edinburgh!
3 Days in Edinburgh: Day 2
Breakfast at the hotel again!
Grassmarket, Vennel Steps, Vintage Shopping, Book Shopping
Walk or take the tram to Grassmarket. From here, take the Vennel Steps to get amazing pictures of Edinburgh Castle in early morning light! It is truly a stunning sight!
Spend an hour or two vintage and book shopping around Grassmarket! Make sure to save this post dedicated to the best vintage stores in this area and this post of top 10 best Edinburgh bookstores, many of which are in this neighborhood – like Armchair books and Edinburgh Books.
Victoria Street, Tom Riddle’s Grave, Lunch at The Outsider
From Grassmarket, you can easily start heading up Victoria St. and meander all the alleys the branch between the main streets of this neighborhood. This is a beautiful cobblestone corner of Old Edinburgh that will steal your heart.
Again, this is a great place to vintage shop, book browse, or pick up souvenirs while getting your fill of that nostalgic, classic Edinburgh aesthetic.
Along the way, make sure to pop into Greyfriar’s Kirkyard (Graveyard) and spend at least 30 minutes meandering the extremely ornate, beautiful memorials and headstones spanning from the 1600s-1800s. See if you can spot the graves that inspired JK Rowling to name Tom Riddle and Professor McGonegal!
From here, it is a quick walk to the Outsider restaurant. This restaurant was the BEST meal I had in Edinburgh! It has insane castle views, and a specials list that is handwritten and changes daily. The prices are so reasonable, considering the quality, portion size, views, and central location of this restaurant.
Central Edinburgh Library, University of Edinburgh Old Campus, Calton Hill
From the top of Victoria street, rest your feet and maybe read one of your new books at the Edinburgh Central Library. It is free to enter, and I especially recommend going upstairs to the Reference Library to find a workbench or cozy nook to read in!
Then, head over to the University of Edinburgh Old Campus to meander around the old academic courtyard. Pop over to Black Medicine Coffee for a caffeine boost and snack before continuing up to Calton Hill!
Getting up Calton Hill is a little steep, but it is well paved and free! At the top you will find lots of monuments for amazing photo opportunities!
If you still have some energy after Calton hill, and you’re a book lover, I strongly recommend heading east to check out Topping & Co Booksellers, McNaughten’s Bookshop, and Typewronger Books after this (make sure they’re still open before walking that far!)
After this exciting day of non-stop walking, I decided to take public transportation back to the Roseate Hotel, then have dinner at the Dunstane House Restaurant & Bar downstairs.
3 Days in Edinburgh: Day 3
Edinburgh Castle & Esplanade, Royal Mile, Cockburn Street, Holyrood Palace & Abbey
First thing in the morning, before the large crowds wake up, climb uphill to the beautiful Esplanade in front of the Edinburgh Castle to get majestic views of the city, different from those you’ll get on Calton Hill!
If you would also like to tour Edinburgh Castle, you can buy tickets there or join a guided tour!
From the Esplanade, you can take a leisurely walk downhill via the Royal Mile for souvenir shopping, beautiful architecture, and to peek into the side streets and courtyards that line this major shopping zone.
One particularly famous activity you could do along this route would be to explore Mary King’s Close, which offers a look into life in Edinburgh around the 17th century. I did not end up taking this tour myself as it was already booked up, but it is highly rated online!
Learn from my mistake and book in advance!
As you walk down the Royal Mile, be sure to allow yourself the room to get lost among all the side roads and explore Cockburn Street.
Once you’ve followed the Royal Mile down to sea level, continue on that same trajectory until you finally arrive at Holyrood Palace.
I absolutely loved this stop as one of the last things I did on this trip! Holyrood Palace is the royal residence in Scotland. So, it’s kind of the equivalent of Buckingham Palace. It is a pricey activity at £25, but the Palace is so enjoyable to tour and has an excellent audio guide included.
You will not only get to see the stunning interior design, but you will learn so much about Scottish history, particularly Mary Queen of Scotts, in this gorgeous venue.
And behind the Palace, the ruins of Holyrood Abbey are so spooky and majestic!
If you have any interest in the Royal Family and the history of the monarchy in Scotland, you can’t skip this activity!
After all this adventuring, time to unwind with cocktails and bites at Hey Palu! The vibes, the drinks, the lovely mixologists, everything about this place was perfect! This bar hits an excellent balance for travelers over 30, as it’s approachable and friendly but still top-shelf everything! A perfect way to end your trip.
I hope this itinerary for 3 Days in Edinburgh gave you some inspiration for your trip!
Next, make sure to check out 11 fun activities to do in Edinburgh, that aren’t the Edinburgh Castle!
