Edinburgh in 3 days: Old Town, New Town, Leith and Arthur's Seat

Edinburgh packs a castle on a volcanic rock, a medieval high street, a Georgian new town and a wild hill into a city centre you can cross on foot in half an hour. Three days is enough to see the essentials without rushing, as long as you give each day its own area and accept that you'll be walking up and down a lot of steps.

This plan suits first-time visitors at a moderate pace. Day 1 covers the Old Town, Day 2 climbs Arthur's Seat and then crosses to the New Town, and Day 3 follows the Water of Leith down to the port. Bring comfortable shoes and a waterproof layer whatever the season.

Day 1: Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Mile

Morning. Start at Edinburgh Castle, which sits on the plug of an extinct volcano at the top of the Old Town. Go early with a timed ticket. Inside, the highlights are the Honours of Scotland (the Scottish crown jewels), the Great Hall, the Royal Palace and tiny St Margaret's Chapel, the oldest surviving building in the city, from the 12th century. The ramparts give wide views north over the New Town to the Firth of Forth. On most days except Sundays, the One O'Clock Gun is fired from the Half Moon Battery; check the castle's site for the current schedule. Allow two to three hours.

Afternoon. Walk down the Royal Mile, the chain of streets that runs from the castle to the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Stop at St Giles' Cathedral, with its crown spire and the richly carved Thistle Chapel; it's a working church, so services take priority. Duck into the narrow closes that drop off either side of the street. Below the City Chambers, The Real Mary King's Close runs guided tours of streets buried under later buildings; numbers are limited, so book ahead.

At the bottom of the Mile you reach the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the monarch's official residence in Scotland, with the ruined Holyrood Abbey behind it. It closes when the royal family is in residence, so check the dates. Across the road is the Scottish Parliament, a striking modern building designed by Enric Miralles and opened in 2004.

Evening. Head back uphill to the Grassmarket and curving, colourful Victoria Street for dinner. The Old Town is also where most evening walking tours start, including the popular history and ghost tours of the closes and underground vaults.

Day 2: Arthur's Seat, the museum and the New Town

Morning. Climb Arthur's Seat early, before the wind and the crowds pick up. The summit, at roughly 250 metres, is the highest point of Holyrood Park, a piece of wild hill country right next to the city. From the car park near the palace, the most direct path to the top takes most people 45 minutes to an hour; the way past the Salisbury Crags and the gentler route from Dunsapie Loch are alternatives. The final section is rocky and exposed, so wear shoes with grip and skip the summit in high wind or ice. Some paths in the park close after rockfalls: follow the signs on the day.

Late morning. Walk back via the Pleasance and the Cowgate to the National Museum of Scotland on Chambers Street. General admission is free, and the collections run from geology and natural history to Scottish history, science and world cultures. Don't miss the roof terrace, which looks across the Old Town to the castle. Just across the road are the Greyfriars Bobby statue and Greyfriars Kirkyard.

Afternoon. Cross to the New Town over the Mound, the artificial slope between the two halves of the city. The Scottish National Gallery at its foot has a compact collection of European and Scottish painting, with free general entry. Then walk through Princes Street Gardens, laid out in the valley where a loch once lay, and climb the steep, narrow stairs of the Scott Monument if you have a head for heights. From there, explore the Georgian grid of the New Town: George Street, the squares at each end and the elegant streets to the north. The Georgian House on Charlotte Square shows how a wealthy family lived here around 1800. The Old and New Towns together form a UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed in 1995.

Evening. Walk up Calton Hill at the east end of Princes Street for sunset. Its monuments, including the unfinished National Monument and the Dugald Stewart Monument, frame classic views of the castle, the Old Town and Arthur's Seat. Have dinner in the New Town or along Broughton Street, just below the hill.

Day 3: Dean Village, Stockbridge and Leith

Morning. Start at Dean Village, a former milling village in a steep, wooded gorge just west of the New Town, with old stone buildings along the Water of Leith. People live here, so keep voices down. Follow the Water of Leith Walkway downstream past St Bernard's Well to Stockbridge, a neighbourhood of independent shops, cafés and delis. On Sundays a small market runs here.

Late morning. From Stockbridge it's a short walk to the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, with a famous rock garden, a Chinese hillside and views back to the castle skyline. Entry to the garden itself is free; check the official site for what's open, as the glasshouses have been closed for major redevelopment.

Afternoon. Take a bus or the tram down to Leith, Edinburgh's port, which is now a lively neighbourhood with its own character. Tour the Royal Yacht Britannia, the former royal yacht moored at Ocean Terminal, where you can see the state apartments, the crew's quarters and the engine room. Last entry is usually in the afternoon, so don't leave it too late.

Evening. Stroll along the Shore, the old quayside where the Water of Leith meets the docks, and stay for dinner. Leith has a strong restaurant scene, from seafood by the water to small neighbourhood bistros, and the tram takes you back to the centre.

What to book ahead

• Edinburgh Castle: timed tickets sell out on busy days, especially in summer and around the holidays. Book online a few days ahead.
• Underground tours: The Real Mary King's Close and the vault tours run in small groups and fill up.
• Holyroodhouse and Britannia: booking ahead is sensible in peak season; check the palace's closure dates.
• August: the Edinburgh International Festival, the Fringe and the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo fill the city. Book accommodation and Tattoo tickets many months ahead, and expect crowds everywhere.
• Hogmanay: the New Year street events are ticketed and sell out early.

Opening hours change by season, so check each official site before you go.

Adapting the plan

• Rain: Edinburgh weather changes quickly. Swap Arthur's Seat for a longer visit to the National Museum of Scotland, and Calton Hill for an evening at a concert or the theatre.- With children: the castle, the National Museum's natural-history galleries and Britannia usually go down well. Edinburgh Zoo is a short bus ride west of the centre.
• Slower pace: drop the Botanic Garden and the Scott Monument, and give the Old Town a day and a half.
• Beach time: Portobello, a seaside suburb east of the centre with a long sandy beach and promenade, is a good half-day swap for Leith in fine weather.
• Prospective students: our University of Edinburgh campus guide fits easily into Day 2, as the central campus is just south of the museum.
• More time: our guide to day trips from Edinburgh covers Stirling, St Andrews, the Borders and Loch Lomond, and our Scottish Highlands road trip goes farther north.

Practical booking tips

• Where to stay: the Old Town and New Town put everything on foot; Stockbridge, Leith and the Southside are calmer and often better value. Our guide to where to stay in Edinburgh compares the areas.
• Getting around: walking is best in the centre. Buses cover the whole city, and the tram links the airport, Haymarket, Princes Street, Leith and Newhaven. Day tickets are available; check the current options on the official transport site.
• Airport: the tram and the express airport bus both reach the centre in roughly half an hour.
• Visitor levy: Edinburgh has introduced a levy on overnight stays. Check the current rules and whether your rate already includes it.
• Entry rules: the United Kingdom requires an electronic travel authorisation for many visitors. Check the current rules on official government sites before you travel.

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Cover photo: 4300streetcar, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons