Festivals, concerts, theatre and club nights from the Old Town to Leith, for the days you are in Edinburgh.
Photo: Chris Combe / Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
Castle, closes, hills and the night's gigs, mapped.
Save what appeals, plan your days around it, and open any stop in Google Maps. Hotels for your dates are one tap away on whichever part of the city is on screen.
13 Nov 2026 to 21 Feb 2027 Edinburgh Zoo Giant Lanterns Edinburgh Zoo, Corstorphine 
23 Jan 2027 Burns Supper on the Royal Yacht Britannia Royal Yacht Britannia, Leith This weekend November 2026December 2026
Planning ahead:January 2027February 2027April 2027May 2027June 2027July 2027August 2027
The full events calendarAll 68 gigs this week Live music on the map
Every gig, night by nightWhere to base yourself and where to spend an afternoon, with the best places in each and how to get there.
Old Town Castle, Royal Mile and the closes
Photo: Richard Mortel
New Town Georgian streets and Princes Street
Photo: Jorge Franganillo
Leith Harbour, the Shore and the yacht
Photo: Jorge Franganillo
Southside Museums, theatres and student streets
Photo: Neil Turner
Holyrood Palace, Parliament and the park
Photo: Bernt Rostad
Cramond Village, island and the foreshore
Photo: Steve Hodgson
West End Theatres, cathedrals and Lothian Road
Photo: George M. Groutas
Portobello Beach, promenade and parks
Photo: Sheep purple
Where to stay
Where to stay in Edinburgh by area: Old Town, New Town, West End, Stockbridge, Leith, Southside and Haymarket, with a verdict for a first trip and transport from official pages.
The short answer: the New Town, or the edge of the Old Town near Waverley and Princes Street, for a first trip.
See what's near any hotel, and what's on while you're there, on the map.
Read the guideDay trip
Day trips from Edinburgh ranked by 13 guides: St Andrews, Stirling, Glasgow, North Berwick, Rosslyn Chapel, Linlithgow and the Highlands, with times from ScotRail and operators.
Essentials
The Edinburgh festivals month by month, with 2027 dates from the organisers: Fringe 6 to 30 August, Tattoo, Hogmanay and Christmas, plus how to visit outside August.
Where to stay
Old Town or New Town in Edinburgh: Old Town for the castle and atmosphere, New Town for level streets, shops and a calmer night. Verdicts by trip type from 13 guides.
Essentials
Edinburgh weather month by month from the Met Office's 1991 to 2020 averages: highs, lows, sunshine and rain, plus festival dates and the best months for a trip.
