Best time to visit Edinburgh

• “The best time to visit Edinburgh is in May and September” 22places.com
• “The best time to visit Edinburgh is generally April to June or September” traveloka.com
• “May and June can be lovely anywhere in Britain.” ricksteves.com

3 of the 4 travel guides we read name these months.

1. January45°F / 35°F · 12 rainy daysChecking fares…Coldest time of year with short daylight; quiet and cheap, with some Hogmanay afterglow.January is wet, gray and humid, with barely any snow.January and February are the coldest months, with highs that rarely exceed 7C.Celtic Connections
2. February46°F / 35°F · 10 rainy daysChecking fares…February is generally one of the cheapest months for hotels, with low tourist volumes.February is cool, gray, windy and rainy, but with a faint sense of spring.Winter Words Festival
3. March50°F / 37°F · 10 rainy daysChecking fares…Early spring: highs climbing toward 10C, longer daylight, crowds still thin.March can bring even more rain than February; a hooded jacket is advised.Edinburgh Science Festival · Glasgow International Comedy Festival
4. April54°F / 41°F · 9 rainy daysChecking fares…April is typically the driest month, with mild highs near 13C.April is rainy but friendlier, with about four hours of sunshine a day and cool nights.
5. Best timeMay59°F / 45°F · 10 rainy daysChecking fares…May is usually the sunniest month, warm enough to enjoy before peak crowds arrive.May is one of the best times to visit: up to six hours of sun and everything in bloom.Highland Games begin across Scotland as early as May.Edinburgh Marathon Festival
6. Best timeJune63°F / 50°F · 10 rainy daysChecking fares…June has warm highs near 18C and up to 17 to 18 hours of daylight, with festival season not yet under way.June can be lovely anywhere in Britain.About six hours of sunshine a day suits walks up Arthur's Seat.TRNSMT Festival
7. July67°F / 53°F · 12 rainy daysChecking fares…July is the warmest month and also the busiest, with festivals packing attractions.School holidays and pre-Fringe demand start pushing prices and crowds up.Midge season in Scotland peaks in July and August, mostly affecting the Highlands.The Open Championship
8. August66°F / 53°F · 10 rainy daysChecking fares…The Fringe, International Festival and Military Tattoo all run in August, making it the busiest and most expensive month.Edinburgh is especially swamped throughout August, its festival season.Hotel prices can double during the July and August festivals.Edinburgh Festival Fringe
9. Best timeSeptember62°F / 50°F · 10 rainy daysChecking fares…Mild highs near 17C, festival crowds gone and generally good value.September is one of the two perfect months for a city trip, with fewer rainy days.September is part of the shoulder season, with smaller crowds and better prices.Braemar Gathering
10. October56°F / 44°F · 12 rainy daysChecking fares…October is typically the wettest month of the year, about 90mm of rain.Early October is still shoulder season, with easier travel than peak season.Scottish International Storytelling Festival
11. November50°F / 39°F · 12 rainy daysChecking fares…Hotels are most affordable from November through February, when it rains a lot and few tourists visit.Some countryside attractions close or open only on weekends from November to February.Edinburgh Christmas Market
12. December45°F / 35°F · 12 rainy daysChecking fares…Edinburgh is the place to be for Hogmanay (New Year's Eve).December is Edinburgh's cloudiest stretch, with only about 7 to 8 hours of daylight.Winter brings Christmas markets as well as Hogmanay.Edinburgh's Hogmanay

Weather: Edinburgh averages from Met Office (long-term averages), as listed in its climate table on Wikipedia.

• Celtic ConnectionsGlasgow, ScotlandEvery January to February
• Winter Words FestivalPitlochry, PerthshireEvery February
• Edinburgh Science FestivalEdinburgh, ScotlandEvery March to April
• Glasgow International Comedy FestivalGlasgow, ScotlandEvery March
• Edinburgh Marathon FestivalEdinburgh, ScotlandEvery May to June
• TRNSMT FestivalGlasgow, ScotlandEvery June to July
• The Open ChampionshipSt Andrews, Fife, ScotlandEvery July to August
• Edinburgh Festival FringeEdinburghEvery August
• Braemar GatheringBraemar, AberdeenshireEvery September
• Scottish International Storytelling FestivalEdinburgh, ScotlandEvery October to November
• Edinburgh Christmas MarketEdinburgh, ScotlandEvery November to January
• Edinburgh's HogmanayPrinces Street, EdinburghEvery December to January

What is the busiest month in Edinburgh?

August, when the Fringe, International Festival and Military Tattoo overlap; July is also very busy.

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