Day 1: Old Town
- 9:30am — Edinburgh Castle (£20, book ahead) — 2.5 hours
- 12:30pm — Lunch at The Albanach or Howies Old Town
- 2pm — Walk down the Royal Mile, stops at St Giles' Cathedral, Real Mary King's Close (£23, book ahead)
- 5pm — Whisky tasting at Scotch Whisky Experience (£25)
- 7pm — Dinner: The Witchery by the Castle (book) or Mums Comfort Food
- 9pm — Ghost tour from the Royal Mile (£15-25) or pub crawl in Cowgate
Day 2: New Town & Dean Village
- 9am — Princes Street Gardens + Scott Monument
- 10am — Free Scottish National Gallery + Modern One/Two
- 12:30pm — Lunch at The Café Royal
- 2pm — Walk to Dean Village via Charlotte Square — 30 min
- 3pm — Photos at Dean Village + Water of Leith walk
- 4:30pm — Stockbridge — Sunday market or independent shops
- 7pm — Dinner at Dishoom Edinburgh or Ondine seafood
- 9pm — Cocktail at the Voodoo Rooms or Lucky Liquor Co.
Day 3: Leith & Day Trip
- 8am — Climb Arthur's Seat for sunrise (free, 60 min)
- 11am — Tram to Leith — Royal Yacht Britannia (£20)
- 1pm — Lunch at The Shore (Michelin) or Fishers
- 3pm — Holyrood Palace + Abbey ruins
- 5pm — Calton Hill for sunset views
- 7pm — Final dinner: The Kitchin (Michelin) or Grandi Italian
- Alternative Day 3: Day trip to Stirling Castle (50 min train) or Glasgow (50 min)
Where to Stay
- Old Town: The Witchery (£300+), Radisson Blu Royal Mile (£180), YHA (£25 dorm)
- New Town: The Balmoral (£400), Apex Waterloo (£170)
- Leith: Malmaison (£180), Premier Inn Leith (£90)
Tips
- Book Edinburgh Castle online — saves £2 + skip queue
- Mary King's Close + Real Mary King's Close: same place, must book ahead
- Avoid August unless you came for the Fringe (3x crowds, prices)
- December = Christmas markets + Hogmanay magic
- Hop-on hop-off bus: £18, useful for tired feet
🥃 Whisky pro tip: The Scotch Whisky Experience does barrel-ride tour + tasting (4 whiskies) for £20-25. Cheaper than separate distillery tours and beats most for variety.