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7 Things to Do in Edinburgh This Summer

30th Apr 2026

Planning a trip to Scotland and looking for things to do in Edinburgh during your visit? Summer can be a busy time in the Scottish capital, but that means there are endless activities to choose from.

Want to enjoy the weather? Need to escape some rain? Keen to dive into the darker side of the city’s past, or looking for an introduction to Scottish history? There’s something for every interest.

So let’s take a look: what’s on in Edinburgh this summer?

1. Explore Green Spaces

Every day, all year

Edinburgh is well-known for its green spaces right in the heart of the city. Explore Holyrood Park and take a walk up Arthur's Seat for stunning views of the city.

Or, visit Ross Fountain in Princes Street Gardens for a view of Edinburgh Castle like no other. You can even venture further out of the city to the Pentland Hills, where you might even meet a Highland coo or two.

A photo taken from a hill covered in yellow gorse flowers, looking out over the city of Edinburgh during summer and St Margaret’s Loch.

2. Guided Tour of the National Museum of Scotland

Fridays, April – June

Follow a Master Storyteller to the National Museum of Scotland and uncover the parts of Scottish history that you won’t find on a plaque.

The tour begins on the Royal Mile, where you’ll explore key locations as you make your way to the museum. Then once inside, head straight for the most interesting objects and learn how they helped shape both Scotland and the world.

The grand gallery of the National Museum of Scotland on a sunny day.

3. Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Festival

7 – 29 August 2026

Tattoo: noun; a performance of music or display of armed forces

The Edinburgh Tattoo is a music performance featuring international military and civilian acts. It’s well-known for the pipe and drum procession that marches out of Edinburgh Castle and down part of the Royal Mile every night.

This year’s theme is A Call to Gather, rooted in Scottish identity.

The Edinburgh Tattoo, featuring marching musicians between two large audience stands and with Edinburgh Castle lit up at the end.

4. Edinburgh Ghost Tour

Every day, all year

The best kind of sightseeing tours? Ones that uncover the hidden gems that lie in plain sight before heading underground to explore a place you probably had no idea existed.

A benefit of joining an underground tour in Edinburgh is that you can discover new places and history, all while escaping the crowds of the Royal Mile.

If you’re visiting during school holidays, there are kid-friendly ghost tours to choose from as well.

A Mercat Storyteller in a black cloak gestures into a room of the Edinburgh vaults during an Edinburgh ghost tour, while 3 guests look on.

5. The Edwardians: Age of Elegance Exhibition

Every day, 24 Apr – 6 Dec 2026

This new exhibition at the King’s Gallery at Holyrood Palace explores the opulence of the Edwardian period. From royal lives to personal collections and glittering social lives, it reveals the lavish lives of Edwardians.

It features works by Carl Fabergé, Frederic Leighton, Edward Burne-Jones, Rosa Bonheur and John Singer Sargent.

The front of the Palace of Holyroodhouse on a cloudy spring day.

6. Edinburgh Festival Fringe

07 – 31 August 2026

The Tattoo isn’t the only summer festival in Edinburgh—in fact there are at least 9 festivals that run during the summer months. The most well-known is likely the Edinburgh Fringe.

This massive arts festival features tens of thousands of performances, from comedy to theatre to circus to music. Last year, over 2.6 million tickets were sold.

If you’re visiting during August, embrace the crowds and discover your new favourite performers.

The Edinburgh Royal Mile turned into a huge crowd of people as Edinburgh Fringe Festival poster decorate lampposts.

7. Edinburgh International Book Festival

15 – 30 Aug 2026

This Edinburgh book festival brings together authors and audiences to celebrate the power of words. You can attend an event with your favourite author, try a writing workshop or just browse their book tent.

You can also check out the Mercat’s selection of Scottish books just off the Royal Mile, at 28 Blair Street. The book selection is specially curated and features Edinburgh and Scottish titles. Plus, when you buy a book, you can enjoy a free bar of orange milk chocolate to make your reading experience that much sweeter.

A woman sits on a book display while reading, the bench labelled with ‘Edinburgh International Book Festival’.

As the temperature start to grow, so do the crowd sizes in Edinburgh. But don’t be intimidated by the busy summer months. We’ve made a list of the best things to do in Edinburgh, whether you’re looking to embrace the crowds or avoid them entirely.