Best time to visit Edinburgh
Re-score for me — drag the dial — every chart on the page recolours live for your heat limit 27°C
Default 27 °C is the upper edge of the Holiday Climate Index "ideal comfort" band (Scott, Rutty, Amelung & Tang, 2016). Above this, most warm-tourism travellers report measurable discomfort.
How is this scored? HCI / Steadman / CCI gate — full methodology and citations below.
Compare with another destination
Add as many as you like — stacked below the main strips above. Each row is just the recent-window score strip and (for beach destinations) sea-temperature strip.
Tours in Edinburgh
30 top-rated tours via Viator. Booking links earn this site a commission at no cost to you.
- 1
Islander Harris Tweed® Mini Satchel Making Workshop - 2
Ghost Bus Tour of Edinburgh - 3
Stirling Castle, Whisky & Kelpies Tour starting Edinburgh - 4
Luxury Private Tour of The Highlands Loch Ness from Edinburgh - 5
Edinburgh: Loch Lomond, Stirling Castle and the Kelpies Day Tour - 6
3 Day - Isle of Skye, Loch Ness, Glenfinnan Tour from Edinburgh - 7
Private Walking Tour: Edinburgh Highlights, including entry to Edinburgh Castle - 8
Big Bus Edinburgh 24 or 48 hour Hop On Hop Off Sightseeing Tour - 9
Private Tour of the Scottish Highlands from Edinburgh - 10
Edinburgh Castle Guided Tour Tickets Included - 11
Edinburgh Castle Guided Walking Tour - Entry Tickets Included - 12
Edinburgh Airport Private Transfers To & From Edinburgh Airport - 13
Private Tour of Loch Ness, Glencoe and Highlands from Edinburgh - 14
3 Day Isle of Skye and Scottish Highlands from Edinburgh - 15
Edinburgh Airport to Edinburgh City or Vice Versa - 16
3-Day Isle of Skye and Scottish Highlands from Edinburgh - 17
Edinburgh Private Tour with a Local - Highlights & Hidden Gems - 18
St Andrews Private Day Tour - 19
Edinburgh: Loch Ness, Glencoe and The Highlands - 20
Edinburgh Castle and Royal Mile Walking Tour - Ticket Included - 21
Edinburgh: Glenfinnan Viaduct, Glencoe & Fort William - 22
The Johnnie Walker Signature Experience in Edinburgh - 23
The Chocolatarium Chocolate Tour Experience in Edinburgh - 24
Private Airport transfer From or to Edinburgh airport (One way transfer) - 25
The Mountebank Comedy Walk of Edinburgh - 26
Glenfinnan, Glencoe and Scottish Highlands Day Tour - 27
Original Harry Potter Locations: Guided Walking Tour in Edinburgh - 28
Edinburgh Ghost Tour: Mysteries, Legends and Murders - 29
Edinburgh Full-Day Tour with Edinburgh Castle included - 30
Old Town Walking Tour History and Tales in Edinburgh
Last refreshed 2026-10-24.
Similar climatesSt Andrews95% · Belfast95% · Chester94%
Other destinations with the most-alike year-round climate to Edinburgh (apparent temperature, rain hours, sunshine — matched within the same trip-profile). The ±N chip compares each match's typical score for the current month against Edinburgh's. Based on the 2020-2024 climatology, not this year's actual weather.
Month-by-month
| Month | Temp °C | Feels °C | Rain days | Rain h | Rain h/day | Humidity | Wind km/h | Sun h | UV | Interest | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3–7 | 2 | 14 | 150 | 10.7 | 81% | 29 | 85 | — | Quiet | 3 |
| Feb | 3–8 | 3 | 15 | 196 | 13.1 | 77% | 31 | 105 | 1 | Quiet | 3 |
| Mar | 3–9 | 5 | 16 | 186 | 11.6 | 73% | 25 | 159 | 1 | Quiet | 4 |
| Apr | 4–11 | 7 | 12 | 138 | 11.5 | 67% | 22 | 212 | 2 | Quiet | 5 |
| May | 8–14 | 12 | 15 | 170 | 11.3 | 70% | 21 | 237 | 3 | Quiet | 5 |
| Jun | 11–17 | 15 | 13 | 157 | 12.1 | 68% | 21 | 256 | 4 | Quiet | 6 |
| Jul | 12–18 | 17 | 17 | 199 | 11.7 | 69% | 21 | 239 | 3 | Moderate | 6 |
| Aug | 12–18 | 17 | 14 | 179 | 12.8 | 71% | 21 | 228 | 3 | Peak | 6 |
| Sep | 11–16 | 14 | 12 | 152 | 12.7 | 73% | 22 | 176 | 2 | Moderate | 6 |
| Oct | 8–13 | 10 | 19 | 211 | 11.1 | 78% | 26 | 117 | 1 | Moderate | 4 |
| Nov | 5–10 | 6 | 12 | 131 | 10.9 | 82% | 25 | 95 | — | Moderate | 4 |
| Dec | 3–7 | 3 | 16 | 184 | 11.5 | 84% | 26 | 56 | — | Quiet | 3 |
UV Index in Edinburgh by Month
UV index in Edinburgh peaks at 4 (moderate) in June, dropping to 0 (low) in January.
Best months in detail
June
6/1011–17°C (feels 15°C) · 13 rain days (157h) · 256 sun hours · 68% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 4 (moderate)
September
6/1011–16°C (feels 14°C) · 12 rain days (152h) · 176 sun hours · 73% humidity · Moderate crowd · UV 2 (low) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 3 (moderate)
August
6/1012–18°C (feels 17°C) · 14 rain days (179h) · 228 sun hours · 71% humidity · Peak crowd · UV 3 (moderate)
Every month
Show the other 9 months in detail
January
3/103–7°C (feels 2°C) · 14 rain days (150h) · 85 sun hours · 81% humidity · Quiet crowd
February
3/103–8°C (feels 3°C) · 15 rain days (196h) · 105 sun hours · 77% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 1 (low)
March
4/103–9°C (feels 5°C) · 16 rain days (186h) · 159 sun hours · 73% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 1 (low)
April
5/104–11°C (feels 7°C) · 12 rain days (138h) · 212 sun hours · 67% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 2 (low) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 4 (moderate)
May
5/108–14°C (feels 12°C) · 15 rain days (170h) · 237 sun hours · 70% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 3 (moderate) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 5 (moderate)
July
6/1012–18°C (feels 17°C) · 17 rain days (199h) · 239 sun hours · 69% humidity · Moderate crowd · UV 3 (moderate)
October
4/108–13°C (feels 10°C) · 19 rain days (211h) · 117 sun hours · 78% humidity · Moderate crowd · UV 1 (low)
November
4/105–10°C (feels 6°C) · 12 rain days (131h) · 95 sun hours · 82% humidity · Moderate crowd
December
3/103–7°C (feels 3°C) · 16 rain days (184h) · 56 sun hours · 84% humidity · Quiet crowd
Comparisons people search for
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Frequently asked questions about visiting Edinburgh
When is the best time to visit Edinburgh?
June is the highest-scoring month (6/10 on the Holiday Climate Index). Typical conditions: 11–17°C (13 rainy days). The top three months by score are June, September, August.
What is the worst time to visit Edinburgh?
December is the lowest-scoring month (3/10). Typical conditions: 3–7°C (16 rainy days).
When are crowds lowest in Edinburgh?
Search-interest seasonality (Google Trends 2021-2025) is lowest in January and peaks in August. Interest tracks both in-trip visitors and lead-time planners, so treat it as a "destination is on people's minds" signal rather than literal arrivals.
Which months in Edinburgh have good weather but fewer tourists?
June (climate 6/10, crowd index 39) — shoulder months with above-average climate and below-median search-interest. Often the best value-for-weather trade.
What is the UV index in Edinburgh by month?
UV peaks at 4 (moderate) in June and is lowest in January at 0 (low). Monthly peak values: Jan —, Feb 1, Mar 1, Apr 2, May 3, Jun 4, Jul 3, Aug 3, Sep 2, Oct 1, Nov —, Dec —.
What is the UV index in Edinburgh in June?
June is the peak UV month in Edinburgh, with a daily-peak UV index of 4 (moderate). Standard sun protection — sunglasses and light SPF — is recommended.
How high can UV get in Edinburgh on the sunniest days?
Most days look like the monthly average, but on the sunniest ~1 in 10 days UV climbs higher than the mean suggests. May is the worst case: typical days average UV 3 (moderate), but the top 10% of days reach UV 5 (moderate) — and even higher. Months where the sunniest days routinely exceed the typical reading: April, May, September. Plan sun protection for the worst case, not the average.