Edinburgh in July
When to go
The Met Office's Edinburgh averages for July list an average high and low and days of rainfall, so pack layers plus something waterproof. VisitScotland's Edinburgh Festivals page lists the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival and the Edinburgh Festival Carnival among its upcoming July festivals, ahead of the August festivals. Check the official festival sites for exact dates and compare them with your own before you commit.
Trip facts
- The Met Office's climate averages for Edinburgh, Royal Botanic Garden No 2 (1991-2020) list an average maximum temperature of 19.29 degrees Celsius and an average minimum temperature of 11.60 degrees Celsius in July. (www.metoffice.gov.uk, checked )
- The Met Office's climate averages for Edinburgh, Royal Botanic Garden No 2 (1991-2020) list average rainfall of 72.06 mm in July, with 11.47 days of rainfall of 1 mm or more. (www.metoffice.gov.uk, checked )
- VisitScotland's Edinburgh Festivals page lists the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival and the Edinburgh Festival Carnival for July 2027. (www.visitscotland.com, checked )
- GOV.UK says you usually need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) rather than a visa if you're from Europe, the USA, Australia, Canada or certain other countries. (www.gov.uk, checked )
- GOV.UK says each person travelling needs an ETA, including babies and children. (www.gov.uk, checked )
- Edinburgh Airport's website says journeys by tram between the airport and the city centre take 30 minutes, and that trams depart every 7 minutes between 6:30am and 7pm. (www.edinburghairport.com, checked )
- Edinburgh Airport's tram page lists tram stops including Haymarket, West End - Princes Street, St Andrew Square, Picardy Place and The Shore, and says Edinburgh's main railway station, Waverley, and Edinburgh Bus Station are also just a short walk from the St Andrew Square stop. (www.edinburghairport.com, checked )
- Lothian Buses says its TapTapCap contactless payments work on bus and tram: on Lothian Buses you tap your contactless payment card or device when you board, and on Edinburgh Trams you must tap on and tap off at the platform validator. (www.lothianbuses.com, checked )
- Edinburgh Trams' website says to buy your tickets before you board, and lists these options on the platforms: purchase tickets, validate your smart card, or tap on your contactless card or device. (edinburghtrams.com, checked )
- The City of Edinburgh Council says the Edinburgh Visitor Levy is a 5% payment on the cost of the paid, overnight accommodation, charged before VAT, is only charged on the first 5 nights' stay, and is charged at the same rate every day of the year, indefinitely, for stays from 24 July 2026 onwards. (www.edinburgh.gov.uk, checked )
Flights
Edinburgh Airport's tram page gives a journey time between the airport and the city centre, so compare it with the other ways into the city on the airport's transport pages. Before you book, check GOV.UK's page on the electronic travel authorisation: it says visitors from the USA usually need one rather than a visa, and that each person travelling needs one, including babies and children. For other entry guidance, see the State Department's page for the United Kingdom, and check the airlines directly for current flight and route information.
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Where to stay
Weigh a stay near one of the tram stops on Edinburgh Airport's tram page, such as Haymarket, West End - Princes Street, St Andrew Square, Picardy Place or The Shore, against a base that relies on buses. The same page says Waverley station and Edinburgh Bus Station are a short walk from the St Andrew Square stop. Check how the Edinburgh Visitor Levy appears on any total you compare, using the City of Edinburgh Council's Visitor Levy page, and check cancellation terms.
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Getting around
Lothian Buses says contactless payment works on its buses and on Edinburgh Trams: tap your card or device when you board a bus, and tap on and tap off at the platform on the tram. Edinburgh Trams says to buy your tickets before you board and lists buying tickets, validating a smart card or tapping on a contactless card or device on the platforms. Check both operators' sites for current fares and ways to pay.
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Things to do
Decide what is worth building a day around, then check availability for your travel dates. Compare what a tour or ticket includes, the meeting point and the cancellation terms before you choose.
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Stay connected
Check whether your phone plan works at your destination before you go. A travel eSIM is an alternative to roaming: compare the data, the coverage and how long it lasts.
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Protect the trip
Travel insurance is priced for a specific trip. Once you have booked, compare plans with your real dates and every traveler’s age. Read each plan’s emergency medical and evacuation limits, and what it excludes.
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