10 Things to Do in Edinburgh in December For A Joyful Vacation

Activities to Do in Edinburgh in December

1. Shop at Edinburgh's Traditional Christmas Markets
2. Ride The Princes Street Ferris Wheel
3. Discover The Edinburgh Botanic Gardens Light Trail
4. Have Fun At Ice Skating Rink
5. Enjoy The Snowy Scenery Of Edinburgh Castle
6. Explore Royal Mile
7. Visit The Palace Of Holyroodhouse
8. Walk Around St Andrews Square
9. Enjoy At Hogmanay
10. Have Fun At Santa's Charity Run

The charm of the tourist destinations of Edinburgh comes to focus during the winter season with plenty of things to do in Edinburgh in December. Ranging from Christmas celebrations to the winter special, Edinburgh is brimming with fun and adventurous activities that exudes the feeling of festivity in the air. 

One of the best things to do in Edinburgh in December includes attending or participating in the Hogmanay, which is a three-day event consisting of concerts, street parties, and a torchlight procession. The visitors can explore the traditional Christmas markets and shop for their favorite items in Edinburgh or walk along the trail of lights at the Edinburgh Botanic Gardens in December.

You can also contribute to the fundraising event of the Santa Fun Run and Walk by dressing up as Father Christmas. Besides all these exciting activities, you can also admire the tranquil blanket of snow on Edinburgh Castle that looks mesmerizing even from a distance.

Here is the list of the top things to do in Edinburgh in December:

Image description
Bigger Group? Get special offers upto 50% off!
We create unforgettable adventures, customised for your group.
Connect with a group tour expert
Full Name
Email
Phone number
Travel Date
Traveller Count
Message
Top Activities In Edinburgh
01

Enjoy The Snowy Scenery Of Edinburgh Castle

02

Visit The Palace Of Holyroodhouse

03

Shop At Edinburgh's Traditional Christmas Markets

Best Selling Edinburgh Attractions Tickets
04

Ride The Princes Street Ferris Wheel

05

Discover The Edinburgh Botanic Gardens Light Trail

06

Have Fun At Ice Skating Rink

Edinburgh Tour Packages Explore All (16)
Explore All (16)
07

Explore Royal Mile

08

Walk Around St Andrews Square

09

Enjoy At Hogmanay

10

Have Fun At Santa's Charity Run

People Also Ask About Edinburgh

  1. What are the best things to do In Edinburgh in December?

    1. Have fun at the Edinburgh Santa Fun Run
    2. Explore the different Christmas markets
    3. Watch a remarkable movie at Cameo Cinema
    4. Relish the musical performances at the Usher Hall
    5. Take your kids to the SantaLand
  2. Why should one visit Edinburgh in December?

    There are plenty of things to do in Edinburgh in December, which makes it an ideal time to visit the city this month. It is a fun time to explore the Christmas markets and decorations if you visit the city in December. You can avail yourself of cheap accommodation and enjoy the mulled wine while walking down Princes Street along with the other activities to do in Edinburgh in December. You should also visit this place to dive into the multicultural vibes of the atmosphere during this month.
  3. What is special about Edinburgh?

    Edinburgh is special for its architecturally fascinating buildings that exude different nationalities, cultures, and ethnicities. It is the top festival city in the world that attracts thousands of visitors to its festival events and programs, such as the World Cup and the Olympics. This place also serves as a great space for literature and food as you can taste the delicious coffee in The Elephant House, where JK Rowling has written the Harry Potter books. Exploring the Christmas markets is also one of the best things to do in Edinburgh in December.
  4. How to reach Edinburgh?

    By Air: Edinburgh Airport is the best option to travel to Edinburgh by air. You can travel from anywhere in the world to this airport to reach your ideal destination.

    By Rail: Edinburgh has some great rail connectivity from the neighboring cities, like Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester, and Newcastle. You can board ScotRail from any of these cities to the Edinburgh Waverley rail station or Princes Street to reach Edinburgh.

    By Bus: Several buses operate from different cities to Edinburgh Bus Station on St Andrew Street in the middle of the city.
  5. How many days are enough to explore Edinburgh?

    A minimum of two to three days are enough to explore Edinburgh. Within this time frame, you can explore the different attractions and indulge in a variety of things to do in Edinburgh in December. You can even take a ghost or whisky tour or go on a hike to Arthur’s Seat within this time.
Newly Added Edinburgh Experience

Edinburgh Top Attractions

Places To Visit In Edinburgh
Smriti Chopra UK Tour Package From India
Excellent
I booked this tour for my family as there were old aged people it needed to be a bit lenient. and it was absolutely what we asked for the members were supportive as well as the team members were cooperative enough. Thanks for making this a memorable trip.
Triloki Gill Malt Whisky Trail: Discover the Flavour of Scotland
Superb
Love the whiskey trail. Trust me no hangover.
Satish Talwar Malt Whisky Trail: Discover the Flavour of Scotland
Excellent
Great experience. Had lot of fun
Nikita Gupta Malt Whisky Trail: Discover the Flavour of Scotland
Excellent
Amazing experience. Learn't a lot about Scottish whisky.

More on Edinburgh Tourism

Popular Related Destinations

International Things to Do

Currency Picker
Commonly Used Currencies
INR -
Indian Rupee
USD - $
United States Dollar
EUR -
Euro
SGD - $
Singapore Dollar
AUD - $
Australian Dollar
GBP - £
British Pound
AED - د.إ
United Arab Emirates Dirham
All Other Currencies
ALL - L
Albanian Lek
AMD - դր.
Armenian Dram
ARS - $
Argentine Peso
AWG - ƒ
Aruban Florin
BBD - $
Barbadian Dollar
BDT -
Bangladeshi Taka
BMD - $
Bermudian Dollar
BND - $
Brunei Dollar
BOB - Bs.
Bolivian Boliviano
BSD - $
Bahamian Dollar
BWP - P
Botswana Pula
BZD - $
Belize Dollar
CAD - $
Canadian Dollar
CHF - CHF
Swiss Franc
CNY - ¥
Chinese Renminbi Yuan
COP - $
Colombian Peso
CRC -
Costa Rican Colón
CZK -
Czech Koruna
DKK - kr.
Danish Krone
DOP - $
Dominican Peso
DZD - د.ج
Algerian Dinar
EGP - ج.م
Egyptian Pound
ETB - Br
Ethiopian Birr
FJD - $
Fijian Dollar
GHS -
Ghanaian Cedi
GIP - £
Gibraltar Pound
GMD - D
Gambian Dalasi
GTQ - Q
Guatemalan Quetzal
GYD - $
Guyanese Dollar
HKD - $
Hong Kong Dollar
HNL - L
Honduran Lempira
HRK - kn
Croatian Kuna
HTG - G
Haitian Gourde
HUF - Ft
Hungarian Forint
IDR - Rp
Indonesian Rupiah
ILS -
Israeli New Sheqel
JMD - $
Jamaican Dollar
KES - KSh
Kenyan Shilling
KGS - som
Kyrgyzstani Som
KHR -
Cambodian Riel
KYD - $
Cayman Islands Dollar
KZT -
Kazakhstani Tenge
LAK -
Lao Kip
LBP - ل.ل
Lebanese Pound
LKR -
Sri Lankan Rupee
LRD - $
Liberian Dollar
LSL - L
Lesotho Loti
MAD - د.م.
Moroccan Dirham
MDL - L
Moldovan Leu
MKD - ден
Macedonian Denar
MMK - K
Myanmar Kyat
MNT -
Mongolian Tögrög
MOP - P
Macanese Pataca
MUR -
Mauritian Rupee
MVR - MVR
Maldivian Rufiyaa
MWK - MK
Malawian Kwacha
MXN - $
Mexican Peso
MYR - RM
Malaysian Ringgit
NAD - $
Namibian Dollar
NIO - C$
Nicaraguan Córdoba
NOK - kr
Norwegian Krone
NPR - Rs.
Nepalese Rupee
NZD - $
New Zealand Dollar
PEN - S/
Peruvian Sol
PGK - K
Papua New Guinean Kina
PHP -
Philippine Peso
PKR -
Pakistani Rupee
QAR - ر.ق
Qatari Riyal
RUB -
Russian Ruble
SAR - ر.س
Saudi Riyal
SCR -
Seychellois Rupee
SEK - kr
Swedish Krona
SLL - Le
Sierra Leonean Leone
SOS - Sh
Somali Shilling
SVC -
Salvadoran Colón
SZL - E
Swazi Lilangeni
THB - ฿
Thai Baht
TTD - $
Trinidad and Tobago Dollar
TZS - Sh
Tanzanian Shilling
UYU - $U
Uruguayan Peso
UZS - so'm
Uzbekistan Som
YER -
Yemeni Rial
ZAR - R
South African Rand
JPY - ¥
Japanese Yen
VND -
Vietnamese dong