Edinburgh In October: The Ultimate Guide

Edinburgh in October is a mixed bag! The leaves are starting to change colour and there’s a lack of tourists, but all that comes at a cost – colder weather and shorter days!

Here’s the ultimate guide to knowing whether travelling to Edinburgh in the fall is the right  time for your visit! 

Psst! This blog post contains affiliate links in it which sends me a bit of extra money if you use them… at no extra cost to you!

October Weather In Edinburgh

The weather in Scotland doesn’t fluctuate too much throughout the year. When you visit Edinburgh in October you aren’t missing out on beautiful sunny weather. Don’t think it won’t be colder though!

The average high in the summer is only 19°C (66°F) and in October it’s 13°C (55°F). The average low though is about 6°C (43°F), so you’ll definitely want to pack some warmer clothes.

October is also one of the rainier months in Scotland as well, with 11 days of rain over the month on average, so pack that rain jacket and umbrella!

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What To Pack For Edinburgh In The Fall

It’s all about layers for a trip to Edinburgh in the fall! You want to be able to bundle up if you need to and remove layers if it starts warming up.

You’re going to want a nice warm jacket that blocks the wind and is also waterproof. I didn’t have one that checked both those boxes, so I brought two: my lined jean jacket with a packable waterproof windbreaker on top.

I will admit, I could have brought a bigger (and definitely longer) jacket. I regretted not packing my long puffer jacket. In Scotland, you’re outside for the most of the day usually so the warmer you dress the happier you’ll be!

I recommend wearing your jacket on the plane so it doesn’t take up room in your suitcase. P.S. See more of my pro packing tips!

Make sure you also pack all the proper fall accessories like a hat, gloves, and don’t forget a scarf (unless you’re planning on buying a tartan one when you’re there!). 

I even brought leg warmers because my legs often get really cold when standing outside all day.

For shoes, make sure to want to pack rugged, water-resistant shoes. You might get caught in the rain a few times, and there’s nothing worse than walking around with wet feet all day. 

If you’re planning on leaving the city, you’ll also want to bring ones you don’t care about getting dirty. I packed Blundstones for hiking and walking around the city. I also made sure to pack some thin wool socks because my feet tend to get cold.

Unsure about buying Blundstones for a trip to Scotland in the fall? Read my full Blundstones for travel review and see what to look out for before buying a pair!

Scotland In The Fall: Enjoy The Leaves Changing Colours!

As the weather starts to cool down, the leaves start to change colour. The red and yellow leaves make for some pretty beautiful pictures.

The downside is that you have to have good timing because after the leaves change, they fall. 

Visiting Edinburgh in the fall is tricky. You might miss the changing of the leaves and only see the bare branches on the trees, which definitely isn’t as nice.

Edinburgh In October = Shorter Days

The main thing you have to watch out for when travelling to Edinburgh in October is that the days are a lot shorter. 

The summer in Scotland can have up to 20 hours of daylight (with sunrise before 4:00 am sunset after 9:00 pm). Scotland in the fall, you only have about 10 hours of daylight (sun rises around 7:00 am and sets around 5:30 pm).

That’s half the amount of daylight!

The later sunrise can work in your favour because now you can wake up to see the sunrise at Arthur’s Seat (one of the main attractions in Edinburgh!). 

Be aware that towards the end of the month they also move the clocks backwards. Now your days get even shorter, teetering on only 9 hours of daylight.

It’s important to know when the time change is, so you don’t miss any scheduled tours or plane tickets.

For us, the shorter days became an issue for our day trips out of Edinburgh. We didn’t want to drive back in the dark (on their small, narrow, and poorly lit roads). So we’d have to start heading back to the city around 3:00 (if not earlier!).

Fewer Tourists But Not Completely Empty

As with the rest of Europe, October is a pretty quiet month for travel. It wasn’t as quiet as I thought it would have been though.

The Royal Mile is still bustling with people! Some nights we even had a hard time finding a restaurant that still had space. I can’t imagine what it would be like during the summer.

At least you don’t have to book your attractions months in advance; you have way more leeway. In the summer you have to book Edinburgh Castle months before you visit and make sure to book a morning visit (I’ve heard horror stories of how busy it can get in the afternoon!).

When we visited Edinburgh in the fall, we booked our ticket the day before, didn’t have to rush there first thing in the morning, and it still wasn’t too busy when we went.

Edinburgh Autumn: Attractions Start To Close

You won’t have any issues in Edinburgh in the fall, the main attractions stay open all year round. 

But if you’re planning on leaving the city to visit some nearby towns and castles (see my round up of the best castles in the area), there are a few places that close for the winter.

It’s usually the smaller castles that don’t see enough tourists or those that are on an island (so you need to take a boat to get there) that will close between October and April.

Edinburgh Events In October

The best part of visiting Edinburgh in October, if you’re there on the 31, is the Halloween festivities.

In Edinburgh, the Samhuinn Fire Festival takes place on Halloween. It’s a Gaelic tradition celebrating the start of winter. All I’ll say is that it’s an experience you won’t get anywhere else!

You have some other festivals in Edinburgh in October as well. Like the Scottish International Storytelling festival that lasts two weeks and Edinburgh Cocktail week!

Edinburgh Hotel Recommendations

I stayed at an Airbnb for a month in Edinburgh just across from The Meadows. For shorter stays, I found these accommodations to stay at for every type of traveller.

Best Location & Price: Just down the street from the Royal Mile Motel One Edinburgh – Royal is a short walk to all the main attractions. See room rates & availability.

Modern & New Apartment: Stay in Edinburgh’s New Town at Golden Thistle Apartment to live like a local. It’s offers a beautifully renovated modern apartment with cafes and bars at your fingertips! See room rates & availability on Plum Guide.

Luxury: The Balmoral Hotel is Edinburgh’s finest hotel but nothing compares to it. J.K. even stayed here to finish writing the Harry Potter Series. Maybe you’ll get lucky and stay in the same suite! See room rates & availability.

See other accommodations on Booking.com in Edinburgh, or more apartments on Plum Guide.

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• The Pros and Cons of Fall Travel
• See What The South of France is like in the Fall
• Why You Should Travel To Belgium in September
• What Barcelona is Like in December?

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Last update on 2024-05-02 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API