Top 15 Things To Do In Edinburgh At Christmas

Edinburgh’s Christmas

Christmas is a special time of year for many people. Filled with drinking hot chocolate and mulled wine, the weeks leading up to Christmas Day are an important period for celebrating with friends and family. If you’re visiting Edinburgh on holiday during this time, you’re in for a treat. 

Edinburgh’s Christmas season offers a wide variety of activities, locations and events to explore while you celebrate the holiday season. 

What To Do In Edinburgh At Christmas Time

Edinburgh’s Christmas festivities include a wide variety of activities, events and sights to enjoy. Whether you want to weave your way through a Christmas market, ride the big wheel or watch Christmas films, Edinburgh’s Christmas celebrations will have something for everyone. 

From Princes Street Gardens to Edinburgh Castle, this city is covered in Christmas cheer. So if you’re visiting around Christmas, try these things to do in Edinburgh.

1. Wander through Edinburgh Christmas Market

A great way to celebrate the festive season is to head down to some Edinburgh Christmas markets and explore different holiday crafts and treats being sold. If you’re looking for a way to warm up on the cold winter nights, consider taking a trip to the Edinburgh Christmas Market.

Located on East Princes Street Gardens, this Edinburgh winter wonderland market is a great place to do your Christmas shopping from local vendors. There are all sorts of festive season attractions to enjoy, like the Big Wheel ride.

Also known as the German Christmas Market, you’ll find vendors warming mulled wine, hot chocolate and other hot drinks for you to cosy up with while you shop around. You’ll also find a wide variety of tasty treats to try that will help you get in the holiday spirit. 

2. Visit the Edinburgh Zoo

If you’re travelling with your family, you may be interested in finding Christmas activities in Edinburgh suitable for both adults and children. The Edinburgh Zoo offers great options for family fun during the festive season. At the Zoo, you can take the family to see Santa Claus at Santa’s grotto. 

When visiting Santa, the kids can tell him what’s on their wishlist and even meet Mrs. Claus. You can also go ice skating at the Zoo for a fun physical activity that will ring in the festive spirit for the whole family. Ice skating is also available on George Street in Edinburgh. 

3. Watch A Performance At Usher Hall

Watching Christmas films is a great way to kick off the winter festivities. For a festive show this holiday season, take your family to Usher Hall. Located in the West End, this concert venue is run by the city council. At Christmas time, Usher Hall hosts many festive season productions, like the Muppet Christmas Carol, to help you get into the holiday spirit.

4. Wander through St. Andrew Square Christmas Tree Maze

Edinburgh is filled with plenty of family-friendly activities during Christmas time. To immerse your family in festive fun, head down to St. Andrew Square to explore the Christmas tree maze. 

This activity is a great opportunity to capture cherished photographs of the Christmas season. The engaging maze is sure to create life-long memories for any family that decides to partake in the fun. 

5. Attend Candlelit Concerts At St. Giles Cathedral

Around Christmas time, St. Giles Cathedral hosts several awe-inspiring candlelit concerts. Here, you can ring in the festive celebrations with Christmas music from beloved composers and musicians. Running from mid-November to December, you can book a ticket to a candlelit concert on the official website of St. Giles Cathedral. 

6. Visit the Palace of Holyroodhouse 

Christmas in Edinburgh is lit up with Christmas decor and magical displays all around the city. However, the Palace of Holyroodhouse takes the Christmas spirit to the next level.

During the festive period, the Palace of Holyroodhouse gets adorned with all sorts of Christmas decorations. From Christmas wreaths to fairy lights and trees covered with ornaments, the palace transforms into the ultimate Christmas wonderland during December. 

The palace is located at the end of The Royal Mile in Edinburgh’s historic city centre. Being one of the main tourist areas in the Old Town, the palace is open for visitors to come and enjoy the scenery and Christmas decorations. 

7. Enjoy A Weekend Aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia

For a weekend getaway during the holiday season, you can spend some time on the Royal Yacht Brittania. While on board, you’ll be able to explore the areas in which the Royal family spent their holidays — including the drawing room and dining hall, where you’ll enjoy a festive Afternoon Tea.  

For the little ones, the yacht puts on a Cuddly Corgi Treasure Hunt as a part of their festive programme. So, rest assured that the whole family will enjoy the weekend at sea. The holiday spirit doesn’t end at the treasure hunt, as the ship is also decked out in decorations for Christmas. 

8. Attend Light Night at Edinburgh Royal Botanical Gardens

If you can’t seem to get enough of the Christmas lights, visit the Edinburgh Royal Botanic Gardens for Light Night. This after-dark, internationally acclaimed display creates a magical experience in the botanic gardens. 

Decked out in floating candles and colour-changing lights, the botanic garden transforms into a festive showcase for the whole family to enjoy. Walking tours through the gardens also include a glimpse of Santa Claus along the way.

9. Join Christmas Festivities On George Street

While you visit Edinburgh, be sure to take a trip to George Street. During winter, George Street holds an ice rink for you to skate on while you enjoy the chilly weather. Located in the heart of Edinburgh’s New Town, you can also find the new Polar Ice Bar and Coorie Inn.

Head into the Coorie Inn to warm up among an atmosphere of live music and outdoor heating. Here, you can enjoy some mulled wine or hot chocolate wrapped up in some cosy tartan throws. 

The Polar Ice Bar offers cocktails and mocktails for you to unwind with after a long day of holiday cheer. Made entirely out of ice and set at a chilly temperature of -8ºC, the bar serves these drinks from ice glasses. This is a must-see bar for anyone wanting to experience Edinburgh during the winter. 

10. Join in on Festive Workshops

If you’re looking for more crafty or hands-on things to do in Edinburgh in December, consider joining some Christmas workshops. You can learn to make Christmas meals, Christmas pudding, your own Christmas wreath, or even learn some year-round arts and crafts skills. 

Workshops are held around the city. There are many different workshopping clubs that you can join. If you don’t know where to start, we suggest checking out the Edinburgh Craft Club’s website. 

11. Admire The Lights At Edinburgh Castle

Similar to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh Castle is covered with Christmas decorations during the winter time. Aptly named ‘The Castle of Light’, the Edinburgh Castle becomes adorned with Christmas lights for an awe-inspiring after-dark display. 

With light shows and interactive installations, the castle puts on a stellar projection show for Edinburgh’s locals and visitors to enjoy. This includes retellings of the history of Edinburgh Castle and even an audio-guided tour through the grounds.

12. Attend Midnight Mass at St. Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral 

Celebrate Christmas Eve at St. Mary’s Cathedral with Midnight Mass. Celebrated by candlelight, the service includes the voices of the cathedral’s choir. Midnight Mass has been celebrated for over 1,000 years and is a great way to bring in Christmas Day. 

Since the event is often well-attended, the cathedral requests that you reserve a spot in advance to aid with planning. The service is free to attend, but donations are welcome.

13. Join the Torchlight Procession

Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations include a 1.2-mile torchlight procession that ends underneath Edinburgh Castle. As a callback to Scotland’s Viking history, the procession includes bagpipers and drummers who play music during the walk. 

This procession is a key event in Edinburgh’s Hogmanay and is a great way to get involved in the action during the city’s festive period. 

14. Explore Castle Street Market

For one of the top Christmas markets in the city centre, you can head down to the Castle Street Market. This Christmas market is held under an array of colourful gazebos oozing with Christmas spirit. 

If you’re hoping to get some Christmas shopping done, the Castle Street Market is the place to be. From a wide selection of stalls, you’ll be able to shop artisanal gifts for your family and friends. There is also a great collection of festive treats and snacks that you can bring home for your Christmas dinners.

15. Watch the Nativity Carol Concert

A great way to enjoy the winter months is by attending concerts and Christmas events in Edinburgh. To make your Christmas even more festive, go and watch the nativity carol concert at the Ross Bandstand in the West Princes Street Gardens. 

Singing Christmas carols and hymns, the Edinburgh choir alights the night with their melodies for one festive evening on the 1st of December. 

Easily get around Edinburgh with Bright Bus Tours and enjoy the brightest way to see the City.
Book tickets now for more information on our Christmas shuttle services. 

Buy Your Tickets Now

FAQs About Edinburgh’s Christmas Activities

Are there any traditional Scottish Christmas dishes I should try while in Edinburgh?

While you’re visiting Edinburgh for the holidays, you’ll have your pick of traditional Scottish Christmas dishes to sample. Here are a few foods that may pique your interest:

• Shortbread — A classic Scottish biscuit that is great with your afternoon coffee or tea. It has a sweet taste and crumbly texture and is super easy to make at home.
• Hot Toddy — A warm drink made with whisky, lemon juice, honey and hot water. This is the perfect drink to warm you up while you’re out on a cold winter night.
• Cock-A-Leekie-Soup — A chicken broth with vegetables and prunes. It originated in the 16th century and has been a Scottish winter staple ever since.

Where does Edinburgh’s torchlight procession happen?

If you want to join in on the torchlight walk, you’ll need to know where it starts and ends. The procession takes place along the Royal Mile and ends at Holyrood Park. Keep in mind that the procession is about 1.2 miles long, so wear comfy shoes if you plan to participate. 

Remember that if you walk in the procession, you may not be able to see the Vikings leading the walk. So, if you’re more excited to spot the bagpipers and drummers, either make sure you start at the front of the procession or find a good viewing spot among the spectators instead.

Any more questions? Contact us today, and our friendly team will happily advise
you on how best to get to all of Edinburgh’s top attractions during the festive period.

Contact us