3 Days in Edinburgh for £71.50 Per Person: A Local's Real Budget Itinerary
We live in Edinburgh, so this is not a hotel-inclusive city-break budget. It is the three-day sightseeing plan we would use for the city, based on places we have actually visited and the prices we paid: Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Mile, Arthur's Seat, Holyrood Palace exterior, Calton Hill, the National Museum of Scotland, a University of Edinburgh tour, Ocean Terminal, the Royal Yacht Britannia, Portobello Beach and Princes Street.
Our confirmed 3-day Edinburgh budget
| Expense | Cost per person |
|---|---|
| Day 1 bus day ticket | £6 |
| Edinburgh Castle entry | £16 |
| Day 2 bus day ticket | £6 |
| National Museum of Scotland | £0 |
| University of Edinburgh tour | £0 |
| Ocean Terminal | £0 |
| Royal Yacht Britannia entry | £30 |
| Day 3 bus day ticket | £6 |
| Coffee and cake — £15 for two | £7.50 |
| Confirmed total | £71.50 |
Day 1 — Edinburgh Castle, Royal Mile, Arthur's Seat, Holyrood and Calton Hill
This is the big classic Edinburgh day. We combined one paid attraction with several of the city's best free walks and viewpoints.
We went inside the castle and paid £16 per person at the time. This was the main paid attraction of Day 1.
From the castle, the Royal Mile gives you a natural route through the Old Town. Walking this section cost us nothing.
We climbed all the way to the top. The walk itself was free and gives the day a completely different feel after the historic centre.
We saw the palace from outside and did not pay for entry.
We finished with another free Edinburgh viewpoint rather than adding another paid attraction.
Day 1 transport: we used a £6 per person bus day ticket, which was valid until midnight when we used it.
Confirmed Day 1 total: £22 per person before any food or other personal spending.
Day 2 — National Museum, University of Edinburgh, Ocean Terminal and Royal Yacht Britannia
Day 2 mixes free indoor attractions and university sightseeing with a paid visit to the Royal Yacht Britannia.
Our visit was free, making it one of the easiest ways to add a substantial indoor stop without increasing the day's budget.
We did a free University of Edinburgh tour, so our confirmed cost for this stop was £0.
We continued to Ocean Terminal before visiting Britannia. Visiting the shopping centre itself did not add an admission cost.
We went inside and paid £30 per person at the time. This was the biggest single expense of the three days.
Day 2 transport: another £6 per person bus day ticket.
Confirmed Day 2 total: £36 per person.
Day 3 — Portobello Beach and Princes Street
We kept the final day simple: seaside time at Portobello followed by central Edinburgh around Princes Street.
The beach itself was free, so the main cost was getting around the city.
We spent time around Princes Street without adding a paid attraction.
We spent £15 for two people, which works out to £7.50 each.
Day 3 transport: £6 per person for the bus day ticket.
Confirmed Day 3 total: £13.50 per person.
Where should tourists stay in Edinburgh?
Because we live in Edinburgh, our own accommodation cost for this itinerary was £0. If you are travelling to Edinburgh as a tourist, accommodation is an additional cost and can change the total significantly.
We suggest checking Expedia for Edinburgh hotels, apartments and other stays because it gives you a broad range of options at different prices. Compare the final price, location and cancellation terms before booking rather than looking only at the headline nightly rate.
Budget idea: do not restrict your search to the Old Town. A stay slightly farther from the centre can sometimes be better value if it has good bus connections.
Disclosure: the Expedia link above is a normal recommendation, not an affiliate link. We do not earn a commission if you use it.
How we kept three days affordable
Our biggest saving was combining a small number of paid attractions with a lot of free Edinburgh experiences. Arthur's Seat, the Royal Mile, Calton Hill, the National Museum, Portobello Beach and Princes Street gave us a lot of sightseeing without requiring an admission ticket at every stop.
The £6 bus day ticket also made it easier to move between areas without paying separately for each journey. We used the same £6 day-ticket cost on all three days.
Budget traveller's quick summary
Length: 3 days
Confirmed spend: £71.50 per person
Accommodation: £0 for us because we live in Edinburgh; tourists need to add accommodation separately
Paid attractions: Edinburgh Castle (£16 pp when we visited) and Royal Yacht Britannia (£30 pp when we visited)
Transport: £6 per person bus day ticket on each of the three days
Free highlights: Royal Mile, Arthur's Seat, Holyrood Palace exterior, Calton Hill, National Museum of Scotland, University of Edinburgh tour, Ocean Terminal, Portobello Beach and Princes Street
Food cost recorded: £15 for coffee and cake for two on Day 3
Total for two: £143 in confirmed costs, excluding tourist accommodation, other meals, shopping and unrecorded spending
More real Scotland budget trips
St Andrews Day Trip from Edinburgh
Pitlochry on a BudgetPrice note: The prices in this article are the amounts we paid or recorded for our own visits. They are not promises of current admission or transport prices. Always check current prices and opening information before travelling.
Comments
Planning Edinburgh on a budget, or have a favourite low-cost Edinburgh stop? Share your experience below. Comments are reviewed before appearing publicly.
Loading comments…