10 Things to Do in Edinburgh in May

In May in Edinburgh, daylight hours start to last longer. With the longer days, you will be able to squeeze much more out of your trip through the Scottish city. Not for nothing is May one of the most recommended months by travelers to visit this region.

The weather in Scotland's capital is always unpredictable, but in this month things seem to have a better sheen. It's an ideal season for touring its breathtaking scenery and taking in all there is to see in Edinburgh and, if you can, in the surrounding area.

If you travel to Edinburgh in May, I recommend a visit to Edinburgh Castle, as the good weather is a great ally for this excursion.

At the top of Castle Rock, the castle is one of the oldest in the UK and its history is fascinating while remaining, like almost everything in Edinburgh, terrifying and dark.

Also, if I were you, I wouldn't miss the throne room to see the Scottish Crown Jewels up close. Anyway, the guided tours include this part. It is one of the best castles in Edinburgh so I wouldn't overlook it.

Can you imagine the beautiful spring colors of the Scottish capital in May? The best way to appreciate them is from the best viewpoint in Edinburgh: Arthur's Seat.

It is not a really difficult climb. It is only 251 meters that allow you to enjoy an incredible panoramic view. You will see all of Edinburgh and all the green between the viewpoint and the city itself. In about an hour from the Palace of Holyroodhouse, you will already be taking out your camera to photograph the scenery.

For that reason, I recommend that you take advantage and also visit before this beautiful royal palace with an incredible outdoor garden and then start the march to the viewpoint, as its exterior in spring is also really unique.

Visiting the Isle of Skye is amazing, even more so in May to take advantage of this experience with the good weather.

Of course, you should book at least three days to fully enjoy the various attractions you will find on the island.

Skye is the most famous island of Scotland and, although it is almost 5 hours drive from Edinburgh, I recommend that you do not miss the opportunity to visit it if you are in the capital. Hiring an excursion you can enjoy it to the fullest and not worry about everything.

It is worth taking a day trip to St. Andrew's and the villages of Fife in May to make the most of all the outdoor time there is to experience.

This destination is unique and travelers who have visited with a tour comment that the time spent there is magical. This is very likely, as it is a medieval setting that will make you feel like you are either in another time, or starring in a movie about the time of King Arthur.

The Highland Games are held in venues all over the country, including Edinburgh of course. The price and where you should buy your tickets varies depending on the venue you choose. In May, specifically, you can visit the Gordon Castle Games.

The Gordon Castle Highland Games and Country Fair take place near Inverness, at Gordon Castle, with tickets starting at 12 euros per adult.

The Highland Games are tests of strength, bagpipe competitions and traditional dancing. It is a way of celebrating Scottish culture, especially that of the Highlands, the mountainous region of northern Scotland. And if seeing this festival leaves you wanting to know more about this area of the territory, I recommend taking a trip to the Highlands from Edinburgh.

Early and late May in Edinburgh gives you a great excuse to visit Shetland and Orkney. And is that, the two islands host their local folk festivals, the Shetland Folk Festival and the Orkney Folk Festival.

It is ideal, because during the day you can explore their natural surroundings and at night you can live a good experience surrounded by music. Besides, in my opinion, there is nothing more beautiful or that brings you closer to a place you are traveling to than to know this kind of events in first person: you will feel like one of them.

Tickets are usually available in April on the websites of the two festivals. Approximate prices are usually:

• For the Shetland Folk Festival: between €21 and €30 per concert for non-members. The festival does not offer general admission tickets.
• For the Orkney Folk Festival: same as the Shetland festival, so you will have to buy tickets for each particular event. Prices are published from March onwards.

You can visit the Japanese Garden at Lauriston Castle all year round, but if you travel to Edinburgh in May I highly recommend it, as spring will be in full swing.

It is a pleasant space, close to Cramond Island, and is ideal for an early morning visit.

Dean Village gives the feeling of being out of time and space. Until a while ago, it was not very visited, but nowadays nobody wants to miss the chance to visit this amazing place in Edinburgh. In this case, I recommend it, because it is twice as beautiful if you visit it in good weather.

If you choose to visit it, although you will still be in the city, you will feel in an Eden on earth with very nice little houses and old buildings. Also, the village overlooks the river, which adds to the feeling of not being in a city at all. It feels more like a remote village... in a remote century.

You will see that in Dean Village you can find tranquility, something ideal to recharge your batteries away from the noise, without having to travel for hours. I especially recommend this plan for a day when you feel you need to take a break from the tourist pace and walk for a while. Admission is free.

In April Edinburgh's gardens begin to bloom, but in May the temperature improves so you can enjoy them in full color at their best.

Pack a picnic and have everything you need to spend a morning in one of Edinburgh's gardens. You'll reap some wonderful postcards in your memory. Choose from:

• Dunbar Close, a lesser known and less traveled garden.
• Take a stroll through Princes Street Gardens.
• Starbank Park Gardens, another favorite of travelers for its natural beauty.

Take advantage of the fine May weather in Edinburgh to stroll along the Royal Mile. It's a steep street in the city's Old Town, and a lot of people who travel for sightseeing want to see it.

The pink blossoms that start to appear on Edinburgh's trees in April come into their own in May. And on the Royal Mile you'll find plenty of them as you tour all the area's attractions, souvenir stores and quaint bars.

In May, temperatures in Edinburgh usually hover between 5° and 15° degrees. The chance of rainy days is 9 days in the whole month. Although, really, with Edinburgh you never quite know.

In addition, the days start to last longer, the sun is much more visible and the gardens are especially in bloom in May in Edinburgh.

The truth is that, fortunately, you will not find crowded and impassable streets. But it is also true that many travelers say that Edinburgh in May is fascinating and beautiful.

Thanks to this open secret, many people are already choosing to travel to Edinburgh in May. However, although the season is starting to get livelier, the city is not yet full. Because of this, you can still get good prices on accommodation and the demand for places is relatively low.

If you are traveling to Edinburgh in May, you should pack cool, light and comfortable clothes for the cooler days. If I were you, I would also include some evening outfits. Also, take a coat, and if you have one specifically for rain, pack it too.

Also, you can take some entertainment in case you get caught on one of those days when it never stops raining: a board game, cards, books, a diary to make notes. Whatever you can think of. If not, you'll always have the internet.

If you travel to Edinburgh, you always have the possibility to buy an Edinburgh City Pass. Thanks to this card, you can save money on some of the activities you want to explore in the city.

The purchase of the card is quite helpful, if you take advantage of it. For example, it covers transportation to the airport, almost a rarity in this type of card. In addition, it covers the tourist bus.

With the Edinburgh City Pass you can also enter some of the most popular attractions in the city. You can buy it for 1, 2 or 3 days, and the price will depend on that. All you have to do is show it when you want to enter somewhere.