Edinburgh itinerary
Every place in “Edinburgh Christmas Market 2026: Dates, Attractions & Travel Tips”. Save places in the guide to make this list yours.
- 1
Edinburgh Christmas Market in East Princes Street Gardens - The Main Market
The main Edinburgh Christmas market fills East Princes Street Gardens, beneath the Gothic spire of the Scott Monument and facing the Old Town skyline across the valley. Around 70 wooden chalets sell handmade gifts from…
- Address
- East Princes Street Gardens, Princes Street, Edinburgh EH2 2HG
- Nearest transit
- Edinburgh Waverley station, 2-min walk; Princes Street tram stop, 3-min walk
- 2
LNER Big Wheel and Star Flyer - The Best Views Over the Market
The LNER Big Wheel is the most visible part of the Edinburgh Christmas market. At 46 metres, it is the largest Ferris wheel in Scotland, and from the top you look across the castle, the Old Town and the lit stalls…
- Address
- East Princes Street Gardens, Princes Street, Edinburgh EH2 2HG
- Nearest transit
- Edinburgh Waverley station, 2-min walk; Princes Street tram stop, 3-min walk
- 3
Festive Family Funfair in West Princes Street Gardens - Rides Below the Castle
West Princes Street Gardens hosts the Festive Family Funfair, the part of Edinburgh's Christmas aimed at younger visitors. The gardens are free to enter, and the rides are paid for individually: traditional fairground…
- Address
- West Princes Street Gardens, Princes Street, Edinburgh EH2 4BJ
- Nearest transit
- West End - Princes Street tram stop, 3-min walk
- 4
Edinburgh's Christmas Ice Rink on George Street - Skating in the New Town
Edinburgh's Christmas Ice Rink sits on George Street, the grand Georgian street of the New Town, close to Castle Street. It is one of the three main sites of the official festival, along with the two halves of Princes…
- Address
- George Street at Castle Street, Edinburgh EH2 3AH
- Nearest transit
- Princes Street tram stop, 5-min walk; West End - Princes Street tram stop, 5-min walk
- 5
Castle of Light at Edinburgh Castle - The Evening Light Show
Castle of Light is an evening light and sound show staged inside Edinburgh Castle during the winter. Visitors follow a trail through the castle grounds as projections and lighting transform the walls, the batteries and…
- Address
- Edinburgh Castle, Castlehill, Edinburgh EH1 2NG
- Nearest transit
- Edinburgh Waverley station, 15-min uphill walk via the Royal Mile
- 6
Christmas at the Botanics - The Light Trail at the Royal Botanic Garden
Christmas at the Botanics turns the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh into an illuminated evening trail, with light installations threaded through the trees, glasshouses and lawns. It has become one of the most popular…
- Address
- Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Arboretum Place, Edinburgh EH3 5NZ
- Nearest transit
- Lothian bus 8 or 23 to the garden; about 25 min on foot from Princes Street
- 7
Scottish National Gallery - Free Art Beside the Market
The Scottish National Gallery stands on the Mound, between East and West Princes Street Gardens, right next to the Edinburgh Christmas market. Admission to the permanent collection is free, which makes it the best warm…
- Address
- The Mound, Edinburgh EH2 2EL
- Nearest transit
- Princes Street tram stop, 3-min walk; Edinburgh Waverley station, 4-min walk
- 8
Edinburgh's Hogmanay - The New Year Finale
Edinburgh's Hogmanay, the Scottish New Year festival, runs from 29 December 2026 to 1 January 2027 and is separate from the Christmas market. The centrepiece is the Hogmanay Street Party on Princes Street on 31…
- Address
- Princes Street, Edinburgh EH2
- Nearest transit
- Edinburgh Waverley station; trams are often diverted on 31 December
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