I know, it's rare, but it happens - the sun sometimes DOES appear in Scotland!! Incase you're lucky enough to witness this incredible phenomenon, here is a 24hr guide to make this most of the heat while it's here. From walks, to sightseeing, to bars this guide will give you the full rundown of places to go. 

Edinburgh, UK

A Sunny Day in Edinburgh

Just a quick heads up, if it's sunny in Edinburgh it's worth having an umbrella and a raincoat handy just incase, as the weather can change super quick. 

This is very simple to follow, but can get crowded in the tourist season, with plenty of signposts and a wide path. It can get slippery when its been raining recently so good shoes are best, trainers are perfectly fine for this walk. 

Portobello can be reached via the Lothian buses network or can be walked via an extension of the Arthur's seat walk if you're wanting to be out and about for longer. Along the beach there are places to stop for a bite, and it's also a nice place to sit and take in the sun. 

Hollyrood Park is a great place to wander around and see the swans and ducks in the ponds around this area. 

Having done this walk most mornings, I have to say its super peaceful especially heading out of the city. This technically goes all the way to Falkirk, however it will take you a fair while!! You will have to keep an eye out for all the bikes shooting along here but other than that it is an easy but beautiful walk near the city centre. 

This is simply iconic Edinburgh, it takes you right into the centre of Edinburgh and leads you to the next place I'm going to list, Stockbridge, and all the way out to Leith. Spot the artworks of Antony Gormley along the river, with his statues of people in the water. 

Stockbridge is worth walking around for the small town vibes, amazing cafes and old houses. Walk around Inverleith park, and make a stop at the top of the pond for my favourite view of the city, and pop by the Royal Botanic Gardens to see all the beautiful flowers, especially in summer. 

Okay, now this one is more of a trip away however it is super accessible by the buses in Edinburgh so its not limited to those who drive. My personal favourite walk is the West Kip, East Kip and Scald Law Hike - about 20km and took me around 4hrs. There are plenty of places to walk but make sure to plan your route and tell someone where you're going as many people get lost in the Pentlands. 

Nice place to spend an hour or two, during summer its perfect for the flowers and plants and winter is gorgeous as they put up fairy lights and make it into a winter wonderland.

Who doesn't love a day out at the zoo, watch the penguin parade and spend far too much money on hotdogs and ice cream. 

Rent a bike if you don't have your own and cycle out here to enjoy the small village. Also there's a really cute coffee shop, The Little Bakery, along the water here that has incredible baked goods and hot chocolate. 

Okay so this one is kinda a walk also as you have to walk out to the island, but it is a tidal bridge so make sure you time it right and can get back to mainland before the end of the day, as you don't wanna get stuck on the island. There's old ruins and fortifications on here which have been long abandoned and have lots of street art on them. 

This is one of the best spots to get a classic photo of the castle, with the old town vibe and probably where you've seen photos taken all over Instagram. It's well known by locals for a reason. 

Stockbridge market is one of my favourite markets to go to, its all locally produced food. It's not that big so its not overwhelming but it does get super busy so go early and leave time to wait! Every Sunday 10am-4pm, can be combined with the Water of Leith walk to make a nice morning stroll, with a reward. 

This market is bigger than the Stockbridge market and its in the middle of town so its a lot easier accessed. If your accommodation is central and in Old Town then there is a good chance that this is less than a 10 minute walk away. Every Saturday 10am-4pm. 

This is a pop-up during summer so there's a chance it may not be there when you're in Edinburgh, so double check across their socials what dates it's on for. It has heaps of food vans and drink stalls, with speakers, live music and a big screen for sports when a good game is on. It's fully outdoors so good weather is required for this, and there is a charge to enter on weekends and evenings. 

This is THE spot for uni students, BBQ's and picnics during the summer. There is a good chance there's someone with a massive speaker somewhere nearby, topless sunbathers in 15 degrees and underage drinking but it is absolutely the vibe in summer. 

Iced coffee plus a hidden sun spot is exactly what you need in warm weather. Sit here with a good book and relax after one of your big walks. 

This place has an incredible brunch and a small outdoors area, but they also have incredible cocktails for some day drinking - truly the best of both worlds. 

If you are craving ice cream, go here. They have a unique variety of ice creams that rotate so make sure to see what they have at the time. This is traditional Italian gelato so you know it's going to be good. 

The beer garden area is almost always full when the sun's out so make sure to book in if you can. It has 3 floors but the rooftop terrace has views right onto the castle and is a proper sun trap. 

The pizza here is unbeatable, and it is owned by 3 breweries so has a nice mix of craft beers and a small outdoors area if you fancy something a little different. 

This is very hidden and one of the lesser known places in Edinburgh but very much has back garden vibes, hidden behind Calton Hill, all outdoors so then makes sense that its the place to be in summer. 

This one is very out of the way but the fish and chips here are absolutely worth the travel. The train goes by here so its pretty easy to get to and doesn't take too long either. 

If you are craving tacos, this is the place to go. It's very small inside and they have some outdoor seating (with umbrellas if needed), but its very authentic Mexican food and not too expensive either. 

Cute bar with an outdoor area in summer and cool igloos in winter. They have a huge whiskey collection and cocktails, can't go wrong. 

Cute beer garden that opens in summer with tasty snacks and a good range of cocktails, very instagramable. 

Full of students but with live music and a cool beer garden, plenty of pints to go around and an all-round good vibe. 

A Sunny Day in Edinburgh

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