Edinburgh is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, and one of the wettest. If you’re visiting, the odds are good that at some point the sky over the castle will turn grey and stay that way. The good news is that some of the city’s best experiences are indoors anyway, and plenty of them are free.
This guide covers the best things to do in Edinburgh on a rainy day, from world-class museums and underground tours to escape rooms, whisky tastings and cosy cinemas. We’ve flagged which ideas suit families, couples, groups and adults, and added a few ready-made rainy day plans at the end.
When the rain sets in, an escape room is about as far from “waiting it out” as you can get. At Escape Reality Edinburgh you and your group have 60 minutes to solve your way out of a fully themed room, whether that’s a prison break in Alcatraz, a treasure hunt in Tortuga Pirates or a race against a rogue AI in Machina.
It works for almost any group. Each room takes 2 to 6 players, and with six rooms running side by side we can host up to 36 people at once, which makes it an easy rainy day plan for families, friends, stag and hen groups or work teams.
The National Museum of Scotland on Chambers Street is free to enter and big enough to fill a whole wet afternoon. Highlights include Dolly the Sheep, Scottish history from the earliest times to the present day, natural history galleries and hands-on science exhibits. If the rain lifts, head up to the roof terrace for one of the best views of the Old Town.
Best for: everyone, especially families and anyone on a budget.
Beneath the Royal Mile lies a warren of narrow 17th-century streets that were built over and sealed off. Guides in character lead you through the closes and tell the stories of the people who lived and worked there, plague years included. It’s atmospheric, genuinely interesting and completely dry.
Best for: history lovers and curious adults. Book ahead at busy times.
At the top of the Royal Mile, just below the castle, Camera Obscura and World of Illusions packs several floors with hands-on optical illusions, mirror mazes and puzzles. The Victorian camera obscura itself projects a live image of the city, and it’s at its best during a clear spell between showers.
Best for: families and anyone who likes to touch everything.
On The Mound between the Old and New Towns, the Scottish National Gallery holds one of the finest collections of European and Scottish art in the world, and it’s free. It’s a calm, quiet escape when the streets are busy and wet.
Best for: couples, solo travellers and art fans.
Surgeons’ Hall Museums on Nicolson Street tell the story of surgery in a city that pioneered much of it, with anatomy and pathology collections that are fascinating and occasionally stomach-turning. Not one for the squeamish.
Best for: adults with a strong stomach and a taste for the unusual.
Beside the Scottish Parliament at the foot of the Royal Mile, Dynamic Earth is an interactive science centre that takes you through the story of the planet, from volcanoes to polar ice. It’s built for hands-on exploring, which makes it one of the best rainy day options for children.
Best for: families with younger kids.
For something louder, The Edinburgh Dungeon on Market Street mixes live actors, special effects and the city’s darkest stories into a theatrical tour with plenty of jump scares. It’s silly, scary fun, but probably not for little ones.
Best for: teenagers, groups of friends and anyone who enjoys a scream.
A rainy afternoon is the perfect excuse for a dram. The Scotch Whisky Experience on Castlehill runs tours and tastings beside an enormous whisky collection, and Johnnie Walker Princes Street offers immersive tours with a rooftop bar overlooking the castle. Tastings are for over-18s, and both are popular, so book ahead.
Best for: adults, couples and visitors who want a taste of Scotland.
The vaults under the South Bridge are some of the most atmospheric spaces in the city, and several walking tour companies run evening ghost tours through them. Most of the tour is underground, so the weather barely matters.
Best for: groups, couples and anyone who likes a good story.
The Royal Mile has a cluster of small free museums that are easy to combine on one wet afternoon. The Museum of Childhood is full of toys and games from across the centuries, The People’s Story tells the history of everyday Edinburgh life, and The Writers’ Museum celebrates Robert Burns, Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson. St Giles’ Cathedral, a few minutes away, is free to visit too.
Best for: budget travellers and families.
The Cameo in Tollcross is a much-loved independent cinema that has been showing films for more than a century, with a mix of new releases and independent films. It’s a five-minute walk from Escape Reality, so a game followed by a film makes an easy rainy day double bill.
Best for: couples and cosy evenings.
If you want to burn off some energy, the Edinburgh International Climbing Arena at Ratho, west of the city, is a huge indoor climbing centre with sessions for complete beginners as well as experienced climbers. You’ll need transport to get there, but it’s a brilliant wet-weather day out for active groups.
Best for: active adults and older kids.
When you just need to stay dry for a while, St James Quarter at the east end of Princes Street brings shops, cafés and restaurants together under one roof.
Best for: shopping, lunch and a break from the weather.
Start at Dynamic Earth or Camera Obscura in the morning, have lunch on the Royal Mile and spend the afternoon at the National Museum of Scotland. Families with older children can finish with an escape room. Tortuga Pirates is one of our most approachable rooms, and players aged 15 and under just need to play alongside a paying adult.
Spend the morning at the Scottish National Gallery, warm up over lunch, then head to Fountainbridge for an escape room for two and a film at the Cameo just around the corner. For more ideas, see our Edinburgh date night ideas.
Book a few escape rooms side by side and race each other out, then take an evening ghost tour through the vaults. If you’re a big group, book ahead so you can all play at the same time.
Combine the free museums. The National Museum of Scotland, the Scottish National Gallery and the small museums on the Royal Mile can fill a full day without spending a penny on entry.
Plenty. Popular choices include the National Museum of Scotland, The Real Mary King’s Close, Camera Obscura and World of Illusions, whisky tastings on Castlehill and escape rooms at Escape Reality in Fountainbridge.
Yes. The National Museum of Scotland, the Scottish National Gallery, the Museum of Childhood, The People’s Story, The Writers’ Museum and St Giles’ Cathedral are all free to visit.
Escape rooms are one of the easiest options for groups because everyone plays together. Escape Reality Edinburgh can host up to 36 people at once across six rooms. Ghost tours, whisky tastings and indoor climbing at Ratho also work well. For more, see our guide to fun things to do in Edinburgh for adults.
Rain in Edinburgh doesn’t have to mean a wasted day. If you want something that gets the whole group talking, Escape Reality Edinburgh is open seven days a week in Fountainbridge, with six themed rooms for 2 to 6 players each. Book your game online or just drop in and see what’s free.
