10 Things to Do in Edinburgh in May

In May in Edinburgh, daylight hours start to last longer. With the longer days, you'll be able to get more out of your trip to the Scottish city. It's not for nothing that May is one of the most recommended months for travellers to visit this region.

The weather in Scotland's capital is always unpredictable, but in this month things seem to take on a better sheen. It's an ideal time to take in the stunning scenery and take in all there is to see in Edinburgh and, if you can, in the surrounding area.

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

Perched atop Castle Rock, the castle is one of the oldest in the UK and its history is fascinating while still being, like almost everything else in Edinburgh, terrifying and dark.

And if I were you, I wouldn't miss the throne room for a closer look at the Scottish Crown Jewels. Anyway, the guided tours include this part. It's one of the best castles in Edinburgh so I wouldn't overlook it.

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

It's not a difficult climb. It's only 251 metres and gives you an incredible panoramic view. You'll 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'll already be whipping out your camera to take pictures of the scenery.

For this reason, I recommend that you take the opportunity to visit this beautiful royal palace with an incredible outdoor garden and then make your way to the viewpoint, as the outside of the palace in spring is also truly unique.

Visiting the Isle of Skye is amazing, even more so in May to make the most of the good weather.

However, you should book at least three days to fully enjoy the many attractions you'll find on the island.

Skye is Scotland's most famous island and although it's almost 5 hours drive from Edinburgh, I recommend you don't miss the opportunity to visit it if you're in the capital. Book a tour and you can make the most of it and take the hassle out of it.

It's 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 travellers who have visited with a tour say 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 in a film about the time of King Arthur.

The Highland Games are held at venues all over the country, including Edinburgh of course. The price and where you buy your tickets varies according to 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 from 12 euros per adult.

The Highland Games are tests of strength, piping competitions and traditional dancing. It's a way of celebrating Scottish culture, especially that of the Highlands, the mountainous region in the north of Scotland. And if seeing this festival leaves you wanting to see more of the Highlands, I recommend a trip to the Highlands from Edinburgh.

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

It's ideal, because by day you can explore the natural surroundings and by night you can have a great experience surrounded by music. Plus, in my opinion, there's nothing more beautiful or more intimate with the place you're travelling to than experiencing these events first hand - you'll feel like you're one of the locals.

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

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

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

It's 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 highly recommend it, as it is twice as beautiful if you visit in good weather.

If you choose to visit it, even though you will still be in the city, you will feel like you are in an Eden on earth with beautiful little houses and old buildings. In addition, 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 find that in Dean Village you can find peace and quiet, which is ideal for recharging 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 around 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 colour 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 postcard-perfect memories. Choose from:

• Dunbar Close, a lesser-known and less-travelled garden.
• Stroll through Princes Street Gardens.
• Starbank Park Gardens, another favourite with travellers for its natural beauty.

Make the most of Edinburgh's fine May weather by strolling along the Royal Mile. It's a steep street in the city's Old Town, and many of the city's tourists want to see it.

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

In May, temperatures in Edinburgh tend to be between 5° and 15° degrees Celsius. The chance of rainy days is 9 days in the whole month. Although, in truth, with Edinburgh you never really know.

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

It's true that, fortunately, you won't find crowded and impassable streets. But it is also true that many travellers find Edinburgh in May to be 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, accommodation prices are still good and demand for places is relatively low.

If you're travelling to Edinburgh in May, you'll want to pack cool, light and comfortable clothes for the cooler days. If I were you, I'd also include a few evening outfits. Also, take a coat, and if you have one specifically for rain, pack that too.

You can also 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 keep notes in. Whatever you can think of. If not, there's always the internet.

If you are travelling to Edinburgh, you can always buy an Edinburgh City Pass. With this card, you can save money on some of the activities you want to explore in the city.

Buying the card is quite helpful, if you make the most of it. For example, it covers you for transport to and from the airport, which is almost a rarity in this type of card. It also covers the sightseeing bus.

With the Edinburgh City Pass you can also get into some of the city's most popular attractions. 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.