Your Guide to Festive Fun in Edinburgh

Whether you’re hoping to have some festive fun with family, friends, or even on your own, Edinburgh is one of the best cities in the UK to visit. The capital city of Scotland, Edinburgh takes its festive celebrations very seriously and you can find a variety of events to take part in including Christmas markets, free events, shows, rides, attractions and much more.

This Christmas, Edinburgh is hosting a family-friendly Christmas wonderland where you can find a Santa’s Grotto, ice skating, the ‘street of light’, Scottish and German Christmas markets, balloon rides and much more. We’ve put together a handy guide for enjoying Christmas in Edinburgh this year.

European Christmas Market

A traditional and romantic Christmas market located in the heart of Edinburgh’s city aims to offer each visitor a unique shopping experience with a stunning array of crafters, gift shops, artists, and tasty surprises for the foodies. Located at East Princes St Gardens, the market offers a whole host of bespoke festive items and is the perfect destination to head to in the city for getting into the Christmas spirit, with plenty of different attractions, items and foods to spark the interest of visitors of all ages. If you’re planning to drive to Edinburgh to visit the Christmas markets, pre-book at ncp.co.uk or check out yourparkingspace.co.uk to find alternative parking options where you’ll save money.

Rides and Attractions

Funfair rides and attractions are a traditional favourite during the festive season, especially for families who have children. But, even if you’re no longer under the age of 18 that doesn’t mean that you’re not allowed to have some festive fun on the Big Wheel, Christmas Tree Maze, Helter Skelter or even take a Balloon Ride during the festive celebrations in Edinburgh this year. Along with that, there’s also an ice skating rink that’s open to the public, allowing both new and experienced skaters alike to take part in this fun and entertaining festive activity. For younger children, the Race-o-Rama, Rollercoaster, Santa Train and the Double Carousel is sure to keep them happy for hours on end. If you’re looking for more of an adrenaline rush, why not try the Star Flyer or Yeti rides or try your hand at climbing the Ice Wall.

Santa’s Grotto

If you’re visiting Edinburgh for Christmas this year as a family, keeping the magic of Christmas alive for your little ones has never been easier. In Edinburgh, they know that no Christmas would be quite the same without a visit to St. Nicholas himself, so there’s a grotto all ready and set up in the city centre for enchanted little ones to visit their favourite person at this time of year and tell him just how good they’ve been. Children can listen to a festive fairy tale, meet the elves and Santa’s helpers, and meet the man himself whilst sitting on his knee and receiving a small gift.

When it comes to celebrating Christmas, Edinburgh really know how to do it right. This year, there’s festive attractions and activities available for all in Edinburgh city centre.

What do you think about Edinburgh? Have you visited Edinburgh around Christmas before? Please leave a comment below as I would love to read what you think.

*Disclosure: This is a collaborative post

Thanks for stopping by,

Love you all ❤️

Franca 💋