Edinburgh in January
Dark, wet and windy, with a busy opening week and then three weeks of the cheapest rooms in the Scottish year.
Is January a good time to visit Edinburgh?
January is one of the better months to visit Edinburgh. Crowds sit around 40/100, with typical highs near 7°C.
What’s on in January
- Hogmanay carries into the first days
- Burns Night (25 January)
Best days in January
Weekdays are almost always calmer than weekends.
Tue is normally the calmest day of the week.
Best hours in January
The daily rhythm, hour by hour.
The 9:00 AM window is usually the calmest of the day.
Weather in January
Typical highs, lows and wet days.
How January compares
Every month in Edinburgh, ranked by how calm it is.
Quieter alternatives
If your dates are flexible, these months are calmer in Edinburgh.
Book things to do
Tours and tickets in Edinburgh, from our booking partner.
Free cancellation
Free cancellation
Free cancellation
Free cancellation
Free cancellationAffiliate links: if you book through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It never changes a crowd score or the order of our recommendations.
Frequently asked questions
Is January a good month to visit Edinburgh?
January is one of the better months to visit Edinburgh. Crowds sit around 40/100, with typical highs near 7°C.
How crowded is Edinburgh in January?
Edinburgh sits at roughly 40/100 in January on our crowd scale, which is 19 points below the yearly average. The quietest month is February.
What is the weather like in Edinburgh in January?
Expect highs around 7°C and lows near 1°C in January, with about 12 wet days across the month.