Edinburgh · Month comparison

May vs April

May ranks #1 overall vs April at #2. Edinburgh's most pleasant surprise — genuinely mild, long days, and the city at its most liveable before the Fringe transforms it.

Edinburgh May — the city viewed from an elevated position with Edinburgh Castle visible in spring light

May

#1 of 12 months

Best match

Edinburgh's most pleasant surprise — genuinely mild, long days, and the city at its most liveable before the Fringe transforms it.

  • ↑The best weather-to-crowd ratio in Edinburgh's year: 15°C, 6.5 sunshine hours daily, and the city still at low season crowd levels — Arthur's Seat, the Royal Mile, and the Water of Leith walkway all enjoyed in relative peace
  • ↑The Royal Botanic Garden in May is at its peak — rhododendrons, flowering trees, and immaculate lawns that the cold winter months make impossible to appreciate; free to enter
Edinburgh April — a stone pathway leading up toward Edinburgh Castle in spring light

April

#2 of 12 months

Best match

Edinburgh's most underrated month — spring arrives properly, daffodils fill Princes Street Gardens, and prices remain well below the summer peak.

  • ↑The daffodils in Princes Street Gardens below the castle are one of Edinburgh's great seasonal sights — a dense yellow carpet under the volcanic rock in April light that photographs almost implausibly well
  • ↑April is one of Edinburgh's driest months at 41mm — clear days arrive with genuine frequency and the extended daylight (sunset past 8pm) allows proper outdoor exploration of Arthur's Seat, Calton Hill, and the Water of Leith walkway
FactorMayApril
Weather score
7
6
Value score
7
8
Crowd score
7
8
Events score
5
5
Atmosphere
7
6
Avg high temp15°C12°C
Monthly rain52mm41mm
Daily sunshine6.5hrs5.2hrs

May trade-offs

  • ↓Prices begin climbing from the spring floor; May is affordable but noticeably more expensive than January–March
  • ↓The weather, while improved, remains distinctly Scottish — cold snaps and grey weeks can arrive at any point through May; pack for variable conditions
  • ↓No headline events: May is the city between its main festival peaks; excellent for the city itself but not an event-driven visit

April trade-offs

  • ↓Easter week pushes prices sharply upward and brings a significant visitor spike to the castle and the Royal Mile; if avoiding crowds, mid-April is preferable to the Easter holiday week
  • ↓Still cool — 12°C is pleasant for walking but not outdoor café or terrace weather; Edinburgh's summer warmth is still two months away
  • ↓The Fringe, the Military Tattoo, and the International Festival are distant; April offers the city rather than its headline events
See all 12 months for Edinburgh →May in detail →April in detail →
Scores compare months within Edinburgh. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →