A first weekend in Edinburgh: Old Town and a quieter second day
Calton Hill: a short Edinburgh viewpoint outing with a bad-weather alternative
Dean Village to Stockbridge: an Edinburgh riverside walkAn example packing list for Edinburgh in December
Use this as a starting point and choose what suits your plans. Packtricia tailors your list and quantities to your trip length, weather and preferences.
Clothing
- Underwear
- Bras (if worn)
- Socks
- Sleepwear
- Thermal base-layer top
- Long-sleeved tops
- Trousers
- Warm sweater or fleece
- Warm insulated coat
- Water-resistant walking shoes
- Scarf
- Gloves
Toiletries
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Body wash or soap
- Deodorant
- Skincare products
- Sunscreen
- Hairbrush or comb
- Shaving supplies (if used)
- Menstrual products (if needed)
- Contact lens solution (if used)
Essentials
- Passport or accepted travel ID
- Travel tickets and booking confirmations
- Wallet and payment cards
- Phone
- Charging cable and charger
- Travel adapter (if needed)
- Medication (if needed)
- Glasses or contact lenses (if used)
- Refillable water bottle
- Day bag
- Backup cash
- Power bank
- Water-resistant pouch for phone and documents
Monthly weather and packing notes
December suits a warm coat, scarf and gloves. Keep an indoor alternative and check festive closures before committing to an outdoor-to-museum plan. In Edinburgh, plan one outfit for the Royal Mile and castle approach, carry rain protection for Dean Village and the Water of Leith, and use removable layers inside the National Museum of Scotland.
- Daytime
- 5–9°C
- Evenings
- -1–3°C
- Rain
- Showers and wet spells possible
- Daylight
- Short winter days: keep exposed walks in daylight.
- Packing style
- Warm insulation, rain protection and grippy closed shoes
Planning bands are the rounded 1991–2020 Edinburgh, Gogarbank mean daily maximum (7.02°C) and minimum (1.4°C), plus or minus 2°C. These bands are clothing prompts, not forecast limits or statistical confidence intervals. Gogarbank is outside the central Old Town; Calton Hill can feel much colder in the wind than these air temperatures suggest. Check the forecast for your own dates. Monthly rainfall averages: 75 mm and about 13 days with at least 1 mm of rain.
Outfit ideas for your outings
December: the Royal Mile and castle approach
- Long-sleeved base top
- Warm knit or fleece
- Long trousers
- Broken-in water-resistant walking shoes with a grippy sole
- Warm weather-resistant coat with a hood
A breezier outing around Dean Village and the Water of Leith
- Long-sleeved base top
- Warm knit or fleece
- Comfortable trousers
- Broken-in water-resistant walking shoes with a grippy sole
- Keep warm weather-resistant coat with a hood accessible rather than in the suitcase
Indoor time at the National Museum of Scotland
- Long-sleeved base top
- Removable knit
- Comfortable trousers
- Closed walking shoes
- Small bag for the jacket once indoors
What to leave behind
- Summer-only outfits: Edinburgh's December averages still call for insulation during slow outdoor stops.
- Unworn stiff shoes: test your footwear before long sightseeing days on paving, slopes and steps.
Reviewed 2026-10-08
Met Office: Edinburgh, Gogarbank 1991–2020 climate averages · Forever Edinburgh: heritage city guide · Lothian Buses: journey planner