📣 2025 update: The Dome and others already have festive decorations up (16/11/25) ✨
Edinburgh is a magical place to spend Christmas and every December plenty of people enjoy experiencing the festive season in the city. There is so much fun to be had in Edinburgh during this period with Christmas markets, ice rinks, twinkling lights and extravagant decorations. Each year, Edinburgh is becoming a cooler (somewhat pun intended) place to get away for a special weekend in the winter. The dark does draw in quickly during December so you can expect to wrap up warm and venture into the city or curl up in a cosy pub beside a fire with a warming glass of whisky. And every year, the decorations in the city become bigger, quirkier and brighter. It’s a lot of fun to spot the best ones and marvel at the imagination of the designers so make sure to read through this guide to find Edinburgh’s best festive lights and decorations!
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The majority of photos on this list are from Christmas 2024 (with some from previous Decembers) and I will aim to update with 2025 photos when I’m next visiting friends and family. The Christmas decorations are being hung earlier every year (sometimes as early as October) but to have the best chance of seeing as many as possible then December is the best month.
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My favourite app for booking tours, adventures and plenty of fun is Get Your Guide. There are so many epic memories that you can choose to make from food tours to entry tickets, laidback wine tasting to adrenaline filled adventures. Make sure you use my discount code CATTHOMSON5 for 5% off your first booking when you download the app as a new user 👇
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1. The Dome
2025 updated
The Dome on George Street must be the most iconic of all the Christmas decorations and lights in the city and it’s definitely one of the most fabulous. Every year, The Dome is adorned with sparkling tinsel, charming red bows and nutcrackers on guard for an overall bright, but classic display. The twinkling lights are a sight to behold and if you want even more Christmas glamour, book a table at the restaurant to admire their fabulous Christmas tree inside the venue.
2. Gleneagles Townhouse
2025 updated
Gleneagles Townhouse is one of the hotels around St Andrew Square and often boasts a contemporary, wintery theme. Last year featured winter greenery with frost dusted acorns as well as some charming reindeer. I’m fairly certain this would be a luxurious place to stay in the city as well.
Top Tip – Data Roaming
If you’re visiting Edinburgh from overseas then getting online with an eSIM from Holafly is such a game changer. No swapping SIMs. No complicated data roaming. Lots of choice. If your phone is compatible, just download the eSIM and get going!
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3. Intercontinental
Back to George Street, and opposite The Dome, you’ll find the Intercontinental hotel. This is often a vibrant golden affair with a fabulous bauble arch around the front door, paired with cheery red bows so that the building looks like a Christmas gift.
4. Victoria Street
Victoria Street is (I think) Edinburgh’s most photographed and best known street owing to its Harry Potter Diagon Alley links as well as its row of colourful shops and restaurants. The street generally has lovely snowflake lights strung up between the buildings with dainty icicle like light trails between the snowflakes. Enjoy the soft light in the morning and in the evening, as the sun fades and the night descends you’ll really feel like you’re part of the Wizarding World as they glow like magic.
5. Princes St Gardens
Every year Princes Street Gardens comes alive with Christmas smells, twinkling lights and the shouts of glee from old and young alike as they experience the fun. Admittedly some of those shouts may be of shock at the price of a mulled wine or gingerbread but it’s a great way to get into the festive spirit as you walk amongst the Christmas market stalls and gaze up at the Star Flyer. The gardens light up with all sorts of glow as the sun goes down.
6. Ross Fountain
The Ross Fountain is situated in Princes Street Gardens East which is generally a quieter affair and generally caters to toddlers and small children having fun with some of the more gentle rides. Hopefully, The Ross Fountain will have a giant Santa Sleigh beside it like last year. This makes for a lovely Edinburgh’s Christmas family photo with the Castle (and the fountain of course) in the background!
7. Cold Town House
Cold Town House is a pub in Edinburgh’s Grassmarket which rather shockingly I’ve only actually been to once! I say shockingly because it’s supposed to have a great terrace (book in advance) with an iconic view up to Edinburgh Castle. In the winter, they cover the wisteria decoration that trails down the side of the building in a Christmas theme which has included presents and snowflakes in the past. It always makes for a bold photo. 2025 sees the snowflake design back again.
8. The Witchery Shop
The Witchery Shop is a relatively new addition to the Royal Mile and last year had a rather lovely minimalist Christmas glow. The golden twinkles laid out like tree branches contrast nicely with the black paintwork of the shop’s facade and match the gold typography of the sign.
9. Boswell’s Court
Boswell’s Court is the entrance to The Witchery restaurant (and is just a few steps further down, on the opposite side to The Witchery Shop). Usually it is a rather unassuming passageway through to the restaurant’s entrance but in the festive season it’s bedecked in seasonal adornments. The Witchery is located inside a sixteenth century building to add plenty of historic Christmas character to a meal.
10. The Edinburgh Grand
The nutcrackers of The Edinburgh Grand watch carefully out towards St Andrew Square and are a charming addition at Christmas. I do love the classic seasonal colours of gold, red and green that they opted for last year for a more traditional feel. You can also spy the epic Christmas tree through the doors to the reception area of the hotel.
11. Cockburn Street
Cockburn Street is another city centre favourite which has charming light decorations strung across the street. There are some interesting buildings here to admire as well as Laila’s for brunch and The Milkman for coffee. Venture down after dark when the lights sparkle for a magical festive ambience.
12. The Nutcracker Christmas Shop
There are very few places in Edinburgh full of the Christmas spirit all year but one of those is the charming Nutcracker Christmas Shop on the Royal Mile. Even if you visit Edinburgh in Summer you can take a piece of the city away with you as a reminder of your trip in the winter months as you put up or hang out your chosen gift. Of course in December, the shop adds a few more decorations and lights to celebrate the season.
13. St Andrew Square
Back in my day…I’m too young (ish) to say that but it is true that back in my day there used to be an ice rink at St Andrew Square which surrounded the base of the Melville Monument. As an avid participant in avoiding the ice rink I was dismayed to be taken on a date there once many years ago and spent most of the time gripping the edge. Thank goodness it’s gone ⛸ Last year, there was a small forest of Christmas trees with little fairy lights circling the base of the monument and one of the gorgeous Paddington statues was places on one of the benches, rather perfectly in front of the trees.
14. Badger & Co
Badger & Co is delightful for brunch or for an evening drink and they usually have a fabulous winter display on offer at their Castle Street location. Kenneth Grahame (creator of the Wind in the Willows) lived in this building, hence the name!
15. The Bonnie Barista
The Bonnie Barista has a couple of outlets around Edinburgh and it does an excellent coffee. Their cafe on North Castle Street has a subtle yet rather charming display where the gold baubles around the window contrast fabulously with the black paint exterior.
16. Scotch Malt Whisky
The Scotch Malt Whisky building on Queen Street is guarded by two nutcrackers and features baubles and faux fir garlands around the balconies above.
17. Robertson’s
This is one for a quick snap but Robertson’s on Rose Street has some lovely decorations and with its corner location makes a great place to photograph.
Top Tip – Booking Activities & Tours
My favourite app for booking tours, adventures and plenty of fun is Get Your Guide. There are so many epic memories that you can choose to make from food tours to entry tickets, laidback wine tasting to adrenaline filled adventures. Make sure you use my discount code CATTHOMSON5 for 5% off your first booking when you download the app as a new user 👇
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18. Royal Botanic Gardens
Every year, The Royal Botanics puts on a light show at night over the Christmas period and it’s a magical experience to enjoy in Edinburgh. If you’re a local, you must do it at least once and it’s a great idea to add to your Edinburgh festive itinerary if you’re on holiday. You’ll need to wrap up warm as you wander amongst the glowing light trail as the Gardens are decorated in all sorts of colours and displays.
Christmas at the Botanics is running from 20th November until 30th December in 2025.
19. The Ivy
The Ivy is another location at St Andrew Square which puts on a festive treat. Every year, the entrance into The Ivy becomes a fabulous Christmas portal and they create a walkway for you to head in. How sweet did it look last year 😉 The 2025 display, I’ll be honest, is a little disappointing. It’s nice but I wouldn’t say it has the same creativity as in years gone by.
20. Tonic
Tonic is a bar on North Castle Street which serves award winning cocktails and last year it had a rather magnificent festive display outside its doors. The decor featured ice cool blue baubles and frost laden Christmas trees for a more contemporary vibe.
21. Tigerlily
Now my memory of Tigerlily is that it’s a club however my knowledge must be out of date because it’s now a hotel as well as a restaurant and bar. The decorations are in keeping with its bright and vibrant feel so expect lots of colour and lots of glamour!
22. Montpeliers
Montpeliers is the furthest location from the centre of Edinburgh and is one of a number of independent shops, cafes and bars in the Bruntsfield area of the city. This is a more local and less touristy part of Edinburgh and worth exploring if you have time. Montpeliers is very near to where I went to school and I’ve met up with old school friends for Christmas brunch or drinks here. There’s something rather warm and inviting about the decorations here and I love the above capture!
To help plan more of your trip to Edinburgh then make sure to read some of my other posts about my wonderful home city 😍
Cat x