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 April
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
- Long-sleeved tops
- T-shirts or lightweight shirts
- Trousers
- Light sweater or cardigan
- Hooded waterproof jacket
- Water-resistant walking shoes
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
- Sunglasses
- Water-resistant pouch for phone and documents
Monthly weather and packing notes
April works well with light layers that can be rearranged between showers. Shoes with grip matter more than a second smart jacket. 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
- 10–14°C
- Evenings
- 2–6°C
- Rain
- Showers and wet spells possible
- Daylight
- Daylight is lengthening, but temperatures can drop quickly towards evening.
- Packing style
- Removable layers and a waterproof outer jacket
Planning bands are the rounded 1991–2020 Edinburgh, Gogarbank mean daily maximum (12.01°C) and minimum (4.34°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: 46 mm and about 9 days with at least 1 mm of rain.
Outfit ideas for your outings
April: the Royal Mile and castle approach
- Long-sleeved shirt or T-shirt
- Removable medium-weight sweater
- Long trousers
- Broken-in water-resistant walking shoes with a grippy sole
- Waterproof jacket over removable layers
A breezier outing around Dean Village and the Water of Leith
- Long-sleeved shirt or T-shirt
- Removable medium-weight sweater
- Comfortable trousers
- Broken-in water-resistant walking shoes with a grippy sole
- Keep waterproof jacket over removable layers accessible rather than in the suitcase
Indoor time at the National Museum of Scotland
- Long-sleeved shirt or T-shirt
- Removable knit
- Comfortable trousers
- Closed walking shoes
- Small bag for the jacket once indoors
What to leave behind
- Only warm-weather clothes: Edinburgh can have a cool, wet day in April, even if part of the trip is sunny.
- 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