Christmas Lights in Edinburgh 2026

The Bank of Scotland headquarters on The Mound in Edinburgh lit in red and green at night, above blue-lit trees

The Christmas lights in Edinburgh run from late October to February: a light trail at the Botanics, the festival lights of Princes Street Gardens, The Dome on George Street and the Giant Lanterns at the zoo, plus street lights still to be announced.

Illuminated trees and a lit BOTANICS sign at Christmas at the Botanics, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

1. Christmas at the Botanics

Christmas at the Botanics is a light trail through the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh in Inverleith, 1.8 km north-west of the city centre. The 2026 edition runs from 19 November to 30 December 2026, with time slots from 16:15 and the trail closing at 20:00; places are booked in advance.

The Christmas Cathedral and the Fire Garden return in 2026, joined by a new Light Sphere, the Laser Garden and twinkling Fireflies. Past editions led visitors through tunnels of light, laser-lit gardens and glittering trees, with colour-changing displays timed to music. Relaxed sessions start at 16:00 on 29 November, 2 December and 9 December 2026.

There are two entrances: the West Gate on Arboretum Place and the East Gate on Inverleith Row, served by buses 8, 9, 23 and 27.

Photo (2025 edition): Christmas lights, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh by Jim Barton (CC BY-SA 2.0)

More Christmas lights confirmed for 2026

Scott Monument, a lit Star Flyer ride and illuminated trees in East Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh, at night

2. Princes Street Gardens

East and West Princes Street Gardens, below the Old Town and the castle, hold Edinburgh's Christmas from 14 November 2026 to 3 January 2027. Fairy-lit trees and festoons of lights hang over the wooden huts of the market, with the Scott Monument as a backdrop, and West Princes Street Gardens has illuminations including the Winter Windows schools art project. The LNER Big Wheel and the 80 m Star Flyer stay open until 22:00 (last admission 21:30), with sparkling evening views over the festival. More in the guide to the Christmas Markets in Edinburgh.

The Dome on George Street, Edinburgh, with its pillars wrapped in Christmas lights at night

3. The Dome

The Dome, a restaurant at 14 George Street in the New Town, dresses its facade for Christmas: its grand pillars are wrapped in lights and faux foliage, nutcrackers line the window ledges and a towering Christmas tree stands inside, in the Grill Room. The festive decor is up from 26 October 2026 to 10 January 2027.

Photo: Christmas decorations at The Dome, George Street by Claire Pegrum (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Lantern giraffes glowing at night at Edinburgh Zoo's Giant Lanterns

4. Edinburgh Zoo's Giant Lanterns

Edinburgh Zoo, on Corstorphine Road 5.1 km west of the centre, lights up with a lantern trail on 60 selected nights from 13 November 2026 to 21 February 2027. The 2026 theme is a journey beyond the stars, with glowing galaxies and towering cosmic creatures. Entry starts at 16:45, last entry is at 20:00 and the event ends at 21:00; tickets are booked online.

Photo (2019 edition): Family of giraffes at Edinburgh Zoo Giant Lanterns by Drkirstyross (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Map of the Christmas lights in Edinburgh

The four places with Christmas lights confirmed for 2026 carry the same numbers as above. Princes Street Gardens and The Dome sit 0.4 km from the centre, the Botanics 1.8 km north-west and the zoo 5.1 km west. A red ring marks a ticketed light trail.

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The map is © 2026 Christmas Markets and can be shared and adapted under CC BY 4.0 with a credit to Christmas Markets and a link to this page. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, tiles © OpenFreeMap.

Christmas lights in Edinburgh not yet announced for 2026

These Christmas lights in Edinburgh return most years, but by 27 October 2026 no 2026 dates or switch-on times had been published for them.

The Mound and the Norwegian Christmas tree. The tree on The Mound is a yearly gift from Vestland (formerly Hordaland) in Norway, sourced in Scotland since 2008, and the lights along The Mound link the Old Town to the New Town. In 2025 the 18-metre tree was lit on Tuesday 18 November, with the ceremony at 18:00, the public switch-on at 18:15 and a Scottish-Norwegian advent concert at St Giles' Cathedral at 19:00.

Photo: The Edinburgh Norwegian Christmas Tree by Greg Fitchett (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Neighbourhood tree switch-ons. In 2025 nine local Christmas trees were switched on between 27 November and 7 December, from South Queensferry and Corstorphine to Morningside and Portobello. The 2026 list had not been published.

George Street. Strings of fairy lights hang over the Georgian facades, and hotels and restaurants along the street decorate their fronts for December. George Street is one of the three sites of Edinburgh's Christmas in 2026, with the Polar Ice Bar outside 115 George Street from 19 November 2026 to 2 January 2027, but the 2026 street lights had not been announced.

St Andrew Square and Multrees Walk. In St Andrew Square The Edinburgh Grand sets its soldiers beside the Christmas tree in its foyer, and next door Multrees Walk lines its shops with sparkly trees.

Royal Mile, Cockburn Street and Victoria Street. The Royal Mile is known for its decorated shop windows, doors and lights, and Cockburn Street hangs lights from shop to shop. On Victoria Street the lights are strung across the street from the top down to West Bow, and every shop window is dressed for the season.

Edinburgh Castle. Castle of Light, the evening show of projections, soundscapes and installations on the castle, had not been announced for 2026. The 2025 edition ran from 21 November 2025 to 4 January 2026, with timed entry from 16:30 to 19:45. The castle's festive page lists its own Christmas decorations from Wednesday 18 November to Thursday 31 December: colourful lights and wreaths across the grounds, Christmas displays in Crown Square and a Christmas tree in the Great Hall.