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Edinburgh is considered one of Europe’s most beautiful cities, and with its compact center and great nightlife, it’s one of the most fun as well. Hotel prices are quite high so it’s a good thing there are loads of hostels in Edinburgh to keep travel within reach of the backpacking set.

The city only has about half a million residents and most things are within walking distance of everything else. But the public transportation system is poor here so it’s probably not a great idea to book yourself into a cheap Edinburgh hostel on the outskirts of town to try to save just a bit of money. The center of town is very lively so if you are coming to experience some of the fun it’s best to book yourself into a well-located place.

Of course, with its northern latitude the seasons play a huge role in everything in Edinburgh. With days lasting until 11 p.m. during the middle of the year, the city takes on an almost magical quality and fills up with tourists. The festival season lasts all summer, but peaks during August and early September.

The largest and most infamous of the numerous festivals is the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, which claims to be the world’s largest arts festival. It runs for three weeks each August and it draws people from all over the world. Due to the nature of the festival itself, it draws heavily among travelers who gravitate towards hostel life. The result of this is many of the better Edinburgh hostels are literally booked a year, or more, in advance. If you are planning on attending the Fringe, find whatever you can and book now because it won’t be available for long.

The main city attractions, as well as the main nightlife district in Edinburgh, are centered around what’s known as the Royal Mile. This collection of streets in the center of Old Town run from the Edinburgh Castle for a Scottish mile (1.1 Imperial miles, 1.8 km) to the Holyrood Abbey. It’s the heart of town in more ways than one, and also the heart of the tourist district. In many cities the idea of staying directly in the tourist district is unappealing, but in Edinburgh this is really where everything is happening.

The Castle Rock Hostel is a full-service facility right next to the Edinburgh Castle and is very popular. They have bunks in rooms filled with between 8 and 16 beds starting around €15. They don’t have any private rooms, but the Edinburgh Backpackers does, and they also have a great location near the Royal Mile. Their 8-bed dorm rooms start around €23 per bunk, and their twin or double-bed rooms start around €42 per person. That may seem like a lot of a room with a shared bathroom, but for this location it’s quite a bargain. Check normal hotel prices for this neighborhood and you’ll see why hostels in Edinburgh are doing such brisk business all year round.

Hostels in Scotland (Edinburgh)