travelsavant

Advice needed, please. Original plan was to visit Edinburgh 5/26-30, & I have rooms secured, but realized after booking, that weekend is the Edinburgh Marathon & accompanying festivities. Not into running, or even fast-walking, so maybe not best time to visit. What say you: should I stay in town, or change plans & leave. Maybe take overnight tour 5/28-29, returning evening of the 29th? Just how crowded does Edinburgh get during marathon weekend? Thanks.

UKtravelbear

Surely it depends on the actual route the race takes through the city and how that 'interferes' with your plans.

lwildernorva

I think you'll be fine. I just looked at the map for the Saturday events and the Sunday marathon. It looks like the Saturday events are all in Holyrood Park while the marathon starts in or near the park, which may make the east end of the Royal Mile, the Scottish Parliament, and the Palace of Holyroodhouse areas to avoid during the weekend, but you're probably fine for Calton Hill and the areas of Princes Street and the Royal Mile more than a couple of blocks west of there. While the Saturday races stay around the park, the marathon quickly heads eastward out of town, through Musselburgh, Prestonpans, and Longniddry before turning around and finishing in Musselburgh. It looks like buses will then ferry the runners back into central Edinburgh.

If you have rooms secured, you've already paid whatever extra is being charged for that weekend. You might want to pick a restaurant on Saturday night where you can make reservations to avoid encountering a crowd of runners. I'm sure you could get information from your hotel about what restaurants would be unlikely to attract the running crowd.

Scots_Al

Just to add into the mix that the Pro12 final is in Edinburgh this year, on 28/5 (another fear of great timing, last year's final in Belfast coincided with the Irish Open!).

Depending on who makes it, that's potentially an extra 15-20 thousand visitors.

travelsavant

My plans aren't complicated, it's the crowds. I thought May might = fewer tourists vs busier summer months, but the estimated amount of racers (30k) & spectators (100k) seems like large influx for a weekend.

travelsavant

Thank you Iwildernorva Rooms secured at RadisonBlu & I'll make Fri/Sat dinner reservations in advance & avoid race route areas when possible.

travelsavant

Ah, so the estimated racers & spectator numbers are mostly locals? Must be the Pro12 visitors who are filling up all the hotels!

HIDDY

If you have accommodation secured then you have little else to worry about. Edinburgh is popular most weekends throughout the year so it won't make any difference whether the marathon is on or not. I suspect they have designed the course to cause as little disruption as possible.
I'd rather put up with a bunch of runners than the stag and hen party fraternity.

travelsavant

Thanks Hiddy, you all have reassured me to keep to my original plans! Looking forward to my visit.

travelsavant

Weather was mostly rain & mist for the days proceeding the Saturday race, but that seemed to enhance Edinburgh & the sun did come out for the weekend. In spite of the rain & race events, had a wonderful time. Highlight: a wonderful tea at the Signet Library, Colonnades restaurant. Radisson Blu was a good choice as was very central for walking about old town. Thanks everyone for pre-trip advice.