Moving to a new city is a big undertaking, and Edinburgh is a wonderful place to land. It is compact, walkable, full of history and green space, and smaller than most capital cities while still having everything you need. The move itself, though, is a long list of small jobs, and doing them in the right order makes the whole thing far less stressful. This checklist walks through what to sort before you arrive, what to tackle in your first week, and how to settle in properly.

Before you arrive

Sort your first accommodation

You rarely want to commit to a permanent home before you know the city, so most people arrive into temporary accommodation and house-hunt from there. A serviced apartment is ideal for this: furnished, flexible, with the bills included and nothing to set up. Our guide to relocation accommodation in Edinburgh explains how it works, and our extended stays and insurance relocation pages cover longer bookings and moves handled through an employer or insurer.

Get to know the neighbourhoods

Edinburgh has very different areas, and where you settle shapes daily life. The New Town and Old Town are central and historic; Leith and the waterfront are calmer and better value with a brilliant food scene; Stockbridge, Morningside and Bruntsfield each have their own character. Before you commit, read up and plan to visit a few. Our guide to the best areas to stay in Edinburgh is a good starting point, and our complete guide to Leith covers the waterfront in detail.

Handle the paperwork early

• Notify your current council and set up post redirection with Royal Mail.

• Tell your bank, employer and any subscriptions your new address once you have one.

• If you are moving from overseas, check visa and right-to-work requirements, and plan to open a UK bank account on arrival.

• Gather documents you will need: passport or ID, proof of address, employment paperwork and, if you have children, school records.

Plan the practical bits of the journey

Book your travel and, if you are driving up, think about where you will park on arrival. Parking is one of Edinburgh’s genuine headaches, so staying somewhere with its own parking takes a job off the list. Our transport page and location page show how the city connects.

Your first week

The first week sets the tone, so keep it manageable and leave room to breathe.

• Do a proper shop. Stock the kitchen so you can cook and feel settled. There is a large Asda next to our apartments, and our groceries FAQ has the details.

• Register with a GP. Sign up with a local practice near where you are staying or expect to settle, so you are covered if you need care.

• Sort your travel. Get to know the buses and trams, and if you will commute, do a trial run before day one. A contactless card or the Lothian Buses app covers most journeys.

• Open or update your bank account and register your address where it matters.

• Walk your area. Find the nearest supermarket, pharmacy, GP, gym and a decent coffee, and pin them on a map. Knowing where the basics are makes a new place feel like home faster.

• If you have children, contact schools or nurseries and start the enrolment process, which can take a little time.

• Keep one day free. Moving is tiring. A gentle first weekend, a walk and a good meal out, does wonders for morale.

Because a serviced apartment is sorted from the moment you arrive, you can spend this week on these jobs rather than assembling furniture or waiting in for a broadband engineer. That head start is the real value of relocation accommodation.

Settling in

Find your routine

Once the admin is done, the fun part begins: making Edinburgh yours. Find your local cafe, your running route, your weekend market. The city rewards exploration, from the galleries and museums to the hills on its doorstep, with Holyrood Park, Arthur’s Seat and the Pentland Hills all within reach. Leith in particular has become one of the best places in the city to eat and spend time, and living on the waterfront means a morning walk with the Firth of Forth beside you.

Use your house-hunting time well

The quiet advantage of temporary accommodation is time. Rather than renting or buying blind, you get to live in the city and work out where you actually want to be. Visit your shortlisted areas at different times of day, check the commute, and get a feel for the place before you commit to a permanent home. When you do move on, you simply check out of the apartment, with no tenancy to unwind.

Make the most of a longer stay

Relocations often run longer than planned, and a serviced apartment flexes with that. Our Stay and Save discounts reward longer bookings, and we will do our best to keep you in the same apartment if you need to extend, so you are not moving twice in quick succession.

Getting around by public transport once you arrive

Edinburgh is a very manageable city to get around, which is one of the quiet pleasures of living here. Much of the centre is walkable, and the bus and tram network is cheap and reliable. Lothian Buses cover the city comprehensively, contactless payment works on board, and the tram runs from the airport through the centre down to Newhaven, so getting in from your flight is simple. Many people who move to Edinburgh find they use the car far less than they expected.

If you do keep a car, bear in mind that parking in the central areas is controlled and in short supply, so somewhere to stay with its own parking during your settling-in period is a real help. From the Leith waterfront you can leave the car and take the tram or bus into town, which is quicker and cheaper than driving in.

What to love about living in Edinburgh

It is worth remembering, amid the logistics, just how good a city you are moving to. Edinburgh packs an enormous amount into a small footprint: a castle and a medieval Old Town, Georgian streets, hills you can climb before breakfast, a coastline, and more green space than almost any comparable city. The cultural calendar is extraordinary, led by the festivals in August, and there is always something on. The food scene, especially down in Leith, is among the best in the country, and the countryside and coast are on the doorstep for weekends away. It is a city that rewards living in it, not just visiting, and most people who move here end up staying.

A quick relocation checklist to save

• Book flexible temporary accommodation before you arrive

• Research neighbourhoods and plan to visit a few

• Redirect post and update your address with bank, employer and council

• Sort visa, right-to-work and a UK bank account if moving from overseas

• Plan your journey and your parking

• Do a first-week food shop and register with a GP

• Learn the buses and trams, and trial your commute

• Enrol children in school or nursery early

• Walk your area and find the local basics

• Use your settling-in time to choose where to live for good

Frequently asked questions

Is Edinburgh a good place to relocate to?

Yes. It is compact, safe, full of history and green space, with a strong jobs market, good schools and universities, and the countryside and coast close by. It is a very liveable city.

Where should I stay when I first move to Edinburgh?

Flexible, furnished accommodation such as a serviced apartment lets you live in the city and learn the neighbourhoods before committing to a permanent home. The Leith waterfront is calm, good value and well connected.

How long do people stay in relocation accommodation?

Anywhere from a couple of weeks to several months, depending on how quickly a permanent home comes together. Longer stays attract better rates.

What is the best area of Edinburgh to live in?

It depends on what you want. The centre is historic and lively, Leith is calmer and better value with a great food scene, Stockbridge, Morningside and Bruntsfield each have their own character, and the suburbs are leafy and residential. Spending time in each before you decide pays off.

Make your move to Edinburgh an easy one

A comfortable, flexible base takes the stress out of a move and lets you enjoy the new city from day one. Request a quote with your arrival date and how long you expect to need, or call the team on 0131 553 7394, and we will help you land well.