Edinburgh Royal Mile

The Edinburgh Royal Mile

The Royal Mile is a chain of connected streets (Castlehill, Lawnmarket, High Street, Canongate, Abbey Strand) running 1.6 kilometres from the castle esplanade at the top to the gates of Holyrood Palace at the bottom. It has been continuously inhabited and commercially active since at least the 12th century, which makes it simultaneously one of the most historically significant streets in Scotland and one of the most crowded tourist corridors in Britain on a summer Saturday afternoon.

The street-level experience depends entirely on when you go. Early morning, off-season, the closes (narrow alleyways running perpendicular to the main road) are largely empty and the historic fabric is visible and absorbing. Saturday afternoon in August is the Edinburgh Fringe, which means dozens of performers competing for your attention on every available pavement and the movement speed of the crowd dropping to near-zero. Both are legitimate ways to experience the Mile; they are completely different experiences.

The Castle End

Edinburgh Castle at the top requires its own half-day and advance booking from April through October. Just below the esplanade, Camera Obscura on Castlehill has been operating since 1853; the Victorian optical device projecting a live image of the city from the tower is the centrepiece, but the building has expanded into optical illusion exhibits spread across five floors. Worth 45 minutes.

The Writers’ Museum on Lawnmarket occupies a 17th-century merchant’s house and covers Edinburgh’s three most celebrated literary figures: Robert Burns, Walter Scott, and Robert Louis Stevenson. Thirty minutes, free, and easy to overlook on the way past.

The Middle

St Giles’ Cathedral is identifiable by its distinctive crown spire, a Scottish variation of the lantern tower. The interior is Scottish Gothic of genuine quality; the Thistle Chapel added in 1911 is considered the finest 20th-century decorative work in any Scottish church. Free entry with donation box.

Real Mary King’s Close, under the City Chambers adjacent to St Giles: a 17th-century close that was built over rather than demolished when the City Chambers were constructed in the 1750s. Paid guided tours through the partially preserved underground street, with genuine history (plague victims, tradespeople, occupation layers) and good guides. Book online; groups are capped.

The closes themselves are public rights of way and free to walk. Advocates Close, Brodie’s Close, and Bakehouse Close are the most atmospheric. Go early morning when they are empty.

The Holyrood End

The Scottish Parliament building at the foot of Canongate, completed in 2004 by Enric Miralles, is architecturally controversial and worth visiting for anyone interested in contemporary architecture. Most Edinburgh residents have a strong opinion about it, which is itself interesting. Guided tours run when Parliament is not in session.

The Palace of Holyroodhouse, the official Scottish residence of the monarch, admits visitors when royalty is not in residence (typically outside late June to early July). The state apartments, the ruins of Holyrood Abbey in the grounds, and the Queen’s Gallery for Royal Collection exhibitions constitute a half-day.

Eating On or Near the Mile

The cafe at the Scottish Poetry Library on Crichton’s Close serves good coffee in an architecturally interesting contemporary building that most visitors don’t find.

David Bann on St Mary’s Street, one minute from the Royal Mile, is the best vegetarian restaurant in Edinburgh and worth booking for dinner. The menu changes seasonally and the cooking is considerably more ambitious than the location suggests.

Scots Kitchen at 270 High Street does a reliable modern-Scottish lunch at reasonable prices including proper cullen skink (smoked haddock chowder with cream and potato).

The Bow Bar on Victoria Street, a short walk south: a compact real ale pub with an outstanding whisky selection, no live music, no screens, no stag parties. This is the correct Edinburgh pub experience.

Practical Notes

The Royal Mile is cobbled throughout, sloped, and slippery when wet. Shoes with grip are more useful than fashion footwear. Souvenir shops proliferate; if you want genuinely Scottish-made craft items, ask specifically where goods are produced before buying. The distinction between Scottish-made and Chinese-manufactured tartan tat is not always obvious from the packaging.