The Royal Mile – the heart of old Edinburgh and a magnet for tourists.
While you could come here just to pick up your kitschy souvenirs (I’m not judging – I did the same myself), there’s more to the Royal Mile than tartans for sale and the sound of the streetcorner piper.
Bookended on either side by Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood House, you could walk along this storied street in about 20 minutes.
By why would you want to? As the center of Edinburgh’s Old Town, there’s so much history to discover along this small stretch of road.
So budget an hour or two, or even a whole day or more, to explore some of the historical sights to see along the Royal Mile!
Table of Contents
A bit more about the Royal Mile
First off, why is it called the “Royal Mile”? Well, “royal” because it was traditionally the processing route for Scotland’s monarch. “Mile” because it actually is the length of a Scottish mile – today, that’s a little less than 2km, or a little over one imperial mile.
Interestingly, unlike the random medieval streets of other European cities or the neat grid pattern you find in places like New York, the Old Town of Edinburgh is shaped a little like a fish’s skeleton – the Royal Mile is the backbone from which smaller streets, or “closes,” extend outward.
Every August during the Edinburgh Festivals, the street largely turns into a pedestrian street. Hordes of tourists make their way here and street performances are everywhere. It’s a fun, festive atmosphere. But be aware – crowd control, especially for the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, can be strict, and many of the roads around the castle can be closed off. And once the tattoo was finished? I found it to be absolute chaos.
Edinburgh Castle
Starting at the west end of the Royal Mile (although you can see it throughout the city), you’ll find the mighty Edinburgh Castle.
A center of power for several centuries, the town of Edinburgh grew up around this fort. Later, a stone castle was built by King Malcolm III in the 11th century and was used as a residence for Scottish kings and queens.
Always possessing a military function, at one point it held prisoners of war. Today, it still serves as the headquarters of two Scottish regiments, as well as housing some military museums and the Scottish National War Museum.
Here you can find Edinburgh’s oldest building, St. Margaret’s Chapel, see where Mary, Queen of Scots gave birth to her son and successor James VI, the first king of a united Scotland and England, and watch the firing of the one o’clock gun. It’s also the site of the annual Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
Edinburgh Castle is one of the city’s most popular sights, so I recommend booking your ticket in advance, especially during the busy summer months.
The Scotch Whiskey Experience
The making of whiskey – or scotch – has a long and venerated history in Scotland. While the first documented mention of a distillery dates from 1494, the tradition is thought to date from much earlier.
Learn more about the history of whiskey and how it’s made at the Scotch Whiskey Experience – and sample a drink afterwards!
Gladstone’s Land
Ever wondered what life was like in Edinburgh through the centuries? Stop by Gladstone’s Land to find out!
This preserved building takes you through an early 20th century tenement, an 18th century draper’s shop, and a 17th century merchant’s house.
Bonus: There’s an ice cream and coffee shop on the ground floor.
The Writer’s Museum
Ok, so this one is just off of the Royal Mile, but only just. But if you’re a fan of history or literature, you’re not going to want to miss this museum.
Here you’ll find manuscripts and other personal items of the triumvirate of Scottish literature – Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott, and Robert Louis Stevenson. To top off the historic atmosphere, it’s all housed in a preserved home from the 1600s.
St. Giles Cathedral
Considered the mother church of Presbyterianism, St. Giles Cathedral is a landmark of Edinburgh. There’s been a church on this spot since 1124. The current building is a surprisingly harmonious mix of mostly late Gothic and Victorian architecture.
St. Giles has been the scene of many important events in Scottish history. Protestant reformer John Knox preached here, helping to turn Catholic Scotland into a Protestant country in the 16th century. Less than a hundred years later, a riot broke out here after Charles I tried to impose The Book of Common Prayer on the Presbyterian Scots, eventually leading to the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. More recently, the Order of the Thistle, Scotland’s only chivalric order, has held its services in the cathedral.
My personal favorites in the cathedral? The small but ornate Thistle Chapel, where the members of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle meet for services and inauguration of new members, and the stained-glass window depicting the assassination of Regent Moray in 1570, the first recorded assassination by firearm in history.
Mercat Cross
A mercat cross, or market cross, was a landmark that let people know that the town was given the right to hold a market – and therefore was a prosperous town.
Despite the “cross” in its name, a mercat cross was actually a secular symbol of authority. Important announcements were read from here, and that didn’t just happen back in the day – King Charles III’s ascension to the throne was proclaimed from here in 2022.
Edinburgh’s mercat cross is a Victorian copy of an older cross that was removed a century earlier. It is topped with the national animal of Scotland, a unicorn.
The Real Mary King’s Close
One of Edinburgh’s most popular attractions, the Real Mary King’s Close is a subterranean alleyway with a dark history. It’s also said to be Edinburgh’s most haunted – some 300 plague victims from the 1645 outbreak were bricked up here and left to die.
Mary King was a businesswoman who lived in the first half of the 1600s and came from a prominent family of academics and lawyers. The close was named after her, the last notable member of her family to live there.
Learn about the grittier side of Edinburgh’s past here as you follow a costumed guide for an hour-long tour. Booking ahead of time is recommended.
Adam Smith Statue
The statue honors the grandfather of economics, Adam Smith, whose book The Wealth of Nations set the foundation for free-market capitalism and remains a classic of economics.
Smith was born in Fife, but came to Edinburgh in 1748 and died in the city some forty years later. He was a leading figure of the Scottish Enlightenment.
The High Street Wellhead
Easy to miss as you’re walking along, this wellhead is where the citizens of Edinburgh used to get their water. It fell into disuse after water started being supplied to houses directly.
Museum of Childhood
If you ever wondered what children played with back in the day, the Museum of Childhood likely has the answer. It’s a free museum displaying a variety of toys from yesteryear.
John Knox House
Scottish religious reformer John Knox may or may not have lived here, but this medieval house is dedicated to him and his work.
A leader of the Protest Reformation in Scotland, during his years of exile he also served King Edward VI of England and influenced The Book of Common Prayer. Upon his return to Scotland, he famously sparred with the devoutly Catholic Mary, Queen of Scots, whose execution he advocated for after her forced abdication.
Museum of Edinburgh
Another museum set in a preserved 16th century house, this time containing artefacts from Edinburgh’s past. One of the things you’ll find? The collar of Greyfriars Bobby, the city’s most famous dog.
People’s Story Museum
Another local history museum, this time focusing on the lives of the working class from the 1700s down to the 1980s. It’s located in a really awesome-looking building, with a large clock and a mini-turret.
Canongate Kirk and kirkyard
Built between 1688 and 1691, Canongate Kirk serves as the parish church for the nearby Holyrood House and the Scottish parliament. It’s notable for its distinctive sinuous architecture on the outside and its cheery blue pews on the inside.
The church is also associated with the royal family. Queen Elizabeth II used to worship here during her visits to Edinburgh. Her granddaughter, Zara, married here in 2011.
Note that the church is often closed to visitors, but that shouldn’t stop you from admiring the outside and exploring the churchyard.
The churchyard is a quiet, peaceful space of green in this grey city. The most famous person buried here? The economist Adam Smith, whose statue you can see along the Royal Mile. David Rizzio, the murdered secretary of Mary, Queen of Scots, is also said to be buried here.
Palace of Holyroodhouse
Marking the other end of the Royal Mile, the Palace of Holyroodhouse is the official residence of the monarch in Scotland. The king does visit every summer; the palace is closed to the public during that week.
Scottish monarchs have been associated with Holyrood since the 12th century, often staying at the guesthouse when they visited the abbey founded by King David I. James IV built a palace here at the beginning of the 16th century, although the current building dates mostly from the 17th. Mary, Queen of Scots famously witnessed the murder of her friend and secretary David Rizzo here in 1566. Bonnie Prince Charlie briefly occupied the palace during the Jacobite uprising.
Next door to the palace is Holyrood Abbey, once a grand Gothic church, now attractive ruins. You can also enjoy a stroll through the lovingly upkept gardens, where the Royal Company of Archers, the King’s bodyguard in Scotland, are permitted to practice shooting bows and arrows.
There you have it – a walk along Edinburgh’s most historic street. What are you most excited to see?
Looking for Edinburgh’s top historic sights? Check out my list here!
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