Royal Mile

The Royal Mile is the spine of Edinburgh's Old Town, running downhill from the castle on its volcanic crag to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the King's official Scottish residence. Along the way it packs in much of the city's history: tightly-stacked tenements, hidden "closes" (alleys) ducking off to either side, St Giles' Cathedral with its crown spire, and a constant street theatre of buskers, bagpipers, and, in August, the chaos of the Fringe Festival.

The Mile itself is touristy, but the magic is in stepping off it: down a dark, narrow close into a quiet courtyard, or into one of the underground vaults beneath the street. Walk it top to bottom, detour freely, and finish either at the castle's commanding views or the palace at the foot.

Don't miss

• Edinburgh Castle at the top, with sweeping city views
• St Giles' Cathedral and its distinctive crown steeple
• Ducking into the hidden closes off the main street
• The Palace of Holyroodhouse at the foot of the Mile
• Underground vault and 'haunted' history tours beneath the street

Tickets & tours

Ways to visit Royal Mile

Cheapest way inRoyal Mile, Edinburgh Walking Tour with Audioguide4.5★ · 17 travelers~2 hoursFree cancellationFrom$12 per personSee dates →Most bookedUnderground Vaults Walking Tour in Edinburgh Old Town4.7★ · 9,092 travelers~1 hourFree cancellationFrom$29 per personSee dates →Top ratedEdinburgh Castle and Royal Mile Walking Tour - Ticket Included4.9★ · 1,818 travelers~2 hoursFree cancellationFrom$72 per personSee dates →

Good for

How travelers rate it

Know before you go

• Book Edinburgh Castle tickets in advance, it's the busiest paid sight and timed entry sells out.
• The real character is down the closes off the main street, explore them.
• It's a genuine hill on cobbles; wear comfortable shoes.
• August means the Fringe and Military Tattoo, thrilling but packed and pricey; book everything early.

A bit of history

The Royal Mile has linked Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Abbey/Palace since medieval times, forming the main street of a city once crammed within defensive walls. The pressure to build within those walls created the famously tall tenements and the warren of closes that still define the Old Town, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.