World's End Pub, Edinburgh

A thirsty history buff in Edinburgh, looking for a pub steeped in history, should look nor further than The World’s End on the Royal Mile.

This old watering hole takes its name from the 16th century when the City Walls surrounded Edinburgh. Following the Battle of Flodden which saw Scotland’s defeat by the English, Edinburgh had to wall itself for protection. The gates in that wall were situated right outside the pub, reminding of which today are the brass cobbles in the road, marking their exact location. In the opinion of the Edinburgh folk, the world outside the gates was no longer theirs, so they called it The World’s End.

The “old style” character of the pub proves to be its main lure for tourists walking the cobbled streets and anxious to quench their thirst. Venturing inside the tavern, above the bar, you can see scores of foreign banknotes vividly illustrating the broad, international clientele who have drunk here over the years. True to its “old-fashioned feel”, the place keeps television to the minimal, so as to allow the patrons – up to 140 men at a time – to drink in peace. The hospitality of this kind makes the whole world of difference!