The Royal Mile | Edinburgh, Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland

The Royal Mile sits at the heart of Edinburgh and connects the magnificent Edinburgh Castle perched high on volcanic rock with the splendorous Palace of Holyroodhouse resting in the shadow of Arthur’s Seat. The Mile is overlooked by impressive, towering tenements between which closes and stairways help to create a secret underground world.

Peppered with superb attractions such as The Real Mary King’s Close, historical sites such as St Giles’ Cathedral, wonderful shops and some of the best eating and drinking spots in the city – don’t miss the luxurious Witchery Restaurant – there is so much to see and do on the Royal Mile. For recent history, be sure to visit the impressive and ultra-modern Scottish Parliament building with its cutting-edge design.

To begin our walk of the Royal Mile, which is more than a mile by 107 yards, we needed to get to to Edinburgh Castle as it starts at the castle’s entrance. Walking up to the castle, as you peer up from down below it, you can’t help but remark at the impressive view. Battles and sieges were fought over this rock and the Scots and the English struggled for control of the castle during the Wars of Independence. It is now Scotland’s leading tourist attraction and a key element of the Edinburgh World Heritage Site. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).