Guide to Edinburgh’s Old Town: Royal Mile & Secrets

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Step through a veil of time. The air, thick with the scent of history, whispers tales of kings and queens, poets and philosophers, rebels and rogues. This is Edinburgh’s Old Town, a magnificent, moody labyrinth of cobbled streets, narrow alleyways, and towering stone tenements that cling to a craggy volcanic rock. It’s not just a place; it’s the very soul of Scotland, a living museum where every corner turned reveals another chapter in a story stretching back nearly a thousand years.

Forget sterile guidebooks and rushed tours. We’re going on a proper wander, a stroll through the heart of a city that has shaped Britain and the world. From the mighty castle that dominates the skyline to the hidden gardens tucked away from the crowds, we’ll uncover the secrets of the Old Town. We’ll walk the famous Royal Mile, but we’ll also dive into the shadowy ‘closes’ and ‘wynds’ that branch off it like the bones of a herring. We’ll meet the ghosts of the past, discover the pubs where great ideas were born, and find the best spots for a well-deserved cuppa. So, pull on some comfy shoes—those cobbles are unforgiving—and let’s explore the glorious, gritty, and utterly captivating heart of Scotland.

The Royal Mile: The Spine of the Old Town

You can’t really understand the Old Town without getting to grips with the Royal Mile. It isn’t actually a single street, but a succession of streets that form a gentle, sloping spine connecting two of Scotland’s most important landmarks: Edinburgh Castle at the top and the Palace of Holyroodhouse at the bottom. It measures almost exactly a Scots mile, which is a wee bit longer than an English one. For centuries, this was the main street of Edinburgh, teeming with life, trade, and more than a little grime.

Walking its length is like travelling through time. It’s a journey of roughly one and a half kilometres, but it’s packed with so much history that you could easily spend a full day, or even two, exploring it properly. Let’s break it down into its main sections, starting from the very top.

Castlehill: The Grand Beginning

Our journey starts in the shadow of the magnificent Edinburgh Castle. Perched atop an extinct volcano, this ancient fortress is the city’s most iconic sight. It’s been a royal residence, a military garrison, and a formidable prison. Inside, you can see the Honours of Scotland (the Scottish Crown Jewels), the Stone of Destiny (an ancient symbol of the Scottish monarchy), and Mons Meg, a colossal medieval siege gun. The views from the castle ramparts are simply breathtaking, stretching right across the city to the Firth of Forth.

Just outside the castle gates is the Castlehill Esplanade, a wide-open space famous for hosting the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo every August. It’s a spectacular show of music, dance, and military precision, with performers from all over the world. But even on a quiet day, the Esplanade offers a fantastic photo opportunity with the castle as a backdrop. Look out for the Witches’ Well, a small cast-iron fountain on the castle wall that commemorates the hundreds of women who were accused of witchcraft and executed here between the 15th and 18th centuries. It’s a grim but important reminder of a darker side of the city’s past.

A few steps down from the Esplanade, you’ll find the Camera Obscura & World of Illusions. Don’t be fooled by its historic exterior; inside is a fantastic and fun-filled world of optical illusions, puzzles, and mind-bending tricks. The star of the show is the Camera Obscura itself, a clever Victorian invention that uses a giant periscope to project a live, moving image of the city onto a viewing table. It’s a wonderfully quirky and entertaining way to see Edinburgh from a completely different perspective.

Lawnmarket: Merchants and Markets

As we continue down, Castlehill becomes the Lawnmarket. The name gives you a clue to its history—this was once a bustling marketplace, particularly for linen (or ‘lawn’). Today, it’s still bustling, but now it’s filled with souvenir shops, tartan weavers, and street performers. It’s a great place to soak up the atmosphere, but the real treasures are often hidden away in the closes that lead off the main street.

One of the most famous is Gladstone’s Land, a beautifully preserved 17th-century tenement building managed by the National Trust for Scotland. Stepping inside is like stepping back 400 years. You can explore the cramped living quarters of a wealthy merchant and his family, see the original painted ceilings, and get a real sense of what life was like in the crowded, high-rise world of old Edinburgh.

Just opposite, a heart-shaped pattern set in the cobbles marks the site of the old Tolbooth. This was the administrative centre of the city, but it was also a courthouse and a notoriously grim prison. The ‘Heart of Midlothian’ is all that remains. It’s a local tradition to spit on the heart for good luck—a custom that’s said to have started with prisoners spitting on it as a final act of defiance before being locked away.

High Street: The Civic and Spiritual Heart

The Lawnmarket flows seamlessly into the High Street, the longest section of the Royal Mile. This was the city’s civic and religious centre, and it’s dominated by the magnificent St Giles’ Cathedral. Often called the ‘High Kirk of Scotland’, it’s not technically a cathedral anymore, but it has been a central point of Edinburgh’s religious life for 900 years. Its distinctive crown steeple is a key feature of the city’s skyline. Inside, the atmosphere is peaceful and awe-inspiring, with beautiful stained-glass windows and the ornate Thistle Chapel, home to the Order of the Thistle, Scotland’s highest chivalric order.

Behind St Giles’, you’ll find Parliament Square. This is where the old Scottish Parliament met before it was dissolved in 1707 when Scotland and England were united. The grand Parliament Hall, with its magnificent oak hammer-beam roof, is now part of the Supreme Courts of Scotland. You can pop in on a weekday to admire the architecture. Also in the square is a famous statue of the philosopher Adam Smith, one of the leading figures of the Scottish Enlightenment, who lived and worked just a stone’s throw away.

The High Street is also where you’ll find the Mercat Cross, a modern replica of the traditional market cross from which royal proclamations and other important announcements are still read out. It’s a focal point for city events and celebrations.

Canongate: From Royalty to Reformers

The final stretch of the Royal Mile is the Canongate. This area was once a separate burgh, outside the main city walls, and it has a slightly different, more spacious feel. It was a fashionable district for the Scottish nobility to build their grand townhouses.

One of the finest examples is Canongate Kirk, a simple yet beautiful church with a distinctive Dutch-style gable. It’s the parish church for the Palace of Holyroodhouse, and the Queen attends services here when she’s in residence. In the churchyard, you can find the grave of Adam Smith, as well as David Rizzio, the private secretary of Mary, Queen of Scots, who was brutally murdered in the palace.

Further down, you’ll find the Museum of Edinburgh, housed in a striking yellow 16th-century building. It’s a treasure trove of the city’s history, packed with fascinating objects from Greyfriars Bobby’s collar and bowl to the National Covenant, a hugely important historical document. Across the road is The People’s Story Museum, which tells the story of the lives, work, and leisure of ordinary Edinburgh people from the 18th century to the present day.

As you reach the bottom of the Canongate, you’re greeted by the modern, and somewhat controversial, architecture of the Scottish Parliament Building. Opened in 2004, its unique design, inspired by the Scottish landscape, is a stark contrast to the ancient stone of the Old Town. It’s a symbol of modern Scotland, sitting right at the foot of its most historic street.

Finally, our journey down the Royal Mile ends at the gates of the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Queen’s official residence in Scotland. It’s a place steeped in royal history, most famously associated with the tragic figure of Mary, Queen of Scots. You can tour the magnificent state apartments and see the very rooms where the dramatic events of her reign unfolded. Behind the palace lie the ruins of Holyrood Abbey and the vast, wild expanse of Holyrood Park, home to the iconic hill, Arthur’s Seat.

Diving into the Closes: The Hidden World of the Old Town

The Royal Mile is the main artery, but the true magic of the Old Town lies in its veins: the hundreds of narrow alleyways, known as closes and wynds, that run off it. These steep, stone-flagged passages plunge down on either side of the ridge, revealing a hidden world of courtyards, secret gardens, and centuries-old buildings.

So what’s the difference between a close and a wynd? A wynd is typically a winding lane, wide enough for a horse and cart, that connects two larger streets. A close is usually a narrower, pedestrian-only alley that leads to a private courtyard or tenement stair. Many are named after a notable resident or the trade that was once practised there.

Exploring them is an adventure in itself. Each one has its own character and its own stories to tell. Here are a few you shouldn’t miss:

Mary King’s Close: The City Under the City

This is perhaps Edinburgh’s most famous close, and for a very good reason—it’s now buried underground. The Real Mary King’s Close is a preserved 17th-century street that was sealed off and built upon when the Royal Exchange (now the City Chambers) was constructed in the 18th century.

Taking a tour here is a fascinating and spooky experience. You walk through the original narrow streets and into the cramped houses, guided by a costumed character who tells you the stories of the people who lived, worked, and died here. You’ll hear tales of the plague, of families crammed into single rooms, and of the hardships of life in the overcrowded Old Town. It’s an incredibly atmospheric and well-presented attraction that brings the city’s past to life in a way that nothing else can.

Advocate’s Close: A Picture-Perfect View

For one of the best photo opportunities in the Old Town, head to Advocate’s Close. This steep and narrow passage perfectly frames a stunning view of the Scott Monument and Princes Street Gardens. As you descend the stone steps, the modern city is revealed through a medieval keyhole. The close is named after Sir James Stewart, who was Lord Advocate of Scotland in the late 17th century. It’s a prime example of how the Old Town’s architecture constantly plays with light, shadow, and perspective.

White Horse Close: A Quiet Escape

Tucked away near the bottom of the Canongate, White Horse Close is a beautifully restored 17th-century courtyard that feels like a hidden village. With its white-harled walls, crow-stepped gables, and outside stairs, it’s a peaceful and picturesque escape from the hustle and bustle of the Royal Mile. It was once the site of a famous inn and the starting point for the stagecoach service to London. Today, it’s a collection of private residences, but you can wander into the courtyard and admire the architecture. It’s a little glimpse of a more tranquil Old Town.

Bakehouse Close: A Trip to Lallybroch

Fans of the TV series Outlander will instantly recognise Bakehouse Close. This well-preserved close, also in the Canongate, was used as the filming location for Alexander Malcolm’s print shop in the show. With its flagstone paving and imposing stone archway, it’s one of the most atmospheric closes and it’s easy to imagine yourself back in the 18th century.

These are just a handful of the dozens of closes waiting to be discovered. The best way to experience them is simply to be curious. If you see an interesting-looking alleyway, go and explore it. You never know what you might find.

The Two Towns Below: Grassmarket and Cowgate

If the Royal Mile is the Old Town’s spine, then the Grassmarket and the Cowgate are its underbelly. These streets lie in the valley or ‘canyon’ that was carved out by a glacier just south of the castle rock. They were historically poorer, rougher areas, and they still have a distinct, slightly grittier character today.

The Grassmarket: Ghouls, Pubs, and Shoemakers

The Grassmarket is a long, rectangular marketplace that was once a site for horse and cattle sales. But it’s most famous for a more gruesome trade: public executions. The gallows stood at the eastern end of the square, and huge crowds would gather to watch hangings. A plaque and a cross set in the cobbles, known as the Covenanters’ Memorial, mark the spot where over 100 Covenanters—religious dissenters—were executed for their beliefs in the 17th century.

Today, the Grassmarket has a much livelier and less deadly reputation. It’s lined with some of Edinburgh’s oldest and most characterful pubs. The Last Drop and Maggie Dickson’s both have names that nod to the area’s grim past (Maggie Dickson was a woman who famously survived her own hanging!). It’s a fantastic place to go for a pint, with a vibrant atmosphere and stunning, close-up views of the castle towering above. The area also has many independent shops and restaurants.

Leading up from the Grassmarket is Victoria Street, one of Edinburgh’s most photographed streets. Its gentle curve and brightly painted shopfronts are said to have been an inspiration for Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter books. It’s a beautiful, two-tiered street full of interesting and quirky shops.

The Cowgate: The Canyon of the City

Running parallel to the Grassmarket is the Cowgate. The name is self-explanatory; this was the route for driving cattle to market. Because it lies so low, several bridges were built over it to connect the Old Town with the areas to the south. This gives the street a unique, cavern-like feel, as it passes under the massive arches of George IV Bridge and South Bridge.

Historically, the Cowgate was one of the poorest and most overcrowded parts of the city, notorious for its slum housing. The Irish poet Thomas de Quincey described it as a “gulf of human misery”. Today, it’s known for something else entirely: nightlife. The street is packed with nightclubs, music venues, and bars, and it really comes alive after dark, especially during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August.

A City of Stories: Literature and Legends

Edinburgh is a city built on stories. It was the world’s very first UNESCO City of Literature, and its literary connections are woven into the fabric of the Old Town.

Literary Giants

From the Royal Mile, you can see the towering Scott Monument, a gothic rocket ship of a memorial dedicated to Sir Walter Scott, one of Scotland’s greatest novelists. Robert Burns, the national poet, also spent time in the city, and you can find many pubs and places associated with him.

In the 20th century, the city inspired authors like Muriel Spark, whose novel The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie is set in Edinburgh. And of course, in more recent times, J.K. Rowling wrote the early Harry Potter books in cafes around the Old Town. Places like The Elephant House cafe (which proudly declares itself the ‘birthplace of Harry Potter’), Victoria Street, and Greyfriars Kirkyard are now pilgrimage sites for fans from all over the world.

To dive deeper into this rich heritage, visit the Writers’ Museum, tucked away in Lady Stair’s Close. It celebrates the lives and works of three of Scotland’s literary titans: Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott, and Robert Louis Stevenson.

Ghosts and Ghouls

With such a long and often bloody history, it’s no surprise that Edinburgh is considered one of the most haunted cities in the world. The Old Town, with its dark closes and underground vaults, is the epicentre of this ghostly activity.

Many stories centre on the South Bridge Vaults. These were the stone chambers created within the arches of the South Bridge when it was built in the 1780s. They were intended for storage and workshops, but they quickly descended into a notorious slum, home to the city’s poorest residents as well as illegal taverns and criminal enterprises. They were eventually sealed up and forgotten for over a century.

Rediscovered in the 1980s, you can now take ghost tours down into this damp, dark, and genuinely spooky underworld. Whether you believe in ghosts or not, it’s an incredible way to understand the grim reality of life for the city’s underclass.

Another famous spooky spot is Greyfriars Kirkyard, a historic cemetery just a short walk from the Royal Mile. It’s known for the story of Greyfriars Bobby, the loyal little Skye terrier who is said to have guarded his master’s grave for 14 years. But it’s also known for a more malevolent spirit: the Mackenzie Poltergeist, said to haunt the tomb of the brutal 17th-century lawyer, ‘Bluidy’ George Mackenzie. It’s considered one of the most active poltergeists in the world, and many visitors on ghost tours have reported strange experiences near his mausoleum.

Practical Tips for Your Old Town Stroll

Wear Comfortable Shoes: This cannot be stressed enough. The streets are cobbled, hilly, and often slippery when wet.
Be Prepared for the Weather: Edinburgh weather is famously changeable. It’s wise to bring layers and a waterproof jacket, even on a sunny day.
Explore Off the Beaten Path: Don’t just stick to the Royal Mile. The real joy of the Old Town is getting lost in the maze of closes and wynds.
Look Up: The architecture is incredible. Take the time to look up at the towering tenements, the carved details, and the quirky signs.
Book Major Attractions in Advance: Places like Edinburgh Castle and The Real Mary King’s Close are extremely popular, especially in summer. Book your tickets online beforehand to avoid long queues.
Take a Tour: A guided walking tour, whether historical or ghostly, can be a fantastic way to hear the stories and secrets you might otherwise miss. The guides are often brilliant storytellers.

The Old Town is more than just a tourist destination; it’s a living, breathing neighbourhood. It’s a place where history isn’t confined to museums but is etched into the very stones beneath your feet. It’s a place of grand royal dramas and quiet, everyday lives, of brilliant minds and restless ghosts. To walk through it is to walk through the heart of Scotland itself. So take your time, be curious, and let the city tell you its stories.