1 Arthur's Seat
2 Dynamic Earth
3 Edinburgh Castle
4 Museum of Scotland
5 National Gallery of Scotland
6 The New Town
7 Palace of Holyroodhouse
8 Royal Botanic Garden
9 The Royal Mile
10 Scott Monument
The Royal Mile runs downhill from Edinburgh Castle to Holyrood Palace and provides a focal point in the Old Town.
The colourful, noisy streets of the Royal Mile are the tourist hub of Edinburgh. Thronged with people, lined with medieval tenements, packed with gift shops, and frequently echoing to the sounds of the pipes, this is the first port of call for every visitor. From the main thoroughfare, enticing closes, wynds and vennels lead off between the buildings; discovering these is an essential part of exploring the Mile. Start at the top, where the solid bulk of the castle stands above the Esplanade with its splendid views, and work your way down to Holyrood, the historic full stop to an area crammed with history and atmosphere, described by Daniel Defoe as `the largest, longest and finest street … in the world'.
The Royal Mile, its various sections known by different names, is the oldest part of Edinburgh. It developed in the Middle Ages along the ridge sloping down from the castle. It was enclosed by the city walls, which resulted in buildings growing ever higher as the population expanded. Steep slopes descend on either side of the ridge, so buildings which are only a few storeys tall on the High Street side can tower on the other side, producing the striking silhouette seen from Princes Street. These tenements, known as `lands', housed a complete cross-section of Edinburgh society. Sanitation was virtually non-existent, household waste being flung out of the windows with a cry of `gardey loo', a corruption of the French words gardez l'eau. Conditions and overcrowding worsened over the centuries, plague and fire were frequent, and in the 1770s, as construction of the New Town forged ahead, the upper classes moved out. Starting from the Esplanade look out for Ramsay Gardens at the top of Castlehill. This splendid 18th-century baronial complex was built by the poet Allan Ramsay. Past the Tolbooth St John's Kirk, now the Edinburgh Festival Hub, fine 16th- and 17th-century tenements line the Lawnmarket; Dr Johnson visited James Boswell in James' Court just off here. Another nearby close was home to Deacon Brodie, a city worthy who led a double life as a burglar. He was hanged outside St Giles' Cathedral, which stands at the top of the High Street section. Near here, Edinburgh's last public hanging took place in 1864, while opposite the cathedral the City Chambers stand on the site of Mary King's Close, a medieval street which was blocked off during the Great Plague of 1645, its inhabitants left to die. Further down, there are more fine 16th-century buildings and a pub, the World's End, whose name commemorates the old city boundary. Below the High Street the Mile becomes Canongate, named after the Augustinian monks whose monastery once stood here. High points include Canongate Kirk, a serene Dutch-inspired building dating from 1688; Mary, Queen of Scots' secretary, David Rizzio, is buried in the churchyard, along with the economist Adam Smith (1723-90). More attractive old houses line the bottom end of Canongate, which widens slightly to bring you to the gates of the Palace of Holyroodhouse.Address: The Royal Mile
Restaurant: Restaurants, bars, pubs and cafés throughout the area (Inexpensive-Expensive)
Bus: 1, 6, 27, 45
Accessible: Good
Admission: Free
Other: Dynamic Earth Edinburgh Castle; Edinburgh Castle Museums; Gladstone's Land; Heart of Midlothian; Huntly House Museum; John Knox's House; Lady Stair's House, The Writers' Museum;The Lawnmarket; Museum of Childhood; Palace of Holyroodhouse; Peoples' Story Museum; Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre; St Giles Cathedral; The Tron Kirk
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