The Royal Mile is the main artery in the Old Town of Edinburgh and major tourist attraction. Castle Esplanade, Castlehill, Lawnmarket, High Street, Canongate and Abbey Strand are the streets that make the Royal Mile - a stretch for approximately 1 mile. The street links Edinburgh Castle with the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

Most of the Royal Mile is cobble stoned and the buildings along the street are old medieval multistory houses. Medieval Edinburgh grew fast and the buildings on the hill grew upwards to accommodate the growing population. Some of the tall, narrow, stone houses in the overcrowding Old Town reached 20 storeys!

The development of the New Georgian Town was welcomed by the rich who moved out of the Old Town in the new spacious houses. Today the Royal Mile and the Old Town is a charming place with pubs, historic buildings, narrow cobbled streets, stone facades, and tourist shops.

Some of the most notable buildings are the Lady Stair’s House, Gladstone’s Land, St Giles Cathedral, The City Chambers, John Knox’s house, Tron Kirk and the Museum of Childhood.

Royal Mile, Edinburgh


Old Town, Edinburgh

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