Old Town & the Royal Mile
The Old Town: the ridge from castle to palace
The back story
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Steve Houldsworth · CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia CommonsAbout The Old Town: the ridge from castle to palace
The Old Town runs down the ridge from Edinburgh Castle to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, part of the Old and New Towns World Heritage Site. Closes and wynds drop away on both sides of the Royal Mile; below the castle lie the Grassmarket and the curve of Victoria Street.
The Royal Mile
From the castle past St Giles’ and the Real Mary King’s Close to the Canongate and Holyroodhouse.
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Daniel Kraft · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia CommonsThe Grassmarket
The old market place below the castle, with Victoria Street curving up to George IV Bridge.
Go early or late to have the Royal Mile to yourself.
Our advice: in August, the Fringe fills these streets; book everything.
Why it's on our list
- The Royal Mile
- The Grassmarket
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with The Old Town: the ridge from castle to palace before you go.
What’s nearby
Distances from The Old Town: the ridge from castle to palace are approximate, measured in a straight line (as the crow flies). Times are approximate too: walking at about 80 metres a minute, cycling at about 14 km/h and driving at typical city-traffic speeds. Traffic and routes vary.
Nearest tram stops and railway stations
- Edinburgh WaverleyRail250 m3 min walk
- Princes StreetTram450 m6 min walk
- St Andrew SquareTram550 m7 min walk
Key sights
- National Museum300 mWalk 4 minCycle 1 minCar or taxi 6 min
- Edinburgh Castle600 mWalk 7 minCycle 3 minCar or taxi 7 min
- Holyroodhouse1.3 kmWalk 16 minCycle 5 minCar or taxi 8 min
- Arthur’s Seat1.9 kmWalk 24 minCycle 8 minCar or taxi 10 min
- Royal Botanic Garden2.1 kmWalk 26 minCycle 9 minCar or taxi 11 min
- Britannia3.7 kmCycle 16 minCar or taxi 15 min
- Edinburgh Airport10 kmCycle 45 minCar or taxi 34 min
Main railway stations
- Edinburgh Waverley250 mWalk 3 minCycle 1 minCar or taxi 6 min
- Haymarket1.8 kmWalk 23 minCycle 8 minCar or taxi 10 min