Walks · Our pick in Edinburgh
The Royal Mile: castle to palace
Self-guided
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Steve Houldsworth · CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia CommonsAbout The Royal Mile: castle to palace
The Royal Mile runs downhill from Edinburgh Castle through the Lawnmarket, High Street and Canongate to the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Step into the closes on either side, see St Giles’ Cathedral and finish at the Scottish Parliament building and Holyrood Park.
Why it's on our list
- About a mile, downhill
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with The Royal Mile: castle to palace before you go.
What’s nearby
Distances from The Royal Mile: 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