Royal Mile
Royal Mile (Castlehill – Lawnmarket – High Street – Canongate)
A downhill mile from castle to palace, with alleys to duck into
- Hours
- Street always open; most shops roughly 10am–6pm (varies)
- Tickets
- Free
- Address
- About 1.6 km running downhill east from the castle gate to Holyroodhouse: Castlehill, Lawnmarket, High Street and Canongate
A cobbled spine from the castle gate down to the palace. Six- and seven-storey stone tenements line both sides, and between them narrow alleys called closes run off like ribs. Step into one and the noise drops away, often ending in a sudden view over the New Town or the sea. The top end is all tartan shops and pipers; by the time you reach the Canongate it feels like a neighbourhood again.