Mid-range · 6-hour walk · Edinburgh
The Royal Mile in six hours
Castle esplanade down the spine of the Old Town to Holyrood, with the closes and the cathedral on the way.
The Old Town is a single ridge and the Royal Mile runs down its back, which means this walk is downhill from the castle to the palace and every side street off it drops away steeply. Do it in that direction. The castle is the one ticket worth booking; Mary King's Close below the street is the other and sells out days ahead in August.
The route, stop by stop
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Edinburgh Castle
Book a timed slot. The One O'Clock Gun still fires every day except Sunday and startles the entire esplanade.
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The Real Mary King's Close
A sealed 17th-century street under the Royal Exchange, reached by guided tour only. Book ahead.
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St Giles' Cathedral
Free to enter, and the Thistle Chapel inside it is the most elaborate small room in Scotland.
25 min here Walk here → -
Palace of Holyroodhouse
The bottom of the mile and the King's official Scottish residence. Closed when the royal family is in residence, so check before you walk down.
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Scottish Parliament Building
Directly opposite the palace and free to enter when the chamber is not sitting. Loved and loathed in roughly equal measure.
20 min here Walk here → -
Calton Hill
Ten minutes back north for the postcard view of the whole ridge you have just walked down, plus an unfinished Parthenon.
30 min here Walk here →
More in Edinburgh
Every walking route in Edinburgh, or the full Edinburgh guide for where to stay and what a day costs.