Royal Mile and the Castle
A sloping street between a castle on a volcano and a palace, with a closed lane at every step.
Duration
2 hrs – 4 hrs
Best time
Early morning
Open
Every day
Entry price
Free
The Royal Mile runs straight down from the castle to Holyrood Palace, along a ridge left by a glacier that split around the volcanic plug carrying the fortress. The medieval city piled up along that spine for want of room on either side.
Hence the closes: perpendicular lanes, often roofed, dropping away in steps on both sides. They carry the name of the trade or owner who held them, and some were buried under later buildings — Mary King's Close is visited several metres below the present roadway.
Getting there
Waverley station, then a five-minute climb. The tram stops at St Andrew Square, ten minutes away.
Rules on site
Castle tickets are booked online by time slot and rarely available on the day in summer. The street is closed to traffic and jammed throughout August, during the Fringe.
