Truly incredible. I love how Edinburgh, despite being a large city, also has an ancient feel to it. Bring good walking shoes. You'll need them! read more

I think the royal mile has a lot to offer, yes you get the usual tourist traps but where doesn't these days. The royal mile offers beautiful architecture and some pretty decent attractions along the way. I haven't experienced the restaurants, they looked pretty standard. One of my favourite outdoor spaces - the Princess Street Gardens, perfect for a picnic with views of the castle on the hill and lots of greenery and flowers. There is so much seating here it's brilliant. Most public spaces tend to suck on offering enough seating but it's benches galore here. There's a little bar and ice cream café on site too, and a park for kids. A winner. read more

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Walking the Royal Mile to Edinburgh Castle is less daunting than it sounds, especially if you don't start at the very bottom. I loved the historic buildings, the churches and cathedrals (especially St. Giles), discovering a Close, which are little alleyways running between larger streets, statues of notable historic figures, pubs, restaurants, street buskers and of course the shopping, including more than a few souvenir shops geared toward visitors. You can even enjoy a Scotch tasting. There are also several attractions toward the lower end, including Holyrood Palace and the John Knox Home. You can easily make a fun and entertaining day out of visiting Edinburgh Castle and walking the Royal Mile. read more

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Something for sure to do, even if you don't plan to go into the castle. I went with a group of 4 of us, 2 went into the castle and my husband and i didn't because we wanted to save some money. The royal mile was a cool walk so you can see a lot of the city as well as get to the top by the castle - it's a pretty view of the city! There are a lot of fun shops in town to look at and get souvenirs! read more

What's not to love about the Royal Mile (aside from the tourists)? It's beautiful, it's still got all the charm and character of the Old Town, it's easy to get to and there's always something going on. My favourite stretch is the end up by the castle, as most tourists don't tend to hang around in this part of it in comparison to the area around Hunter Square and the Tron. Yes, ok, so the restaurants/cafés/bars are all overpriced just because they're on the Royal Mile, but even after living here for 4 years I still love just moseying up and down it if I'm passing and have nothing better to do. The backstreets, or closes, are where most of the hidden gems are. If you venture down them you'll emerge into huge courtyards flanked by things like The Real Mary King's Close, or patio restaurants like Thai Orchid. Venture further down, towards the Holyrood Palace end, and you'll find yourself at my favourite shop on the whole street. The prices almost make you laugh they're so steep, but The Fudge Kitchen will drag you in with it's gorgeous smells. If you don't mind spending £18 on a box of four smallish slabs, then great. If you're a penniless student like me, they always have some cut up for you to have a taste of, and if you time it right it'll still be warm. I'd personally recommend the Peanut Butter flavoured variety. You should definitely do one of the ghost tours if you haven't already. They're so variable in quality, but I'd highly recommend the Auld Reekie's one. They have a big billboard outside the Tron Kirk (church, to you and me) where you all meet. Going at night is the best. One word of warning... avoid drinking or eating here during the Festival or on Hogmanay, as a pint of lager will costs you around £10. read more

Royal Mile - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Oldest area of Edinburgh is a must see, so much history, brick streets., buildings dated from 1600's! Of course tons of tourist shops, but that's not important, you are walking thyroid living history. read more

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Nice Spot, full of shops. Touristy. Downside of the place is that it is super touristy and full of people on a daily basis. The upside is that it's full of really nice shops and eateries. Wear your walking shoes. read more

Sure it's touristy, sure things are likely more expensive here due to that fact, but really, the architecture and the history of the place is what I enjoyed more than anything else. I was able to find some good souvenir deals due to a shop going out of business although normally I'd stay away from the touristy areas for any purchase. There were some local folks giving ghost tours and the bag piper standing next to one of the many monuments - again, it's a touristy spot. That's what us tourists come to see. I didn't think it was bad so far as touristy areas go though - I've seen much much worse - and I'd certainly go back again for the gorgeous buildings and great historic views. read more

The Royal Mile is sort of the tourist hot spot of Edinburgh. With the Castle at the top and Holyrood at the bottom, its a must do if you are in Edinburgh. With charming cobbles and beautiful architecture, it is perfect for a long walk to admire your surroundings. The Royal Mile misses out on the full five stars due to the hoards of tacky tourists outlets. Why oh why Edinburgh needs so many shops selling cheap tartan goods while blasting bag pipe music is beyond me. It really lowers the tone of an otherwise classy city. If you avoid the shops, then you will have an enjoyable walk. During the Festival there are various street performers and snippets of shows which are a must see, you can spend the whole afternoon seeing a variety of good and bad acts. It does get very busy though, so be prepared. The Royal Mile really is worth a visit. There is no other street in the world quite like it. There is so much history originating from this one street, it truly is remarkable. However it is sad that it has become so commercialized. read more

Royal Mile - Courtesy of http://www.edinburgh-royalmile.com/news.html - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

The Royal Mile is a must visit place for anyone going through Edinburgh. We ended up exploring a bit of it while on a tour that took us to quite a few places around the area, even though it was a fairly short tour. I feel like a ton of tours go through here, but it's also worth a look once your tour is done, too. Filled with museums, restaurants, shops, beautiful architecture, wynds and closes, cafes, churches, quaint cobblestones, and of course entertainers; there really is something for everyone here. Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood House are here, too. While we were here, there was a bagpipe player, in full highlander regalia. Made up of four connected street (Castlehill, Lawnmarket, High Street, Canongate), it's what is called a 'Scots mile.' Which means it's about 5950 feet instead of 5280 English feet, which just amuses me. A huge part of Edinburgh history, it's worth a visit for its bustling atmosphere, rich history, and fascinating array of shops, pubs, and other places of interest. read more

Cashmere scarves!!!!!! Everywhere! Seriously, Royal Mile has lots of shopping, food, tons of souvenirs, and a great way to get from Edinburgh Castle to Holyrood Palace with a nice long walk. Make sure you allow enough time to walk the whole thing. And don't worry, if you forget the first time, you'll have 1000 more chances to buy that cashmere scarf! read more

There are some places in this world everyone MUST visit. This is one of them. The Royal Mile is simply the quintessence of Scottish culture and history. You will walk down that street and will feel goosebumps caused by this wonderful architecture, its dynamic life and simply, its beauty. Finding myself there, in the middle of everything, I felt as if in a movie or something of this kind. It felt so special. The Edinburgh castle, Sir Walter Scott's monument, the numerous little cozy souvenir shops filled with Scottish motives , the wonderful Gothic architecture... everything is worth visiting. And at the end of the day you can chill in one of those small bars and have some scotch. Isn't it wonderful? Never miss such an opportunity as to go to Scotland, you will definitely like it! read more

The Royal Mile was kinda painful for me. Yeah... after all the walking, the climbing up the stairs, down the stairs.... walking all over Edinburgh castle... We decided to walk the Royal Mile to close out our first day in Edinburgh during our recent UK trip. But hey, it was a fun mile though, with so many shops, pubs, performers, people watching, etc.... Now at the end of the Royal Mile, walking back to our hotel at the Grassmarket... that was really painful. We should've taken a cab.... read more

I feel like my experience was that it was pretty touristy. I won't in both January and June of this year. Touristy but with style I suppose. There are the street performers (magician and bag piper) and the shops with cheap kilts and magnets. Overall though, I will say it is very clean and everyone is always friendly. read more

Fabulous section of old town Edinburgh. I could spend days walking around this section of town and browsing through the numerous shops and boutiques that are all around this area. Tons of shopping, souvenirs, bars, pubs, cafes and restaurants that serve great food. It is touristy and venturing slightly away from the mile will yield you some great places to hang out without spending a whole lot. If you are in Edinburg you can't miss it :-)) read more

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Beautiful setting starting from the Edinburgh Castle and continuing down a quaint road full of beautiful architecture, St. Giles Cathedral (free entry) and tons of tweed and cashmere shops, homemade shortbread and small and cozy restaurants. Side streets also have nice shopping and restaurants. read more

It's filled with tartan shops, the idea of being Scottish is exploited by businesses, "CASHMERE!!!!" screams out at you from every tourist trap and most of the pubs are named after famous Scots, but you cannot, cannot miss the Royal Mile if you're visiting Edinburgh. In certain areas, it is overrun with tourists brandishing cameras - but you would do the same if you'd never seen a street like this before! And it is certainly unique; with its ghostly closes, creepy alleyways and low ceilings inside the small buildings. You won't be stuck for things to do on the Royal Mile - along with the Museum of Childhood and the Police Centre to name but a few free admission visitor attractions, there are also bars, traditional pubs, unusual shops and cathedrals to explore. There are no shortage of ghost walks and literary trails beginning from various points across the mile, and the place is alive with colour during the Fringe. You may find yourself wandering off down a winding, cobbled path at the start of an adventure, or you may drift off and begin shopping since it is, after all, in the heart of the city (thus within walking distance of everything you could dream of doing). It's easy enough, however, to forget that you are in the 21st century when you meander towards the castle - the atmosphere and densely packed hundred years old buildings take you back through time. Believe it or not, the rainy Scottish weather can add a certain atmosphere to this scene, with oppressive clouds and murky turn offs becoming even more spooky than they would be in the blazing sun. All in all, it's magic. Even if you have walked this street a hundred times like I have, it leaves you spellbound and willing to walk it a hundred times more. read more

Royal Mile - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

We are centrally locates here. Lots of places to eat at, shop at, visit landmarks and museums. Always ask a local waiter what their favorite spots are to eat at. So helpful. You do not want to do the tourist traps!!! read more

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Leading uphill to Edinburgh Castle, Royal Mile is a street filled with character, beauty and interest. The epitome of all that is Scottish can be found here amongst bustling tourists; bagpipes play, tartan scarves blow in the wind, whiskey's sold, medieval buildings rise and a multitude of narrow cobbled closes wind downhill. There's a wealth of tours, restaurants, cafes and bars too. The overwhelming feeling is one of history, magic and mystery - little wonder J. K. Rowling penned her Harry Potter books nearby.. read more

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Fun fact that it isn't actually a true mile, but it's a lengthy segment of road leading up to Edinburgh Castle through Old Town. Gorgeous. Numerous significant attractions along the path, lots of places to eat, souvenir shops, etc. You could lose yourself here for hours, wandering up and down and into the shops, listening to the bagpipe players. read more

This place is amazing! One can not come to Edinburgh and not check out this beautiful side of the city. The architecture, the attractions, plenty of restaurants, pubs and shopping as well. Start at Edinburgh Castle and end at the Palace of Holyrood for a great day. An absolute must if visiting this city and highly recommended. read more

The Royal Mile comprises of many streets names and High Street being the main one. It runs from the Edinburgh Castle to Holyrood Palace. It has been reviewed to a fault and it is difficult to add anything new. So I will add my own opinion on this as a resident of this wonderful city called Edinburgh. I can divide this in 5 sections. Tourists, Tours, Traffic, Townsfolk & Trepidation Tourists: they are the major part of this cobbled street, they walk everywhere and will stop to take pictures or get their bearings. To avoid bumping in to them (or being asked for directions or take a picture) stay on the outer or inner edges of the pavement, this will ensure you have a faster journey through the Royal Mile. The Shops are catered for the tourists. Merchandise and prices reflect this. Kilts, Whisky, Christmas shops, Ancient Maps, haggis, scarfs, tweed, museums, eateries and pubs, loads of pubs. Notable 'The Last Drop', 'Royal Mile Pub' and 'End of the World' pub. Tours: There are walking tours for the old town. Crypt, Castle, Religious, Ghost, literary, Storytelling, Historic, whisky, photography, Architecture and Haggis - and many combinations of the tours mentioned above. Traffic: there are loads of taxis and together with the sightseeing buses and normal traffic they clog up the Royal Mile to a crawl. Townsfolk: they don't tend to venture out on Royal Mile much - as there is not much for them there. Thus making this place even more touristy. Only during the Edinburgh Festival you'll see many of the townsfolk strolling the Fringe section. Trepidation: Something is likely about the happen at any point. At least that is the general feeling I get when strolling the Royal Mile perimeter. It could be a drunkard, beggar, an impromptu Street Theatre, a Musical performance, large group of tourists taking over the area, irate car drivers, a group of bikers, a procession of sorts, Hare Krishnah's, Parking Attendants, a Television Crew, a Wedding Party, Stag & Hen party.. you name it it can all happen here at any time.. Do I recommend visiting here - Oh Yes! You cannot miss this area as part of your Edinburgh itinerary when your are a tourist. It is Beautiful and iconic (and Historically Grade listed!) Do I like Royal Mile? Yes I do. Would I go out of my way to visit the Royal Mile? No - actually the opposite would be closer to the truth when there are too many tourists or traffic. read more

Nice pub, with a great live band and lovely atmosphere. Guess it was a bit to loud for the bartender poured us one pint too many. There are worse things that can happen. read more

This is the definition of "places that make you go: Whoa!" Love it or hate it, you can't deny that a stroll down the Royal Mile is a pretty impressive walk. It's like being whipped back in time or finding yourself on a movie set... except this set/time travel also includes dodging tourists. Because yes, the biggest gripe about this stretch of town tends to be the fact that it is often packed to the rafters with out of towners snapping pictures and generally looking lost. But the fact that it is such a tourist hub just proves it's a damn impressive place to see. No amount of dodging families on vacation, getting asked to snap photos of smiling couples or navigating lost foreigners will change the fact that at dusk, on a quiet night, walking this street is otherworldly. read more

The Royal Mile is the beating heart of Edinburgh's old town, constantly packed to the gills with tourists. It's an amazing mix of old buildings, nice cafés, bustling bars, churches and cathedrals, and sandwiched in by the castle at one end and the Holyrood Palace at the other. You could honestly spend an entire holiday on just the Royal Mile. The castle is of course a must see, but I will write a separate review for that, and the same goes for the Palace, the Scottish Parliament, and the various city museums located on the lower end of the street. About halfway down is the "Heart of Midlothian", a simple heart in the pavement. This was the location of the former administrative HQ of the city, and public executions were carried out here. The Heart was involved in Walter Scott's Novel of the same name, and is also the inspiration for the football club Hearts, based in the city. Lots of interesting facts for you there. While you're there, pop into St. Giles' Cathedral for a look around, and then continue down, stopping in some of the fudge shops and museums. Now is a particularly good time to see the Royal Mile, as the Virgin Money Street of Light is happening, but again, I will review it separately! read more

The Royal Mile is the name given since the 16th-century to a succession of streets which form the main thoroughfare of the Old Town As the name suggests, the Royal Mile is approximately one Scots mile long, and runs between two foci of history in Scotland, from Edinburgh Castle at the top of the Castle Rock, down to Holyrood Palace. I really like Games workshop as that is where I go to paint my warhammer figurines. Sometimes I hang out at the Tron Kirk as that is where the ghost tours leave from. I'm too afraid to actually go on one, but I like to watch in the hope that one day I'll build up courage to go on one. It's a bit like climbing ladders to get over a fear of heights. There are lots of street performers on the Royal mile which is actually pretty fun so long as there are not too many people watching. Other places I like to go are the Fudge shops where occasionally I like to watch them at work, sometimes I even buy some fudge. I went to the childrens toy museum once also but that gave me nightmares. In some places I get a bit annoyed at the narrowness of the streets however you can overcome this by just rolly-polly-ing down the middle of the street. Do's - Goto the Royal Mile Don'ts - Don't go to the Royal Mile. read more

This one mile stretch of road has the castle/fort of Edinburgh on one end and the palace of Holyrood on the other. Hence why it's called the Royal Mile! In between are all the touristy shops, bagpipers, whisky shops, fudge shops and pubs. It is touristy but if you look hard enough there are some gems! read more

I can't recommend this walking bit of Edinburgh enough. The architecture is breath-taking, the history is mind-blowing. The city is flanked by an older and newer portion of the city. Old town is craggy and tightly packed, but very quaint. New town is Georgian and amazingly organized on a grid. Totally worth a trip and especially during the Festivals. read more

I love the Royal Mile. A major tourist hotspot, but great during the week if you want to explore what the side streets have to offer by yourself when it's a bit quieter. There are heaps of pubs/ cafes/ restaurants around if you want to sit and people watch, you might also see a few street performers or meet up with a group to do a ghost tour. There's always something happening and I always see something new whenever I go. This place has probably been reveiwed to death, but you'll make of it what you will. read more

The Royal Mile is probably the most famous street in Edinburgh and the one that all the tourists flock to. If you know Edinburgh then the Royal Mile is probably somewhere you'd steer clear of with the abundance of tourist tat gift shops and overpriced tourist trap restaurants. There are, however, some little gems along the Royal Mile. My personal favourites being the Police Museum and the Museum of Childhood which are both absolutely free and great for a browse. The Royal Mile is also ace when it comes to Fringe time when you will see street performers galore all over the Mile. Edinburgh would be a duller place without the Royal Mile so five stars it is! read more

I enjoy having a roll down the royal mile on my bike. It's a pretty solid spot for a bit of people watching. For most other reasons though I generally avoid it. It's just too full of people for me most of the time. Street performers are good fun, but take up the whole road. There are some good shops but you pay the real estate premium for most of them. Really the best bits are hidden. These being the old map shop and Monteiths. Also the kilt shops aren't bad. All in all not much to say. It would be good if they banned parking and traffic from all of it but that's not going to happen is it! read more

At the west end of the Royal Mile, you have the Castle and at the east end, you have Holyrood Palace. Hence the name Royal Mile. The Royal Mile is full of tourist shops and street performers regardless of the season. There are so many things to do, places to see, etc. here! read more

An easy walk of downtown that will let you take in what looks most authentically Scottish. I spent less than a day here and am very glad I got to see this, read more

Coming and Going A good stroll for reflecting! Worldy unique place read more

Lots of fun. Shops, restaurants and street performers abound. The Fringe, art festival and Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo were happening in August. People watching is always fun too. We ate at The Witchery and went to the Royal Tattoo. Love Scotland! read more

The food was fantastic, and the staff were very attentive and fun. We're sad we missed the live music, but still had a great experience. We split the haggis bites as an appetizer, had a vegetarian plate and pie of the day as dinner, then followed up with the fried mars bars for dessert. All were good and very reasonably priced, especially for other places in the area. read more

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The Royal Mile is fantastic, with a castle at one end, a palace on the other and a cathedral sandwiched between them! The Royal Mile is one of the tourist orientated areas in the city, which has meant that many of the shops here are tailored for them with whisky shops, cashmere shops and general souvenir shops all trying to attract them to their shops. During the festival, and even sometimes when the festival isn't on, there is regularly a street performer who will do some for of darish stunt in an attempt to get hold of your loose change. There is also normally playing the bag-pipes in the are, which creates a really nice atmosphere on the strip. If you go a bit further towards the palace, you do get some pubs and restaurants that are not inundated with tourists and they have some real character to them. read more

The Royal Mile is the gateway to Edinburgh's rich, multi-faceted history and unique culture. The high sandstone buildings and vast collection of statues paying tribute to writers, philosophers and religious leaders alike, reveal the secrets of this Old Town road. The top of the Mile is marked by the Castle which is Scotland's bastion of strength the very monument that immortalizes Scotland's battles and heroes. Beyond this, the cobble-stoned mile unfolds east of the Castle, giving way to a menagerie of closes and lanes that testify to times gone by. The Mile is dotted with a variety of shops, sights, pubs and restaurants that will have you spinning with indecision and choice. You can buy almost anything ranging from whiskey to crafts to textiles and so much more. (Not to forget the souvenir shops that are ten a penny!) Major sights to look out for are St Giles Cathedral which is the product of the reformation, Parliament Square, the infamous Heart of Midlothian which lies on the ground in memory of the Old Toll Booth Prison, and the Holyrood Palace which marks the end of the Mile. On a clear day, a stroll along the Mile can easily take a few hours and is guaranteed to offer something for everyone! read more

I am 900 quid lighter after walking this "Royal Mile". Restos, pubs and authentic Scottish tailors cold took my cabbage...nay, I just threw it at em...like a gluttonous American. Bartering is alive and well, my friends. read more

lots of shops and restaurants/pubs but somehow without a commercial feel. the shop prices were high, but there were a good variety of souvenirs. St Giles Cathedral is a must. there are little alleyways which lead to interesting places. it's very enjoyable and although I've walked up and down more than a dozen times on a few separate trips to Edinburgh, there's something new to see. read more