The Royal Mile is the main thoroughfare in Edinburgh's Old Town. Actually a bit longer than 1 mi (1.6 km), this succession of multiple streets spills downhill from Edinburgh Castle to the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Stroll past stately Victorian buildings that now house restaurants, pubs, and shops, and stop to enjoy a street performance or two. The streets are steep in some places, so you can take a bus tour uphill to the castle and walk back down if you prefer. The Edinburgh Festival, a collection of smaller outdoor arts festivals, takes place throughout August with this area as its nexus. This might be the most exciting, if crowded, time to be on the thoroughfare. Plan to visit The Royal Mile during your Edinburgh vacation using our convenient Edinburgh trip planner.
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The Royal Mile reviews
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You can't come to Edinburgh and not walk up the Royal Mile. Lots of quaint shops, bars and restaurants. A buzzing little atmosphere. Touristy, but this is what we are. And it leads up to Edinburgh...
You can't come to Edinburgh and not walk up the Royal Mile. Lots of quaint shops, bars and restaurants. A buzzing little atmosphere. Touristy, but this is what we are. And it leads up to Edinburgh... more »
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Stretching from Holyrood Palace to the Castle, the touristy part is the bit from the junction with North Bridge / South Bridge. That said do not dismiss the other bit! Full of the usual cashmere...
Stretching from Holyrood Palace to the Castle, the touristy part is the bit from the junction with North Bridge / South Bridge. That said do not dismiss the other bit! Full of the usual cashmere... more »
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Lovely place to visit and no trip to Edinburgh would be complete without a walk down the Royal Mile. However it seems to be that it is the victim of its own success because it does get rather busy. Some of the shops are a bit samey, but I guess they're tapping into the tourist trade. That said, there are plenty of places to visit, lots of good pubs and eateries and the atmosphere is excellent.
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It's cool how you have a guide on your phone and you can browse around the Royal Mile. It was nice to walk and see the history of Scotland. If you're starting at the castle, then it's quite a trek up but when walking down to the Scottish Parliament, it's all down hill. But it obviously is uphill on the way back. But it's nice. And we got the privilege of hearing some bagpipe on the way. :) Its a good place for a small historic walk!
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