Royal Mile, Edinburgh, Scotland

The Royal Mile is a historic street in Edinburgh, Scotland. It runs through the heart of the city’s Old Town, connecting the Edinburgh Castle at its west end to the Palace of Holyroodhouse at its east end.

Royal Mile: 131-133 High St, Edinburgh EH1 1SG

The Royal Mile is a major tourist attraction in Edinburgh, and it is lined with various historic buildings, shops, restaurants, and attractions. Here are some key landmarks and points of interest you can find along the Royal Mile.

Before I walked on the Royal Mile, I stopped near the National Gallery of Scotland to see the art pieces.

This area is the new Edinburgh City

After the museum, walking toward the Royal Mile

The Royal Mile

Looking at the west side

The east side

Walking toward the east side

St. Giles’ Cathedral: Also known as the High Kirk of Edinburgh, this beautiful cathedral is the principal place of worship in the city.

Looking back at the west side

There were many street performers

Back to the Royal Mile

Side buildings

Looking back

Looking back

A large side street

Walking down the side street

Looking back

The end of the side street

Walking back

Looking back

A narrow side street

Back to the main side street and looking back

Back to the Royal Mile

Looking back

I can go further down to the Palace of Holyroodhouse: The official residence of the British monarch in Scotland, often referred to as Holyrood Palace, but I stopped here and turned back toward the west side of the Royal Mile.

Walking back toward where I started

Adam Smith statue.  Adam Smith (1723-1790) was a Scottish economist and philosopher, often regarded as the father of modern economics. He is best known for his influential work, “An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations,” published in 1776. 

Keep walking to the west side, passing where I started eastward

Looking back

A side street

Keep going west

At the west end of the Royal Mile is the Edingburgh Castle. The castle has a long and storied history dating back to at least the 12th century, although there is evidence of human occupation on Castle Rock dating back to the Iron Age. It has served various roles throughout history, including as a royal residence, military stronghold, and a symbol of Scottish power and sovereignty.

I turned around and walked back toward the east side again to go back to where I started

Looking back