The Easy Way to Explore Edinburgh's Royal Mile

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02 September 2026

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Edinburgh's Royal Mile is one of the city's most recognisable historic streets, stretching through the heart of the Old Town between Edinburgh Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Lined with historic landmarks, traditional Scottish restaurants, independent shops and hidden closes, it's an area worth exploring beyond its best-known attractions. Spending longer in Edinburgh gives you the opportunity to discover different parts of the Royal Mile at your own pace, from its architecture and history to its everyday character.

Fraser Suites Edinburgh is located on St Giles' Street, just off the Royal Mile, placing the city's historic centre on your doorstep. Its spacious apartments provide a comfortable base for exploring the surrounding neighbourhood, revisiting favourite places and settling into life in Edinburgh during an extended stay.

What Is the Royal Mile?

The Royal Mile is the main thoroughfare of Edinburgh's Old Town, running for almost exactly a mile between Edinburgh Castle at the top and the Palace of Holyroodhouse at the foot. It's not actually one street but a sequence of them laid end to end, Castlehill, the Lawnmarket, the High Street, the Canongate and Abbey Strand, each with its own character despite forming a single continuous walk.

Rosslyn Chapel and Roslin Glen

The whole stretch sits within Edinburgh's Old and New Town UNESCO World Heritage Site, and because it runs downhill from castle to palace, most visitors find walking it top to bottom the easier direction.

The Royal Mile is lined with some of Edinburgh’s best-known landmarks, but a few key stops are enough to help you get your bearings. From the castle at the top to Holyroodhouse at the foot, they also offer an easy introduction to the city’s wider cultural highlights along the way.

A view of Edinburgh Castle from the Esplanade

Edinburgh Castle at the Top

Sitting on its volcanic crag at the western end of Castlehill, Edinburgh Castle is the obvious starting point for most visitors and the reason the whole street exists in its current form. Booking ahead is worth doing, particularly in summer.

St Giles' Cathedral at the Midpoint

Roughly halfway down, St Giles' Cathedral marks the point where the Lawnmarket becomes the High Street, its crown-shaped spire visible from much of the surrounding Old Town. It's a useful landmark for getting bearings even without going inside.

The Palace of Holyroodhouse at the Foot

At the bottom of the Canongate, the Palace of Holyroodhouse marks the official end of the Royal Mile and remains the monarch's official Scottish residence. It's the natural finishing point for a top-to-bottom walk.

Ducking Into the Closes and Wynds

More than 70 named closes and wynds run off the Royal Mile's main stretch, narrow passages between the main buildings that most visitors walk straight past without realising what's down them. Advocate's Close, off the Lawnmarket, is worth the detour for a framed view down towards the New Town and the Firth of Forth beyond, a different perspective on the city entirely from the street-level view most visitors get.

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Angels and Bagpipes cafe in the Old Town

The Witchery by the Castle

Right at the top on Castlehill, The Witchery has been serving Scottish cuisine in a Gothic, candlelit setting since 1979, about as theatrical a first stop as the Mile offers. It suits a special dinner more than a casual lunch, and booking ahead is close to essential.

Angels with Bagpipes

Midway down on the High Street, Angels with Bagpipes runs a modern Scottish kitchen and wine bar built around small and larger sharing plates, a good pick for anyone wanting something less formal than the top of the Mile's grander options.

Wedgwood the Restaurant

Near the foot on the Canongate, Wedgwood has run a French-influenced Scottish menu since 2007, open seven days for both lunch and dinner. It's a good natural stop for anyone finishing their walk down at Holyroodhouse rather than heading back uphill for food.

Planning Your Walk Down the Royal Mile

Walking the full length at a steady pace, without stopping, takes around twenty to thirty minutes. Building in even a couple of landmark visits and a meal turns that into a half day or more, so it's worth treating the Mile as a loose framework rather than a route to rush.

Mornings tend to be calmer than afternoons, particularly in summer when tour groups and Castle queues build through the day. Starting at the top and walking downhill to Holyroodhouse also makes for an easier physical walk than the reverse, worth keeping in mind on a day that already includes a lot of standing around in queues.

Staying at Fraser Suites Edinburgh

Fraser Suites Edinburgh occupies a converted historic building on St Giles' Street, just off the Royal Mile. Edinburgh Castle is approximately five minutes away on foot, while Waverley Station is also within easy walking distance. This central location makes it convenient to explore the Old Town's historic landmarks, restaurants and surrounding neighbourhoods throughout an extended stay.

For guests looking for additional space, the Observatory Suite features a private balcony overlooking Calton Hill, while the Courant Suite offers 51 square metres of accommodation. Both include kitchenettes, providing the flexibility to prepare meals and enjoy quieter evenings at home. The property's gym is also open 24 hours a day, making it easy to maintain a regular fitness routine.

For those spending several weeks or longer in Edinburgh, the property's extended stay options provide a practical base for getting to know the city beyond its main attractions. Guests can also explore the latest offers when planning their stay.

Fraser Suites Edinburgh hotel near Christmas market

FAQs About Edinburgh's Royal Mile

How far is Fraser Suites Edinburgh from the Royal Mile?

Fraser Suites Edinburgh is located on St Giles' Street, just off the Royal Mile in Edinburgh's Old Town. St Giles' Cathedral is only a short walk away, while Edinburgh Castle is approximately five minutes away on foot. This central location makes it easy to explore the Royal Mile's historic landmarks, independent shops and restaurants at your own pace, with the flexibility to return to your apartment throughout the day.

What is Mary King's Close?

A separate paid attraction from the free closes mentioned elsewhere in this guide, Mary King's Close is a preserved 17th-century street sealed beneath the City Chambers, explored on a costumed, guided underground tour. It's a different kind of visit entirely to wandering the closes at street level, worth booking ahead given how popular the tours run.

Is the Royal Mile accessible for wheelchairs or pushchairs?

It's walkable but not entirely flat or smooth, long stretches are cobbled, and the closes running off the main street often include steps. The main thoroughfare itself is manageable for wheelchairs and pushchairs with a bit of extra care over the cobbles, though some of the side closes and older buildings along the way aren't step-free.

What can you buy on the Royal Mile?

Tartan, cashmere and Scotch whisky are the obvious picks, and most shops along the street specialise in one or more of them. It's worth treating souvenir shopping here as part of the walk rather than a separate errand, since the shops sit interspersed with the landmarks and restaurants rather than clustered apart from them.

Is there a cost to walk the Royal Mile?

No, the street itself is free and open to everyone, it's only the individual attractions along it, Edinburgh Castle, the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Mary King's Close, that charge for entry. It's entirely possible to spend a full day here without paying for anything beyond food and drink, depending on how many of the paid sites make the list.