Travelogue: Royal Mile, Edinburgh
Late October 2024
I’ve been to Edinburgh 4 times. Each visit has included time wandering the Royal Mile. The Royal Mile is a cobblestone street, lined with shops, restaraunts, and pubs. At the top of this road is Edinburgh Castle, which overlooks the city.
On my first visit to Edinburgh I visited Edinburgh Castle, filled with history, tapestries, cannons, and teeny windows that provided views of the city below.
On this recent journey, I just walked, and walked. I stayed at a Hostel on the Royal Mile, CoDE Pod – THE CoURT, which is situated just behind St Giles Cathedral.
The Royal Mile, Edinburgh, Scotland
This area of Edinburgh is probably one of the busiest with tourism, in a few minutes you can find your way to Victoria Street. Which I think might just be the most photographed street in Edinburgh. It’s one of those hilly, curvy streets, hosting shops inspired by Harry Potter, including some of my fave spots like Swish, where I can always find a cute bag, the Red Door Gallery, where I can find art and jewellry from local artisans, and Oink, a teeny spot for a great hog roast in a roll (a pulled pork sandwich).
Farther down Victoria Street you can find some of the oldest pubs in Edinburgh, including The Wee Pub, the smallest pub in Scotland.
Other elements of note.
Alleyways, or as they are most often referred to in Scotland a “Close”. Some are very well known, like Mary King’s Close. You can take a tour or a haunted tour and hear stories of old. Some are wide, enough for a horse and cart, some are very narrow. Some have cobblestone paths and some have stairs, a lot of stairs.
University of Edinburgh with a small quad filled with trees, and a blend of new and old architecture.
Canongate Kirkyard, with a small garden area and graves that date back hundreds of years.
And on many days you may find a bagpipe player, in full kilt attire, playinf for the crowds.
So many steps taken on this road, so many new finds, and opportunities to revisit parts of this area that I love.
~ Kate