A historic mile long street filled with shops, pubs, and entertainment that runs from the Palace of Holyroodhouse at the bottom to Edinburgh Castle at the top. Notable stops include St. Giles Cathedral, Ensign Ewart Pub (dates back to 1680!) and the numerous bagpipers who perform along the mile.
There are a ton of websites offering walking tours in Edinburgh focused on various topics from general city history to ghost tours to Harry Potter. Website to the free walking tours is linked below. We recommend booking tickets in advance.
Edinburgh played a big role in inspiring J.K. Rowling as she wrote the Harry Potter books. There are Harry Potter walking tours, several potion making experiences (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic), and many spots to visit to see where the inspiration came from. Some notable spots to visit include: Victoria Street: a colorful, cobblestone street in Old Town that is the inspiration for Diagon Alley Greyfriars Kirkyard: a must visit graveyard whether you are a Harry Potter fan or not! Names on the tombstones were used to name many Harry Potter characters including Robert Potter, William McGonagall, and..... Thomas Riddle!! Elephant House: "the birthplace of Harry Potter", a cafe where J.K. Rowling wrote some of her earliest manuscripts of the book series
A famous coffee shop at the top of beautiful Cockburn street. (Note- the Instagram famous location is at the top of the street (52 Cockburn) not at the bottom (7 Cockburn), a common mistake!)
A whiskey tasting experience at the top of the Royal Mile. Recommended to book in advance. We did the Tasting Tales experience - an hour long fully tutored tasting of four Scotch whiskies matched with some canapé style highlights from Scotland's larder - and we loved it!
Johnnie Walker is the world's best selling Scotch whisky. Check out the Johnnie Walker Experience in the West End for tours/tastings and and the swanky 1820 rooftop bar with great views of Edinburgh Castle.
One of the oldest fortified places in Europe, the castle is located at the top of the Royal Mile on a hill overlooking the entire city. While guided tours are available, we recommend just doing a standard admission ticket as the views are the highlight of the experience. We recommend booking tickets in advance.
Fancy afternoon tea experience in the iconic Balmoral Hotel with a selection of teas, fresh pastries, dainty sandwiches, apps, and champagnes. We recommend booking in advance.
A popular hike on an extinct volcano in the heart of the city that makes up the highest point in Edinburgh.
There is so much to Scotland beyond the city of Edinburgh! We hope some of you get the chance to travel throughout the rest of the country. We got engaged up in the Highlands and it is a very special place to us. For those visiting the Highlands that would like the itinerary/highlights from our trip email carolinectschirch@gmail.com!