Royal Mile, Edinburgh

The Royal Mile is the historic spine of Edinburgh's Old Town in Scotland, running about a mile from Edinburgh Castle on its volcanic rock down to the Palace of Holyroodhouse. It is formed of four connected streets, Castlehill, Lawnmarket, High Street and Canongate, and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Old and New Towns. Narrow alleys called closes and wynds drop off the main street, including Advocates Close and Dunbar's Close Garden, leading to hidden courtyards and steep stairways. Major stops include the castle at the top, the Scotch Whisky Experience, the Writers' Museum, St Giles' Cathedral with its crown-shaped spire, the Real Mary King's Close, the Museum of Childhood and the Scottish Parliament and Holyrood Palace at the foot. The street itself is free to walk, though most attractions charge entry. Shops sell tartan, cashmere and souvenirs, while pubs and restaurants fill the side streets. A walk end to end takes about 30 minutes without stops, but visitors usually allow two to four hours, and a full day if visiting the castle and palace. The best photographs include the view down the street from Castlehill and the facade of St Giles'. Crowds are heaviest from 10:00 to 17:00 in summer and throughout August, when the Edinburgh Festival Fringe fills the street with performers and flyer distributors. Early mornings before 09:00 and evenings after 18:00 give a quieter atmosphere, and ghost tours run after dark. Cobbles are uneven and the gradient is steady, so comfortable shoes are recommended. Weather is changeable, with wind and rain at any time of year. Edinburgh Waverley station is a five-minute walk from the middle of the street.