Royal Palace

Museum

Princes Street

Landmark

Busy Princes Street is the New Town's main thoroughfare. It extends for almost a mile and is lined with colorful gardens and elegant shops, including the tradition-conscious Jenners of Edinburgh, founded in 1838 and one of the world's oldest department stores. Also good for shopping is the Princes Mall, popular with its small shops set among fountains and cafés and plenty of places to browse. As well as these temples to consumerism, you'll find restaurants, from fast food to gourmet bistros.

Victoria Street Viewing Point

Must to See

Scott Monument

Landmark

Spirelike Victorian memorial in honour of the writer Sir Walter Scott, with 287 steps to the top.

Victoria Terrace

Must to See

St. Giles Cathedral

Church

Consecrated in 1243, St. Giles Cathedral – also known as the High Kirk of Edinburgh – is Edinburgh's principal church. It's also one of the city's most popular places to visit, attracting upwards of a million visitors each year. The current structure was built in the 1300s and is notable for its impressive 161-foot-tall central tower with its eight arched buttresses. These form a huge crown (the Crown Steeple), which has become a favorite backdrop for photos and selfies. Interior highlights include memorials to the dead of WWI; lovely stained-glass windows; and a statue of John Knox, leader of the Protestant Reformation (his former home, 45 High Street, is close by and contains a museum).

Royal Mile

Must to See

Buzzing street linking Edinburgh Castle with Holyrood Palace, lined with quaint eateries & shops.

the Royal Mile

Sightseeing

The Royal Mile refers to the streets linking Edinburgh Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Lined with charming townhouses, churches, and historic landmarks, this splendid thoroughfare is a great place to stroll for its shops (including kiltmakers), inns, museums, cafés, and restaurants. Many of the buildings are tall, averaging six to 15 stories and are referred to locally as "lands." Narrow little alleys, called "winds," with their quaint hidden backyard "closes," weave in and around them.

Palace of Holyroodhouse

Landmark

The Queen's official Edinburgh residence and has frequently been at the center of Scottish history. Built in 1678, it was where James II and James IV were each married, where James V and Charles I were crowned, and where ""Bonnie Prince Charlie"" held court in 1745. When the Queen is away – which is typically 51 weeks of the year, as she's only here for ""Royal Week"" each summer – public access is permitted. At such times, access is granted to the stunning Historic Apartments (former home of Mary Queen of Scots) and the State Apartments, famous for their fine furnishings, tapestries, and plasterwork.