Edinburgh Old Town
Edinburgh Old Town
4.5
NeighborhoodsHistoric Walking Areas
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Monday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Tuesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Wednesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Thursday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Friday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Saturday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Sunday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
About
Edinburgh's oldest neighborhood, dating back to medieval times: these small streets are lined with wool shops, pubs and historical monuments.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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Top ways to experience Edinburgh Old Town

The area

Neighborhood: Old Town
Few Edinburghers live in the Old Town, but its labyrinth of dank alleys and steep streets suggests this was not always the case. Today, it’s mostly visitors, tartan-flavored souvenir shops, and pipers that you’ll find on its cobbled streets. This is the place to get a feel for Auld Reekie (Old Smelly), as the town was once nicknamed, and stroll the Royal Mile, the thoroughfare that links the castle with the royal palace – two of Edinburgh’s great set-piece attractions. But there’s lots more exploring to do here down dozens of little alleys, or wynds, while at night the city’s busiest clubs erupt along the Cowgate which is closed to traffic for this purpose.
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See what travelers are saying

  • hilary d
    London, United Kingdom802 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Edinburgh Old Town 1-2.10.23
    We visited Edinburgh as part of our five day break with Rail Discoveries. Our first evening was free,so we walked into the old town to explore and then have dinner. On our first morning,we had a guided tour of this beautiful city.
    Visited October 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written October 7, 2023
  • Solvita V
    12 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful Ancient City with Scottish Spirit.
    Beautiful place to visit. Architecture, museums, Palace - everything creates Scottish atmosphere. We went there for weekend and were very satisfied. Besides - Hopp On - Hopp Off Bus tour was very useful to understand the location of historical places.
    Visited November 2022
    Traveled with family
    Written October 25, 2023
  • Hilary S
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A great tour
    Angus was a great guide, he kept us entertained with historical facts and current information in an amusing way. He certainly knew the history. Two hours passed quickly. I would recommend this tour to anyone who wants to know the why's and how Edinburgh has developed here, along with the stories of who was involved .
    Visited January 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written January 12, 2024
  • Louis C
    Margate, United Kingdom805 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fantastic History
    Loved our walk around the old town lots to see and lots to find. Lovely historic city with fantastic magical stories. Easy to get around via tram, bus or walk, a days pass £5. We will return.
    Visited February 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written February 3, 2024
  • alibatty🦇
    Dundee, United Kingdom20,241 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Atmospheric Auld Toon
    Well, this really must be on every visitor’s itinerary, as it’s the historic heart of the city, with many of the medieval buildings preserved for posterity. It’s crammed full of character , with lots of nooks and crannies to explore in the many tall narrow closes , and warren of wynds of “Auld Reekie”. Here you’ll find a plentiful variety of shops, restaurants, pubs and cafes leading steeply up cobbled paths to the Royal Mile, and Edinburgh Castle . We were a bit dismayed at the unsightly graffiti , and litter lying about - but that’s the downfall of any big city. Despite it being only March there were lots of tourists on the go , so got a bit crowded in passing places. ( Must be murderous at the height of the season. )
    Visited March 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written March 7, 2024
  • Darren D
    Texas809 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    An amazing walk through history
    We approached our exploration of Edinburgh without the use of a tour. Our objective was to visit a concentrated area that included Old Town, the Royal Mile, etc. We began at St. Andrews Square; walked to the Scott monument, down Princes Street, through the Princes Street Gardens, and up the hill past New College and to Edinburgh Castle. We then walked the Royal Mile to Holyrood and included a few side streets such as Victoria, Grassmarket, etc. We then walked the route back to St. Andrews. The sights in the Old Town were the highlights of the experince!
    Visited June 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written June 29, 2024
  • mrskrun
    Larvik, Norway4,385 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Historical place
    One of the best Old Town you could find in Europe. We enjoyed walking around old town. It’s got so much character that it almost seemed like a set in a movie. So much history where almost every building and street has a story.
    Visited May 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written July 6, 2024
  • Thomas V
    Oakland, California18,166 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Full of Famous Sites
    Plan to spend a lot of time in this part of the city where you will find a lot of tourists and a lot of treasured sites like the castle, the palace, the university, and a number of museums. Some of the streets are closed to traffic. Walk the Royal Mile. Have lunch in a pub.
    Visited July 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written July 11, 2024
  • DeanMurphy2020
    Orlando, Florida7,757 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Auld Toun☺
    In Scots, Old Town is pronounced the same but spelled Auld Toun, as in “Should auld acquaintance be forgot…” Either spelling is spellbinding. The “town” that grew around Castle Hill reached to the End of the World. World’s End Close [alleyway] was once, literally for Edinburgh’s poorest residents, the end of the world. The “Close” marked the place where poor folks who couldn’t afford to pay a fee to enter the city dwelled. It’s at the end of the Royal Mile near Holyrood where the hotel at which our tour group stayed at the end of our journey. Near that dubious mark now stands World’s End Pub, where poor people like me can’t afford a pint or two. Scotland is an expensive country. Auld Toun/Old Town features Saint Andrews Square and the Scott monument. And then there’s the easily confused Princes Street, as in more than one prince, not princess. Along that street is the Princes Street Gardens. The Royal Mile connects Edinburgh Castle to Holyrood. Also within an easy walk is National Museum of Scotland—artifact overload. Little doubt as to why Edinburgh has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1995. Thing is, UNESCO was founded in England in 1945. What took ’em so long? Edinburgh Castle and Old Town have been around for 1,100 years. Old Town includes St. Giles’ Cathedral, the Old College of Edinburgh University, Parliament Building. It contains underground vaults and hidden passages that are relics of previous phases of construction. There’s also Victoria Street. Our group walked on misted cobbles to Maison Bleue, for the group’s farewell dinner. I had the eerie sensation I’d seen this curved street, but not déjà vu. Victoria is admired as Edinburgh’s quaintest street, reputedly an inspiration for Diagon Alley. Curving upward, many levels house eclectic boutiques in structures with turrets and wizard-hat pointy roofs stretching skyward. The 2001 film, “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” featured scenes along Victoria Street. Old Town Edinburgh is the quintessential European city. Enjoy! I certainly did.
    Visited October 2023
    Traveled with friends
    Written August 4, 2024
  • Off their P
    Manchester, United Kingdom4,023 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    So much to see!
    Our guidebook said no matter how much time you afford Edinburgh you could still spend more time there. We found this particularly true about the old town as there is just so much to see there. It definitely is worth getting a guide of some sort so you can understand the history of the streets in the building which is rich and fascinating. A map is useful but it can also be fun just to get lost and this way you discover off the beaten track things. Wherever you go there is something to see and food and restaurants are plenty so you don't go hungry or thirsty. Make sure your camera battery is charged as well as there are so many photo opportunities everywhere.
    Visited August 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written August 7, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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Sasha M
Sydney, Australia392 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Couples
The old town of Edinburgh is a feast for the eyes as everywhere you look there is something to inspire. The many churches, old pubs, beautiful masonry, carvings, statues and monuments all stimulate the senses. The fact that most of the town is older than my home country is mind boggling. It is easy to just ramble from one historic place to another. We walked for over 7 hours with a short pit stop for coffee, and didn’t feel tired at all. The town encourages you to keep walking to see what is around the next bend. No need to go on a tour, unless you love the details of specific spots. Most churches and museums are open and free! Take the adventurous way and see where you end up! PS loads of great shopping this way too!
Written January 17, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sann Rene
Brussels, Belgium130 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Friends
I’m one to visit touristic cities outside of tourist season. We booked a place to stay close to old town and had the pleasure of wandering around for a few days. Plenty of interesting shops, pubs and restaurants. The city is surprisingly calm this time of year and they seem to manage car traffic here really well so you don’t have the feeling of city stress. Be sure to read the history of the pubs you visit in the area, and you can pick up a magic wand if you fancy practicing a spell or two.
Written January 20, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

c-charleston
13 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
Edinburgh is an absolutely beautiful city. The history and beauty of the buildings was beyond my expectations. The locals are very friendly and seem to welcome the tourists. Only thing to know is to book your stays early to attempt to avoid expensive accomodations and that the famous Royal Mile is extremely, extremely, busy. Be sure to sign up for tours!
Written January 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

gizmo1690
Greater London, UK133 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022
The City of Edinburgh is filthy and infested with rats in the evenings. Bins overflowing all over pavements. Went for lunch in Grassmarket area and was offered a table outside, decided to eat elsewhere indoors and due to stench from garbage bags burst open everywhere. Apparently the garbage collectors are on strike, one would have thought alternative arrangements could have been made as we were here for 2 weeks and it was like this for the entire visit. Hotels are demanding high rates during the festival period to live in amongst this. We will not return to Edinburgh
Written August 29, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

My Reviews
London, UK156 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2021
This was our first time walking the Royal Mile and we were surprised with the hustle and bustle in the streets with so many 'acts' and entertainment points along the way. You cannot be stuck for a place to eat as it has such a variety of cuisines on offer. People are so friendly which adds to the friendly atmosphere :)
Written June 12, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

796steph
Edinburgh, UK8 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Couples
I've worked in it, lived next to it and it still takes my breath away every time I see it. Its streets are seeped in rich history both ancient and modern. From catacombs where covens of witches have met for centuries (and still do!) to the streets and cafe that inspired Harry Potter; this area is crowned with Edinburgh Castle. Cobbled streets and medieval buildings huddle against neo classical masterpieces - you won't want to blink in case you'll miss anything! Plenty of eateries for every pocket too.
Written February 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Mojoblue717
Manchester, UK3,347 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2021
For our first time visit we chose a Hotel right in the middle of Old Town, just off the Royal Mile, which we were glad we did, as we spent most of our 3 day visit in this area, especially in the evening, for our meals out. Place is full of history and a guide book read before you go will make your trip that much more interesting. The area basically stretches from the Castle along the Royal Mile down to Holyrood, with a series of areas like Grassmarket, Chambers Street and Market St running parallel, and is separated from the New Town by the famous Princes Street. The area is full of interesting & historical buildings, Museums, Gallerys, with apparently few people living there, in parts it is quite touristy. Nevertheless it has a charm of its own, too grand to put into words in this Review. Before doing too much walking round the area, we bought a Hop on Hop off bus ticket, which allowed us to take in the whole area (also the New Town) in one go and then we later walked selected areas where we could take in more of what the place had to offer, at our leisure. Make sure you have good footwear as there a lot of cobbles and much walking up and down hill. Whilst the New Town, also has a beauty & charm of its own, the Old Town is the hub of what we expect Edinburgh to be, and is quite unmissable. Pity I've left it so late in life to find out
Written October 6, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ian C
London, UK23,698 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
The Old Town is fascinating to explore on foot, bringing the history of Edinburgh, before the Age of Enlightenment, to life.

The spine is of course the Royal Mile running from the Palace of Holyrood and Arthur's Seat at one end up to the Castle at the other, with many things to see in between, such as St Giles Cathedral, the University, the Library of Scotland and the different alleys and closes, even in winter when some of the museums are closed. There are, of course, many shops, bars and restaurants along the way and new developments inserted into the urban framework, though the Scottish Parliament Building remains controversial. Edinburgh is a city that does not stay still.

The Royal Mile rises upwards as it progresses towards the Castle, creating quite a change in height with the area around the Gardens below, so be prepared to climb quite a few steps if you come up from the Gardens and Princes Street.

Even though I once lived in Edinburgh, I always find something new - on this visit it was the Scottish Poetry Library hidden away down Chrichton's Close.
Written February 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Tom
7 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2020 • Couples
This Tour is amazing, the best tour for people who are knew to the city or if you want a detailed view of Edinburgh’s superb history. Edgar is the tour guide you want, and he caters to every possible moment you want to hear, I have trouble walking and get tired easily so he picked spots where I could sit and rest. THE BEST TOUR EVER
Written December 21, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

tekuma
Glasgow, UK86 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Solo
Edinburgh, touring this city, is simply a different experience from all my experiences in over 60 cities I have traveled. As simple as traveling around the city of legend. The buildings, the nature, the people, the restaurants, the pubs, the parks, the castle, the great locations, etc. - just an empowering and fun experience. Highly recommend, Edinburgh city is a must! In every way.
Written February 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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