Large and elongated square that extends immediately southeast of the castle cliff; here it was once a lake that was drained at the beginning of the 14th century. Since then, the square has become Edinburgh's main Point of Sale, as well as the oldest in memory in the whole of Britain; it was mainly a Livestock Point of Sale, which continued until 1911. But this place is infamous because hangings were held there (a stone tondo commemorates the location of the scaffold). For centuries, however, it remained a poor and degraded area, with shelters for the homeless and taverns frequented by shady individuals (famous the exploits of the two murderers Burke and Hare, who in the nineteenth century, lured their victims to these taverns and then sold the corpses to Dr. Robert Knox for anatomy studies). Today the square has been revalued, is completely pedestrianized (except for the street that runs along it to the south), full of pubs and clubs and home to continuous events and shows. Of its long, and partly obscure history, traces of it can be found today in various tombstones and symbols scattered almost everywhere (such as the aforementioned stone tondo indicating where the scaffold was). If you head to the northwest corner of the square, you will see the neo-Gothic church of Grassmarket Mission (now there is a restaurant) with Castle Rock in the background, at the top. On the opposite side is the Vennel, the staircase that allows you to have a good vantage point of Castle Rock and the castle above.

The Grassmarket is nestled below Edinburgh Castle, several blocks off the Royal Mile, with a large public square. The square once served as the location for public hangings and a circular stone notes the exact location of the gallows. Today the square contains many shops and restaurants and is noted for it's nightlife. Leading off the square is Victoria Street which is famous for its colorful shop fronts. My group of four travelers enjoyed an excellent meal at a French Bistro, the Petit Paris. In warmer weather, the Grassmarket area is probably teaming with tourists and locals enjoying themselves in a festive atmosphere.

Its worth diverting down here on your Royal Mile exploration, mainly because Victoria Terrace and then heading down to Victoria Street shouldn't be missed I think, and once you are at the bottom of Victoria Street then you are basically at Grassmarket. You can then take steps back up to the Castle from the middle of Grassmarket. Its a good place for a drink pit stop with plenty outdoor seating in good weather. There is a wide pedestrian areas but make sure you take a few steps towards the road as that is when the views up to the castle appear.

To say there is a lot to do in and around the Grass Market is an understatement, there are many great restaurants, ice cream, lots of little bits of history in the area. I returned several times over my visit for lunch or just to take in the at. Great location with much close by.