[ARCHIVED: 1/10/18] Royal Mile Explorer Tour

Name: [ARCHIVED: 1/10/18] Royal Mile Explorer Tour
Brand: VoiceMap
SKU: 785
Price: 2.99 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.4 (14 reviews)
Author: Edinburgh Expert

(14 reviews)

Edinburgh audio tour: [ARCHIVED: 1/10/18] Royal Mile Explorer Tour

This is a 1.9mi walking tour

It takes an average of 37 mins to complete.

Edinburgh

The United Kingdom

$2.99

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About the Tour

Explore the backbone of Edinburgh's historic Old Town, as we explore along and around the Royal Mile. Starting outside the Palace of Holyroodhouse, we will wander up lanes and down alleys as we make our way to the top of the Royal Mile, finishing outside Edinburgh Castle.

Tour Producer

Edinburgh Expert Walking Tours

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My name is Gareth and I run Edinburgh Expert Walking Tours, providing tours and information services for visitors to Edinburgh. I've lived and worked in the city for over 19 years... My tours offer a fun and informative perspective, giving you an introduction to the city's history through stories of the people who have helped to shape it.

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Preview Location

Location 1

Palace of Holyroodhouse

Welcome to Edinburgh! My name is Gareth, and I run Edinburgh Expert, providing tours and information packages to visitors to the city. I'll be your guide on this exploration of Edinburgh's Royal Mile. I'll give you an introduction to the history of the Old Town area, and some ... Welcome to Edinburgh! My name is Gareth, and I run Edinburgh Expert, providing tours and information packages to visitors to the city. I'll be your guide on this exploration of Edinburgh's Royal Mile. I'll give you an introduction to the history of the Old Town area, and some stories about the people who have lived and died here.

We'll get going shortly, but first let me tell you a little about this area, known as Holyrood.

We're starting at the bottom of the Royal Mile, outside the Palace of Holyroodhouse. You should be standing in front of the palace gates now. This is Her Majesty the Queen's official residence in Scotland. Turn to face the main palace building, visible through the large iron gates. Feel free to take some pictures while I tell you about it.

This area was a royal hunting ground for the Scottish monarchy. In 1128 King David I skipped church to come hunting here. He got separated from the rest of his party, and his horse was startled by a large white stag.

The horse threw David to the ground and ran away, leaving the king at the mercy of the stag. There are different versions of what happened next. The most popular is that crucifix appeared between the stag's antlers, and as David reached for it, the stag ran away.

David's life was thus spared, and he took this as a sign from God that he needed to be more pious. He established the Holyrood Abbey in 1128, which you can see just to the left of the main palace, and set back a little from it. The name 'Holy-rood' means 'holy cross' in old Scots.

Before we get moving, look up to the top of the gates. In the centre you'll see a a stag's head with a cross between its antlers. This is the royal crest of the Holyrood area, and we'll see it in other places as we walk.

Now, turn so that the palace gates are behind you. Then walk along the cobbled road, towards the roundabout.

VoiceMap uses GPS to pinpoint your location and trigger the relevant audio. So you can put your phone away now and just follow my directions. Read More

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Focus on your surroundings, not the screen

The VoiceMap app uses GPS to play audio automatically, at the right time and place, so you can focus on your surroundings, not the screen.

Follow a route with turn-by-turn-directions

VoiceMap tours follow a route from a fixed starting point. That lets us give turn-by-turn directions and use context to tell a better story.

Resume playback to go at your own pace

If you'd like to stop for a drink or go into a museum, end your tour then use the Resume feature to pick up exactly where you left off.

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Major Landmarks

Royal Mile
Palace of Holyroodhouse
Scottish Parliament building
Old Town
Grassmarket
Edinburgh Castle

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Getting There

Route Overview

VoiceMap tours follow a route from a set starting point. It’s how we give turn-by-turn directions and tell a story greater than the sum of its parts.

Start location
Canongate, Edinburgh EH8 8DX, UK
Total distance

3km
Final location
Castlehill, Edinburgh EH1 2NG, UK
Distance back to start location

2km

Directions to Starting Point

Located at the very bottom of the Royal Mile, we begin outside the large gates in front of the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

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Tips

Places to stop along the way

Refresh yourself at the cafe at the Palace of Holyroodhouse before you begin; take time off the route to visit the two free museums (Museum of Edinburgh and The People's Story) near Canongate Kirk; pre-book your tickets to visit Edinburgh Castle straight after the tour.

Best time of day

During the summer the Royal Mile can get very busy, so a morning tour is likely to be less congested.

Precautions

Take care when crossing roads, and be aware that the stairs and cobbles of the Old Town can be slippery in wet weather.

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“This app has become my go-to app for audio tours. I pretty much use it for every trip and it works wonderfully. I highly recommend VoiceMap for travelers to truly experience cities.”

App Store Review

“Great app. walk around at your own pace, stop where you want, move on or speed up when you want. Read the script before you go or during the commentary, speed it up or replay it. Repeat the tour whenever you like.”

Google Play Store

Questions and Reviews

4.4 / 5

14 Ratings

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[ARCHIVED: 1/10/18] Royal Mile Explorer Tour

About the Tour

Tour Producer

Edinburgh Expert Walking Tours

Save with Passes

Preview Location

Location 1

Palace of Holyroodhouse

How VoiceMap Works

Major Landmarks

Royal Mile

Palace of Holyroodhouse

Scottish Parliament building

Old Town

Grassmarket

Edinburgh Castle

Getting There

Route Overview

Directions to Starting Point

Tips

Places to stop along the way

Best time of day

Precautions

Get The App

Questions and Reviews