Mary Queen of Scots’ Edinburgh: The Royal Mile
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About the Tour
About the Tour
Edinburgh's Royal Mile is the stage for one of history's most dramatic political collapses. On this walking tour, you'll trace Mary Queen of Scots' turbulent reign through the closes, kirkyards, and cobblestones she once navigated. You'll also hear how a brilliant Renaissance queen was undone by jealous lords, forged letters, and a kingdom that refused to be ruled by a Catholic woman.
The tour starts at the gates of the Palace of Holyroodhouse, where you'll learn how an infant Mary was smuggled to France after Henry VIII's troops burned the abbey to the ground. From there, you'll climb the Royal Mile through the Canongate, past the grand lodgings of the merchants and earls who circled the Queen, and into the city's medieval heart – a chaotic, pungent marketplace where royal court life and street life collided daily.
Along the way, you'll visit Canongate Kirkyard, where Mary's secretary David Rizzio lies buried after being stabbed over fifty times by her jealous husband and a gang of armed lords. You'll stand before St Giles' Cathedral, where wedding banns for her scandalous third marriage were read aloud – sealing her fate with a public that already suspected her of murder. The tour ends at Edinburgh Castle, where a pregnant, terrified Mary fled after Rizzio's killing to give birth to the son who would one day unite the crowns of Scotland and England.
On this 45-minute tour, you'll have a chance to:
- Hear how Henry VIII's
Rough Wooing
forced baby Mary into exile in France - Stand at the Witches' Well, where hundreds of women were burned on this very esplanade
- Learn about the infamous Casket Letters – almost certainly forged – that justified keeping Mary imprisoned for nineteen years
- Discover how James Mosman, Mary's personal goldsmith, was executed for defending Edinburgh Castle in her name
- Find John Knox's burial place, marked discreetly in a parking space behind the cathedral
- Explore White Horse Close, reputedly stabled Mary's favourite horse and a remnant of the French elegance she brought to Edinburgh
This tour reframes one of history's most misunderstood women – not as a romantic tragedy, but as a formidable ruler playing an impossible hand.
Tour Producer
Tour Producer
History Hit
History Hit is the world's best history channel: an award-winning streaming service and podcast network founded by the historian and broadcaster Dan Snow in 2015.
Our self-guided audio tours bring the past to life in the places where history was made. Written and presented by world-renowned historians and local experts, these immersive historical audio guides offer the same premium storytelling as our hit documentaries.
Meet the History Hit tour guides:
Dan Snow: A born-and-bred Londoner, British historian, and broadcaster. As the host of Dan Snow's History Hit podcast, Dan investigates the defining moments of global history, bringing his deep expertise to our London history tours and city walks.
Tristan Hughes: Ancient historian, presenter, and host of The Ancients podcast. Tristan specialises in bringing our distant past to life, guiding you through ancient sites with captivating storytelling.
Matt Lewis: Author and medieval historian. The host of the Gone Medieval podcast, Matt is a specialist in the Wars of the Roses and King Richard III, and former chair of the Richard III Society.
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Preview Location
Preview Location
Location 10
White Horse Close II
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Major Landmarks
Major Landmarks
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Palace of Holyroodhouse
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Scottish Parliament Building
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White Horse Close
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Canongate Kirk
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Royal Mile
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St Giles' Cathedral
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The Writers' Museum
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Edinburgh Castle
Getting There
Getting There
Route Overview
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Start locationCanongate, Edinburgh EH8 8DX, UK
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Total distance2km
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Final locationCastlehill, Edinburgh EH1 2NG, UK
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Distance back to start location2km
Directions to Starting Point
The tour begins at the south gates of Holyrood Palace. The palace stands at the very end of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, right beside Holyrood Park and facing the Scottish Parliament.
If you are getting the bus from the city centre, Lothian Buses service the Holyrood area frequently. Bus 26 is one of the easiest options, passing through Princes Street and Canongate before stopping near the palace entrance.
The Palace is around a 20 minute walk from Edinburgh Waverley Station - it's a great way to see the city. Beware the uneven cobbled streets and hills.
Show Directions
Tips
Tips
Places to stop along the way
The Fudge House of Edinburgh on Canongate - which the tour walks right past - is a great spot to grab a sweet treat to fuel your journey up the Mile.
The Writers' Museum that the tour stops by celebrates the lives of three giants of Scottish literature: Robert Burns, Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson. The Museum is free to visit and is open seven days a week from 10am - 5pm.
If you have the time, take a short detour down George IV to the National Museum of Scotland, home of the famous silver casket from Mary's story. It is also free to visit and open seven days a week from 10am - 5pm.
Best time of day
During the summer months - especially in August when the Edinburgh Fringe Festival is running - the streets along the Royal Mile get incredibly busy with tourists and street performers.
Also, keep in mind that from May onwards, a large seating structure is built on the Edinburgh Castle esplanade for the summer events. While this won't affect your tour route, the area will be more crowded than usual and your view of the castle might be slightly obscured as you walk up Castle Hill. If you prefer a quieter experience with clearer views, morning or early evening walks outside of the peak summer months are ideal.
Precautions
Edinburgh’s weather is famously unpredictable - you can easily experience all four seasons in one day! We recommend bringing a raincoat or an umbrella with you, just in case.
Additionally, if the Royal Family is in residence at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, access to the front gates may be restricted. If this happens, you can still safely reach Abbey Strand. Your tour audio should continue to play normally, but please be prepared to trigger the track manually if the security barriers disrupt your signal.
Please also note that White Horse Close, while open to the public, is also people's home! Please be respectful of the residents' privacy when visiting.
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