Edinburgh Walking Tour: 50 Free Video Stops

This Edinburgh walking tour links 10 sights and 50 short video stops narrated by Clarissa, from Edinburgh Castle on its volcanic rock to the old mill lanes of Dean Village. The notes below turn those stops into practical day plans, with walking order, timing, transport, etiquette and the free sights worth knowing before you go. For official visitor information and events, also check Forever Edinburgh, the official guide to Edinburgh.

Route 1, the Old Town (stops 1 to 4). Start at Edinburgh Castle on Castle Rock, home of the Scottish Crown Jewels, the Honours of Scotland, and of the One O'Clock Gun, fired from the battlements on most days. Walk down the Royal Mile through Castlehill, the Lawnmarket and the High Street, with its tall tenements and narrow closes. Stop at St Giles' Cathedral, the High Kirk of Edinburgh, for the crown steeple and the carved Thistle Chapel, and step back up to Castlehill for the Camera Obscura and its rooftop terrace in the Outlook Tower.

Route 2, gardens and the New Town edge (stops 5 and 6). Walk down The Mound into Princes Street Gardens, which fill the valley between the Old Town and the Georgian New Town, a combined UNESCO World Heritage Site. Pass the Floral Clock and climb toward the Gothic spire of the Scott Monument, built in honour of the writer Sir Walter Scott. Continue east along Princes Street to Waterloo Place and up Calton Hill for the unfinished National Monument, the Nelson Monument and the City Observatory, with views along Princes Street to the castle.

Route 3, palace and volcano (stops 7 and 8). Walk down the lower Royal Mile to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the monarch's official residence in Scotland, beside the ruins of Holyrood Abbey. Then enter Holyrood Park for Arthur's Seat, the summit of an ancient volcano about 251 metres high. Use the main signed paths from the park to the top. The Radical Road below Salisbury Crags, mentioned in the stop videos, has been closed for rockfall risk in recent years, so check the park's notices before you go.

Route 4, museum and mill village (stops 9 and 10). Back in the Old Town, the National Museum of Scotland on Chambers Street opens into the bright Grand Gallery and the Kingdom of the Scots collections, with a roof terrace over the rooftops. Finish with a walk through the West End to Dean Village, the old mill settlement on the Water of Leith, for Bells Brae, Well Court and the view up to Dean Bridge.

If you only have one day, Routes 1 and 2 give the best Edinburgh walking tour on foot, because the castle, the Royal Mile, the gardens and Calton Hill form one long, connected walk. A two-day Edinburgh walking tour works well as Routes 1 and 2 on day one, and Holyroodhouse, Arthur's Seat, the museum and Dean Village on day two.

For photos, the best free viewpoints on this Edinburgh walking tour are Calton Hill at sunrise or sunset, looking along Princes Street to the castle, the summit of Arthur's Seat, the roof terrace of the National Museum of Scotland, and Victoria Street in the Old Town, with Circus Lane in Stockbridge for a quieter shot. From Princes Street Gardens, the castle rises straight above you on its rock.

Late spring to early autumn is the best season for a long Edinburgh walking tour, with long evenings and the gardens in bloom. August is the festival month, when the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and other festivals fill the city with shows, street performers and very big crowds, so book rooms and tickets early. Winters are cold and dark by mid-afternoon, but the Christmas markets and the Hogmanay new year celebrations are famous.

The weather changes quickly, even in summer, so carry a waterproof jacket and layers, and save Arthur's Seat for a clear, calm day. The Palace of Holyroodhouse can close when the royal family is in residence, so check its official website before you plan Route 3, along with the opening times of the castle and the Camera Obscura.

The centre is compact and easiest on foot, but steep. Lothian buses cover the whole city, and the tram runs along Princes Street between the airport and Leith. Contactless cards are accepted on buses and trams. Book Edinburgh Castle tickets online in advance, especially in summer, when timed slots can sell out.

Use the Map button at each stop to check walking time. The Old Town sits on a ridge with steps and steep closes running off it, so plan your Edinburgh walking tour downhill where you can, from the castle toward Holyrood. Allow extra time, because the views open up suddenly at the end of the narrow closes, toward the New Town and the Firth of Forth, and you will want to stop for them.

St Giles' Cathedral is a working church, so keep your voice low and avoid sightseeing during services. Entry is free, and a donation is welcome. On the Royal Mile, street performers and pipers make a living from tips, so leave a coin if you stop to watch or take photos.

For food, try haggis with neeps and tatties, the classic Scottish dish, Cullen skink, a smoked haddock soup, and shortbread with tea. The Old Town has many traditional pubs for a hot lunch on a cold day, and the Stockbridge area near Dean Village is good for cafés. A tip of around 10% is usual in restaurants with table service on an Edinburgh walking tour.

Edinburgh is a safe city, but watch your bag in crowded places such as the Royal Mile in August. Take care on the steep, slippery closes in the rain, and on Arthur's Seat stay on the paths and away from cliff edges, especially in wind or mist.

Wear sturdy, waterproof shoes, because the setts and steps of the Old Town and the path up Arthur's Seat can be slippery. Carry water and a snack for the hill, as there are no shops at the top.

Many stops cost nothing at all. The Royal Mile, St Giles' Cathedral, Princes Street Gardens, Calton Hill, Arthur's Seat and Holyrood Park, Dean Village and the National Museum of Scotland are free to visit. Edinburgh Castle, the Camera Obscura, the climb up the Scott Monument and the Palace of Holyroodhouse need tickets. That is why this free walking tour Edinburgh visitors can start at any hour works well: the 50 videos are free, and you only pay for what you choose to enter.

The Georgian New Town itself is a free extra. Laid out from the 1760s on a grid north of Princes Street, it is lined with stone terraces, private gardens and wide streets such as George Street, which runs between St Andrew Square and Charlotte Square. A short walk downhill leads to Stockbridge and the Water of Leith walkway, which links Dean Village, the last stop of this Edinburgh walking tour, with the city centre.

Edinburgh's other national galleries, including the Scottish National Gallery on The Mound right beside Princes Street Gardens, are generally free to enter for their permanent collections, which makes them good rainy-day stops. Always confirm current prices and opening hours on each official website before your Edinburgh walking tour.

For accessibility, Princes Street, Princes Street Gardens and the National Museum of Scotland are the easiest stops for wheelchair users and strollers, and the museum has lifts to the roof terrace. The castle has a steep esplanade, cobbles and slopes, though it offers some help for visitors with limited mobility. The Royal Mile is a long slope, Calton Hill has steps and a steep path, and Arthur's Seat is a rough hill walk.

When you finish this Edinburgh walking tour, carry on with more free walks: the London walking tour, the Dublin walking tour and the Amsterdam walking tour. You can browse every city on the Free City Tours home page.