According to the Scottish Place Names dictionary, the name Edinburgh means 'Fort of the Rock Face'. The 'edin' part comes from Scottish Gaelic and means 'rock face', while 'burgh' comes from Old English meaning stronghold. The Royal Mile is Edinburgh's historic highway which connects two of Edinburgh's most important attractions -- Edinburgh Castle and the Palace of Holyrood House - and actually measures 1 mile and 107 yards.
The Royal Mile is actually made up of several streets. Starting from the Castle at the top these are: The Esplanade, Castlehill, Lawnmarket, High Street, Netherbow, Canongate and Abbey Strand. Collectively know as the High Street, the Royal Mile is the centre of Edinburgh’s old city, home to many historic events through the ages, and today the most popular tourist destination for visitors to the city.
The Royal Mile is actually made up of several streets. Starting from the Castle at the top these are: The Esplanade, Castlehill, Lawnmarket, High Street, Netherbow, Canongate and Abbey Strand. Collectively know as the High Street, the Royal Mile is the centre of Edinburgh’s old city, home to many historic events through the ages, and today the most popular tourist destination for visitors to the city.
If visiting the Royal Mile for the first time you would should set aside at least a couple of days to explore all that they Royal Mile has to offer. There are museums and historic buildings, exhbition & activity centres, not forgetting Edinburgh Castle. If you plan on making a trip to the Royal Mile in the summer, why not consider visiting the Edinburgh International festival.