Local's guide to BEST OF ROYAL MILE, EDINBURGH: where to eat & hidden spots to relax

hey hon I'm on the Royal mile now where are you at yeah I'm also on the Royal mile just down by the palace ah [Music] [Music] thank you [Music] hello my peeps this is cat AKA keyboard and I'm welcoming you to another episode of my Edinburgh neighborhood guide and today I'm gonna bring you to Royal Mile and I know what you're thinking this is a very Central touristy area you've seen it all it's just 1.81 kilometer yes that is a Scott smile not an English one of tourist traps but if you truly believe that then this video will prove you wrong because there are so many tiny little hidden gems in this area Royal mile this Old Road is just this veritable Cabinet of Curiosities be sprinkled with the secret closes and Gardens and one of them we actually got married at so if you're a fan of me and Simon then you probably already know about at least one of them um yes they are quite easy to miss so this video is here to help you not do that to come to Royal Mail prepared but also don't forget that this series is not only for visitors the series is also for people who are looking for the perfect place to live in Edinburgh and you might think Royal mile that's just the Centrist of the centers of Edinburgh that's probably not the most affordable place to live right but surprisingly uh this is an address that's pretty realistic for especially students people who don't need to live somewhere quiet and later today I will be talking to one of my friends who actually spent a couple of years living just on Royal mile she's going to tell us what the ups and downs of that experience were and it's going to help you make your decision whether or not this might be the area for you if you're moving around or into Edinburgh so now why don't you keep watching and follow me as I work my way up Royal Mile and show you all my favorite bits [Music] we're going to start at the bottom of the mile where you can find a whole bunch of points of interest we're going to start by visiting the one that is free the Scottish Parliament people have mixed feelings about the architecture but I think that at this point it has really grown on most people I recommend popping in either for a guided tour or a self-guided quick visit you're going to learn about Scotland's politics and what the parliament's powers entail and most importantly you will find out what the architect meant by all those mind-bogglingly angular shapes [Music] thank you [Music] of course the traditional starting point of the royal mile is the Hollywood Palace it costs about 20 pounds to visit and you should give it a go if you're a fan of History personally I found this to be one of the less interesting viral sites in the city but please don't take that as a negative review [Music] adjacent to the Palace is my first Hidden Gem of this neighborhood the physics Garden a relatively newly opened Garden area filled with plants and herbs and seasonally also beautiful wildflowers surrounding Queen Mary's bath house it's wonderful for a little picnic or a cottage core read [Music] this as we start working our way up the mile I recommend popping into white horse clothes hidden away residential area which is a cute little photo spot [Music] foreign [Music] first food recommendation clarinda's Tea Room this no reservation Cafe is steeped in history and covered in charming tchotchke and I love their daily spread of cake just seductively sitting in the middle of the room [Music] you'll also get to learn about what role clever in the plate in the life of Scotland's national poet Robert Burns Saucy it's affordable and homely but gets busy very fast you will often see people waiting outside for a seat especially on weekends [Music] dunbar's close is one of the more known secrets of Royal Mile and yet I am always surprised by how many locals don't know it exists it's a wonderful place to relax or have a secluded coffee or tea in the grass while mile is congested with tour buses and weekend crowds foreign [Music] foreign [Music] gate Starbucks pop down this little lane next to it you will find the Scottish poetry Library they have a little Sunny Terrace and apparently you can even bring your own coffee or tea to enjoy alongside your poems [Music] instead of popping into starps we grabbed a brew from santu coffee this is not really much of a sit-down place but it delivers much needed energy for the rest of our mile and a bit long climb [Music] [Music] you will inevitably notice the beautiful Church on the right side the Canon gate Kirk the cherry trees are my favorite boss Ming trees in town absolutely exploding with pink every year I showed this video around the end of April toward middle of May and I got to experience both the full bloom and the Bittersweet goodbye to the petals foreign [Music] the Museum of Edinburgh which also conveniently sits right over one of outlander's filming locations is a must-see Royal mile has a handful of free to enter museums but I think this one is great if you want a quick insight into the areas history it goes into detail about how Canon gate the bottom part of Royal Nile used to be a fancy area beyond the walls of medieval Edinburgh which is why you can still spot many very mentioning buildings along the way [Music] foreign [Music] [Music] State experience perhaps but I think it would be a Pity to avoid trying fudge while on Royal mile you might notice that the shop got a little facelift recently very shiny very now but you will still get the same old wide selection of delectable flavors personally I think fudge goes amazingly with tea because it is basically like a cube of sweet cream let me know in the comment section if you're a fudge fan chisel's Court another Oasis of Serenity for you to enjoy your book or fudge or ice cream not only a home to this Pleasant patch of green but also this secluded garden with a picnic table and an Instagram famous heart vine house [Music] just outside of it you will find a new addition to the areas food scene Black Grape I recommend this wine bar for drinks and small plates their wine list is really well curated but personally I tend to go for the cocktails also if you don't order any food at all try to at least go for the brioche with garlic butter because this is gonna be the best garlic bread of your life [Music] Mimi's has locations all over Edinburgh and they sometimes call this small shop their picnic parlor which is exactly what you should use it for everyone who came in was asking for the scones so I'm guessing those must be really good thank you Biggs is a Spanish doubles haunt also good for a quick lunch if you're fed up with haggy's beef and potatoes if that is even an option and they do take away too foreign [Music] okay we're gonna scoot to the right here and uncover an attraction I am extremely fond of and forever upset that more people especially locals don't know about it it's the chocolatarium edinburgh's own chocolate Museum a place to learn everything about the ethics of cocoa trade the techniques used in chocolate making and also a very in-depth tasting which arguably is the best part it might just be a huge chocolate nerd but I just love revisiting this place I've already been three times and it's so fun every time everyone who worked here is so knowledgeable so you can really hit them with your most Niche cues about the world of chocolate I find the best approach is to get an advanced booking but you can also just pop in and produce their chocolate shop in my opinion this is the best curated store in Edinburgh to get your pulse on some Bean to Bar Treasures once you make it back up to for a mile I'm gonna take you off it again straight away yeah yeah I know technically not on the Royal mile but trust me this is such a special little store Mumbai gelato get your butt over here to try some of the creamiest dreamiest gelato in town my Pro tip is to have it in a shot of espresso as an avocado their coffee is a delicious brew from North Berwick and it's acidity bears oh so well with the not overly sweet but extremely creamy gelato [Music] okay that finally takes us to what was historically actual Edinburgh we're gonna cross over the imaginary border of the historical Edinburgh walls and end up in an area that is a lot more heavy on the souvenir shops than Canon gate but okay there are still Little Gems to find around here [Music] this is also the part of Royal mile where you can visit the Scottish storytelling Century which features one of edinburgh's most affordable spots to try haggis The Haggis books check them out in this video [Music] and just behind the center is trunks clothes which takes you to the centerman house Garden another Secret Garden for all of you looking for a quiet place to munch on your boots meal [Music] thank you [Music] [Music] [Music] Museum of childhood is a unique insight into the history of growing up in Scotland especially fun if you drag your designated Scottish friend or father in law with you it's a free little activity to consider especially if the weather doesn't quite live up to your frankly misguided expectations [Music] foreign [Music] [Music] further up we cross the North Bridge and enter the busiest part of the mile this is the area that can get positively Zen crushing especially during the festival season but now in may it will still kind of doable [Music] a dinner trip for meat eaters barbecue this is one of edinburgh's best barbecue places and honestly also an incredible value for money especially considering where you're eating I recommend visiting in three or four people and sharing the big platter with the side or two thank you [Music] we're getting closer to Central's cathedral but before we have a peek inside let me recommend Mercat tours who are named after the Market Cross they do your classic ghosty historical tours but often go beyond these themes with special theme tours like their latest one about the witch trials so if you've done your regular History tour before and would like to level up a bit check out their website for all the bookings [Music] thank you luckenbooths is one of the only places with the proper suntrap patio seating if not the only one on Royal mile we tried it for the first time while shooting this video because the weather was just so good and we loved our Mains the minion caters to all sorts of taste and preferences admittedly at a fairly tourist-centric pricing but the vitamin D was worth it [Music] Central's Cathedral has been a working church for almost 900 years now I love visiting even if it's just to all at the stained glass work or the ever so impressive cobalt blue ceiling but it's also worth looking out for the free classical concerts that take place here you can find all the events on their website [Music] yeah also don't forget to avoid the heart of Midlothian unless you want to step into some fresh Scots spit [Music] [Music] thank you [Music] Crossing Georgia to Fourth Bridge we shall head to one of the attractions that are free with the Scottish national trust membership Gladstone's land this is one of the oldest buildings on the Royal Mile and an absolute Street if you want to know more about how regular people used to live in this area each floor is set up to represent a different era and tenant and at the bottom you'll find a little ice cream parlor with a sit-down coffee shop which honestly might be one of the quietest cafes along the mile fun fact the top floor of Gladstone's land can actually be rented out as a holiday home [Music] and right next to it edinburgh's Pub of the Year 2023 this is an award given by camera the campaign for real ale and is a good North Star for anyone looking for a great quality traditional British pub I loved how cozy it felt and it even has some outside seating [Music] riddles court is a beautiful we Nook opposite of Gladstone's land another photo opportunity to not miss the interior is mostly used for events now but you can also rent out a room there to stay during your Edinburgh visit [Music] foreign [Music] [Music] and now the grand finale the iconic the unconquered the star of Edinburgh Skyline the Edinburgh Castle if you're curious about how to prepare for your visit of Edinburgh Castle why not watch my video from last year when I visited Edinburgh Castle for the first time ever foreign [Music] has come for me to interview a friend who has actually spent some time living in this area in this case it is Petra who you might know from me telling you about Petra being basically the sole reason why I am here she is the friend that I've moved here with and I go habitated with uh for just over a year and then after we stopped living together she moved here to the area of Royal mile um so in in three words how would you how would you describe living around Royal mile convenient busy and vomiting oh I think that a lot of people probably think that's because this is you know the old town the beautiful kind of very um architecturally aesthetically pleasing area-ish they probably imagine that this is quite an expensive place to live is it depends where I lived it already was inexpensive we were we had a two bedroom flat at their mind this was in 20 12 to 2014. um we probably were 730 750 quid a month before three people three people three people um which is a lot less than I'd imagine you pay now but it was still a lot less than you paid in other parts of like you know Posh parts of Edinburgh so it really wasn't that bad and because two of us were students we had a discount on on council tax which is obviously which helps a lot what would you say is like the biggest Pro of living in this area I mean you're really close to pretty much everything that matters in the city um you are close to like you know the museums the castle the bars the restaurants the station you can really easily get to the airport like everything is super close and you know even the things that are not in the center you're pretty much within walking distance and the buses most buses go to Princess Street so close to Princess Street or you know they come even closer to you if they go on the bridges and that's Northbridge and Southbridge for who for those of you who are not local and um and George the fourth bridge and basically everything is really convenient and you don't have to worry about like oh do I need to get an Uber home because I live on the outskirts or in the Suburbia because the buses are finished is it annoying to be basically living on a hill and always have to be walking upwards I'm so much fitter so much quicker than you would ever expect um in a way like if you do go kind of North to least to the coast or Portobello then yes if you're walking home there is a big hill on the way well big hill it's not that big once you get used to it just be prepared to get sweaty a lot uh however like from loads of other angles because I lived in the middle of the real Mile and lots of our angles you're actually going downhill or flat so it's not really as bad as you think but I think for both of us because we had that Hill between us the perception was very much there is a hill you live halfway up a hill yes this is the hill that uh during the lockdowns I would use it as my gym it's just that was like the only place that I felt like I can go for like a proper walk and I mean that's what we used as a gym when we first moved here because we were too poor to have to have a gym membership so and that's how we got this also the Starbucks on Royal mile was our internet yeah oh my God we forgot about that we were such provos we heard them she didn't let me put the heater on for a long time well and look where we are now again no jobs with big money and it's not good if you had to go in the opposite in that like mental route and tell me it was the worst thing about living on for a mile well how long do you have no just kidding um so I would say one of the things is so we lived in a close just off the Royal mile which is actually quite wide so it's quite popular for people going from the realm eyes train station and and was behind a Pizza Express Pizza Express it's not quite nice when thousands people just uh relieving themselves so far like urinary needs oh yeah going home from a job when you're super hungry and you know that dinner's not going to be ready for another hour but the kids smell the pizza oh man that was not easy um another thing this is very specific to where we lived uh that's not to do with the real mile our I think this is kind of relevant to the question about Posh slash not Posh is we had an open staircase like the the stairs in the tournament and we had lots of pigeons there and a pigeons constantly trying to Nest on a doorstep on our like doormat and we tried everything bleach chili powder kicking them gently because I'm not a monster but like they just decided that that was the nest gentle kick that was the nest and we are gonna stay there so that was fun um but other than that yeah it's a very busy area and obviously people do like going out and drinking um in kind of the royal mile vicinity which is great and you know that's what it should be it's not great when you wake up at seven in the morning to go to work and then there's a man sleeping on your doorstep not your actual doorstep like to your flat but to like the tenement um or there's a massive pile of vomit um also Edinburgh City Center does have quite a lot of like habitual drug users just randomly falling asleep places which you know it's a whole other conversation but it's not amazing when you wake up again you know bleary eyed going to UNI or something and you're like oh God what do I do with this so I think that's the worst part of it is that you do get a lot of noise so if you have you know nine to five job or shift job they have to get up early in the morning and I really appreciate your sleep it gets really noisy and we did not have double glazing yeah I'm not sure if it was because it's not allowed on that specific building I don't think that's the case I don't think it was a listed building although I'm not sure however it's quite uncommon in these Flats in this area that you know to be to have double glazing because they are mostly rented to students or like temporary people who are here for the summer or um they're owned by rich people who don't live here and they don't care so I'm guessing this is not the best area for like a young family to start nesting yeah I would this is a place where you want to live when you're like start uni or you're in your early 20s that's what I would say however I lived here in my early 20s I was 23 or 24 around that time and I was fine and then I moved back to the crystal here yes it's still alive but then I moved to the same neighborhood where we lived together and well that's that's the video that we uh made last month about uh epic Hill and Meadowbank where Petra still lives there now so best area ever yeah if you want to watch what it's like to live in Abbey Hills like Meadowbank watch this video do it or absolutely do it and you know don't all move in Mass because I want my neighborhood to be nice but also do move because it's the best okay well thank you so much for answering my my questions about this area anytime um you have to ask me more questions well you have to move to some new areas so I can invite you to more of these this is very convenient well yeah I could do like the tour of the brewery so I didn't brush for you lovely [Music] thank you [Music] [Music] foreign [Music] back and forth to Royal Mile and getting more shots and remembering that there are more places that we want to feature in this video we finally made it to the top of Royal mile to the castle and you are probably noticing that around me is this humongous ugly monster over construction which is the kind of temporary stadium that they put up every year for the military tattoo this is like my top pet peeve here in Edinburgh they always start building it in May it's really only in use in August in my opinion it like ruins the whole Skyline and I am very visually frustrated by it and I mean you can tell like even at night you can't really walk up to the castle and during the day it kind of messes with the views of the city well anyway let me know in the comments below if you also very much dislike this anyway I think one thing that I'm going to end on is that I have really underestimated the amount of stuff that is happening on and around Royal mile I have tried to build this video around things that are just like strictly on Royal Mile and honestly from day one I was already stepping away from this plan you know I had to mention places like mupai gelato and the chocolatarium and once you start doing that like it's a slippery slope so yeah I really hope that I did my best to introduce you to some of my favorites obviously I couldn't visit everything that is to do on Royal Mile and the people who I spoke to while I was working on this video who were kind of curiously asking like oh what's your next video whenever I mentioned that I'm doing like a guide about Royal mile it was always kind of like a letdown for them a lot of people thought oh I kind of avoid that area it's just full of tourist traps and I had to urge them like that's not true there's like all of these places that are amazing and you know then you start talking and you both realized yeah there's actually a lot of small businesses that really deserve the attention and your custom obviously there are also door straps I would say that you know there's a whole plethora of tourist shops especially souvenir shops owned by the same people that you know are not the best places to support if you want to buy souvenirs I always recommend popping into one of the Scottish design exchange shops actually one of the Scottish design exchange shops is on Royal mile it's in the tron Kirk but the one where you can buy my Wares it's on George Street also you can always buy my souvenirs on my Etsy Shop link in the doobly-doo okay that's it I love this this was really fun really exhausting it took me so much time so I really hope you enjoyed it please let me know in the comments below if any of your favorites were mentioned in this video and if there are any places that you didn't know existed or if there are places that you really thought would be in this video and you really want people to know about them and I somehow managed to ignore them probably on accident or I just didn't have any more time in that case let everyone know in the comment section as well and don't forget that if if you're missing my face or if you want to shoot me a message you can always visit me on Instagram under khaki bot for my illustrations and art or khaki blog for my photos of my life here in Edinburgh okay that's really it for me for now and I shall see you soon pain

Channel: Kakibot's Guidebook

Views: 101,941

Keywords: edinburgh, scotland, edinburgh scotland, edimburgh, edinburk, escocia, ecosse, skotsko, edinburgh vlog, edinburgh vlogger, royal mile, guide to edinburgh, edinburgh travel guide, edinburgh travel tips, edinburgh travel vlog, scotland travel guide, scotland travel vlog, royal mile 2023, where to eat on royal mile, what to see on royal mile, where to go on royal mile, where to eat in edinburgh, what to do in edinburgh, edinburgh hidden gems

Id: rtF1FD-pIiU

Length: 34min 13sec (2053 seconds)

Published: Mon May 29 2023