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Edinburgh · Mixed

From Victoria Street to Calton Hill: Edinburgh's highlights

Edinburgh is two cities separated by a valley: the medieval one on the ridge and the Georgian one, laid out with a ruler in the 18th century. This mixed route links them on foot, from Victoria Street to the top of Calton Hill, with art, literature, a nod to Harry Potter and a panoramic finale perfect for the last of the daylight.

  • 6 stops
  • 1.7 km
  • 1 h 40 min
  • Free
Start with GPS Read about this stop 1
The Old Town skyline seen from Calton Hill

The route

Stop by stop

  1. 1 Victoria StreetA curving street of painted shopfronts, built in the 19th century to tame an impossible slope, which half the world associates with Diagon Alley.
  2. 2 The Mound and the National GalleryA whole hill made from the earth left over from building the New Town, crowned by two Greek temples full of art.
  3. 3 Scott MonumentThe largest monument in the world to a writer was designed by a self-taught joiner who drowned before he could see it finished.
  4. 4 The Balmoral HotelA clock that lies on purpose, a railway hotel turned landmark and the room where the Harry Potter saga came to an end.
  5. 5 Old Calton Burial GroundIn this small graveyard lies the great sceptical philosopher of the Enlightenment, watched over by a statue of Abraham Lincoln.
  6. 6 Calton HillA Parthenon left half-built, a stone telescope and the view that shows you why Edinburgh is a World Heritage Site.

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Start with GPS

Guide mode

Walk it with GPS.

Open guide mode on your phone: you’ll see your position and the distance to each stop, and we’ll let you know when you arrive. Then read or listen.

Start with GPS

  1. Turn on your location

  2. Walk to the spot

  3. Check the photo and listen

What you’ll discover

From Victoria Street to Calton Hill: Edinburgh's highlights

Two cities

You cross from the Old Town to the New Town by The Mound, a hill made by hand from the earth of the New Town's foundations.

Writers in stone

Walter Scott in his Gothic spire, David Hume in his mausoleum and J. K. Rowling in a Princes Street hotel.

The grand finale

Calton Hill, with its unfinished Parthenon and the view Stevenson thought the best in the city.

Keep exploring

More routes in Edinburgh

Back to Edinburgh
HistoryThe Royal Mile: from castle to palace Mysteries & legendsBodysnatchers, ghosts and a faithful dog

Itineraries

How many days do you have in Edinburgh?

We’ve planned it day by day for you: which routes to walk and in what order, what else to see and where to eat.

1

Edinburgh in 1 day

All three routes in one full day: the highlights, the history and the legends at dusk.

See the itinerary 2

Edinburgh in 2 days

A gentler pace: the three routes over two days, plus extra sights and where to eat.

See the itinerary 3

Edinburgh in 3 days

The city in depth: one route a day, extra museums and neighbourhoods, and a day for good food.

See the itinerary