The Royal Mile is a succession of streets which form the main thoroughfare of the Old Town of the city of Edinburgh in Scotland. As the name suggests, the Royal Mile is approximately one Scots mile long, and runs between two foci of history in Scotland, from Edinburgh Castle at the top of the Castle Rockdown to Holyrood Abbey. The streets which make up the Royal Mile are (west to east) Castle Esplanade, Castlehill, Lawnmarket, High Street, Canongate and Abbey Strand. The Royal Mile is Edinburgh Old Town's busiest tourist street, rivalled only by Princes Streetin the New Town.
Today, the Royal Mile is an eclectic mix of tourist shops and eateries as well as pubs and historical attractions, as well as forming a major focal point for the annual Edinburgh Festival. It also serves as the heart of Scotland's legal system, being the home of both the High Court of Justiciary and the Court of Session.
