podtour
The Athens of the North: from the North Bridge to Calton Hill
At the end of the eighteenth century, a small city in the north compared itself to Athens.
Canongate and Holyrood: the other Royal Mile: audio walk in Edinburgh
The lower half of the Royal Mile was another town. Eleven stories, from the house that may never have been Knox's to the Palace of Holyroodhouse: a gate London wanted torn down and its bell, a legend of the burgh, a Parliament that closed in 1707 and came back in 1999, a headstone one poet paid for another, and a night in 1566 in the queen's supper room.
What this walk is about
As you walk down the Royal Mile, there's a point where, for centuries, you left Edinburgh. This walk starts at that border and goes down the Canongate, the burgh of the canons of Holyrood, all the way to the palace. A famous house that belonged to Mary, Queen of Scots' goldsmith. The night the town dragged the captain of its own guard out of prison, and the gate London wanted demolished as a punishment, with the bell that still hangs in a tower. A legend the burgh tells from a house front. How the Parliament of Scotland closed in 1707, the house of the duke who closed it, and how it came back in 1999. A tolbooth with a stag on its coat of arms, and the headstone Robert Burns paid for a forgotten fellow poet. And finally, the palace where, in 1566, the queen's secretary was dragged out of her little supper room, and the legends that followed. Everything can be heard from the street; the palace and the Parliament are optional visits.
- Start
- Whose house was it, really?
- Finish
- How Holyrood's legends grew
- Who it is for
- For another visit, when you want to look beyond the familiar sights. A walk for anyone curious about stories of kings, queens and parliaments. You don’t need any prior knowledge.
- Languages
- Spanish and British English
The route, stop by stop
An outline of the walk. The full stories are in the app.
Loading the map…
Open a marker to see its page. Use two fingers to move the map on mobile.
- 1
Whose house was it, really?
- 2
The night the city locked its gates
- 3
The bell that outlived the gate
- 4
The man in the turban
- 5
How to close a parliament
- 6
When the Canongate was its own town
- 7
A poet pays for a headstone
- 8
The duke's house, from palace to parliament
- 9
The parliament that came back
- 10
The murder at Holyrood
- 11
How Holyrood's legends grew
Walking directions are based on mapped pedestrian routes. Check local access and signs; the route is not an accessibility guarantee. Times are approximate.
Edinburgh, before you go
A stone city built on hills, with a castle above it and weather that keeps changing. Cobbled streets and narrow stairways reward walking, provided your shoes have grip and your coat has a hood.
More walks nearby
Good to know
What is Podtour?
An app for self-guided audio walks. Choose a city and a route, then listen to the stories behind its streets. You decide when to start and when to stop.
When can I download the app?
Podtour is coming to iOS and Android. There is no confirmed launch date yet. Join the waitlist and we will let you know when it is ready.
Does Podtour include attraction tickets?
No. Street walks and monument audio tours do not include admission tickets, transport or a guide accompanying you.
Can I listen without an internet connection?
Download the audio in the app before heading out, then listen offline. Loading the online base map and calculating a new route from your location require a connection.
What languages are included?
Every route includes Spanish and British English. The English version is adapted for English-speaking travellers, rather than translated word for word.
How do I get a whole city for free?
Join the waitlist, choose a city and confirm your email address. When the app launches, we will email you with access details. No card is required. You can also try one free route in every city.
Can I buy for myself or for a group?
Yes. Your own access is included and you can choose 0–5 guests: up to 6 people including you. Each guest saves up to €0.50 on a walk, €1 on a pack or €2 on a whole city compared with buying separately. The counter shows the total before you confirm one payment.
How do I share, and when must guests accept?
After paying, share your purchase’s invitation link. Each guest opens it in Podtour and accepts their place on their own iPhone or Android phone. They must redeem it within 30 days of purchase. Unclaimed places then expire and cannot be recovered or renewed. Access accepted in time is kept. Opening the link does not use a place; one account takes just one place, and no more people can join once all places are taken.
Can I add guests after buying?
No. Choose all your guests before confirming the first purchase. Afterwards you can share the places you paid for, but you cannot increase their number or restart the 30-day deadline.
Your first city,
on Podtour.
Join the waitlist. When we launch, your chosen city is yours to explore.
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A little welcome gift
Your first city,
on Podtour.
Join the waitlist and get one whole city free when Podtour launches. You choose where.
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One city per person. All its Podtour routes in Spanish and English. Available at launch. Offer details.