podtour
Canongate and Holyrood: the other Royal Mile
As you walk down the Royal Mile, there's a point where, for centuries, you left Edinburgh.
The Athens of the North: from the North Bridge to Calton Hill: audio walk in Edinburgh
Twelve stories between the North Bridge and Calton Hill about the city that believed it was Athens: a bridge that collapsed, a lake that vanished, Hume bidding death a good-humoured farewell with a joke, a hundred-pound tomb, Adam Smith's last supper, an unfinished Parthenon, a temple that waited for a parliament and the geologist who found no vestige of a beginning.
What this walk is about
At the end of the eighteenth century, a small city in the north compared itself to Athens. This walk climbs from the North Bridge to Calton Hill to find out why. The bridge that collapsed when the New Town had barely begun, and the valley that was once a lake. The road that opened the hill up to walkers. Hume, who waited for death joking with Charon the ferryman, and the hundred-pound tomb he ordered for himself. The names on an obelisk. A little temple copied from one in ancient Athens, the city's time signal, and the Parthenon that stopped at twelve columns. A Greek temple that was finished, and then waited years for a parliament, beside the brazier of a vigil. From the top, Adam Smith's last supper with his friends Black and Hutton, and the finale facing Salisbury Crags, where Hutton read in the rocks a time with no beginning. Outdoors, with a graveyard that has opening hours, and steps.
- Start
- The bridge that fell down
- Finish
- Reading the history in the rocks
- Who it is for
- A walk for anyone curious about ideas, science and philosophy. For anyone who wants views over the city. 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
The bridge that fell down
- 2
A loch beneath the trains
- 3
A road through a graveyard
- 4
Hume's last joke
- 5
A hundred pounds for a tomb
- 6
The reformers sent into exile
- 7
A little piece of Athens
- 8
One o'clock, on the dot
- 9
The Parthenon that ran out of money
- 10
A parliament that never moved in
- 11
Adam Smith's last supper
- 12
Reading the history in the rocks
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.
Podtour manages your launch request with your consent. You can withdraw it and exercise your rights as explained in our privacy policy. Privacy details.
One city per person. All its Podtour routes in Spanish and English. Available at launch. Offer details.