On Sunday, 10th November, the Royal Mile will be difficult to access due to Remembrance Day, and our ticket office will be closed.

Our site will be accessible from our Courtyard at the top of Warriston’s Steps.

Author: Megan Rough

Whisky Tasting: Meet Ken Hanley

27th Aug, 2024

Meet the whisky expert, Ken Hanley! This September, our A Dram of History tour are back! The experience is one of our most popular events at The Real Mary King’s Close. Not only does it include our Standard 1-Hour Tour experience, but also a 30-minute whisky tasting led by local whisky ambassador, Kenneth (‘Ken’) Hanley. …

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Our listed Burgh Courtroom has been renovated!

10th Jan, 2024

Renovation work costing £200,000 has transformed our Burgh Courtroom into an impressive new retail experience on the Royal Mile. Following a complete redesign, the new space allows the original assets of the courtroom to stand out. All thanks to interior specialists, Lumsden Design. The layout of the newly curated gift shop takes inspiration from Edinburgh’s …

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Join us at The Real Mary King’s Close for Burns Night!

9th Jan, 2024

Burns Night 2024 is being celebrated at The Real Mary King’s Close on the 25th, 26th and 27th of January.  Book our Edinburgh Burns Night experience today. O Whisky! soul o’ plays and pranks!  Accept a Bardie’s gratefu’ thanks! When wanting thee, what tuneless cranks Are my poor verses! Did you know that Robert Burns …

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Hogmanay – What is it?

29th Dec, 2023

Hogmanay is the most important day of the year in Scotland. Please note that our opening hours will be 10am to 7pm on Sunday 31st December. Or at least, it used to be. Today, many Scots are more likely to celebrate Christmas over and above Hogmanay (a Scottish name for New Year’s Eve). However, that …

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A Short History of Christmas in Scotland

12th Dec, 2023

Christmas in Scotland – Why the Scots didn’t celebrate Christmas for over 400 years… The celebration of Christmas in Scotland is a surprisingly recent phenomenon. With just one week to go until Christmas, let’s take a stroll down Mary King’s Close to uncover how celebrations surrounding the festive season changed over time. Before the Reformation …

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A History Workshop at The Royal Hospital for Children & Young People

21st Nov, 2023

The Real Mary King’s Close participated in Historical Engagement Week on Tuesday 14th November. Three Tour Guides from The Real Mary King’s Close supported the initiative organised by The Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity (ECHC). This is the only charity in the country solely dedicated to supporting NHS Lothian children’s services. During the event, the guides …

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Exciting news… we have a NEW online shop!

10th Nov, 2023

Gift Edinburgh inspired items to your family and friends this Christmas! At The Real Mary King’s Close, we’ve been hard at work re-launching our online shop, just in time for Christmas. Our team has carefully curated our best and most-loved products straight from our Burgh Courtroom Gift Shop, including the Plague Ducktor. The best part? …

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Why did Foul Clengers wear the St Andrews cross?

2nd Nov, 2023

With St. Andrews Day happening  at the end of this month, we’re taking a closer look at why Edinburgh’s Foul Clengers wore the St Andrew’s cross on their uniforms… In history, there are often unsung heroes who played pivotal roles during times of crisis. In 17th century Edinburgh, during its last outbreak of the plague …

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Tourism Individual of the Year Scottish Thistle Award Regional Winner 2023

5th Oct, 2023

Our Operations Manager heads to the National Finals! Katie Scott has achieved another incredible milestone in her career through her success at the Scottish Thistle Awards 2023. 👏🏆 Header image © Connor Molliinson Photography Following on from being named one of the Top 100 Women in Tourism in Scotland earlier last year, Katie has won …

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