For centuries the valley below the castle held the Nor’ Loch, an artificial lake that defended the town and received much of its sewage. It was drained in stages from 1759 as the New Town was built, and in the 1820s the ground was laid out as gardens. The railway arrived in the 1840s and still runs, half hidden, along the bottom.
The Mound — an artificial hill made of earth dug from the New Town’s foundations — divides the gardens in two. West Princes Street Gardens, beneath the castle, are the larger and quieter; East Princes Street Gardens hold the Scott Monument and, in winter, the Christmas market.
What to see and do: Princes Street Gardens & Scott Monument
Climb the Scott Monument
The memorial to Sir Walter Scott, completed in the 1840s, is just over 61 metres tall — among the largest monuments to a writer anywhere. A narrow spiral stair of 287 steps leads to a series of viewing platforms. Visits are ticketed and the upper stairs are tight; it is not for the claustrophobic.
The Scottish National Gallery
The neoclassical gallery on the Mound is free and holds a superb collection in a manageable space: Titian, Rembrandt, Vermeer, Velázquez, Monet, Van Gogh, and the best of Scottish art, including Raeburn’s “Skating Minister”. New galleries of Scottish art opened in 2023 with windows on to the gardens.
The Ross Fountain and the castle view
At the west end of the gardens, the cast-iron Ross Fountain — restored and repainted in turquoise and gold — stands exactly where you want it for a photograph with the castle behind.
The Floral Clock
At the foot of the Mound, a working clock planted with thousands of small flowers has been laid out each summer since 1903. It is usually in bloom from early summer to autumn.
Princes Street
Edinburgh’s main shopping street has buildings on one side only, which gives it an open view of the Old Town. At its west end is Johnnie Walker Princes Street, a whisky visitor experience over several floors with rooftop bars facing the castle.
How to get to Princes Street Gardens & Scott Monument
- The gardens run the whole length of Princes Street. Waverley station is at the east end; the Princes Street tram stop is in the middle.
- Most Lothian bus routes through the city centre stop on Princes Street.
- Paths and steps lead up from the west gardens to the castle Esplanade — a steep ten minutes.
Insider tips
- The gardens are free and are locked at dusk; hours vary through the year.
- Parts of the west gardens close for concerts at the Ross Bandstand in summer and for the Hogmanay celebrations.
- From mid-November to early January the east gardens host Edinburgh’s Christmas market.
- For the best castle photograph, stand on the path just east of the Ross Fountain in the morning, when the rock is lit.
Best tours & tickets for Princes Street Gardens & Scott Monument
These top-rated experiences pair well with a visit to Princes Street Gardens & Scott Monument:
Tour + tasting from €29 Edinburgh: The Johnnie Walker Signature Experience
A modern, theatrical take on the whisky tour at the west end of Princes Street. A short quiz maps your flavour preferences, and the three drinks you are served along the way — cocktails or neat — are tailored to it. Non-alcoholic options are available.
- Immersive, high-tech whisky journey
- Drinks matched to your taste profile
- Rooftop bars with castle views
Bus tour from €21 Edinburgh: City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour
A loop of the Old and New Towns on an open-top bus, with commentary and the freedom to get off at any stop. Useful on a first day, for saving your legs on the hills, and for the long downhill-then-uphill haul to Holyrood.
- Open-top double-decker
- Stops at the castle, Royal Mile and Holyrood
- Audio commentary in several languages
Guided tour + ticket from €41 Edinburgh Castle: Guided Walking Tour with Entry Ticket
The city’s best-selling castle tour, with more than 14,000 reviews. Your ticket is included, and a guide walks you through 900 years of sieges, kings and prisoners before leaving you free to explore. Castle tickets regularly sell out in summer, so this is also a reliable way to secure a slot.
- Castle entry ticket included
- The Honours of Scotland and St Margaret’s Chapel
- Stay on inside after the tour
