Voice of the Mile
Explore Edinburgh Your Way
Complete freedom. Your adventure.
One of the biggest advantages of a self-guided tour is complete freedom. Unlike a traditional walking tour, you are never hurried along or left waiting for a group. Explore Edinburgh’s iconic Royal Mile exactly as you want.
“A private journey through Edinburgh’s Royal Mile — where hidden closes, royal intrigue, crime and centuries of stories come to life.”
Narrated by Acclaimed Scottish Actor James Smillie
An authentic Edinburgh voice for an authentic Edinburgh experience.
🗺️ GPS-Guided Tour:
Stories play automatically as you walk.
⏳ Approx. 2 Hours:
Fully self-paced from start to finish.
🕐 Start Anytime:
Lifetime access with zero fixed schedules.
📱 Use Your Own Phone:
Download once and explore 100% offline.
About Your Narrator:
- Decades of Craft: Veteran of stage, screen, and international broadcast narration.
- Authentic Delivery: Rich, nuanced storytelling rooted in genuine Scottish characters
- Immersive Experience: Studio-mastered audio recorded and produced specifically to transport you into the 16th to 18th-century Old Town.
Enjoy Edinburgh's Old Town Your Way
What's Included & Tour Details
Simple to Use (Step-by-Step)
Purchase Securely:
Buy your tour pass online.
Receive Your Code:
Get your unique VoiceMap voucher code instantly.
Download the App:
Install the free VoiceMap app on iOS or Android.
Download Tour Offline:
Save the tour over Wi-Fi so no mobile data or roaming is needed on the street.
Start Exploring:
Put in your headphones, head to Castle Esplanade, and start walking.
Essential Details
Starting Point:
Edinburgh Castle Esplanade (EH1 2NG)
Ending Point:
Palace of Holyroodhouse (EH8 8DX)
Guiding Duration:
Approx. 2 hours (flexible, self-paced)
Format:
GPS-triggered mobile audio via the VoiceMap app
What You Need:
A charged smartphone and a pair of headphones
Frequently Asked Questions
Once downloaded via the VoiceMap app, the tour uses your phone’s GPS to play narration automatically as you walk. You do not need to look at your screen or press buttons—stories trigger seamlessly as you approach each location.
No. Download the tour over Wi-Fi beforehand, and the entire route and audio are stored offline on your phone. You can walk without using any data or roaming.
The tour begins at the top of the Royal Mile on the Edinburgh Castle Esplanade and finishes outside the gates of the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
Yes. You have lifetime access to the tour on your account. You can pause the audio to visit an attraction, grab lunch, browse shops, or split the walk across different days. The app resumes exactly where you left off.
We’d recommend having approximately 300MB of free storage available — around 150-200MB for the VoiceMap app itself, plus roughly 50-100MB for the offline tour download.
For the smoothest experience, we suggest each person uses their own phone and headphones — that way nobody’s tied to anyone else’s pace.
A charged smartphone, the VoiceMap app installed with the tour downloaded, and a pair of headphones.
The Royal Mile consists of historic cobbles with a steady downhill slope from the Castle to Holyrood. The main street is wheelchair and pushchair accessible, though some narrow side closes feature historic stone stairs.
Ready to Walk the Royal Mile?
Live Walking Tour
Real streets. Real people. Real stories.
Join an experienced local guide on the streets of the Old Town’s closes, with stories, humour, history, and a few strong opinions about Edinburgh along the way.