Grassmarket, Edinburgh

Grassmarket, Edinburgh

One of the best places to shop or relax over a pint or a meal in Edinburgh is undoubtedly the Grassmarket. This historic place, nestled in a small valley set below the surrounding street level, between 1477 and 1911 was the most important horse and cattle market in the city. And since it drew large crowds, it was also often used as the place for public executions.

“The Shadow of the Gibbet”, dark paving stones laid out in the form of a gibbet next to the Covenanter’s Monument, are a sombre reminder of that practice. The Bow Well on the one side of the market dates back to 1681.

According to legend, a woman named Maggie Dickson, a fishwife accused of murdering her child and sentenced to death for her crime, was hanged here but miraculously survived the ordeal! Apparently, in those days, the “until dead” provision didn’t quite yet settle in the sentence proceedings.

Maggie was duly hanged and then her body, cut down, was taken away for burial; but on the road to the cemetery, she woke up. She couldn’t be re-tried and therefore was considered having paid her debt to society fully and set free. There is a pub in the market that bears her name.

The market had been a poor area until the 1980s when it grew popular with students – perhaps due to its numerous pubs and clubs. Duly renovated, with many of the pubs setting up outside terraces and installing dining rooms, it saw a lot of shops move in, making the market a great place to find quality clothes and souvenirs at bargain prices.

Why You Should Visit:
Quirky, safe and interesting; great for those who need a regular change of scenery, as there is a variety of shops and pubs for every wallet and taste of music.

Tip:
Check out Carnivàle Vintage for a wonderful selection of fun vintage clothes, Tasty Buns for a pastry and a coffee, Hula Juice Bar for a healthy meal, and Mary's Milk Bar for pure indulgence.
Up the road from Grassmarket goes Victoria Street which is also well worth a visit, together with Royal Mile (further up) which has lots of cool independent shops and restaurants/cafés.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Edinburgh. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Grassmarket on Map

Sight Name: Grassmarket
Sight Location: Edinburgh, Scotland (See walking tours in Edinburgh)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Edinburgh, Scotland

Create Your Own Walk in Edinburgh

Create Your Own Walk in Edinburgh

Creating your own self-guided walk in Edinburgh is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
New Town Walking Tour

New Town Walking Tour

Rightly regarded as the historic masterpiece of city planning, the New Town of Edinburgh has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995. The area forms a significant part of the Scottish capital and is known for its elegant Georgian architecture, abundant shopping opportunities, and many other delights firmly associated with this city.

One of the prominent landmarks in the New Town is...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
Old Town Walking Tour

Old Town Walking Tour

The historical center of Edinburgh, popularly known as the Old Town, is indeed the oldest part of the Scottish capital. Most of the buildings here, made of stone and characterized by numerous tall windows, have been around since the Middle Ages and are covered with soot, left over from the days long gone, when houses were heated with hard-coal and wood. Hence the prevailing gray color in the area....  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
Edinburgh Introduction Walking Tour

Edinburgh Introduction Walking Tour

Comfortably yet tightly packed on the hilly terrain, Edinburgh – the Scottish capital since at least the 15th century, and the seat of the Scottish Parliament since 1999 – is a picturesque city renowned for its unique architecture of the medieval Old Town and elegant Georgian New Town, currently both listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The earliest known human habitation in the area dates...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.4 Km or 2.1 Miles
Harry Potter Trail

Harry Potter Trail

Years after the release of the last Harry Potter book and movie, the cultural phenomenon of Harry Potter doesn't seem to fade away and the fandom continues strong as ever. Although by now Harry Potter has become a household name across the globe, the fact that J.K. Rowling penned some of the world's favorite wizarding stories in Scotland's capital, where she still lives now, makes...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles
Edinburgh Pub Crawl

Edinburgh Pub Crawl

Edinburgh is rich in pubs, both old and new, spoiling their patrons with the best in town drinks and food. Although most traditional pubs in the city are laid back, with a quiet and relaxing atmosphere, some have dance floors and double as nightclubs. This self-guided adventure takes you to several such spots, each with its own story to tell.

Our journey begins at the World's End Pub, a...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.5 Km or 0.9 Miles
Royal Mile Walking Tour

Royal Mile Walking Tour

The Royal Mile, a steep thoroughfare in the heart of Edinburgh's Old Town, is one of the city's busiest tourist destinations. It runs down a slope, from the famed Edinburgh Castle to Holyroodhouse Palace and the ruined Holyrood Abbey, for almost exactly a mile and thus got its name, coined in 1920. The succession of streets forming the Royal Mile is lined with numerous shops, pubs,...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles

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