UNESCO City of Literature & Closes.
Explore the world’s very first UNESCO City of Literature: narrow medieval wynds, Enlightenment giants and storytelling hearths.
Review the access notes and current availability before you set off.
About 39 KB estimated essential content
Before you set off
- Starting point
- Advocate’s Close
- Terrain
- Historic stone closes and paved royal avenues
- Accessibility
- Paved historic closes and city street pavements; steep steps in narrow wynds.
- Good to know
- All ages · literary heritage & medieval streets
Free · outdoor public route
Staying safe on the trail
- Keep your head up: Stay aware of your surroundings, traffic, and pedestrians while walking. Step into a safe, stationary pavement spot before checking your screen.
- Roads and waterways: Use designated pedestrian crossings and keep children supervised near roads, canal towpaths, and tramlines.
- Weather & terrain: Check local daylight hours and weather before setting out. Wear sensible footwear suited to cobbles, stone pavements, and inclines.
- Respect the space: Stay on public rights of way. Never climb walls, scale statues, or trespass onto private land to solve a puzzle.
Your adventure, under wraps.
Solve each mystery to unloc the next destination. Only your start and finish are shown before you set off.
- Start · Advocate’s ClosePaved Royal Mile pavement at top; flight of steep stone stairs descending to Cockburn Street.
- 2 secret stopsRevealed one at a time as you solve.
- Finish · John Knox House & Scottish Storytelling CentrePaved Royal Mile pavement with dropped kerbs.