The secret 17th-century garden hiding behind a gate on the Royal Mile

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Every day, thousands of people walk straight past it. A plain wooden gate set into a stone wall on the Canongate. Most visitors don’t look twice.

Behind that gate is one of Edinburgh’s finest secrets.

What is Dunbar’s Close?

The Royal Mile is lined with closes. These narrow alleyways cut between the tall tenements that have defined Edinburgh’s Old Town for centuries. Dunbar’s Close sits on the lower stretch of the Canongate, not far from Holyrood Palace — in the part of the Royal Mile most visitors rush through on their way somewhere else.

The close takes its name from David Dunbar, a 17th-century lawyer who once lived here. Like most Old Town backlands of his era, the ground behind it was cramped, noisy, and not remotely fragrant. It stayed that way for three hundred years.

The garden nobody planned for

In 1977, the Mushroom Trust took on the backlands behind Dunbar’s Close and built something unexpected: a formal 17th-century-style walled garden.

They weren’t recreating anything that had actually existed here. They were imagining what a prosperous Edinburgh burgess might have wanted — if the Old Town had ever been a little less relentlessly urban.

Box hedges clipped into neat shapes. Gravel paths winding between lavender beds and roses. Stone walls on every side, completely enclosing the space from the street.

Step through the gate and the city simply evaporates.

What you’ll find inside

The garden is small — roughly the size of a generous back garden. But it is beautifully designed. Every element reflects what a 17th-century Edinburgh household might have cultivated: culinary herbs, sweet-smelling flowers, geometric planting beds laid out with quiet care.

There are wooden benches positioned to catch the afternoon light. The high stone walls block both wind and noise. In summer, the lavender hums with bees and the roses spill over their borders.

Unlike almost everything else on the Royal Mile, nobody here is trying to sell you anything.

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Why nobody’s talking about it

Edinburgh has no shortage of celebrated green spaces. Princes Street Gardens draw thousands every day. Holyrood Park is spectacular. But Dunbar’s Close Garden sits in a different category entirely — genuinely overlooked, completely free, and easy to walk past even if you’re specifically looking for it.

Most people who find it did so by accident. They followed someone through the gate. They spotted the handle on a quiet afternoon.

That is part of what makes it wonderful. There is a particular kind of Edinburgh discovery that feels like the city rewarding your attention. This is one of those.

How to visit

The garden is open every day during daylight hours. Entry is free. You’ll find it at 137 Canongate, on the right-hand side as you walk downhill from Edinburgh Castle toward Holyrood Palace. There is no signage. Just a gate.

A few suggestions for getting the most from it:

• Go early morning — before the Royal Mile stirs, you’ll often have the garden entirely to yourself
• Visit in June or July — the roses and lavender are at their finest
• Combine with Holyrood Palace — the palace is five minutes further down the Canongate and well worth the entrance fee
• Look up when you arrive — the tenement buildings backing onto the garden are remarkable examples of Old Town architecture

The garden is also one of the few genuinely quiet places on the entire Royal Mile. If you have been walking for hours and need five minutes of stillness, this is where you come.

Getting there

Dunbar’s Close sits roughly halfway between Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Palace on the Canongate. The closest bus stops are on the Royal Mile itself, served by the 35 and 36 routes. From Waverley Station, it is a 15-minute walk downhill.

Worth combining with: Greyfriars Kirkyard is a 20-minute walk back toward the castle — one of Edinburgh’s most famous and most haunting historic spaces. Or head downhill to Holyrood Palace, Edinburgh’s working royal residence. And if you want to explore further, the Royal Mile’s hidden closes and gems are scattered along the full length of the street.

Is Dunbar’s Close Garden free to enter?

Yes. The garden is completely free and open every day during daylight hours. There are no tickets, no tours, and no timed entry slots. You simply walk in through the gate.

Where exactly is Dunbar’s Close Garden in Edinburgh?

The garden is at 137 Canongate on the Royal Mile. Look for a wooden gate set into a stone wall on the right-hand side as you walk down from Edinburgh Castle toward Holyrood Palace. There is no signage outside — it’s easy to miss.

When is the best time to visit Dunbar’s Close Garden?

Early morning is best for solitude — the Royal Mile crowds haven’t yet arrived. June and July bring the lavender and roses to their peak. That said, the garden has a sheltered, timeless quality in all seasons. Even on a grey November afternoon, it is worth stepping inside.

Is Dunbar’s Close Garden suitable for children?

Yes. The garden is a calm, enclosed space with no traffic. Children often enjoy the sensory experience of the herb beds and the tucked-away feeling of the walled enclosure. It makes a good five-minute stop on a longer Royal Mile walk.

Edinburgh keeps its best secrets behind plain doors. Most people walk past without ever noticing. Now you know which door to open.

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