Tucked down a close between the Royal Mile and the Mound you'll find Lady Stair's House (1622), home to this museum that contains manuscripts and memorabilia belonging to three of Scotland's most famous writers: Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

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1. Gladstone's Land

0.02 MILES

One of Edinburgh's most prominent 17th-century merchants was Thomas Gledstanes, who in 1617 purchased the tenement later known as Gladstone's Land. It…

2. Museum on the Mound

0.05 MILES

Housed in the Bank of Scotland's splendid Georgian headquarters, this museum is a treasure trove of gold coins, bullion chests, safes, banknotes,…

3. Highland Tolbooth Kirk

0.07 MILES

Edinburgh's tallest spire (71.7m) is at the foot of Castlehill and is a prominent feature of the Old Town's skyline. The interior has been refurbished,…

4. Camera Obscura & World of Illusions

0.09 MILES

Edinburgh's camera obscura is a curious 19th-century device – in constant use since 1853 – that uses lenses and mirrors to throw a live image of the city…

5. Heart of Midlothian

0.09 MILES

Outside the western door of St Giles Cathedral is a cobblestone heart set into the paving that marks the site of the 15th-century Tolbooth. The Tolbooth…

6. Scotch Whisky Experience

0.1 MILES

A former school houses this multimedia centre that takes you through the making of whisky, from barley to bottle, in a series of exhibits, demonstrations…

7. St Giles Cathedral

0.11 MILES

The great grey bulk of St Giles Cathedral dates largely from the 15th century, but much of it was restored in the 19th century. One of the most…

8. Scottish National Gallery

0.11 MILES

Designed by William Playfair, this imposing classical building with its Ionic porticoes dates from 1850. Its octagonal rooms, lit by skylights, have been…