Vennel Steps

Edinburgh Castle is the capital’s ornate centrepiece: a beautiful yet imposing fortress perched upon a rugged hunk of volcanic rock. No matter where you are in the city, the castle rises up above the horizon to meet your gaze. However, the bustling, modernised nature of Edinburgh itself means much of the skyline is dominated by obstructions that make finding strong vantage points challenging.

The Vennel, from the French for ‘little street’, offers arguably the best solution to this viewing problem. An alleyway tucked into the Grassmarket area; the street connects Lauriston Place with West Port up several flights of stairs. It’s on these steps that visitors report the most breath-taking view of Edinburgh Castle anywhere in the city. The buildings that line The Vennel provide a makeshift frame from which the rock seat arises, upon which the castle is close enough to make out countless intricate details.