Calton Hill is one of the major landmarks of Edinburgh. Perhaps the most striking landmark on the top is the National Monument which was inspired by the Parthenon in Athens, Greece. It was intended as a memorial to the Napoleonic Wars but was never completed. Around Calton Hill there are a lot of buildings and sites associated with Edinburgh’s many links with Europe – ranging from Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Ukraine, Finland and Switzerland. The end of the walk is at the specialty Italian delicatessen Valvona and Crolla where you can have a well-earned cup of coffee or a meal – or any of the many local eating places of your choice.
Or you can continue down Leith Walk to Leith and try our Leith Eurowalk!
This walk starts at the Palozzi Statues in Picardy Place at the top of Leith Walk, Edinburgh’s main connecting road from Central Edinburgh to Leith. To get there, take one of the Edinburgh Lothian buses which pass the Statues or there is a car park under the St. James Quarter shopping centre just behind the statues. We will walk around Calton Hill and finish at Valvona and Crolla on Elm Row/Leith Walk.
The walk covers approximately 3 kilometres and should take most people an hour to complete. Some of the route is mostly level. However, the walk does a climb up Calton Hill which may not be accessible for all. You can skip this stop on the walk; after leaving Old Calton Hill Burial Ground, just follow Regent Road until you rejoin the walk at the roundabout.
If you feel you can’t join the walk, please enjoy the many photographs and links on the website.
