Gladstone's Land

This is only a review of the small cafe at the front along the royal mile. There was a fair offering of ice cream as well as other sweets. There was coffee and they also offered a few types of adult beverages (wine/Prosecco, etc). There was a nice cafe vibe with a fair bit of seating inside and toilets available. Was a nice place just to pop in for a coffee and a sweet.

Commendable accuracy and attention to detail compared to NT in England. (I'm an early modern material cultures historian.) Room guides very interesting and well informed.
Will definitely visit again..

Fascinating place with glimpse into daily life over a 300 year period ranging from wealth of 1600’s to boarding house of 1930’s. So glad to have found and stopped for a visit.

I found Gladstone's land to be a truly interesting spot. Nestled towards the upper part of the Royal Mile, it stands out for its height but also clear age --something that you can't fail to appreciate when you enter and begin the tour of the upper floors (the ground floor holds a rather impressive, uniquely flavored ice cream parlor) and learn its multi-generational history. The day I took the tour, it was lead by a tour guide named Leah, who was very knowledgable, and quite witty and entertaining as she shared the tales of the known former occupants of Gladstone's Land and pointed out the unique features of each floor (including the discovery (by the curators, I believe) and unveiling of a ornately painted ceiling, something that in itself shared more of the buildings history and secrets. The building had a unique array of inhabitants from people of economic and social standing in their community, business couples selling fancy fabrics and hats, a family who had their many children sleep in the same one bedroom of the flat with them but also who received company and did business deals within the same space and later, given struggling residents of the lower class. The building was nearly demolished before being rescued and preserved as a city landmark by the trust. Well done, I'd say! I found this site and the tour to be vastly more interesting and informative than the tour I did at the Royal Residence and much cheaper. Don't skip this one!

Very interesting historic home, fantastic interpretation by the staff, on all three levels, they really set the scene as if you were back in time. Beautifully presented and explained. So wonderful the NT saved this important property from demolition!
Had an ice cream in the cafe, only improvement would be training staff to be friendly and not so stingy on icecream! Otherwise perfect!

Gladstone's Land is a historic building located on Edinburgh's Royal Mile, in the heart of the Old Town. It is a remarkable example of a tenement building from the 17th century and offers a fascinating glimpse into Edinburgh's past.

Gladstone's Land is a well-preserved, six-story tenement that was once home to various residents, including merchants and craftspeople. Today, it operates as a museum run by the National Trust for Scotland, providing visitors with a unique opportunity to step back in time and explore life in Edinburgh during the 17th century.

Inside the building, you can wander through the various floors and rooms, each meticulously restored to reflect different periods in the building's history. The museum showcases the living conditions, furnishings, and decorative arts of the time, giving you an insight into the lifestyles and social history of the people who once lived there.

As you explore Gladstone's Land, you can learn about the hardships of daily life, the social hierarchy, and the challenges faced by the residents. Knowledgeable guides are available to provide additional information and answer any questions you may have.

Gladstone's Land also offers stunning views of the surrounding area from its upper floors. You can enjoy panoramic vistas of the Royal Mile, including landmarks like St Giles' Cathedral and Edinburgh Castle.

Visiting Gladstone's Land is an excellent opportunity to immerse yourself in Edinburgh's rich history and gain a deeper understanding of the city's past. Whether you're a history enthusiast or simply curious about life in the 17th century, Gladstone's Land is a must-visit destination in Edinburgh. Cafe and toilets on ground floor and free entry to the writers museums in the courtyard at the back

We wanted to have Ice cream and accidentally went to this place which has so much history. Amazing seating area and looks beautiful. We had Scottish Tablet and Strawberry cream. Sharing some pictures of the inside of shop.

Absolutely absorbing venue worthy of a couple hours. Start on the 3rd floor with the 1911 boarding house and learn from the docent all about the proprietor and boarders. On the 2nd floor, step into a 1766 draper's shop and indulge in the stories the docent shared about the couple who ran the shop. The 1st floor has been restored to its 1632 merchant family home. The ground floor hosts a coffee bar and ice cream shoppe.

Took the tour at 3pm learned much , educative, guide was open to any questions cooperative , they tried to bring to life as much as possible how it was then done well; woman at the till went beyond duties in the cafe , all staff in the cafe were friendly welcoming would definitely recommend great in a day out

Wonderfully preserved historic home that’s worth a visit.

The tour of the house starts on the third floor. It begins in the 20th century and works you back to the 16th.

Staff were knowledgeable and friendly. Interactive as well, so they encourage you to get into everything.

There’s a cafe on the ground floor is you fancy it.

Highly recommended to visit this gem. An old house on Royal Mile. They show case the history of the house across 3 centuries in a storytelling way that is so interesting. You can see some original wall paintings and kitchen tools that was used back then. At the end grab icecream and coffee at the ground floor.

A National Trust cared-for property. The site is an exhibition styled walk-through, whereby guests are offered a tour of each historical era which is contained within each room/floor. There is a gift shop and cafe on-site too. The curators were exceptionally knowledgeable and friendly. Would recommend 100%

Great visit here earlier this year. Guide was vey informative and good to be able to look around and touch some of the objects.
Nicely paced tour and fascinating glimpse into the history of the building. Thanks!

A great find, we stopped for a coffee and piece of cake. Dog friendly, he got a biscuit. It's bigger than it looks, with a lovely room at the back.

A typical multi story old town house which has been restored to show the residential and commercial activities which took place within. There are excellent guides on each floor, and it is worth stopping to talk to each of them and get a better feel for the history of the building.
A National Trust for Scotland property, which can be visited for free by members of the English National Trust. There is also a very good café on the ground floor, which can be visited without going in to the house.
We went on a Sunday afternoon when there were plenty tourists outside, but not many were visiting the house.

We had an amazing visit to Gladstones Land today, spread over 3 floors and a history that goes back to 1600s. The ladies and gentleman on each level were fantastic full of information and could answer our questions with ease, they're totally engaged and engaging in all aspects of the building. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

The staff here were fantastic, their knowledge and enthusiasm really brought this fascinating and important building to life. Each of the three floors shows how building's inhabitants lived and worked in three different era's of its long history. As always, the National Trust have done a terrific job of both preserving and interpreting a unique part of our past. Highly recommended - particularly as it's free to NTS and NT members.

One of the best properties of NTS that I have visited because you can TOUCH everything! Yes, you read it properly!! I did the tour with Kate and she was amazing, giving a lot of interesting information and facts about the place as well as details of the curious objects that we discovered during the visit. Then we did the tour "Tables through time" with Lydia. She was fantastic, letting us know all about food in the different periods of time and having different snacks to try in each floor. It was just perfect! Can't recommend enough!

Spread over 3 floors, this 17th century tenement was very interesting. A guide on each floor. The lower floor also includes a small cafe. Unfortunately wheelchair access is not available.

Interesting guided tour through one of Edinburgh’s oldest homes. The tour guide was excellent, very knowledgeable and friendly and happy to answer any questions and have a chat. The home itself is interesting to look through, the rooms appear in a couple of different time periods which gives a lot of info on how the home would’ve been through the centuries.

There is a fairly steep staircase at the start which may prove a challenge for some to walk up.