Heart of Midlothian

Look down for one of the city’s hidden sights
Noteworthy for: It has provided the name and crest for Edinburgh’s most successful football club, Heart of Midlothian FC, better known simply as Hearts.

Word to the wise: Don’t walk directly on the heart mosaic or your shoes are guaranteed to be covered in spit.
As you’re walking the Royal Mile, you should keep an eye out for the famous Heart of Midlothian. A beautifully decorative love-heart-shaped mosaic, built into the cobblestones beside St Giles Cathedral, it marks the original location of the now-demolished Tolbooth, which was the city’s main prison and a major site of public tortures and executions.

As you’re walking around, you may notice locals spitting on the heart as they walk past, which is to show disdain for the old execution site. Give it a try yourself - it’s said that if a non-resident does the same they’re sure to return to the city in the future.