You’re standing in one of Edinburgh’s liveliest and most popular squares. Nestled at the foot of the city’s imposing castle, Grassmarket is packed with small boutiques run by independent designers and artisans, making it one of the top spots for shopping. It’s also home to some of the city’s best restaurants and a string of eclectic, vibrant bars. The square has always been a bustling place, from the 14th century, when it hosted markets selling grain, cattle, and horses, to today’s Saturday stalls offering fresh produce and local specialities. Over the centuries, it’s drawn both locals and travellers, which is why you’ll still find budget-friendly lodgings around the square, along with historic pubs that were once inns and taverns. But Grassmarket also has a darker chapter, for many years, between the 17th and 18th centuries, it was the site of public executions. One of the most famous was that of the beautiful Maggie Dickson in 1724, accused of killing her child. In reality, the baby had been stillborn, but Maggie was condemned to hang. She was executed here before a crowd, placed in a coffin, and taken away for burial. On the way to her grave, knocking was heard from inside the coffin, Maggie was still alive. Fearing what seemed like witchcraft, the pallbearers fled, and with the help of a passing stranger, Maggie made it home, married her lover, and was freed from all charges, as she was legally considered dead. Her miraculous survival became the talk of the city and remains well known today, helped, no doubt, by the pub that still bears her name right here on Grassmarket, one of Edinburgh’s most visited squares.