Princes Street

Princes Street is known for its welcoming mix of independent businesses, cafés, restaurants, and everyday city-centre life. The street feels slightly different from the busier High Street, with a strong focus on local businesses and independent experiences, and is the perfect route when heading to Perth's Farmers' Market which is held in the carpark of the Lesser South Inch.

Over the years, Princes Street has become a popular destination for food and drink, with cafés, coffee shops, and restaurants helping shape the character of the area. Visitors can enjoy everything from casual lunches and coffee stops to international cuisine and locally owned eateries, all within a compact and walkable part of the city centre. Businesses such as The Kilted Tattie, Koku Shi, and Meze Turkish Restaurant contribute to the street’s lively but laid-back atmosphere.

While the High Street and surrounding vennels formed the heart of the historic royal burgh, newer streets such as Princes Street emerged as the city began to modernise and grow southwards towards the South Inch and the railway. Its development reflected a changing Perth, one shaped not only by traditional markets and trade, but also by improved transport links, Victorian planning, and a growing urban population.

The arrival of the railway in the 19th century helped transform this part of the city centre. With Perth Railway Station located nearby, Princes Street became an important route connecting visitors and residents to the wider city. Hotels, shops, cafés, and service businesses gradually developed along the street to meet the needs of travellers, local residents, and the growing commercial life of Perth.

Historically, the High Street formed the medieval heart of the royal burgh, acting as Perth’s principal market and civic space for centuries. It was the centre of trade, public gatherings, and major commercial activity, and even today it remains one of the city’s busiest shopping areas. Princes Street, by comparison, developed later as Perth expanded during the Georgian and Victorian periods, particularly following the arrival of the railway and the city’s growth towards the South Inch.

Perth High Street has a broader mix of national retailers, larger commercial units, and historic civic landmarks, giving it the feel of a traditional city-centre high street. Princes Street feels more intimate and community-focused, with independent cafés, restaurants, beauty businesses, and local retailers creating a more laid-back and personal atmosphere.

Yes.  leaving the train station, turn right and follow Kings Place, King James Place, Marshall Place in a straight line then turn left onto Princes Street, estimated 5 to 10 minutes walk.

The South Inch has been connected to Perth for more than 600 years and traces its origins back to 1374, when King Robert II granted both the North and South Inch to the royal burgh of Perth. At the time, the inches were used by local residents for grazing animals, drying linen, and public gatherings. 

The South inch was later transformed in 1652 when Cromwell ordered the construction of a huge fortified citadel on the north- east corner of the South Inch as part of a network of military forts buit to control Scotland after the Civil War. The fortress was enormous, thought to have covered the area of several football pitches and was designed to demonstrate both military and parlimentary power.

Building the citadel had a major impact on Perth itself. Stone and materials were taken from buildings across the city, including houses, sections of the town walls, religious buildings, and even gravestones from Greyfriars Burial Ground. Earth from the Inches was also used to create defensive ramparts and deep surrounding ditches.

Yes. Princes Street is within easy walking distance of several city centre attractions, including Perth Museum, the River Tay, and Perth’s historic shopping streets and vennels.