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Scottish Parliament Building

Scottish Parliament Building: Our most recommended tours and activities

Edinburgh: Vintage Bus Tour with Afternoon Tea or Gin

1. Edinburgh: Vintage Bus Tour with Afternoon Tea or Gin

Enjoy a sophisticated afternoon tea with a refreshing gin "pot-tail" (a cocktail in a teapot for larger parties) of your choice, served from the onboard trolley bar on a guided bus tour. Tuck into an afternoon tea consisting of a sandwich, petit fours, cupcake, warm scones, and mini quiches. Get a warm welcome from the bus staff with a glass of prosecco. Sit back, relax, and indulge your senses whilst taking in magnificent sites of the city like Edinburgh Castle and the Scottish Parliament Building. With this afternoon tour, indulge in 2 traditional British classics – tea and gin – based on the option you choose. If you upgrade to the gin option, get flavored gin cocktails supplied by Edinburgh Gin Company served in teapots with aromatic herbs and topped with dainty edible flowers. Treat your taste buds to traditional scones with fresh whipped cream and jam, a selection of finger sandwiches, mini rolls or wraps, mini quiches, and a selection of petit fours and cakes, all washed down with as much tea and coffee as you can drink.

Edinburgh: Scenic Bike Tour

2. Edinburgh: Scenic Bike Tour

Escape the crowds and busy streets of Edinburgh city center and get panoramic views of the coast and countryside on a 3 to 4-hour guided bike tour. Choose your bicycle and cycle from the Old Town towards the New Scottish Parliament building and Dynamic Earth visitor attraction at the end of the Royal Mile. Pass the royal Palace of Holyroodhouse and get breathtaking views of the ruins of St. Anthony’s Chapel. Next, make your way up the extinct volcano of Arthur’s Seat, and continue on foot from Dunsapie Loch to get magnificent views from the summit. Cycle back down towards Salisbury Crags and get wonderful views of Edinburgh Castle and the Old Town. Continue to Duddingston Loch to discover the secret oasis of Dr. Neil’s Garden at Duddingston Manse. Bike back towards the city center on the Innocent Railway Path. Pedal through Meadows Park and the Grassmarket to arrive back in the Old Town.

Edinburgh: Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Pass with 3 City Tours

3. Edinburgh: Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Pass with 3 City Tours

Save money and explore Edinburgh at your own pace with a 3-route hop-on hop-off bus tour ticket. Pick from a ticket that lasts for 24 or 48 hours. Explore the city with stop options like Grassmarket, Edinburgh Castle, National Museum of Scotland, and the Royal Botanic Gardens. Hop aboard and embark on your city adventure. Contrast the Old and New Towns, see the royal attractions of Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Yacht Britannia (entrances not included). Live guides provide English commentary on the Edinburgh Tour, while audio guides are available in up to 9 languages on the City Sightseeing Tour and the Majestic Tour. Hop on and off as often as you like at dozens of attractions, and enjoy unique, scenic views from the open-top upper decks. City Sightseeing Tour: Hear about the people and events that shaped Edinburgh, from the cramped conditions of the Old Town to spacious Holyrood Park, on a classic sightseeing tour in 9 languages. Enjoy Terry Deary’s Horrible Histories with the on board Horrible Histories Children’s Channel - history with all the gory bits left in! • Hanover Street • Princes Street Gardens • St. John’s Church • Grassmarket • Johnston Terrace • Edinburgh Castle • National Museum of Scotland • Museum of Childhood • Scottish Parliament • Our Dynamic Earth • Palace of Holyrood House • Burns Monument Edinburgh Tour: Enjoy the best views aboard an open-top bus, as live commentary in English brings Edinburgh’s history to life. Explore the Old Town and Georgian New Town, hopping off at 9 strategic stops. • Hanover Street • George Street • Charlotte Square • The Mound • Lawnmarket • Grassmarket • Our Dynamic Earth • Scottish Parliament • Canongate Kirk Majestic Tour: Leave the city center and head to the coast at Newhaven, with stops for the Royal Botanic Garden and Royal Yacht Britannia. This multi-language tour offers commentary through headphones in English, Gaelic, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese and Russian. Return via the Palace of Holyrood House and the Canongate section of the Royal Mile. • Hanover Street • George Street • Royal Botanic Gardens • Ferry Road • Newhaven Harbour • Cruise Terminal • Ocean Terminal (Royal Yacht Britannia) • Leith Mills • Elm Row • Queen Mary’s Bath House • Queensberry House • Canongate Kirk

Edinburgh: Hop-On Hop-Off Combo City and Britannia Bus Tour

4. Edinburgh: Hop-On Hop-Off Combo City and Britannia Bus Tour

Explore Edinburgh with a 48-hour hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus pass. See famous landmarks such as Edinburgh Castle, Royal Yacht Britannia, Royal Botanic Gardens, and the Palace of Holyrood House while learning about their historical significance from the onboard audio commentary. Get access to both the City Tour and Britannia Tour circuit with your ticket. Explore the city in a convenient way, catching a glimpse of some iconic buildings and sights from the deck of an open-top bus. Get additional perks such as discounted entry to the Holyrood Distillery, a bus ride to Edinburgh Zoo, and many more benefits. with stops at a variety of locations, including all the following stops: • St Andrews Square • Lothian Road • Grassmarket • Lauriston Place • Johnston Terrace • Edinburgh Castle • Lawnmarket • National Museum of Scotland • Holyrood Distillery • Museum of Edinburgh • Scottish Parliament • Dynamic Earth • Palace of Holyrood House • Burns Monument • Royal Botanic Garden • Newhaven Harbour • Royal Yacht Britannia • Water of Leith • Broughton Road • Stockbridge • The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art • Haymarket • Edinburgh International Conference Centre • Bread Street • Johnston Terrace

Edinburgh: Hop-On Hop-Off City or Britannia Bus Tour

5. Edinburgh: Hop-On Hop-Off City or Britannia Bus Tour

Explore Scotland’s capital city with an enjoyable hop-on hop-off bus tour. Choose between the City Tour or Britannia Tour, depending on your itinerary of preference. See historical landmarks such as Edinburgh Castle, the iconic Royal Mile, and the Palace of Holyrood House and learn about their historic significance from the onboard audio commentary. Hop on the bus at the first stop at Waterloo Place and make sure to embark on the correct bus based on your Tour chosen: the Britannia and City Tour, depending on which attractions you would like to see. The City Tour will give you the chance to see the Scottish Parliament, Dynamic Earth, and Palace of Holyrood House, whereas Britannia takes in the Royal Botanic Garden, Royal Yacht Britannia, and Haymarket. From either the top deck or the interior of the bus, you can conveniently explore the city, catching a glimpse of some iconic buildings and sights. With your ticket, you will also receive additional perks and discounts such as discounted entry to the Holyrood Distillery, a bus ride to Edinburgh Zoo, and many more benefits. This is a 24-hour pass with stops at a variety of locations along several routes. The City Tour includes: • St Andrews Square • Lothian Road • Grassmarket • Lauriston Place • Johnston Terrace • Edinburgh Castle, Lawnmarket • National Museum of Scotland • Holyrood Distillery • Museum of Edinburgh • Scottish Parliament • Dynamic Earth • Palace of Holyrood House • Burns Monument The Britannia Tour includes the following stops: • St Andrew Square • Royal Botanic Garden • Newhaven Harbour • Royal Yacht Britannia • Water of Leith • Broughton Road • Stockbridge • The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art • Haymarket • Edinburgh International Conference Centre • Bread Street • Johnston Terrace • Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh: Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tours & Firth of Forth Cruise

6. Edinburgh: Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tours & Firth of Forth Cruise

City Sightseeing Edinburgh See all the main attractions with CitySightseeing Edinburgh. There’s multi-language commentary in 9 languages and a special Horrible Histories commentary for your children, narrated by Terry Deary himself. Edinburgh Tour Explore Edinburgh's city center taking in the spectacular buildings including Edinburgh Castle, the Scottish Parliament, and the architecture of the Georgian New Town with a live guide in English. Majestic Tour The Majestic Tour heads north of Edinburgh's City Centre towards the port of Leith with highlights including Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, The Royal Yacht Britannia, and the Palace of Holyroodhouse. The Majestic Tour features a multi-lingual commentary in 10 languages.  Firth of Forth Bus and Boat Trip Board your bus at Waterloo Place - in the heart of Edinburgh for a tour to South Queensferry with English commentary via headphones, followed by a boat tour aboard one of Forth Boat Tours fleet of vessels. Enjoy superb views of Edinburgh and Fife’s coastlines as well as the iconic Three Bridges, the Forth Road Bridge, The Forth Bridge and the new Queensferry Crossing. Get your camera out and look for puffins and seals along the way.

Edinburgh: Castle skip the line tour

7. Edinburgh: Castle skip the line tour

- Learn about the History of Edinburgh Castle. Built by King David 1 there is 900 years of history to learn about. - See the 1 o'clock gun which is fired from Edinburgh castle for the last 200 years - See the Scottish crown Jewels - See the Jacobite room where Kings and Queens used used to eat and plan the future for scotland. - See the views of Edinburgh below including the mote and the stunning Scott momument - Learn about the battles that took place over Edinburgh Castle and the history of Edinburgh castle and the old town that the people of Edinburgh used to live in.

Edinburgh: The Royal City Tour from London

8. Edinburgh: The Royal City Tour from London

Edinburgh The train from London's King Cross Station arrives at the Royal City of Edinburgh at around 11.30am. Right by the station you board the open-top sightseeing bus where you'll get a bird's-eye view of this majestic city! The hop-on hop-off ticket allows you the freedom to leave and re-join the bus as often as you like. You will see the Old Town quarter, the Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre, the gloriously intricate Scott Monument, the Palace of Holyrood House and the brand new Scottish Parliament building. You might want to wander through the cobbled city centre streets or stroll along Princes Street checking out the tartan, whisky and shortbreads that have made Scotland famous! Your tour includes tickets to Edinburgh Castle. The train back to London leaves Edinburgh in the late afternoon returning to London's King's Cross at around 10:30pm.

Edinburgh: Full-Day City Center Shore Excursion

9. Edinburgh: Full-Day City Center Shore Excursion

Discover the sights of Edinburgh on a full-day shore excursion, departing from Edinburgh. Take a round-trip tour of the city center, and continue onto the Royal Mile to visit historic Edinburgh Castle, named the UK’s best heritage attraction in 2014. Learn all about its history, and see the famous Stone of Destiny; the traditional crowning seat of the ancient Scottish monarchs. Then, enjoy some free time for refreshments and to explore Castlehill, the city’s oldest street. Discover one of the many atmospheric “closes” or alleys running off the back-bone of the Royal Mile. See attractions such as St. Giles Cathedral and the Scottish Parliament building. Next, visit the Palace of Holyrood House, the official Scottish residence of the Royal Family. Learn the history of the baroque palace, best known as the home of Mary Queen of Scots. Finally, visit Duddingston Loch in Holyrood Park. Dates and Ship Names: 2023 April 11th, 19th, 26th May 6th, 9th, 16th, 17th, 19th, 22nd, 26th, 28th, 29th June 4th, 5th, 6th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 14th, 17th, 22nd, 24th, 27th, 29th July 4th, 6th, 11th, 12th, 16th, 19th, 23rd, 25th, 28th, 29th, 30th August 4th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 13th, 14th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 22nd, 26th, 28th, 29th, 30th September 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 14th, 16th, 21st, 26th

Private tour of Hollyrood Palace

10. Private tour of Hollyrood Palace

We will visit two of the main sights in Edinburgh's Old Town. St Giles Cathedral the home of the Scottish church and Hollyrood palace the home of the Royal family in Edinburgh. - We meet at St Giles Cathedral - We will visit the Cathedral built over 900 years ago - we'll learn and the history and traditions of the church and see the beauty of the Cathedral. - Then we walk down the royal mile towards Hollyrood Palace and learn about the history of the royal mile including the name and what it was like for people to live on the street. - We will visit of on the close gardens (hidden gardens off the royal mile) - After seeing the Scottish Parliament we visit Hollyrood Palace - On our tour of the 16th century Palace we will see beds that Royalty slept in as well as the clothes that they wore as well as visiting the grounds and learning about the history of the magical Palace.

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What people are saying about Scottish Parliament Building

Overall rating

4.5 / 5

based on 1,725 reviews

Everything went great and worked, the guides at the stops are extremely friendly and competent. At first we couldn't believe that for just under 20 € you could really drive 7 days, but it's really like that. Unreservedly recommended.

Good to see the tour busy and the city tour with the horrible history commentary was really informative and funny for the kids. Great for the price

Really great way to see the city and stop at the most well known sightseeing, especially in the rainy weather.

yes it's VFM ( Value For Money) to use three route day pass. excellent

Great price and pickup every 10 mins right near our hotel.