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Scottish Parliament Building

Scottish Parliament Building: Our most recommended tours and activities

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

1. 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 Tour

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

Explore Edinburgh on a hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus tour. See famous landmarks such as Edinburgh Castle, Royal Yacht Britannia, Royal Botanic Gardens, and the Palace of Holyrood House while learning about their historic significance from the onboard audio commentary. Get access to both the City Tour and Britannia Tour circuits 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. Also get additional perks such as discounted entry to the Holyrood Distillery, a bus ride to Edinburgh Zoo, and many more benefits. 7-day pass 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: Scenic Bike Tour

3. 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 City or Britannia Tour

4. Edinburgh: Hop-On Hop-Off City or Britannia 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 St Andrew's Square 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 customers 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 explore the city in a convenient way, 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 7-day 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

5. 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: Full-Day City Center Shore Excursion

6. 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

Edinburgh: The Royal City Tour from London

7. 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 City: Self-Guided Audio Walking Tour

8. Edinburgh City: Self-Guided Audio Walking Tour

Download an MP3 audio guide and explore Edinburgh's famous attractions at your own pace. See Edinburgh Castle, the Princes Street Gardens, the Royal Mile, Tolbooth Kirk, the George IV Bridge, Edinburgh City Chambers, Tron Kirk, and the Scottish Parliament Building. Begin your tour at Edinburgh Castle (entry not included), a building that dates back to the 12th century. See the Scottish Crown Jewels, the magnificent St Giles' Cathedral, Mary King's Close, and walk past underground alleys with a layered history. Drop by at Deacon Brodie's tavern and try Edinburgh's best haggis, a national delicacy immortalized in poetry by Robbie Burns (the National Bard of Scotland). 

Edinburgh Private Tour

9. Edinburgh Private Tour

This eight-hour tour will include all of the most popular and main tourist attractions that Edinburgh has to offer, including some spots you will not find in any guide or tourist book. This tour is extremely popular with visitors who have plenty of time and want to see what Edinburgh and the Lothian's has to offer. You will take in Leith Links, The Scottish Parliament, The Palace of Holyrood House, St Giles, The Royal Mile and of course Edinburgh Castle. You will also be driven around Arthur Seat and the Crags for some of the most breathtaking views the city has to offer. Discover mystery and intrigue at the world famous Rosslyn Chapel. Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code put Rosslyn Chapel on the map, and visitors like you come from all over the world to see where the Da Vinci Code was filmed. This beautiful and mysterious building is known for its cryptic carvings and captivating legends about the Holy Grail, the Knights Templar, and Freemasonry.

Other Sightseeing Options in Scottish Parliament Building

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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.