It's hard to find a better way to quickly see all the main sights of the city than by bus tour. Like most other major European cities ( , ), Edinburgh has tourist sightseeing bus, based on the hop-on hop-off principle - get in and out at any desired stop within the validity period of the existing ticket.
The city is very convenient to explore on foot (), but there is a number of situations when to buy tickets for the tour bus:
– you plan to be in Edinburgh for only a day or two, but want to see as much as possible – bus routes will allow you to quickly get to know the city,
- the weather during your stay is not conducive to walking (especially with children) - you will not lose time looking at Edinburgh through the bus glass.
- some sights are not located in the center (for example, yacht Britannia), the sightseeing bus will make it easier for you to get to them if you do not want to understand the intricacies of urban transport.
Bus tickets, Royal Edinburgh Ticket
Tickets for the tourist bus are available for 24 or 48 hours - choose the one that suits your time of stay.
In addition to buying traditional tickets, there are " Royal Edinburgh Ticket» (Royal Edinburgh Ticket). This is one of better ways get the most out of your visit.
In addition to the fact that you can use any bus sightseeing routes for two days, it also includes tickets to visit three main attractions - Edinburgh Castle, The Royal Yacht Britannia and. Buying a Royal Edinburgh Ticket will cost you cheaper than separately the bus and entrance tickets here.
Details - on the official website
Important! Be aware that all the attractions included in the Royal Ticket are open during your visit to the city (Yacht Britannia may be closed in winter, and Palace of Holyrood in July). Otherwise, the benefits of buying this ticket will not work.
Buy tickets can be done in several ways:
– if you know exactly the dates of the trip, then in advance on the official website edinburghtour.com,
- directly on the bus from the driver,
- at the Edinburgh information center, located at the central railway station, on Princess Street (opening hours 10.00-17.00). The method is convenient if you come to the city, plan to use the Royal Edinburgh Ticket, but want to start not from the bus(where you can buy a ticket), and for example from the Castle - go to it the next morning, immediately having a reduced ticket.
Tour bus routes in Edinburgh
Edinburgh is a city that appreciates and loves its tourists, the British themselves prefer to go on vacation here. And this is noticeable even in this detail: despite the fact that Edinburgh is smaller than Paris or London, there are as many as 6 tour bus routes here.
1. Edinburgh Tour– green route. Small, passing mainly along the Royal Mile: Edinburgh Castle, Holyrood Palace, Our Dynamic Planet Museum, Scottish Parliament.
2. City Sightseeing Edinburgh– red route. Passes through both the New and the Old City.
3. Edinburgh World Heritage Official Tour– orange route. Its main purpose is to link Edinburgh's main museums, from the National Gallery to the Museum contemporary art. It also captures Dean Village and the Water of Leith, parts of the city that other tour buses do not pass through.
4. MacTours City Tour- red and white. Bus in "vintage" style, live guide. He travels through the old town, and along Princess Street, passes at the foot of Canton Hill.
5. Majestic Tour- blue and yellow bus. The main goal is to deliver tourists to the Royal Botanic Gardens and further to the Britannia yacht.
6. Bus & Boat Tour. The bus will take you to the port, where you will transfer to a boat and cruise around the Firth of Forth.
The official website is edinburghtour.com/, it shows each route in detail (see the “Map” links in the descriptions of the routes), the timetable (“Timetable”) is indicated.
There is also a description possible types tickets with current prices.
To date, the main form of passenger transport in Edinburgh are buses. They run 24 hours a day and are exceptionally on schedule. At each stop, an electronic scoreboard is installed, which displays the time of arrival of buses. The interval of their movement is from 10 to 30 minutes. For more information on Edinburgh's bus routes, please visit Mybustracker.co.uk.
A day ticket with no travel restrictions for an adult will cost 3 pounds. In addition, the city has a system of transport cards (for three, seven days). Tickets are sold at vending machines installed at bus stops; they are easily recognizable by their bright red color. You can also buy a ticket from drivers, but as a rule, they don’t have change, so you need to prepare an even amount of money.
For tourists, the Edinburgh Pass is issued - a card that entitles you to free admission to most museums, provides discounts in restaurants and shops and free travel around the city and to the airport. The cost of the card for one day is 24 pounds, for two days - 36 pounds, for 3 days - 48 pounds. You can buy an Edinburgh Pass at the information offices at the airport, train station and in the city itself.
Edinburgh was once famous for its trams, but tram service was discontinued more than fifty years ago. Currently, work is underway to restore it, and by 2014 it is planned to launch 27 renovated tram lines.
More detailed information about the transport system of Edinburgh is contained in the corresponding section of the official website of the city.
Tourists wishing to independently move around Edinburgh and its environs by car can use
In London, as in any other tourist city, visitors are offered big choice hop-on, hop-off bus tours. They cost more than 20 pounds, although the only thing that distinguishes them from them is the presence of an audio guide. For those who just want to see London, there are more budget-friendly ways. The easiest way is to walk through the streets of the city. Most Popular hiking trails with a full description of interesting sights can be found on this site. But, of course, this option requires a lot of effort. It is unlikely that you will be able to wander all day. I suggest you combine your vacation with free sightseeing in London using some bus routes. The famous London double decker gives you the opportunity to see the capital from the height of the top platform of the bus. To do this, you just need to have one of the ticket options. .
cannoy street For just a few pounds you can see most of the sights without the annoying chatter of your guide. Just like on sightseeing buses, if you have the strength left, you can get off at any stop, explore the surroundings and continue along the route further.
Route number 11
One of the best bus routes for exploring the city is bus number 11. Start the tour at the Liverpool Street bus station, go up to the second floor and try to get in the front seat. The trip to Chelsea will last 40 minutes. The route starts in the heart of the City, runs along Threadneedle Street (past, and.
ludgate hill Further to the left you will see - St Paul's Cathedral, and behind the Thames the Tate Modern Art Gallery will flash by. Then driving down Fleet Street you will see the Royal Courts of Justice on your right.
building of the royal courts Further, after driving along The Strand to Trafalgar Square, the bus will turn left to k, where , and will appear in front of you. Do not miss the Banqueting House, the Horse Guard building and on the way. You may want to get out here to get a better look at all these sights. It is possible to continue past, through Pimlico at Chelsea Hospital and Sloane Square, along King's Road and end the journey in Fulham.
Route RV1
Another noteworthy RV1 route runs from Southwark to Covent Garden Piazza.
Covent Garden at Christmas Take the RV1 bus at Tower Bridge. Bus stop on the opposite side of the tower. You will pass by the following sights:
— Tower Bridge;
— Southwark Cathedral;
Southwark Cathedral Tate Gallery of Modern Art - Tate Gallery of Modern Art;
South Bank - South Bank;
— National Theatre;
National Royal Theater — Waterloo Bridge;
Somerset House - Somerset House;
somerset house Covent Gardens - Covent Gardens;
Heritage Bus Routes #15 and #9
Two routes (9 and 15) use the old-fashioned ‘Routemaster’ double-decker buses that Londoners love so much. The traditional old-style red double-decker bus (with a conductor and an open platform at the back) was London's most beloved symbol. Therefore, when they were replaced in 2005 with new style buses, many were disappointed. Luckily, the mayor decided to keep some of the old buses from the 1960s for two "legacy routes". The heritage routes operate only between 9:30 and 19:00, the rest of the time there are regular city buses on the line. So if you want to ride a classic London bus, be careful: Heritage buses have an open platform and stairs at the back.
Street Strand On modern buses without conductors, you must enter through the front door and touch your card to the card reader or show the driver your paper. On routes 9 and 15, traditional Routemaster buses operate differently. You can simply get on the bus, take your seat and wait for the conductor to check your ticket.
Video flight over the monuments of Edinburgh in HD format.
Use the "Full screen" mode.
This review invites you to look at the main attractions of Edinburgh from an unexpected angle. Namely, from a bird's eye view. Use the video nearby to fly over the architectural ensemble of Edinburgh presented in 3D and see the most interesting objects separately - Edinburgh Castle, St. Giles, Balmoral Hotel, St. Cuthberts Church, St. Andrew and George Church and many others. Below we offer the most interesting historical facts and vivid photographs of every famous monument in Edinburgh.
Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh
» Edinburgh Castle is an ancient fortress in the center of Edinburgh, which is the most important and attractive attraction of the Scottish capital.
» The castle was built on the Castle Rock, which used to be an active volcano.
» The castle was built in the period early medieval and rebuilt several times. Ultimately, it was adapted for defense using fortress artillery.
» Three sides of the fortress are protected by sheer cliffs, and access to the castle is possible only through the road on the eastern side. You can only get to the road through the esplanade - a long and empty sloping section, completely shot from the fortress, where the Royal Edinburgh Military Band Parade takes place every year.
» The oldest building in Edinburgh, St. Margaret's Chapel, stands on the territory of the castle. The Crown of Scotland is also kept in Edinburgh Castle.
» Edinburgh Castle is one of several ancient castles in Great Britain that still has its own military garrison, although it is used mainly for ceremonial and administrative purposes.
St. Giles, Edinburgh
» St. Egidius Cathedral is one of the most popular tourist places in Edinburgh.
» In addition to interesting medieval architecture, the cathedral also attracts by the fact that it houses numerous relics.
» The cathedral was consecrated in honor of the saint, who is the patron saint of cripples and lepers, and is also considered the patron saint of Edinburgh.
» Many famous and honorary citizens of Scotland are buried in the cathedral.
» For almost 3 centuries after the Reformation of 1560, the cathedral was not used for religious purposes at all. V different time there was a fire station, a police station, a coal store and a school. The cathedral even housed a prison.
The Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh
» The Balmoral Hotel is a five-star hotel located in the city center and one of the sights of Edinburgh.
» The hotel is famous for its giant clock on the tower, which has become a symbol of the city. The height of the tower is 58 m.
» The hotel has 188 rooms, 20 of which are luxury rooms.
» The hotel was built in close proximity to Waverley Station.
» In order for hotel visitors to arrive on time for the train departure, the clock on the hotel tower traditionally advances by two minutes.
St Cuthberts Church, Edinburgh
» The Church of St. Cuthberts was built on the site of the ruins of six other churches that existed here in different period time.
» The official opening of the church took place on May 31, 1896.
» The main attractions of the church are beautiful stained-glass windows and a magnificent marble pulpit.
» The entire interior decoration of the church is made in the style of the Italian Renaissance.
» The church is open for free visiting from Monday to Friday.
Church of Saints Andrew and George, Edinburgh
» The Church of Saints Andrew and George was built in 1784. The project of an unusual elliptical building was developed by military engineer Andrew Fraser.
» The interior of the church is decorated with a portico and ceiling rosettes created according to ancient Roman designs.
» In 1787, the bell tower of the church was crowned with a 51-meter-high spire.
» You can visit the Church of St. Andrew and St. George on any day, the entrance to it is free.
» Concerts of organ, choral and symphonic music are constantly held in the church premises. There is a cafe on the territory of the church where you can have a bite to eat and admire the exhibits of the next exhibition.
Edinburgh University, Edinburgh
» Edinburgh University was founded in 1583. He is state university and is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
» The university is the third most popular in the UK and one of the most prestigious universities in the world.
» Such famous people as David Hume, Charles Darwin, Robert Stevenson, Conan Doyle and others were educated at Edinburgh University.
» The University of Edinburgh has turned the capital of Scotland into a multinational cosmopolitan city with a student population of about 60,000 people annually.
Scotland National Monument, Edinburgh
» During the construction of the National Monument of Scotland, the Parthenon in Athens was chosen as a sample of a large-scale project.
» Most of the townspeople still call this monument “Scottish disgrace”, “Edinburgh fad” or “pride and poverty of Scotland”. The fact is that there were not enough funds to complete the construction, which began in 1822, and the erection of the monument was stopped already in 1829.
» The monument was supposed to commemorate the Scottish soldiers who died in Napoleonic Wars. Under the monument itself, catacombs for burials were to be placed.
» They wanted to finish the monument more than once and completely turn it into a new building of the Parliament or the National Gallery. However, today it is still an unfinished monument with 12 columns, which, however, offer beautiful panoramic views of Edinburgh.
