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Edinburgh Shore Excursion: City Tour & Royal Yacht Britannia

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Duration: 6.5 hours

Overview

Our one-day Edinburgh shore excursion travels through the ancient capital city of Scotland. Board a comfortable coach which takes you to visit the Royal Yacht Britannia, the former royal yacht of the British monarchy. Then enjoy a panoramic tour of Edinburgh before stopping to explore medieval Edinburgh Castle, once residence to Scotland’s kings and queens. Use your free time for lunch (own expense) and to explore the famous Royal Mile and see the Palace of Holyroodhouse the official residence of the British Royal Family in Scotland.

Included

  • Digital translations
  • Knowledgeable Driver-Guide
  • Luxury Modern air-conditioned coach

Excluded

  • Entrance to attractions
  • Food and Drink

Important information

Where is the departure point?

The Driver-Guide for your Edinburgh shore excursion will meet you at the port. We kindly ask all passengers to ensure they are 15 minutes early.

Are optional extras included?

No, optional extras are not included in the tour price. The price of your Greenock shore excursion includes the services of a friendly, knowledgeable and experienced Driver-Guide, and transportation on one of our luxury modern air-conditioned coaches.

All optional extras - attraction entrance fees, loch cruises, food and drinks, etc. - are not included in the price of your tour.

Optional extras for your tour (From April 2025) are as follows:
Royal Yacht Britannia: Adult: £20.00, Child: £9.50
Edinburgh Castle: Adult: £20.00, Concession: £16.00, Child: £12.00

Do I need to pre-book the optional extras?

We ask our customers who would like to visit Royal Yacht Britannia and Edinburgh Castle to kindly book their tickets through our online ticketing portal. The link for this will be on your confirmation email. If you have any questions about this please contact our Reservations Team - Open 07.00 - 21.00 daily.

Is the tour in English?

Yes, all of our tours are in English. Your trip to Edinburgh will be taken by an experienced, knowledgeable and friendly English-speaking Driver-Guide.

What should I bring with me?

As we like to give you as much time off the coach as possible with the opportunity for walks, we recommend you bring warm and/or waterproof clothing, wear comfortable walking shoes and take sun-block or a hat for sunny days.

Don't forget your camera to capture all the lovely scenery and wildlife you'll encounter on your tour! Since we cannot allow hot food on our buses you could also bring a cold packed lunch with you to make the most of your time at each stop, this would be particularly time-saving in the busier months!

Worry free Shore Excursion

We always ensure passengers return back to their port on time, however in the rare case we can't make it, we will transfer you to your next port of call.

Can children travel on this tour?

We welcome children over 4 years old on our tours, and children aged between 4-16yrs are eligible for the concessionary rate. We regret we are not able to carry children under the age of 4 on any of our Edinburgh shore excursions.

Highlights

More information

Upon leaving the port, our Edinburgh shore excursion will head to the Royal Yacht Britannia*, the former royal yacht of the British monarchy. Board the ship and explore where the Queen and Prince Philip used to spend their voyages. After this, you will enjoy a panoramic tour of Edinburgh City Centre; see the city, the Old Town streets and enjoy magnificent views across the city from Arthur's Seat.

Your Edinburgh Shore Excursion will then travel to the Royal Mile to visit historic Edinburgh Castle*, Scotland’s most iconic castle, which stands proudly atop Castle Rock, which has been occupied since around the Iron Age. Spend time touring the castle, learn all about its centuries of history and even see the famous Stone of Destiny, the traditional crowning seat of the ancient Scottish monarchs.

After a tour of the Castle, enjoy free time for refreshments and explore Castlehill, the city’s oldest street, and discover one of the many atmospheric ‘closes’ or alleys running off the back-bone of the Royal Mile, and attractions such as St Giles Cathedral.

Following this, there will be a photo stop at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the official residence of the British Monarch in Scotland since the 16th Century. It has played host to countless members of the Royal Family, and many official events and gatherings have been held here. After this, we will return to the ship, taking in more of Edinburgh's beautiful streets on our way.

*Optional Extra

Tour Overview

  • Duration: 6.5hrs
  • Total Distance: 25 miles
  • Pick up: The Driver-Guide for your Edinburgh shore excursion will meet you at the port (please contact our Reservations Team to confirm the port). We kindly ask all passengers to ensure they are 15 minutes early.
  • Group size: 16 - 53
  • Availability: May - October
  • Minimum age: Travellers need to be at least 4 years-old