Edinburgh City Tour 2

Edinburgh City Day Tour Option 1 – £25pp

Pick Up:  9.00am
Return:   4.30am (approx)

• Holyroodhouse Palace
• Scottish Parliament
• Cramond Roman Fort & Waterfall
• Forth Rail Bridge
• Calton Hill

Your tour begins at Holyrood Palace the Queen’s official residence in Edinburgh which sits majestically at the bottom of the Royal Mile, the mile long street that links it to the other royal establishment – Edinburgh Castle.  Founded in 1498 by James IV, Holyrood Palace has witnessed some of the most dramatic episodes in Scottish History.  One famous face linked to the Holyrood Palace is that of Mary Queen of Scots who after her marriage at the tender age of 15 became a widow at only 19.  Dramatic events unfolded within the walls of Holyrood including the stabbing of her Italian secretary David Rizzio.  The apartments of Mary Queen of Scots at Holyrood including the spot where Rizzio was stabbed, not once but 57 times, are open to visitors.

Following Holyrood Palace and a short road crossing walk you enter the Scottish Parliament.  Before the Acts of Union 1707 that merged the Kingdom of Scotland with the Kingdom of England which formed the Kingdom of Great Britain, Scotland had an independent parliament with a legislature known as the Three Estates.  Initial Scottish proposals in the negotiation over the Union suggested a devolved Parliament be retained in Scotland, but this was not accepted by the English negotiators.  For the next three hundred years, Scotland was directly governed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom, at Westminster, and the lack of a Scottish Parliament remained an important element in Scottish national identity.  Following a referendum in 1997, in which the Scottish people gave their consent, the current Parliament was established by the Scotland Act 1998 which sets out its powers as a devolved legislature.

On leaving the Scottish Parliament you will be able to rest your legs and digest the information and history you have gained on it and Holyrood Palace with a relaxing drive to the village of Cramond.

A picturesque village with both old and modern buildings.  Passing the quaint Cramond Kirk down the narrow road which leads to the seafront you will have the opportunity to stop for a bite to eat and refreshment in a traditional village tearoom.  Once refreshed you will visit Cramonds Roman Fort, Sea Front and Waterfall at this tranquil location.

Leaving Cramond your next stop is the famous Forth Railway Bridge.  This 2.5 km. (1.5 mile) Forth Railway Bridge, the world’s first major steel bridge, with its gigantic girder spans of 521 m. (1710 ft.) ranks as one of the great feats of civilization. Construction began in 1883 and was formally completed on 4 March 1890 when HRH Edward Prince of Wales tapped into place a ‘golden’ rivet.

Your Edinburgh Tour draws to an end with a visit to Calton Hill, one of Edinburgh’s main hills, set right in the city centre.  With its volcanic rockbase, gorse-strewn hillface and windswept ruggedness, this Edinburgh hill remains a rough gem worth visiting.  It is unmistakable with its Athenian acropolis poking above the skyline and panoramic views of the city.