On June 1st, 2016, Rabbie’s Tours launched their new Edinburgh City Tour. I was lucky enough to be on one of the very first rides, exploring Edinburgh through the sixteen-seat, glass-topped bus. After two months in Edinburgh, I was amazed that there were still enchanting locations in town I had yet to explore.
This tour is important to take as soon as you arrive in Edinburgh because it gives you a full overview of the city, including its history and general layout. If you’ve never been to Edinburgh, it’s not the same to be simply shown a map of the city at your hostel. Taking this tour for an hour and a half is a great way to get you oriented around so you know where to go for the rest of your stay.
Rabbie’s use smaller coaches for all of their tours. By having a smaller size, they are able to go through parts of Edinburgh that the larger buses don’t fit into. In addition, the coaches specifically used for the Edinburgh City Tour have retractable glass roofs, so the tour can be appreciated both in rain and shine. This is definitely handy in a city which averages 191 rainy days a year.
The tour will take you all around the new town, old town and Dean Village (now one of my favorite parts of Edinburgh). You know I never spoil tours before you take them, so I won’t tell you the exact route. But it does cover quite a bit. I’m guessing closer to the festival there might be more traffic in town, so there’s a chance the tour might last longer in August.
It’s also nice to be on a bus raised up higher as you tour through the town, as you see things that you would miss otherwise. With a glass roof (or no roof if it’s sunny), you won’t miss anything. There is also an audio guide to listen to which will detail each of the locations the tour passes through. The guide is available currently in six languages.
The tour leaves from Waverley Bridge every hour between 9 am and 7 pm. The cost is £20 for adults, and £10 for kids 5-15. You can book on the Rabbie’s website or just pay the driver when you arrive. Otherwise, you don’t need to bring anything but your camera and your attention. Have fun!
Disclaimer: This was a complementary tour organized in coordination with Rabbie’s Tours, which has my utmost gratitude! However, my views and opinions are completely my own.
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