Like most tourist-centric European cities, Edinburgh is full of open-topped double-decker hop-on-hop-off bus tours. As it turns out, all of them are run by the same company, and the different bus designs merely indicate the different routes available.
We were recently invited to try out one of these bus tours. We decided on the World Heritage Tour, hoping to learn more about the city’s history and what makes it so special that it gets to be a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
All of the bus tours start at Waverly Bridge, in front of the train station, but you can pick one up anywhere along its route as well.
The route is more or less a loop around the city, covering both Old Town and New Town.
There was a live tour guide who narrated our trip, letting us know where we were and what we were looking at, as well as some historical tidbits here and there.
We did learn a little bit about our city, and it was fun to see familiar streets from a different angle than usual.
We were lucky to have a gorgeous day to do the bus tour. Most of the busses do have a covered part on the top at the front, so it could work as a rainy-day activity, as well.
We opted to stay on for a full loop and a half, giving us the chance to listen to two different tour guides, before hopping off at the Royal Botanic Garden, the furthest stop from the city center.
Most of the bus routes cost £14, and a ticket is valid for 24 hours. If you’re looking for an economical way to get around the city, this is not it. Try a £3.50 day pass on the regular bus (and tram) instead (prices as of summer 2014). If you don’t mind walking (including a fair number of hills), you could skip the motorized transportation all together and cover Edinburgh by foot.
Edinburgh Bus Tours run all year round, with a more extensive timetable offered during the warmer months.
Who should go? Those looking to get a good overview of Edinburgh and its sites without having to do much walking.
Who should skip it? Those who have the time and inclination to explore the city on foot.
