Bonnie Scotland Part 5: Edinburgh
A Royal Farewell: Edinburgh’s Beauty, Holyrood Palace, and the Legacy of the Royal Yacht Britannia
After our visit to Balmoral, we made our way back to Stirling, thankfully dropped off the rental car, and boarded a train to Edinburgh (pronounced Ed-in-buh-ruh). We chose to stay at The Scotsman Hotel for four nights to finish our trip on a high note. A beautifully restored Victorian building, The Scotsman was originally the headquarters of the Scotsman newspaper. It’s located right in the heart of the city and offers a luxurious stay with stunning views of Edinburgh’s skyline. The hotel’s history and beautiful grand lobby adds to its charm.
On our first day in Edinburgh, we took the Edinburgh Majestic Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour to explore the city. This tour provided multi-lingual commentary, which is always a wonderful way to get acquainted with and learn the history of a city. We had the chance to marvel at so many iconic places in Edinburgh including the National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh Castle, Calton Hill, and Edinburgh’s Old Town.
Holyroodhouse: A Historic Journey from Abbey to Royal Residence
One of the most poignant stops was Holyroodhouse, the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland. Originally founded in 1128 by King David I as Holyrood Abbey, an Augustinian monastery, the site grew into a royal residence over the centuries.
Standing at the end of the Royal Mile, Holyroodhouse is not only a famous Scottish landmark, but also home to centuries of royal history. We explored the chambers once inhabited by Mary, Queen of Scots, and admired the portraits and treasures throughout the rooms. Although the palace was beautiful, there was an undeniable sense of haunting history, especially knowing that Mary spent much of her troubled life here. In addition, her private secretary (and possible lover), David Rizzio, was brutally murdered in the Supper Room by a group of nobles, including Mary’s own husband, Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley. As a visitor to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, you walk past the Supper Room, where there are still visible marks on the floor from where David Rizzio was murdered.
TIP: Visitors can explore the historic rooms and grounds; however, make sure the royal family isn’t conducting business at the time of your visit, as access may be restricted during such periods.
The Legacy of the Royal Yacht Britannia
From there, we visited the Britannia, which served the royal family for over 44 years. This majestic ship traveled over a million nautical miles and became one of the world’s most famous vessels. I don’t know if you can see the detail below, but the picture on the left shows all of the sailings from 1954 to 1997 to 135 countries. The middle, lower picture shows sailing into port for the final time in 1997.
They also had an ocean-racing yacht, the Bloodhound, which is now berthed alongside the Britannia.
We took a self-guided tour, complete with an audio guide available in 30 languages, exploring the rooms and areas where the royal family, along with many world leaders and famous figures, spent their leisure time.
Part of the tour showed the extent of the staff, their quarters, their dining room, and even where the laundry was done for the royals and crew.
We even saw the honeymoon room of Princess Diana and (at the time) Prince Charles with their photo on the bedside table as well as the bedrooms of the Queen and King.
The royal tea deckroom, where we enjoyed tea, coffee, and fresh homemade treats, was a charming part of the experience. The yacht’s luxurious rooms are kept in pristine condition, making it a fascinating and intimate glimpse into royal life. There’s also a fabulous gift shop with exclusive souvenirs including tea sets, chocolates, many books about the royal family, and even stuffed corgis.
The Royal Mile, The World’s End, and a Ghostly Journey through Mary King’s Close
A beautiful part of town is The Royal Mile, which stretches through Edinburgh’s historic center, linking Holyroodhouse and Edinburgh Castle. The energy and atmosphere of this street were overwhelming in the best way. We passed stores with kilts and cashmere, and even saw The World’s End, a famous pub on High Street. The exterior walls of the pub form part of the Flodden Wall, a 16th century fort that protected Edinburgh's historic old town. There was once a time that the people of Edinburgh thought the world outside this wall was no longer theirs so hence the name.
One of the more eerie experiences was our visit to the Real Mary King’s Close, an underground tour that revealed the dark and haunting history of the plague in the 1600s in Edinburgh. The underground passageways were originally designed to provide access to homes and businesses in the densely packed Old Town. There are many closes, and they took their names from businesses, activities, and people.
However, due to the closes being overcrowded and unsanitary, the plague spread like wildfire and killed around half of those who contracted it. Without going into a ton of gory detail, we walked through the narrow alleyways, were surrounded by actors playing ‘residents’ of that time, and learned about the way of life and the many lives lost.
The tour was especially chilling in one room, where visitors often report seeing and/or hearing the ghost of a little girl, Annie. Supposedly, she had lost her doll, was upset, and people have heard crying. Visitors leave dolls and gifts for her in that room. (Top left and bottom right pics © TripAdvisor.)
A Final Farewell to Bonnie Scotland
Thank you for coming along on this incredible 9-day whirlwind journey through Scotland, from tracing my great-grandfather’s footsteps in Rothesay to connecting with my clan spiritually on the historic Isle of Iona. We’ve explored the cliffside beauty of Dunnottar, experienced the royal splendor of Balmoral and the Royal Yacht Britannia, and marveled at the history of Stirling, Melrose, Holyrood, and the haunting closes of Edinburgh. Each stop was a step back in time, a personal connection to the past, and a chance to witness Scotland’s magnificent history and breathtaking landscapes. I’m so grateful to have shared this adventure with you—and I hope to return someday to experience even more of this amazing country including Inverness, Loch Ness, and the Isle of Skye.
If you ever have the chance to visit, I hope you, too, can immerse yourself in the beauty, history, and magic that Scotland has to offer. And if you can’t visit just yet, I highly recommend watching Outlander or reading the books to help bring Scotland’s stunning landscapes and rich history to life.
