The Scottish Parliament - Edinburgh

Scotland's Parliament sits at the foot of Edinburgh's famous Royal Mile in front of the spectacular Holyrood Park and Salisbury Crags. Constructed from a mixture of steel, oak, and granite, the complex building was hailed on opening as one of the most innovative designs in Britain today.

Drawing inspiration from the surrounding landscape, the flower paintings by Charles Rennie Mackintosh and the upturned boats on the seashore, Enric Miralles, one of the world's premier architects, developed a design that he said was a building "growing out of the land".

Palace of Holyroodhouse - Edinburgh

The Palace of Holyroodhouse is The Queen's official residence in Scotland. Every year, around the end of June, The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh stay here and participate in official engagements in the city and beyond.

Various areas of the Palace are open for public viewing, where visitors can trace historical links through time and learn about its legendary former inhabitants. Have a look at the State Apartments, including the Throne Room and the Morning Drawing Room, where The Queen gives private audiences to the likes of the First Minister of Scotland and the Lord High Commissioner.

The Royal Yacht Britannia - Edinburgh

Voted as the UK's number one attraction by TripAdvisor in 2014 and 2015, the Royal Yacht Britannia was the seabound home to Her Majesty The Queen and the Royal Family for over 40 years. It is now moored permanently near Ocean Terminal in Leith, Edinburgh.

This five-star visitor attraction has sailed over 1,000,000 miles around the world, so take the audio tour and follow in the footsteps of royalty to discover the heart and soul of this most special of royal residences. 

Voted  as the UK's number one attraction by TripAdvisor (2014/2015), the Royal Yacht Britannia was the seabound home to Her Majesty The Queen and the Royal Family for over 40 years. It is now moored permanently near Ocean Terminal in Leith.

This five-star visitor attraction has sailed over 1,000,000 miles around the world, so take the audio tour and follow in the footsteps of royalty to discover the heart and soul of this most special of royal residences.

Edinburgh

Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, located in Lothian on the southern shore of the Firth of Forth. It is the second most populous city in Scotland and the seventh most populous in the United Kingdom. The mid-year population estimate for 2014 is 492,680. Edinburgh lies at the heart of a larger urban zone with a population of 778,000. The Edinburgh city region has a population of 1,330,480.

Recognised as the capital of Scotland since at least the 15th century, Edinburgh is home to the Scottish Parliament and the seat of the monarchy in Scotland. The city is also the annual venue of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and home to national institutions such as the National Museum of Scotland, the National Library of Scotland and the Scottish National Gallery. It is the largest financial centre in the UK after London.