Looking for ways to enjoy a staycation in Edinburgh this summer? Edinburgh Bus Tours launch 'Escape in the City' campaign for locals

Edinburgh Bus Tours are hoping to see locals take advantage of the chance to rediscover the city on tours like their CitySightseeing Tour (pictured).

Open-top, guided bus tours have been a hallmark of Edinburgh as a bustling tourist hub for almost a century, with ‘motor coaches’ transporting visitors from near and far through the Old Town since the 1920s.

While the sight of tourists queuing up for bus tours on Waverley Bridge is all too familiar for locals, Edinburgh Bus Tours hope to change that – offering city tours with reduced rates and the chance to rediscover the city’s heritage, culture and landmarks with its ‘Escape in the City’ campaign.

Edinburgh Bus Tours offer a range of experiences for those wanting to explore the city on a whistlestop tour through the city’s winding streets.

The Edinburgh Tour, with tickets priced at £8 for adults and senior citizens, takes passengers on a journey up to 75 minutes long past some of Edinburgh’s highlights – also allowing you to hop-on or off at various stops around the city.

A fun day out for families, or a romantic one for couples, can be had on board with sprawling views across the city as a live tour guide recalls Edinburgh’s rich history and heritage to those on board.

With stops located across many different areas of the city centre, families can easily speed up the process of journeying up and down hilly, busy streets in the Old Town between fun landmarks like Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh Castle and the National Museum of Scotland.

Tickets for the Edinburgh Tour are available for adults and senior citizens at the price of £8, while up to three children can jump on for free with every adult or senior ticket.

Of the green, red and blue buses typically seen roving around the city packed with tourists, the red city sightseeing bus is perhaps the most familiar of all – seen in streets across cities in the UK and always offering a reliably good time for those on board.

Edinburgh Bus Tours are now offering automatic upgrades for tickets purchased for a CitySightseeing or Majestic Tour on either the red Sightseeing or blue Majestic tour buses.

Now when any adult or senior person purchases a ticket for £16 or £15 respectively, they are upgraded to a Grand 24 ticket letting them ride on the Edinburgh Tour, CitySightseeing and Majestic Tour buses for 24 hours.

Kids, likely to enjoy sticking on the CitySightseeing Tour’s headphones and listening to a Horrible Histories guided commentary about Edinburgh’s more gruesome, ghostly side, can once again ride for free on this deal with three children permitted for every adult ticket.

The Majestic Tour carries passengers to those grander parts of the city where its rich royal heritage is clearly visible. Regal spots like the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is the second oldest botanic garden in the UK yet often remains unexplored by many city dwellers due to its location.

This tour, however, offers the chance to see its giant glasshouses and towering trees up close before speeding through Newhaven and Leith to the Royal Yacht Britannia.

To find out more, visit https://edinburghtour.com/.

The Evening News is supporting Forever Edinburgh, a joint campaign between the City of Edinburgh Council, Edinburgh Tourism Action Group (ETAG) and VisitScotland. This encourages people to rediscover the city, its stories and places while supporting local businesses, promoting attractions, shops, bars and restaurants as lockdown eases.