The Royal Edinburgh Ticket we had purchased for the hop-on-hop-off double-decker bus tour included entrance to the castle, palace, and Royal Brittania Yacht – three of the attractions we wanted to see in Edinburgh.  We also wanted to see the Royal Botanic Garden, which happened to be free of charge.  It had worked out nicely to divide and conquer; see the castle and palace on one day, and the gardens and yacht – both on the blue bus route — on the following day.

It had rained prior to our stop at the gardens, which was quite welcomed as far as we were concerned.  We practically had the gardens to ourselves, having arrived just when they opened; and, rain drops add and interesting element to flower photographs.

(For all pictures, click on the image to see full screen view.)

The Royal Botanic Garden was founded in 1670 as a physic garden to grow medicinal plants.  Currently, as an executive non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government, it is a scientific center for the study of plants, their diversity and conservation, as well as a popular tourist attraction.  Covering 70 acres, it is beautifully designed and a lovely place to take a stroll, have a picnic, do photography, or all of the above!  They also host many events including live performances, guided tours, and exhibitions; and, it is an important center for education.

Located nearby was the Water of Leighth Walkway, so we wandered through a section of it before returning to the garden to hop back on the blue bus.

The Royal Brittania Yacht was our next stop for a self-guided tour of the 412-foot-long vessel.  Launched by HM Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, it was decommissioned in 1997 as the last in a long line of Royal Yachts stretching back to 1660.

Although we had put a lot of miles on our feet by the afternoon, we still had some energy left in the tank to take the bus back into town for a short visit to the National Museum of Scotland.  What a gem!  On Trip Advisor, it is ranked #3 of 534 things to do in Edinburgh for good reason; it is fabulous.  Not only is admission free; but, the exhibits in this massive museum are top-notch.  Had it not been so late in the day (we left at closing time), we would have seen more. 

So much to see, but so little time.  What a fabulous day, though!

Coming up next: A DAY IN THE SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS