Leith,
Edinburgh,
EH6 6JJ
The Royal Yacht Britannia first launched in 1953 was the official seafaring vessel of Queen Elizabeth II and the British royal family for over four decades. Used for state visits, royal vacations, and diplomatic trips, the vessel is now a popular tourist attraction moored in Edinburgh where it offers a fascinating glimpse into royal life.
Throughout its working life, the Royal Yacht Britannia was the official residence of Queen Elizabeth II during her overseas tours, sailing over one million miles around the world while promoting British interests abroad.
The vessel is now kept in immaculate condition by the Royal Yacht Britannia Trust and is open year-round for visitors to follow in the footsteps of world leaders as they explore the royal’s private quarters and the below-deck rooms. Self-guided audio tours will take you to every nook and cranny of this enormous ship while information panels explain what life would have been like on board the vessel in its heyday.
There’s also an excellent restaurant onboard on the upper deck as well as a gift shop in the visitor centre, and as Britannia is moored alongside Ocean Terminal you can easily visit the restaurants, shops, and cinema that the waterfront shopping complex has to offer.
1: The Royal Yacht Britannia served as the floating residence of the British Royal Family for over 40 years. Exploring this iconic vessel gives you a unique opportunity to delve into the fascinating maritime history of the Royal Family and discover the stories behind their voyages and state visits.
2: The Royal Yacht Britannia has been meticulously preserved since its decommissioning in 1997. As you explore the ship, you’ll be able to view the opulent interiors which include the State Apartments, the Royal Bedrooms, and the impressive Royal Deck Tea Room.
3: The Royal Yacht Britannia is located in the historic port of Leith, just a short distance from Edinburgh’s city centre. The yacht is docked permanently, allowing visitors to soak in the waterfront views while they explore the vessel. After your visit, you can take a walk to enjoy the vibrant atmosphere of Leith with its charming shops and restaurants.
1: Although the tickets are a wee bit pricey there’s a lot to see so you’ll spend a good 2-3 hours on Britannia. While the tickets are expensive if you only make one visit, they allow unlimited re-entry for one year, so keep hold of them in case you decide to return another day.
2: Ocean Terminal is a nice shopping centre with a cinema and several cafes and restaurants. You could easily stretch your Britannia visit to last most of the day if you use those facilities.
3: If you want to explore the city centre after a visit to Britannia take Lothian Bus services 11, 22, 34, 35 and 36. Highlights of Edinburgh include Edinburgh Castle (obviously), Calton Hill , The Scott Monument , Holyrood Park and Holyrood Palace .
The ship is entered via the visitor centre in Ocean Terminal which is situated on the top floor of the shopping mall. As you walk around Britannia’s five main decks on a self-guided tour you can listen to an audio guide that explains what life was like on board not only for the royal inhabitants but also for the Royal Navy crew that manned it during its voyages.
Starting at the bridge you pass through the state apartments, the crew quarters, and the engine room before finally reaching the racing yacht Bloodhound which is part of an interesting royal sailing exhibition.
There are many highlights of this ship that all family members will enjoy – including the huge state banquet room with its massive dining table and the gleaming Rolls Royce Phantom that used to travel on the ship along with the Royal Family.
If you fancy a wee treat you can pick up some delicious homemade fudge in the NAAFI sweet shop. but make sure you leave enough room for the Royal Deck Tea Room where you can sample top-notch Scottish cuisine as well as coffee and sandwiches. The entry ticket includes free re-admittance for one year so if you ever go back to Ocean Terminal you could always take another visit just for the restaurant.
Britannia was built at the Clydebank shipyards near Glasgow and successfully launched in 1953, with its maiden voyage to Malta beginning in 1954. During its time at sea, Britannia was manned by volunteers from the Royal Navy, some of whom liked it so much they served onboard for over 20 years.
Whenever royalty was on the vessel a full troop of Royal Marines accompanied them, and during this time they would have sailed around the globe several times as the royal family undertook their ambassadorial duties in almost every nation on earth. Britannia also performed services as an aid ship, evacuating over 1,000 refugees from the civil war in Aden in 1986, and was ready to be converted into a hospital ship at a moment’s notice.
Britannia was eventually decommissioned in 1997 after mounting political pressure regarding the cost of maintenance made its continued use impossible. The ship was finally tied up at Ocean Terminal where The Royal Yacht Britannia Trust was set up to look after it. Today, more than 300,000 people visit the Royal Yacht Britannia each year, making it one of the top five tourist attractions in Scotland.
Check out the Britannia Visitor Centre : Start your visit at the Britannia Visitor Centre located in Ocean Terminal. There, you can discover Britannia’s fascinating history through exhibits and photographs before you step aboard the yacht itself.
Explore the Royal Yacht Britannia : Step aboard the British monarch’s former floating palace and explore the state apartments, crew’s quarters, and engine room. This magnificent ship offers a unique glimpse into royal life at sea thanks to audio guides which are included in the ticket price.
Tea at The Royal Deck Tea Room : After your tour, unwind at the Royal Deck Tea Room. Enjoy traditional teas, delicious cakes, sandwiches, and spectacular views of the docks and the Firth of Forth . It’s a great way to reflect on your visit to Britannia before deciding where to go next.
Attend a Special Event : The Royal Yacht Britannia hosts a variety of events throughout the year, from Hogmanay celebrations to Burn’s Night suppers . To see which events are coming up next, head to the official Royal Yacht Britannia website .
Visit The Gift Shop : You cannot miss Britannia’s gift shop in Ocean Terminal which offers a wide range of exclusive gifts and souvenirs. From royal memorabilia to nautical-themed toys, you’re bound to find the perfect memento for your visit.
Ocean Terminal . 74 Ocean Dr., Leith, Edinburgh, EH6 6JJ. 2-minute walk. A large shopping centre that’s one of the first arrival points for ships sailing into the Firth of Forth. Ocean Terminal contains a collection of restaurants, coffee shops, and department stores.
Leith . 8-minute walk. A vibrant and historic area of Edinburgh that is renowned for its trendy bars and restaurants. Leith is architecturally significant for the number of restored Victorian warehouses that line Commercial Street and Bernard Street. Some of Scotland’s best restaurants are located in Leith, including The Kitchin and Wishart.
The Water of Leith . Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6HE. 11-minute walk. A walkway that runs for 12 miles from the Colzium Hills outside of Edinburgh to Leith. The majority of the path is set on quiet pavement that runs alongside the river. Much loved by locals for its wildlife.
Leith Links . 4 Links Gardens, Leith, Edinburgh, EH6 8AA. 18-minute walk. Informal gardens and a play park that was historically a golf course but has been revamped into a recreation area.
Scotch Malt Whisky Society . The Vaults, 87 Giles St, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6BZ. 13-minute walk. The Vaults is the main site for the SMWS in Edinburgh. Visitors can sample a range of quality single malt whiskies as well as gins and rums, along with optional expert-led tasting sessions.
Where is the royal yacht britannia berthed.
The Royal Yacht Britannia is berthed at Leith Port in Edinburgh, next to the Ocean Terminal shopping centre. Ocean Terminal is a 15-minute drive from Edinburgh city centre, and the Royal Yacht Britannia Visitor Centre is on the second floor. Address: Ocean Terminal, Leith, Edinburgh, EH6 6JJ.
No, the British Royal Family does not currently have a yacht. The last royal yacht was the HMY Britannia, which was decommissioned in 1997 and is now a museum ship in Edinburgh.
The Royal Yacht Britannia is owned and managed by the Royal Yacht Britannia Trust.
The Royal Yacht Britannia was decommissioned in 1997 due to maintenance costs and changing politics which meant the yacht was considered unnecessary. It was estimated in 1996 that a refit would cost £17 million and would only prolong the ship’s life for an additional 5 years.
Craig Neil is the author, photographer, admin, and pretty much everything else behind Out About Scotland. He lives near Edinburgh and spends his free time exploring Scotland and writing about his experiences. Follow him on Pinterest , Facebook , and YouTube .
CC BY-NC-ND, © Chris Holifield cc-by-sa/2.0 :: Geograph Britain and Ireland
" Britannia sailed between 1954 and 1997 and during her 43 year career travelled more than one million nautical miles around the globe. It is now moored at Leith in Edinburgh where around 390,000 visitors a year pay to board and look round the former ‘floating palace.’
"Back in the 1960s and 70s it was a regular summer visitor to the west coast of Scotland, with members of the royal family enjoying stopping to visit local secluded beaches to picnic in peace. The Queen would visit Applecross, coming ashore in a small boat at Milltown Pier to have lunch along at the Big House at the head of the bay with her relative Mrs Wills, whose family then owned Applecross Estate.
"As a young child in the late 1960s, I remember my mother’s excitement as we gathered with other villagers to watch the Queen come ashore. I also remember the disappointment when a rather plain woman in slacks and headscarf arrived with her children- not a crown, cloak, jewels or gown in sight.
"In more recent years Prince Charles has visited Shieldaig and Loch Torridon to find out more about the sustainable creel fishing methods used by local fishermen. Arriving by helicopter he spent time chatting with local residents and schoolchildren. Princess Anne has also been seen sailing in local waters, even calling at Badachro Inn for a morning coffee and purchasing local pottery in the village."
As told by Anne MacRae, resident of Torridon
More information on visiting the area can be found here.
Source: Royal Yacht Britannia
Source: Royal Yacht Britannia , Reuters
Source: Royal Yacht Britannia , BBC
Our Royal Insider Facebook group is the best place for up-to-date news and announcements about the British royal family, direct from Insider's royal reporters. Join here.
By Kingfisher Visitor Guides
The floating palace now berthed just north of Edinburgh was once the majestic symbol of the Royal Family and the greatness of Britain.
The Royal Yacht Britannia was launched in 1953. During her 44 years in service, she hosted four royal honeymoons, sailed over one million nautical miles, and welcomed luminaries including Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela and many presidents of the United States.
Follow in the footsteps of royalty as you step aboard The Royal Yacht Britannia
The history, opulence, symbolism and majesty of HMY Britannia may hark to a bygone era, but today the Royal Yacht sits proudly berthed in Ocean Terminal, Leith as a beacon of hope for the peoples of the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth and beyond.
The first sea-going royal yacht in a line of 83 such vessels (stretching back to 1660), HMY Britannia was commissioned just two days before the death of King George IV.
His majesty was already in failing health and it was hoped that Britannia would help the king with his symptoms. The last in the line of royal yachts was launched just two months before the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.
The first sea-going royal yacht in a line of 83 such vessels (stretching back to 1660), HMY Britannia was commissioned just two days before the death of King George IV
Britannia’s honeymoon suite (the only room on board with a double bed) hosted the post-nuptial vacations of Princess Margaret and Anthony Armstrong-Jones (1960), Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips (1973), Prince Charles and Princess Diana (1981) and Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson (1986).
HMY Britannia made 696 foreign visits, introducing the British royal family to many nations who had never seen them before. She also undertook 272 trips in British waters, often the summer holidays of royalty. The royal yacht was intended as the safe haven for the Queen and Prince Philip in the event of a nuclear war.
You should allow two to three hours for your visit to HMY Britannia. There are five decks to explore along with the Royal Apartments (including the Queen’s bedroom and sun lounge) along with the lavish State Dining Room.
You can also visit the bridge and the staff quarters. Britannia was the last British naval ship to utilise hammocks for the crew to sleep in. Relive life on a true floating royal residence complete with laundry and sickbay.
Take a selfie next to the iconic Royal Yacht Britannia bell
Make time to visit Britannia’s garage where you will see the vintage Rolls Royce in which the royal family continued their journeys onwards by land. Included in the admission price is a free audio handset tour, available in 30 different languages.
Britannia is berthed at Edinburgh’s Leith Harbour. The historic docks have been modernised into a tourist destination.
Entrance to the yacht is through the Ocean Terminal, a shopping centre with restaurants and bars. There is a visitor centre exhibiting artefacts and an interactive history of Britannia before you board.
Location: Ocean Terminal, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6JJ Opening hours: July-August 9.30am-4pm, September-December 10am-3.30pm Cost: Adult £17, concession £15, child 5-17 £8.75, child under 5 free, family £47 Visit website
Read more about Edinburgh
Image credits: ©Helen Pugh/Marc Millar/Tony Marsh Photography/The Royal Yacht Britannia; Video: Royal Yacht Britannia/YouTube
Read feature >
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
Her Majesty's Yacht Britannia is the former royal yacht of the British monarchy.She was in their service from 1954 until 1997. She was the 83rd such vessel since King Charles II acceded to the throne in 1660, and is the second royal yacht to bear the name, the first being the racing cutter built for the Prince of Wales in 1893. During her 43-year career, the yacht travelled more than a million ...
Our Hotel. Stay at our luxury floating hotel, Fingal, Tripadvisor's No1. UK Luxury Hotel, AA Hotel of the Year Scotland. The Royal Yacht Britannia is a five-star visitor attraction in Edinburgh. Britannia welcomes over 390,000 visitors a year from all over the world.
The Royal Yacht Britannia in Edinburgh was The Queen's floating Royal residence for over forty years. Now the UK's no. 1 visitor attraction (TripAdvisor) and exclusive five-star evening events venue.
The royal family has a long history of seafaring—the first official royal yacht was the HMY Mary (HMY stands for His or Her Majesty's Yacht), gifted to Charles II by the Dutch in 1660. In fact ...
2. Britannia was the 83rd Royal Yacht. King George VI, Elizabeth II's father, had first commissioned the royal yacht that would become Britannia in 1952. The previous official boat had belonged to Queen Victoria and was rarely used. The tradition of royal yachts had been started by Charles II in 1660.
Visit this award-winning attraction, just two miles from Edinburgh's city centre at Ocean Terminal. The Royal Yacht Britannia played host to some of the world's most famous people, from Nelson Mendela to Winston Churchill, but above all was home for the British Royal Family for over 40 years. Now you can discover the heart and soul of this ...
The Britannia's Drawing Room. The ship's wheel was taken from King Edward VII's racing yacht, also named Britannia, according to Boat International, and the 126-meter ship could reach speeds of 22.75 knots, or a seagoing cruising speed of 21 knots, according to Super Yacht Times. Other fun facts: The yacht could produce her own fresh ...
Britannia was launched on 20 April 1893, a week ahead of Valkyrie II and joined a fleet of first class cutters that was growing fast as others followed the royal lead. In a highly competitive fleet, Britannia soon set about achieving the race results which would eventually establish her as the most successful racing yacht of all time. By the end of her first year's racing, Britannia had scored ...
Life Below Decks. Britannia is often referred to as two ships in one. The magnificent State Apartments and Royal Family's living quarters are serene and elegant, to the stern of the Royal Yacht. In stark contrast, forward of the ship's funnel, was a functional Royal Navy vessel, where crew and operational equipment were located in cramped ...
The 4,000-ton yacht had a crew of 220 Royal Yachtsmen who lived on board, about 45 household staff, and occasionally a 26-member Royal Marine embarked to entertain dignitaries.
Although plans for a new Royal Yacht were temporarily shelved owing to WWII, work began on Britannia in 1952 at the renowned John Brown & Co. Shipyard in Clydebank, where liners including the Lusitania, Queen Mary, and Queen Elizabeth were also constructed. Although officially launched on 16 April 1953, it wasn't until 11 January 1954 that ...
As 83rd in a long line of royal yachts that stretches back to 1660 and the reign of Charles II, BRITANNIA holds a proud place in British maritime history. Plans to build a new royal yacht to replace the VICTORIA AND ALBERT III began during the reign of King George VI. But The King died in 1952, four months before the keel of the yacht was laid.
From as early as 1939, bids had been invited to construct a new Royal Yacht capable of long-distance travel. War and austerity put paid to the initiative, but a visit by George VI to South Africa in 1947 on board the battleship HMS Vanguard revived it. As The Queen commented at Britannia's launch, George VI 'felt most strongly, as I do, that a yacht was a necessity and not a luxury for the ...
Step aboard Queen Elizabeth II's former floating palace and experience this iconic attraction for yourself. Rated Tripadvisor's No.1 UK Attraction (AGAIN), Britannia is one of the most famous ships in the world…Royal Deck Tearoom. Only 15 minutes from Edinburgh City Centre. Lothian Bus services from Edinburgh city centre are - 10, 16, 34 ...
The Royal Yacht Britannia is the former royal yacht of HM Queen Elizabeth II and is located at the Ocean Terminal shopping centre in Edinburgh.The yacht is one of Scotland's premier tourist attractions, and visitors can explore it on a self-guided tour that takes them through the main dining hall, the royal family's private quarters, and the engine room.
The Royal Yacht Britannia "Britannia sailed between 1954 and 1997 and during her 43 year career travelled more than one million nautical miles around the globe. It is now moored at Leith in Edinburgh where around 390,000 visitors a year pay to board and look round the former 'floating palace.' ...
The Royal Yacht Britannia was the royal family's private yacht from 1953 to 1997. ... The bow of the Royal Yacht Britannia is painted deep blue and is adorned with the royal crest. Courtesy Royal ...
Discover Tripadvisor's No.1 UK Attraction (AGAIN) 2023-2024, The Royal Yacht Britannia. For over forty years, the Royal Yacht sailed over one million miles on nearly a thousand official visits for the British Royal Family. Now berthed in Edinburgh's historic Port of Leith, just two miles from the city centre, Britannia is a fascinating ...
A Royal experience. The Royal Yacht Britannia was launched in 1953. During her 44 years in service, she hosted four royal honeymoons, sailed over one million nautical miles, and welcomed luminaries including Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela and many presidents of the United States. Follow in the footsteps of royalty as you step aboard The ...
Voronezh is considered the heart of the "Black Earth Region," a rich soiled region in the south of Central Russia. In its post-Soviet history it has also come to be known as the heart of Russia's "Red Belt," the center of contemporary Russian communism, owing to its high unemployment levels. An interesting read for visitors is Black Earth City, an account written by Charlotte Hobson, a foreign ...
Voronezh Oblast. Voronezh Oblast is in Russia's Chernozemye region, bordering Ukraine to the southwest, Belgorod Oblast to the west, Kursk Oblast to the northwest, Lipetsk Oblast to the north, Tambov Oblast to the northeast, Ulyanovsk Oblast to the northeast, Volgograd Oblast to the east, and Rostov Oblast to the south. Overview. Map. Directions.
4. Tour the lovely Annunciation Cathedral. Posted by Russian Orthodox Church of the Annunciation on Saturday, 3 September 2016. Your tour of Voronezh should lead you to The Annunciation Cathedral. This cathedral is known to be one of the tallest Eastern Orthodox churches in the world and is a spectacle to behold.
Dinastiya, Voronezh: See 6 traveler reviews, 3 candid photos, and great deals for Dinastiya, ranked #16 of 62 specialty lodging in Voronezh and rated 4 of 5 at Tripadvisor.