The Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament
4
Historic Sites • Points of Interest & Landmarks • Architectural Buildings • Government Buildings
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10:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 4:30 PM
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About
The Scottish Parliament building is open Monday to Saturday. In the heart of Edinburgh's Old Town and UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Scottish Parliament building opened in 2004 and has since welcomed over 3 million visitors. Visitors can join a free guided tour or see parliament in action, depending on which day you visit (booking essential). Discover the parliament through our exhibition, and enjoy our café and shop. We look forward to welcoming you to this 'landmark for 21st century democracy'.
Suggested duration
1-2 hours
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Plan your visit
The area
Neighborhood: Southside & Holyrood
Many of Edinburgh’s student hangouts gather around university buildings in Southside, the sort of neighborhood that supports a long string of second-hand shops and eateries serving ethnic food for just a few pounds. In August the student population is replaced by vast numbers of boisterous visitors here for the Fringe, Edinburgh’s world-class comedy and arts festival which headquarters itself here. Flanking Southside are two great parks. The Meadows is a vast flat and sporty space where football, rugby, tennis, cricket, croquet, and golf often all take place side by side. Kids in its big playgrounds add to the joyful noise. Far bigger and much wilder, Holyrood Park extends to the east and provides a real hike up Arthur’s Seat, but the district is best known as the site of Scotland’s Parliament and its premier Royal Palace—and their steady stream of sightseers.
See what travelers are saying
  • Heyhey49de
    Landshut, Germany152 contributions
    For those interested in politics, fascinating!
    We booked tickets for the visitors' gallery (free), but there were a lot of spaces when we arrived. Very interesting if you are interested in politics, especially Scottish politics. I know you can watch online, but seeing it for real is quite different. It would have been even more interesting to see First Minister's Question Time, but those tickets are snapped up. The staff were all friendly and various groups of visitors filled up most of the gallery. Lovely building. We didn’t do the tour, but might the next time.
    Thank you for visiting the Scottish Parliament - we are glad you enjoyed watching parliamentary business in the Debating Chamber and hope that you will visit again to join one of our guided tours, when we are able to reopen to visitors. Many thanks!
    Written March 25, 2020
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited January 2020
    Traveled as a couple
    Written January 29, 2020
  • anturiwr2023
    Cardiff, United Kingdom6 contributions
    A warm Scottish welcome!
    On entering the building we received a very warm welcome from both the Security and Front of House staff and enjoyed a great tour of the Parliament from Carol who was very knowledgeable and friendly. I would recommend booking a guided tour beforehand as it allowed us full access to the Parliament including the main Debating Chamber. We also enjoyed a very reasonably priced lunch in the cafe and bought some Scottish souvenirs from the shop. Thoroughly reccomend
    Thanks very much for your comments - we're delighted you enjoyed your time at the Scottish Parliament , including the free tour, Parliament Café and Parliament Shop!
    Written May 31, 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited April 2023
    Traveled with friends
    Written April 7, 2023
  • KellyNN16
    Northampton, United Kingdom1,393 contributions
    Great tour
    We booked a free tour for today and were guided by Barbara. Barbara knows everything about this place and gave us a comprehensive talk about all aspects of the building and of the Scottish Parliament. She was amazing. And the building is amazing. It’s well worth a tour to go into all the nooks and crannies and get a feeling for the materials used. A worthwhile thing to do.
    Thank you so much for your kind comments - we are delighted you enjoyed joining one of our guided tours! Thank you for visiting the Scottish Parliament.
    Written March 25, 2020
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited March 2020
    Traveled with friends
    Written March 2, 2020
  • Christopher N
    Edinburgh, United Kingdom21 contributions
    Seriously, avoid!
    This is surely the ugliest building in Edinburgh, the blight at the end of the Royal Mile. Designed by a Spanish architect who simply did not grasp the fact that in sun-starved Scotland, unlike as in sunny Spain, light is at a premium. Tiny windows thwart rather than encourage sunlight with the result that the interior depends to a great extent on artificial lighting. Internal spaces are weirdly misshapen and built so poorly that key bits have already taken to falling off, resulting in the main chamber being closed for a short time for debating purposes . The surrounding grounds are a sad, ill-kept concrete affair. Far better step across the road to feast the eye on the Queen’s residence in Scotland, Holyrood House , or explore the elegantly designed Queen’s Gallery. They, at least, are buildings of which the city can be justly proud.
    Visited November 2019
    Written April 19, 2020
  • Denise H
    Atlanta, Georgia24 contributions
    Nice way to learn about Scotland
    At the suggestion of a friend who lives in Edinburgh we went to visit the Scottish Parliament since it's across the street from Hollyrood Palace which we were also visiting. The building is very contemporary and deceptive in size. After clearing security you entered the main lobby. Because Parliament was in session there were no tours but there was a brief overview near the model of the building. We were also able to get same day passes to visit the gallery and watch the debate and vote. The legislative chamber is beautiful with a unique design. As in typical with most legislative debates, most members were not present. There was no vote that day either. But once they adjourned you were able to take pictures of the chamber. It was very interesting to see government in action in another country.
    Thank you for visiting the Scottish Parliament! We are delighted you enjoyed your experience here and discovered how the parliament works! Many thanks for your comments!
    Written March 25, 2020
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited December 2019
    Written January 13, 2020
  • sfuhere
    744 contributions
    I like it.
    The Parliament is currently closed to visitors. However, the outside can still be visited. I realise that the architecture divides opinion, but I’ve always liked it. The last thing they should have done is try to do a carbon copy of Westminster, and they’ve certainly avoided that - it’s completely different. I like the inventiveness of the design and the attempts to show transparency. My own view is that it will be regarded by everyone as a truly great building in 50 years’ time. The inside, which I visited not long after it opened, is even more impressive and the debating chamber itself is the highlight. It reminded me in some ways of a modernist cathedral, with light streaming in. Of course everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but I think this is a building that people should be proud of.
    Thank you for your comments. We are glad you have enjoyed viewing the parliament building. We are currently closed to the public, but hope to welcome visitors again in the future. Information on the design and architecture of the parliament can be accessed through the Scottish Parliament website.
    Written September 23, 2020
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited September 2020
    Traveled with friends
    Written September 15, 2020
  • SamW
    15 contributions
    Free guided tour
    You can enter the building for free (after going through security). When entering the building we were greeted by friendly staff and offered a map. We first visited the World Press photo exhibition before going on a free tour of the building. Our guide was very enthusiastic and knowledgeable. We were told about the History of the Scottish Parliament before touring the building. We went around some of the public areas and then toured some of the areas inaccessible to the general public.
    Thank you for your review - we are delighted you enjoyed visiting the Parliament building, the World Press Photography 2022 exhibition and the guided tour!
    Written August 16, 2022
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited August 2022
    Written August 7, 2022
  • RoadtripMommy
    161 contributions
    Guided tour a great way to learn about the Scottish Parliament
    I have a penchant for "behind the scenes" tours and I booked this in advance. Gareth was a great tour guide leading our small group behind the scenes to see the meeting rooms, offices, parliament gallery, etc. The building is a sight to behold - the natural light permeates everywhere and you can all the places the MSPs can collaborate. If you have time, it is worth a visit. Book ahead as the guide tours are limited.
    Thanks very much for your kind comments - we are delighted you enjoyed joining our free guided tours.
    Written July 13, 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited June 2023
    Written July 4, 2023
  • Ruthybab
    Alton, United Kingdom197 contributions
    Fascinating place !
    We were going to go up to the top of Arthur's Seat but the ice made it too treacherous so we popped into the parliament buildings and we were so glad that we did. We were approached by an official who asked if we'd like to have tickets to go into the debating chamber. Next thing we found ourselves in the public gallery listening to the debate on the budget. It was a real drama and we were completely mesmerised! The building itself is an architectural gem. I understand that it's a bit Marmite in that people either love it or hate it - well I loved it !
    Thanks very much for your review - we're glad you stopped by and enjoyed watching parliament in action!
    Written May 31, 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited December 2022
    Traveled with family
    Written January 29, 2023
  • thegees1
    Reading, United Kingdom189 contributions
    Pre book a tour. Worth seeing and is virtually next to the Palace of Holyrood house
    Worth a visit. If you book a tour ( it's all free) you are shown around the very unique building and given an insight into what the various artistic aspects of the building symbolise and how the Scottish parliament works. The building famously over ran its budget ten fold and is full of gorgeous oak. The guide was very friendly and afterwards you are free to wander round to see anything you have missed.
    Thanks for your review - we're very glad you enjoyed your tour of the Scottish Parliament building.
    Written May 31, 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited April 2023
    Written May 2, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions

4.0
1,817 reviews
Excellent
793
Very good
645
Average
238
Poor
70
Terrible
72

Christopher N
Edinburgh, UK21 contributions
Nov 2019
This is surely the ugliest building in Edinburgh, the blight at the end of the Royal Mile. Designed by a Spanish architect who simply did not grasp the fact that in sun-starved Scotland, unlike as in sunny Spain, light is at a premium. Tiny windows thwart rather than encourage sunlight with the result that the interior depends to a great extent on
artificial lighting. Internal spaces are weirdly misshapen and built so poorly that key bits have already taken to falling off, resulting in the main chamber being closed for a short time for debating purposes . The surrounding grounds are a sad, ill-kept concrete affair.
Far better step across the road to feast the eye on the Queen’s residence in Scotland, Holyrood House , or explore the elegantly designed Queen’s Gallery. They, at least, are buildings of which the city can be justly proud.
Written April 19, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Denise H
Atlanta, GA24 contributions
Dec 2019
At the suggestion of a friend who lives in Edinburgh we went to visit the Scottish Parliament since it's across the street from Hollyrood Palace which we were also visiting. The building is very contemporary and deceptive in size. After clearing security you entered the main lobby. Because Parliament was in session there were no tours but there was a brief overview near the model of the building. We were also able to get same day passes to visit the gallery and watch the debate and vote. The legislative chamber is beautiful with a unique design. As in typical with most legislative debates, most members were not present. There was no vote that day either. But once they adjourned you were able to take pictures of the chamber. It was very interesting to see government in action in another country.
Written January 13, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for visiting the Scottish Parliament! We are delighted you enjoyed your experience here and discovered how the parliament works! Many thanks for your comments!
Written March 25, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

sfuhere
uk744 contributions
Sep 2020 • Friends
The Parliament is currently closed to visitors. However, the outside can still be visited. I realise that the architecture divides opinion, but I’ve always liked it. The last thing they should have done is try to do a carbon copy of Westminster, and they’ve certainly avoided that - it’s completely different. I like the inventiveness of the design and the attempts to show transparency. My own view is that it will be regarded by everyone as a truly great building in 50 years’ time. The inside, which I visited not long after it opened, is even more impressive and the debating chamber itself is the highlight. It reminded me in some ways of a modernist cathedral, with light streaming in. Of course everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but I think this is a building that people should be proud of.
Written September 15, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your comments. We are glad you have enjoyed viewing the parliament building. We are currently closed to the public, but hope to welcome visitors again in the future. Information on the design and architecture of the parliament can be accessed through the Scottish Parliament website.
Written September 23, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

SamW
15 contributions
Aug 2022
You can enter the building for free (after going through security). When entering the building we were greeted by friendly staff and offered a map. We first visited the World Press photo exhibition before going on a free tour of the building. Our guide was very enthusiastic and knowledgeable. We were told about the History of the Scottish Parliament before touring the building. We went around some of the public areas and then toured some of the areas inaccessible to the general public.
Written August 7, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your review - we are delighted you enjoyed visiting the Parliament building, the World Press Photography 2022 exhibition and the guided tour!
Written August 16, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

RoadtripMommy
California161 contributions
Jun 2023
I have a penchant for "behind the scenes" tours and I booked this in advance. Gareth was a great tour guide leading our small group behind the scenes to see the meeting rooms, offices, parliament gallery, etc. The building is a sight to behold - the natural light permeates everywhere and you can all the places the MSPs can collaborate. If you have time, it is worth a visit. Book ahead as the guide tours are limited.
Written July 4, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks very much for your kind comments - we are delighted you enjoyed joining our free guided tours.
Written July 13, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Ruthybab
Alton, UK197 contributions
Dec 2022 • Family
We were going to go up to the top of Arthur's Seat but the ice made it too treacherous so we popped into the parliament buildings and we were so glad that we did.
We were approached by an official who asked if we'd like to have tickets to go into the debating chamber. Next thing we found ourselves in the public gallery listening to the debate on the budget. It was a real drama and we were completely mesmerised! The building itself is an architectural gem. I understand that it's a bit Marmite in that people either love it or hate it - well I loved it !
Written January 29, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks very much for your review - we're glad you stopped by and enjoyed watching parliament in action!
Written May 31, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

thegees1
Reading, UK189 contributions
Apr 2023
Worth a visit. If you book a tour ( it's all free) you are shown around the very unique building and given an insight into what the various artistic aspects of the building symbolise and how the Scottish parliament works. The building famously over ran its budget ten fold and is full of gorgeous oak. The guide was very friendly and afterwards you are free to wander round to see anything you have missed.
Written May 2, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for your review - we're very glad you enjoyed your tour of the Scottish Parliament building.
Written May 31, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Malgorzata
12,108 contributions
May 2022
Beautiful building with lovely design features. The Scottish Parliament building is a real gem among all other buildings of this type. UNESCO included it on the list of world cultural heritage. The entire complex was designed by the Spanish architect Enrique Miralles and consists of eight parts. All of them make a big impression. 129 Scottish MPs sit in the hemicycle, finished with oak wood and glass. Around the parliament itself are small water features, grassy areas paths and loads of seating. Great plsce on a sunny day.
Written November 23, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your kind words. We are delighted you enjoyed visiting the Scottish Parliament building.
Written May 31, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Mike O
Roanoke, VA1,349 contributions
Jun 2022
We took the free tour, and were glad that we did; we booked several days in advance. Although Scottish history goes back almost forever, the Scottish Parliament in its current form, only goes back 25 years. That newness is proudly reflected in the modernistic design of the building's exterior and interior. Photography inside the building was limited to the Chamber itself. Well worth 45 minutes.
Written June 17, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for visiting the Scottish Parliament - we are very glad you enjoyed your guided tour!
Written July 13, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Mrs Pringle George
Elgin, UK13 contributions
Mar 2020 • Friends
My daughter and friend Dr A Mciver Attended 2020 International Women's day at the Scottish Parliament. We received a lovely warm welcome
As it was our first visit we were impressed by the garden room where we had lunch. There is an exhibition and a shop and savoured both
At 1.45pm we made our way to the debating chamber. It looks modern but beautiful with good facilities. We enjoyed the speakers including our first minister.
So if you get the opportunity to visit you will certainly made welcome.
Written March 13, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Many thanks for your comments - we are very glad you enjoyed taking part in the 2020 International Women's Day event at the Scottish Parliament., especially as it was your first visit. We hope you will be able to visit again, once the Scottish Parliament is open for visits in the near future.
Written March 25, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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The Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh

Frequently Asked Questions about The Scottish Parliament

The Scottish Parliament is open:
  • Mon - Wed 10:00 AM - 4:30 PM
  • Thu - Thu 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
  • Fri - Sat 10:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Buy tickets in advance on Tripadvisor. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel at least 24 hours before the start date of your tour for a full refund.

We recommend booking The Scottish Parliament tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 33 The Scottish Parliament tours on Tripadvisor




The Scottish Parliament Information

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