royal yacht britannia gin

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• Scottish Gins

The Royal Yacht Britannia Gin

Summerhall Distillery has created a new gin specially for HMY Britannia - the former royal yacht that has been turned into a tourist attraction moored in Edinburgh. The team behind Pickering's Gin has balanced the breadth of botanicals to create a citrus-forward, sweet and slightly spicy gin, designed to capture 'a million nautical miles in a glass'.

Distilled under contract in Edinburgh, Lothians, Scotland.

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10 brand new Scottish Gins that we can't wait to try

Gin expert and creator of the gin room scotland jayne carmichael norrie introduces us to scotland's newest gins..

The Scotsman Food and Drink have been championing Scottish gin since our inception and we are delighted to see the explosion in popularity for surely what must now be one of the world's most exciting spirits.

With distilleries and new brands popping up all over the country it can be hard to keep track of all the new additions.

Thankfully, experts like Jayne are on hand to keep us from missing out, and here she introduce us to 10 of the newest Scottish gins around:

No. 1: Persie Gin

Twitter:   @persiegin 

What do we know?

Persie Gin is made by the hard-working partners Chrissie and Simon who also run the long-established Gin Club Scotland.

Simon has been using his expert knowledge to host gin nights all over the country, and he knows what goes into a truly great gin.

According to their site, smell is the sense that has the strongest ability to invigorate emotions.

Factoid: Apparently between 75 per cent to 95 per cent of a gin’s flavour profile is based on smell.

So far Persie have produced a Zestry Citrus Gin, a Herby & Aromatic one and their Sweety and Nutty Old Tom Gin.

Where can we get it?

Their Perthshire distillery is open for visitors from Thursday 11th August.

No. 2: Lussa Gin

Twitter: @womeningin

We know Lussa Gin is based on the Isle of Jura, a place resplendent with potential gin botanicals. There are loads of photos of the team out foraging; it looks like so much fun. I’m pretty sure this gin is going to have a sense of exploration and adventure.

So far they’ve been out boating to look for watermint, diving for sealettuce, hillwalking for birch bark, searching for lemon thyme or harvesting Rose petals.

We don’t know much about Team Lussa, but it’s apparent they are a hard-working team that want to keep a close connection with the Isle of Jura in their gin.

Check out Lussa Gin on their Twitter page @womeningin and turn on notifications. Keep an eye out for their first ever launch of their gin within the next few weeks.

As it says on their website www.lussagin.com , they are not "just gin lovers, they are adventurers".

READ MORE:   15 Scottish gins we recommend you try right now

No. 3: Royal Yacht Britannia Gin

This is a brand new Gin made with Pickerings Gin,  who live at The Royal Dick Craft Brewery Pub in Summerhall, Edinburgh. That part of Edinburgh is a real creative hub for Gin fans.

During World Gin Day (11th June) Summerhall hosts the Juniper festival, with Gin companies visiting from all over the world. The Royal Dick even has Pickering's Gin on tap at the bar. Is this Gin Heaven or what?

The Queen’s former floating palace, Britannia was an ambassador for British business, promoting trade and industry around the world.

Britannia Gin is made from 16 botanicals, with each of those botanicals carefully selected to represent the Royal Yacht’s lifetime at sea.

During her 44 year career, Britannia travelled 1,087,623 nautical miles, calling at more than 600 ports in 135 countries. Situated in Edinburgh’s historic port of Leith, visitors enjoy an insight into The Queen’s former floating palace, and the lives of those who lived and worked on board.

Each botanical originates from a port visited by the Royal Yacht during her 44 years at sea. The botanicals used are: juniper, lime, lemon, eucalyptus leaves, lemon, myrtle, liquorice root, bog myrtle, angelica, coriander, blood orange, orrice root, pepper, lotus root, cloves, rose petal and heather.

As someone who really likes their floral gins, this sounds like a great gin to me. The provenance of a product is becoming more and more important to gin fans, who appreciate value rather than volume.

You can get a hold of this unique Gin from royalyachtbritannia.co.uk with   delivery to mainland UK addresses.

No. 4: Loch Ness Gin

Twitter: @lochnessgin1

We know that we were lucky to discover Loch Ness Gin when we did (a few days ago), they are having the launch of their very first gin on Thursday 18th August.

They are one of a few fortunate gin producers who are able to hand-pick their own crops of Juniper berries from their land.

Their company has got off to a great start, having won a Gold award already! Their gold was awarded in the Global Gin Masters following a blind tasting competition judged by experts.

So what have we got in the glass? Tasting notes from the competition were: “Nose: soft and mellow with bright, leafy notes, plump fruit and a subtle spice. Taste: this has a pleasant mouth feel with a good viscosity; the spirit coats the tongue and the flavours gradually unfurl.

"There are perfumed floral notes up-front mixed with the dry, fruity notes of pear and peach. Then vanilla, cinnamon, juniper, angelica and pine blossom finish the gin and make the taste linger."

The bottle is a bit special; semi-translucent with hot foiled copper front and back, which is apparently a world first. It is closed with a glass stopper and sealed with embossed copper.

Follow on their Instagram @lochnessgin and lochnessgin.co.uk

No. 5: Teasmith Gin

Twitter:   @the_teasmith

This is another North-East gin, more specifically from Udny in Aberdeenshire. The Team at Teasmith wanted to create a gin whose flavour is made from botanicals linked to their locality, and that celebrate local history.

Aberdeenshire has a rich heritage that links the area with the tea trade. The Newburgh estuary, was once a thriving market place with tea being one of its biggest imports.

Aberdeen City gave rise to one of the most notable clippers to sail the seas. One of those ships, The Thermopylae was launched in 1868 and on its first trip set speed records on her way to Melbourne via Shanghai and Foochow. This vessel played a fundamental role in opening up trade routes with the Far East – and one of the key items they returned with was tea.

The Teasmith is a unique gin in that its the first gin to use hand-picked tea; a special black tea sourced by the team provides a distinct minty sweetness when distilled.  This complemented the traditional gin botanicals perfectly.

Also added to Teasmith is juniper, coriander, orange peel, grains of paradise, angelica, calamus and orris root.

Recommended Serves

Teasmith recommends serving with a mint garnish and a good quality tonic with low quinine.

We have experimented with Teasmith and really liked the citrus notes from the gin. Teasmith is also really served neat with ice and some lemon peel.

Where can I get it?

You can pre-order at teasmithgin.com , Twitter @the_teasmith , Instagram:  @the_teasmith

READ MORE: New Gin Map of Scotland celebrates rise of Scottish gin

No. 6: Badvo Gin

Badvo Distillery is the brainchild of Helen Stewart, an English Literature student whose family have been farming in Pitlochry for over 400 years.

When Helen was working in distilleries she was inspired by the enthusiasm of those working in the industry and how it is all-encompassing; crafting, branding, and helping people: "It's a very creative place to be".

The sheep-farming Stewart family have a few outbuildings that are no longer in use, and they want to use them to diversify their offerings on the farm.

Traditionally Pitlochry, and Perthshire as a whole, is thought of as whisky country. But having a verdant farm and the River Brerachin nearby makes it perfect for Premium small-batch Gin production.

The advantage of having a farm on a hill is that they have a wide variety of terrain; from grassland to heatherland, and from forests to bogland.

This variation in types of terrain is perfect for selecting botanicals; there will be many to choose from.

The botanicals for Badvo Gin will include Rowan Berries and Blackthorn, alongside Juniper which will be foraged from the family farm, one of only three Scottish gin distilleries I know of to use native Juniper (the other two being Loch Ness and Crossbill).

Helen is working with Botanist Su Black to finalise the selection of botanicals for Badvo. The Badvo have had great support from people in their town and have already raised over £5k from their Crowdfunding campaign.

It’s not ready yet! But coming soon. Check out their Crowdfunding page on Indiegogo and their site  www.badvo.com

No. 7: Kirkjuvagr Gin

Twitter: @kirkjuvagr_gin

This tasty looking gin has just opened its doors. For many years there has been only one gin distillery on Orkney; at the end of this year we will have three.

The team at Kirkjuvagr worked closely with the Agronomy Institute of the UHI (University of the Highlands and Islands) to create a blend of local botanicals.

So what’s in the glass? There is local Angelica, Bere Barley, Borage, Ramanas Rose, Burnet Rose, as well as Calamondin citrus fruits grown in their green house. There are a lot of unusual botanicals in Kirkjuvagr, which will make it a quite unique Gin.

It’s great to see Kirkjuvagr are investing a lot in Orkney; they are going to open an artisan distillery, visitor centre and shop on Kirkwall’s Ayre Road, the official opening is planned for next spring.

The team at Kirkjuvagr tell me its incredibly smooth and can be sipped neat over ice with a piece of orange rind. Their "Perfect Serve" for Kirkjuvagr is Fever Tree tonic with a twist of orange peel.

Kirkjuvagr Gin will be distributed through specialist retailers later this year, with an online shop planned also.

The first ever batch of Kirkjuvagr is already sold out, but you can hear more about them on Twitter @kirkjuvagr_gin

No. 8 : Esker Gin

Twitter: @esker_spirits

Esker Gin is another brand new contribution to the North-East of Scotland gin scene. Husband and wife team Lynne and Steve Duthie have set up a gin still in their back garden.

After buying a copper still from Portugal, what was once a hobby has now evolved into a commercial venture, with their recent debut at the Taste of Grampian Food and Drink Exhibition being a breakthrough into the local Gin market.

So what do we get in the glass? Juniper, Heather, Rosehip, Peppercorn and Citrus. Esker Gin will also have Silver Birch Tree sap from tree in the local Kincardine Castle Estate. Esker will be the first Scottish Gin I know of to use Birch Tree sap in its recipe. It will give the Gin a refreshing sweetness; Birch Tree sap is renowned for its health-boosting properties.

The Team at Esker recommend serving with good quality tonic and orange zest.

Facebook.com/eskerspirits and Twitter @esker_spirits

No 9: Forth Bridge Gin

Twitter:   @forthbridgebrew

This is an exciting concept on a number of levels.

Similar to Eden Mill in St. Andrews, Forth Road plan to brew and distil a number of different types of alcohol; beer, whisky and gin.

It’s unique in its ambitious aims to become the UK’s first sustainable brewery & distillery.

They plan to do this by using spent grain waste as the main fuel source. Forth Bridge Brewery estimate by doing this they will save an estimated 28,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions in their first year. That is truly amazing. I'm sure their end product will be just as interesting.

This would be a great place to buy a gift for someone who wishes to invest in local businesses that take responsibility for the impact their trading has on the environment.

Well done to Forth Bridge Brewery to creating new benchmarks in corporate responsibility.

We can’t wait to try their Oak Aged Gin, which has been aged for 30 days and apparently tastes like a cross between whisky and gin.

You can find out more at fbbd.uk and their Twitter @forthbridgebrew there will be some products available for sale later in 2016.

No. 10: McQueen Gin

Twitter:   @mcqueengin

A brand new Premium Scottish Gin Producer based in Callendar, they have really set out to be authentic and different.

McQueen Gin has been going great guns after winning a grant of £10k from the ScotEdge Wildcard Fund.

The family-run business is seemingly determined to be trail-blazing in the ever-expanding world of Scottish Premium Gin.

Their Smoky Chilli Gin includes Bulgarian Juniper, Chipotle Chilli. Smoked Chilli, Chilli and Lime. This is quite an intriguing Gin; this is one of only two Scottish Gins that are made with chillis.

The Chocolate Mint Gin has Liquorice, Vanilla, Mint and Chocolate, and their Mocha Gin has Grapefruit, Vanilla, Chocolate and Coffee.

Their Sweet Citrus Gin includes Grapefruit, Lime, Kaffir Lime and Lemongrass in its recipe, sounds like it will be distinctive and refreshing.

Smoky Chillli Gin - Martini with Dry Vermouth, Chilli Flakes and Lime.

Chocolate Mint - Chocolate Mint Martini with Chocolate Liqueur and Mint.

Mocha - G & T with Fever Tree Mediterrean Tonic and Orange Peel

Sweet Citrus - G & T with Fever Tree Elderflower Tonic, Lemon and Strawberries.

At mcqueengin.co.uk and selected specialist retailers

Twitter:  @mcqueengin Instagram:  @mcqueengin

• Jayne is the founder of the The Gin Room Scotland and regularly writes about, samples and reviews Scotland's best gins.

You can follow her on Instagram here .

Quiz: Which Scottish gin best fits your personality?

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Made from 16 botanicals, each originating from a port visited by the Royal Yacht during her 44 years at sea.

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Scots distiller’s latest gin pays tribute to former royal yacht

A new gin created specially for HMY Britannia – the former royal yacht that has been turned into a tourist attraction moored in Edinburgh – has been launched by the city’s first exclusive gin distillery in more than 150 years.

Summerhall Distillery’s small-batch gin takes familiar Scottish botanicals of juniper, heather and bog myrtle as its Scottish link and marries them perfectly with a selection of botanicals from around the world: citrus, representing the Caribbean; eucalyptus leaves and lemon myrtle in a nod to the antipodes; Greek-inspired orris root; liquorice root reflecting the USA; angelica inspired by Norway; coriander representing northern Africa; Maltese-inspired Blood Orange; pepper inspired by India; cloves reflecting Burma; lotus root inspired by China; and, finally, rose petals to celebrate the yacht’s 1977 UK tour for the Queen’s Silver Jubilee.

The team responsible for Pickering’s Gin has painstakingly balanced the breadth of botanicals to create a citrus-led, sweet and slightly spicy gin that captures “a million nautical miles in a glass”.

The gin is sold on board the Britannia, online, and poured at events on the yacht – plus a limited number of bottles will also be available directly from Summerhall Distillery.

Marcus Pickering, co-founder of Summerhall Distillery, said: “We’re thrilled about our partnership with Britannia. It’s an iconic visitor’s attraction that draws people from all over the world to Edinburgh”.

Fellow co-founder Matt Gammell added: “To have a product of our distillery served on board the queen’s former floating palace is truly an honour.”

Britannia Gin is available now in 70cl and 5cl sizes for £35.99 and £5.99 respectively.

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The Royal Yacht Britannia : A History of Queen Elizabeth II’s Favorite Palace

By Lisa Liebman

The christening of The Royal Yacht Britannia serves as a cheeky season opener to  The Crown . Black-and-white Pathé News–style footage shows a soon-to-be-crowned Queen Elizabeth II (Claire Foy) cheered on by shipbuilders as she launches her new 412-foot yacht. “I hope that this brand-new vessel, like your brand-new queen, will prove to be dependable and constant. Capable of weathering any storm,” she says about the royal replacement for the  Victoria and Albert III . By the series’ season finale, set 44 years later, both the sovereign and the floating palace she christened  Britannia will have hit rough seas—the cost of repairing the creaky old vessel and the modern role of the monarchy both in question. Ultimately, the yacht that undertook 968 official voyages all over the world, hosting dignitaries—including 13 US presidents—at receptions and banquets, was dry-docked near Edinburgh, Scotland, where it continues to be a popular tourist attraction. Here are some of the most buoyant facts about the palace the Queen famously said was “the one place where I can truly relax.”

The sun room on the Royal Yacht Britannia as photographed in 1981. 

In a nod to the country’s post-war austerity, Elizabeth scaled back the design of the ship that her father, King George VI, had commissioned just two days before he died. Rather than following the opulent plan laid out by the Scottish firm McInnes Gardner & Partners, she opted for the understated elegance envisioned by architect Sir Hugh Casson, who described “running a lawn mower over the Louis XVIl adornments” in favor of simple white walls, lilac-gray carpeting, and “a bit of gilding in grand places.” Elizabeth and her husband, Prince Phillip, were said to have personally chosen the furniture—much of it, including linens, recycled from the  Victoria and Albert —fabrics (florals, chintz, toile), and paintings. 

Prince Charles and Princess Diana on board the Royal Yacht Britannia as they prepare to depart on their honeymoon cruise in 1981.

As a former Royal Navy Commander, Prince Phillip also saw to the ship’s technical details, and his Bluebottle racing yacht inspired the Britannia ’s navy-hued hull. Outer decks were made of two-inch Burmese teak. The steering wheel was reclaimed from Britannia ’s namesake, King Edward VII’s 1893 racing yacht; a wheelhouse wheel came from George V’s racing yacht; and a gold-and-white binnacle (housing the ship’s compass) was salvaged from King George III’s yacht and installed on the Veranda deck. Fittings from former royal ships were also reused. 

The drawing room on the Royal Yacht Britannia as photographed in 1978. 

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. The monarch often welcomed guests from the ship’s grand staircase. (Stairs leading from the Veranda to the Royal deck were sometimes transformed into a water slide for the kids.)  Britannia ’s apartments were designed like those of a first-class ocean liner. A 56-seat state dining room, where many of the gifts given to the monarch (a wood-carved shark from Pitcairn Island, a bejeweled gold statue from Bangkok) were displayed, was the scene of formal dinners with guests such as Sir Winston Churchill, Frank Sinatra, Nelson Mandela, and Bill and Hillary Clinton. More intimate gatherings were held in the Queen’s official reception room, a smaller state drawing room with floral upholstered pieces, simple wood tables, an electric fireplace, and a Welmar baby grand piano bolted to the deck—played by everyone from Sir Noël Coward to Princesses Diana and Margaret. The teak-clad sun lounge, with rattan furniture and a toile loveseat, was Elizabeth’s favorite place—where she had her breakfast, afternoon tea, and also enjoyed her favorite Dubonnet and gin cocktails.

The Queen’s sitting room on the Royal Yacht Britannia as photographed in 1981. 

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A ship elevator reserved for royal use moved between the Upper and Shelter Decks. The latter is where four Royal Apartments (bedrooms), including the Queen and Prince Phillip’s connecting compartments, were located. Hers featured florals, his had red accents. Elizabeth’s understated Upper Deck private sitting room, done in pastels and neutrals, served as the office where she conducted state business. Phillip used his sitting room, with its wood desk facing a model of his first command, the HMS Magpie , as his study. Below deck there was a wine cellar, as well as a cargo hold that could carry a barge, speed- and sailboats, plus a royal Range Rover and Rolls-Royce. The yacht could also be converted into a hospital (though it never was).

The Queen shed a tear at the decommissioning ceremony for thye Royal Yacht Britannia.

As depicted in  The Crown, Britannia ’s final official trip was to Hong Kong in 1997, where Prince Charles attended the handover of the territory to China. By then, Prime Minister Tony Blair’s administration was complaining that the £11 million a year needed to keep the boat afloat couldn’t be justified. With Queen Elizabeth, Prince Phillip, and all of their children in attendance,  Britannia was decommissioned at a ceremony in Portsmouth, England on December 11, 1997, with the monarch seen wiping away a tear. The yacht, now docked in Leith, Scotland, is open to the public as a museum and events space. (Prior to their wedding, Princess Anne and Mark Phillips’s daughter Zara Phillips and her fiancé Mike Tindall had a celebration there.) Visitors will note that every clock on board reads 3:01, the exact time the Queen disembarked her beloved  Britannia for the final time on that December day.

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UK ROYAL YACHT TO BE FLOATING GIN PALACE WITH ‘NATIONAL SECURITY ROLE’?

There are practical uses for a Royal Yacht, such as a hospital ship in times of war, though HMRY Britannia never performed that role. The UK does badly need to up its game in intelligence-gathering vessels, so the new idea floated of the proposed future national flagship adopting a ‘national security role’ – which means exactly what UK government? – might be a welcome development.

Though, of course, this could not be a Royal Yacht. If it was a ‘spy ship’ no nation would allow such a vessel come alongside anywhere near its key strategic zones. Its ports of call could be limited to out of the way places, such as coal wharves or remote oil jetties/container ports. Or just a buoy in an unremarkable harbour. Or denied access completely (most likely), which would hardly suit a defence diplomacy objective.

According to the Financial Times, which broke this latest angle in what is a long-running saga, the Ministry of Defence itself denies the successor to the Royal Yacht Britannia would be such a vessel – despite someone in high places mooting the ‘national security role’!?

Apparently, according to the FT, the MoD suggests the new vessel would only carry a standard fit of communication and security features, so not for intel-gathering. Therefore, what would the new vessel be about? A glorified Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) with extra bling? A floating gin palace Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) with the ability to refuel warships on the move? Or a palatial dry stores vessel?

The UK does need more OPVs, more RFA support vessels and sorely lacks ‘spy ships’ but not any that double as trade-promoting floating embassies (supposedly a major function of the future Royal Yacht). Apparently the idea of a ‘national security role’ is to get around World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules and regulations that prevent the UK from just awarding the contract to build a new Royal Yacht to a British yard.

If the future Royal Yacht is purely for civilian purposes then the contract to construct it must be open also to foreign shipyards. The ‘national security ruse’ is possibly to avoid the embarrassment of the UK’s high seas standard bearer being built by an overseas yard.

Confusion abounds with this project – after all such a future vessel is already meant to be operated by the Royal Navy anyway, so would not be ‘a civilian vessel’ anyway. According to the FT, whatever type of ship ends up being commissioned, it will not be capable of sailing up inland waterways to reach Paris, Berlin, Madrid, Moscow of Rome.

That’s a bit of an ermine-clad red herring. Not sure that any major vessel manages that feat these days, and while I did see the Royal Yacht Britannia go up the Caen Canal and have observed the Norwegian Royal Yacht manage that feat too, it is a rather short, straight waterway, well surveyed and dredged. Hopefully any future Royal Yacht will be able to safely visit St. Petersburg, Singapore, Sydney, New York, Lisbon, London et al? You know, well-known ports for large sea-going vessels.

For a debate on the pros and cons of a new Royal Yacht – and whether or not it would be better to just build an additional Type 26 frigate for the Royal Navy – give the new WARSHIPS IFR podcast a listen. On it our Editor, Iain Ballantyne, and Associate Editor Peter Hore discuss the future Royal Yacht and other naval topics.

You can find it by clicking here here., we also chat about a whole host of other topics, including ufo encounters between #naval vessels and aircraft..

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Royal Yacht Britannia

Queen Elizabeth once said that the Royal Yacht Britannia was the only place she could truly relax, and we’re inclined to agree. After 968 official voyages worldwide, which counted for over 1 million nautical miles to 135 countries, the Royal Yacht Britannia is now a tourist attraction just two miles from Edinburgh’s city centre. The Royal Yacht Britannia has been visited by several world-famous people, including Nelson Mandela and Winston Churchill, and potentially you too!

The floating palace of the British royal family is a sublime tourist attraction nestled near the Ocean Terminal Shopping Centre in Leith. With plenty of attractions to see within this royal household on the water, we’ll be breaking essential details to know and the top things to do on your visit. Sit tight and enjoy!

In This Post

Important Details to Know

Before you board Britannia and explore the royal halls, remember these important details to make your trip successful. Firstly, the Royal Yacht Britannia allows guide dogs on the premises, with special considerations for hearing and recognised assistance dogs.

The Royal Yacht Britannia is also a Class 1 Wheelchair Access, allowing for highly accessible wheelchair service without assistance.

How to Get There

You may be asking yourself, “Where is the Royal Yacht Britannia?”. Luckily, the Royal Yacht Britannia is located 20 minutes away from Edinburgh’s city centre , in the picturesque region of Leith. The Visitor Centre can be found on the second floor of the Ocean Terminal Centre and can be reached using a variety of transport methods.

The Royal Yacht Britannia is only a 20-minute drive from the city centre and a 40-minute drive if you’re arriving from Edinburgh Airport. From the city centre, follow the signs north towards Leith and then the signs for the Royal Yacht Britannia.

There is parking available within the Ocean Terminal Visitor Centre, with Level E the closest place to park. Free car parking and disability-access parking are available.

The Train Station near Royal Yacht Britannia is the Edinburgh Waverly Station. Further passage via car, tram, bike, or bus from the station is necessary to reach the attraction and visitor centre. You can also arrive in style on the Edinburgh Orient Express.

Edinburgh’s Lothian Bus Services can conveniently reach the Royal Yacht Britannia via the 10, 16, 34, and 35 lines. Ticket prices for the service vary, but generally, a single ticket costs £2, and a day ticket costs £5.

Opening Times

Opening times for the Royal Yacht Britannia vary throughout the year, but the attraction is generally open from 10:00 to 17:00, with longer hours during the summer months (April through September). Last admissions are two hours before closing time, so ensure you do not arrive afterwards to avoid disappointment.

Ticket Prices

Royal Yacht Britannia tickets for adults cost £19.50 per person, Child (5-17) tickets cost £9.25 per person, and Family Tickets cost £50.00 (2 Adults, up to 3 Children). Children under 5 enter for free.

It’s recommended that tickets be pre-booked online. Expect your tour through this visitor attraction to take about an hour and a half.

Attractions

Now that all the logistics and tickets are sorted, you can look forward to seeing why the Royal Yacht Britannia was voted the Best UK Attraction by Tripadvisor Travellers Choice in 2023. The Britannia Royal Yacht has 40 years of incredible history and unique insight to offer its visitors, with many of its features maintained precisely the same as when the royal family used it.

Here are the top attractions you should take the time to see when you visit Royal Yacht Britannia

Stop by the Visitor Centre First

Before setting foot on the mighty vessel, stop by the Royal Yacht Britannia Visitor Centre first! It’s located at the Ocean Terminal Shopping Centre, and has all the necessary information you’d need before hopping aboard the Britannia.

If you have any questions about the attraction, queries about your ticket, or want to know where the gift shop is, then this is the place to ask.

Tour Britannia’s Five Decks

The Royal Family were sailing in opulence aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia, and visitors can explore the five decks of the Royal Yacht Britannia interior and exterior to their heart’s content. There are countless things to see, but here are a few that you should not miss during your visit while aboard this racing yacht:

Explore the Sun Lounge

Welcome to Queen Elizabeth’s favourite room aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia, the Sun Lounge. The late Queen would often enjoy her breakfast and afternoon meals within the Sun Lounge because of its relative solitude and stunning views it grants. Admire the polished wood and blue hues as you relive the sights and sounds that made this location the Queen Mother’s favourite.

Fans of the show “The Crown” will likely remember this iconic room from the series, although no actual filming took place within the Sun Lounge.

Engine Room

One of the highlights of the Royal Yacht Britannia is undoubtedly the gleaming Engine Room, which has remained almost unchanged since its construction in 1953. For a nearly 75-year-old relic, you wouldn’t be faulted for believing that it’s brand new! The polished chrome, white enamel, and black steam turbines offer a unique industrial flair that can’t be seen anywhere else in the world.

You can imagine the hustle and bustle of the room, filled with hot steam and engineers making the mighty vessel cut through the seven seas to their next port. The Engine Room is an immersive and well-maintained part of the Britannia that you can’t miss while aboard.

Royal Deck Tearoom

Once you’ve explored the interior of Royal Yacht Britannia and have worked up an appetite, there’s no better place to sate it than the Royal Deck Tearoom. You can enjoy freshly baked cakes and scones alongside a selection of sandwiches and soups, all with a view out to Leith Harbour from the “Rolls Royce of Ships”.

The Royal Deck Tearoom also has a selection of exquisite teas for you to enjoy, including the Champagne Cream Tea! There’s something surreal about sipping tea where the Royal Family once played cards, an experience you can only enjoy from the Royal Deck Tearoom aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia, Edinburgh .

The Royal Deck Tearoom has limited capacity and is unable to take reservations or bookings, so guests should expect a first-come, first-served system. The Tearoom has wheelchair accessibility and is only available for those with an admissions ticket to the Royal Yacht Britannia.

Take an Audio Tour

You can learn about the fascinating history of the Royal Yacht Britannia through the attraction’s audio tour! Children especially will love the audio tour’s child-curated guide, which offers the chance to unleash their inner Captain and search the five decks of the Britannia for the Cuddly Corgis hidden away within.

For the adults, the audio tour will cover the Britannia’s history from its maiden voyage to the decommissioning ceremony that led it to be the attraction it is today. If you want additional insight and fun facts while exploring the ship, then the audio guide will be your best friend.

See the State Apartments

The State Apartments are another grand highlight of the tour within the Royal Yacht Britannia, featuring some of the world’s most iconic dining rooms, bedrooms, and staterooms. The list of important locations within the State Apartments should be shorter, but we’ve tried to cover the top sights to watch out for.

Firstly, the State Drawing Room. This atmospheric room has a lively energy, even when empty, and was host to the likes of Princess Margaret, Princess Diana, and Sir Noel Coward — who all loved playing the immaculate keys of the Welmar Baby Grand Piano that sits within the room.

The grandest room aboard the Britannia is the State Dining Room, whose guest list would make anyone’s jaw drop! The dining room has seen Churchill, Mandela, Clinton, and even Reagan. There are several easter eggs throughout the dining room, such as the giant whalebone that Prince Philip found on Deception Island or a wooden shark signed by the adults of Pitcairn Island.

In all their former glory, the State Apartments are the Royal’s bedrooms, including the Queen’s bedroom. While it may be tempting to jump into the bed and see what thread the Royal Family sleeps on, we ask you refrain from doing so, or the Royal Yachtsmen will be very upset with you.

Shop at the Royal Yacht Britannia Gift Shop

There’s nothing quite like some retail therapy to make you feel like a Royal after exploring the Britannia. Luckily, the gift shop aboard this royal vessel has terrific souvenirs to take home with you. There’s a little something for everyone, from miniature replicas of the Britannia to Royal paraphernalia and even Royal Navy equipment.

Enjoy Britannia’s Events

Throughout the year, the Royal Yacht Britannia comes alive with corporate and public events. You can purchase tickets during many of Scotland’s most famous holidays if you want to celebrate in an unparalleled setting. Live it up aboard Britannia during Hogmanay, Burns Supper, or Christmas — complete with live music, delicious food, and an unmatched atmosphere.

The Royal Yacht Britannia is also available for exclusive use, including private tours and events. This Royal ship is a magnificent setting for a reception or company year-end bash, so why not create a memorable place for your most important moments?

Interesting Facts About The Royal Yacht Britannia

What do you do to impress your friends and family with some interesting facts about the Royal Yacht Britannia during your visit? Remember these interesting facts and show off your Royal knowledge:

• The marvelous gold and white binnacle situated on the Britannia’s veranda is actually originally part of the HMY Royal George (which was named after King George VI) — Queen Victoria’s royal yacht!
• Below the silver-grey carpet within the State Dining Room is a lavish wooden dance floor, last used for Princess Anne’s lively 21st birthday celebration.
• King Charles (then Prince Charles) and Princess Diana spent their honeymoon cruise aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia in 1981.
• Prince Philip kept a model replica of the HMS Magpie in his office aboard the Britannia, the first royal navy ship he commanded.
• The beautiful and stately steering wheel at the ship’s helm was originally taken from the racing yacht HMY Britannia, which was built for King Edward VII in 1893. It’s one of the oldest parts of the ship!

Now that you’re well equipped with facts to tackle the Royal Yacht Britannia, why not book your trip to Scotland’s most beloved tourist attraction and enjoy its magnificence in person?

More Scottish Museums to Visit

• Black Watch Museum
• Camera Obscura & World of Illusions
• Edinburgh Writers Museum
• Glasgow Science Centre
• Highland Folk Museum
• Museum of Childhood
• Museum of Edinburgh
• Museum of the Isles
• Museum on the Mound
• National Mining Museum
• National Museum of Flight
• National War Museum
• People’s Palace
• Riverside Museum
• Scottish Crannog Centre
• Scottish Maritime Museum
• Shetland Museum & Archives
• St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art
• Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life
• Surgeons’ Hall Museum
• V&A Dundee

Graham Grieve

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Everything about tourist attractions

Royal Yacht Britannia – tickets, prices, discounts, afternoon tea, what to see

Royal Yacht Britannia used to be Queen Elizabeth’s Palace on Water and is now Scotland’s most popular tourist attraction. 

Known by many names such as Her Majesty’s Yacht Britannia, Queen Elizabeth’s Yacht ,  HMY Britannia, etc., this Yacht was in the Queen’s service for 44 years and sailed more than a million miles worldwide. 

It is a perfect opportunity to see how the British Queen lived when traveling with other Kings and Queens, World leaders, and celebrities. 

This article shares everything you must know before booking your tickets for the Royal Yacht Britannia tour.

Top Royal Yacht Britannia Tickets

# Royal Yacht Britannia tickets # Royal Edinburgh ticket

Table of contents

What to expect at yacht britannia, royal yacht britannia prices, royal edinburgh ticket, where is the royal yacht britannia, royal yacht britannia entrance, royal yacht britannia opening times, are the britannia tours timed, are the royal britannia tours guided, how long does a tour of britannia yacht take, royal britannia discounts, royal yacht britannia audio guide, royal deck tea room timings, 1. the state drawing room, 2. the verandah deck, 3. the sun lounge, 4. the state dining room, the engine room, the laundry, admiral’s cabin.

Here is a quick video on what visitors can expect inside Her Majesty’s Yacht Britannia.

Your Royal Britannia tour starts from the Visitor Centre, on the second floor of Ocean Terminal, where you get the historical background about the Royal Family and Yachtsmen.

You then pick up the audio guide, which is part of the entry ticket, and board Queen Elizabeth’s Yacht and explore five fascinating decks.

Highlights on the Yacht’s Royal side are the Sun Lounge, the State Dining Room, and The Queen’s Bedroom.

On the ship’s operational side, you get to see the Crew’s Quarters, the Engine Room, the laundry, etc.

More than 95% of the exhibits you will see during your tour are original and are taken on loan from The Royal Collection.

If you prefer, you can also visit the Royal Deck Tea Room.

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Royal Yacht Britannia tickets

This entry ticket gets you complete access to the Royal ship that’s now berthed in Edinburgh’s historic Port of Leith.

Visitors can explore all five decks at a leisurely pace even as they take in the public and private lives of the British Royal Family.

This ticket also includes the complimentary audio guide. 

Adult ticket (18+ years): 18.50 pounds Child ticket (5 to 17 years): 9.25 Pounds  Family ticket (2 adults and up to 3 children): 50 Pounds Infant ticket (under 5 years): Free entry

This combo is known as the 48-hour Royal Edinburgh Ticket and is a real money saver. 

If you are visiting Edinburgh for the first time, we highly recommend this Royal attractions combo. 

This ticket gets you to access three of the best attractions in the city:

• Royal Yacht Britannia
• Edinburgh Castle
• Palace of Holyroodhouse

And to top it all, you also get unlimited travel for 48 hours on three of Edinburgh’s hop-on-hop-off bus tours. 

Address:  Ocean Terminal, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6JJ, United Kingdom. Get Directions

The Royal Yacht Britannia is berthed in Leith, Edinburgh, just 2 miles from the City Centre.

Britannia’s Visitor Centre is on the second floor of Ocean Terminal, just 15 minutes’ drive from Edinburgh City Centre.

Ocean Terminal is soon going to be  re-branded  as Porta. 

There are many ways to get to the Royal Yacht. 

If you are coming by train, you must get down at  Edinburgh Waverley .

From outside the station, you can take a taxi to cover the 3.7 kms (2.3 miles) to Ocean Terminal. 

From the Waverly station, you can also take bus No. 22 and 34.

You must board the buses at  Princess Street (Stop PN) , and after 24 minutes and 27 stops, get down at  Ocean Terminal (Stop OF) .

There is a bus from the Station, every 15 minutes.

Lothian Bus services  run three buses – Bus No. 11, 22, and 35 – from Edinburgh City Centre to Ocean Terminal. 

You can purchase tickets on the bus by presenting the correct change or from the  Lothian Buses app .

A single journey on a Lothian Bus costs 1.70 Pounds. 

If you use Satnav, use the postcode EH6 6JJ. 

Else, open Google Maps to get  directions to Ocean Terminal .

If you prefer a taxi, we recommend  Uber ,  Central Taxis , or  City Cabs .

Car Parking

Royal Yacht Britannia offers free parking at Ocean Terminal.

Blue Car Park on Level E is closest to the tourist attraction’s Visitor Centre. 

This part of the Park also has spaces for Blue Badge holders. 

If you reach by foot, taxi, or bus, access to Royal Britannia is from the Ocean Terminal Shopping Center’s main entrance on the ground floor. 

You must take a lift to the 2nd floor of Ocean Terminal and walk towards the building’s East end.

You will first spot Debenhams and then HMY Britannia’s Visitor Center entrance.  Even though you can book tickets at the venue (the ticket desk is to the left of the visitor center entrance), it is better to  buy them online , much in advance, to avoid last-minute disappointment. 

During the peak months of April to October, Royal Yacht Britannia opens at 9.30 am, and the last entry is at 4.30 pm. 

The rest of the year, the Royal Yacht opens at 10 am, and the last entry is allowed till 3.30 pm. 

The last admission on 24 December is at 2.30 pm, and on 31 December it is at 3 pm. 

Royal Yacht Britannia is closed on 25 December and 1 January.

Royal Yacht Britannia tour

The Royal Yacht Britannia   tours are a perfect way to feel like a celebrity for a few hours. 

In this section, we share a few things you must know before you book your tour of the Royal ship. 

No, tours of HMY Britannia don’t start at a stipulated time. 

When you book your tickets, you only select the ‘date.’ 

On the day of your visit, reach the Royal ship between their opening hours to start exploring.

Her Majesty’s Yacht doesn’t offer guided tours. 

However, every ticket comes with an audio guide to walk around and tour the ship yourself.

Kids get their own version of the audio guide. 

You need at least two hours to explore Royal Yacht Britannia to satisfaction. 

However, if you plan to visit the Royal Deck Tea Room, you must factor in another 30 to 60 minutes. 

Visits during July and August tend to take longer because of the crowd. 

Kids up to four years get the maximum discounts at Britannia, Edinburgh – they get in for free. 

On the adult ticket price of 17 Pounds, children aged 5 to 17 years get almost 50% discount and pay only 8.75 Pounds.

Seniors who are 60+ and students with valid educational ID cards get a 2 Pound reduction on the full ticket.

People in the Armed Forces (with valid ID) can also claim the reduced price of 8.75 Pounds. 

However, this Armed Forces discount is available only at the Britannia ticket office.

Every Britannia Yacht entry ticket comes with a complimentary audio guide.

While receiving the audio guides at the Handset Desk, you can ask for straps to wear the audio guides around the neck. Headphones are also available.

Kids can opt for the children’s version of the audio guide.

The audio tour is available in 30 languages; English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Dutch, Finnish, Greek, Russian, Czech, Polish, Hungarian, Korean, Japanese, Urdu, Mandarin, Hindi, Arabic, Thai, Turkish, Cantonese, Punjabi, Portuguese-Brazilian, Welsh, Romanian and Gaelic. 

Besides the audio guide, visitor guides are also available through the tour route to help if you have questions.

Royal Yacht Britannia afternoon tea

The Royal Deck Tea Room is on board Britannia and tables are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

It is a perfect restaurant to enjoy freshly prepared food and stunning views of the harbor. 

The menu includes specialty coffees, cocktails, tasty soups, sandwiches, cakes, scones, etc.  Download Menu

The Royal Deck Tea Room has 35 tables and can seat 133 people.

During the peak months of April to October, the Royal Deck Team Room opens at 11 am, and the last admission is at 3.30 pm. 

January to March: Opens at 11 am, last admission at 3.30 pm

November to December: Opens at 10.30 pm, last admission at 3.45 pm

Royal Yacht Britannia interiors

Many tourists wonder what’s inside the Royal Yacht before they book their tickets. 

Some out of curiosity and some to know if a visit to Royal Yacht Britannia is worth it. 

We list below some of the highlights of this Palace on water. 

State Apartments

The State Apartments are the collection of rooms where the Royals lived or entertained their guests. 

The Royal family relaxed in the State Drawing Room whenever they traveled together. 

It also acted as a reception room for up to 250 guests. 

The Verandah Deck was a private space for the Royals, where they could sunbathe or enjoy quoits or deck hockey. 

This area of the ship also had a collapsible swimming pool for the Royal Family to splash around if they wanted.

The Sun Lounge was one of the Queen’s favorite rooms onboard HMY Brittania. 

The beautiful teak-lined room was a designated family room and offered a lot of privacy from the rest of the ship.

This massive dining room onboard Britannia has played host to the world’s most influential people, such as Nelson Mandela, Sir Winston Churchill, Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher, etc. 

With its white paneled walls adorned with gifts received during State visits, this room represents ultimate luxury. 

The Engine Room is a testament to British marine engineering skills because, until the ship got decommissioned in 1997, everything was working fine. 

This room is full of gleaming brass, chrome, and white enamel with the ‘heavy stuff’ under the hood pumping 12,000 horsepower, which would help Britannia and her four-bladed propellers to a maximum of 22.5 knots.  

Eight men operated the Engine Room, Boiler Room, and associated machinery rooms.

The 240 Officers and Yachtsmen on board Her Majesty’s Yacht Britannia sometimes had to change their uniforms up to six times a day. 

This is why it was the only ship in the Royal Navy to have a laundry service permanently on board. 

The laundry machines, dryers, and steam presses on the ship worked non-stop, and sometimes the temperature even went up to 48 degrees Celcius (118 degrees Fahrenheit)

The Admiral was responsible for Royal Yacht Britannia’s safe functioning and commanded the 19 officers and 220 Yachtsmen who operated the ship.

He worked, entertained, and often ate (he couldn’t join the other officers in their mess unless invited) in the Admiral’s Cabin. Image: Royalyachtbritannia.co.uk  

The Bridge was HMY Britannia’s center of command and control on all her journeys. 

From here, the officers reporting into the Admiral navigated, passed orders, recorded the logbooks, etc.

Back then, all Royal Navy ships had a Navy, Army, and Air Force Institute shop, known as the NAAFI. 

The crew members and the officers would shop for their daily needs, such as toothpaste, shaving creams, magazines, etc. in this shop. 

Sources # Royalyachtbritannia.co.uk # Architecturaldigest.com # Wikipedia.org # Tripadvisor.com The travel specialists at TheBetterVacation.com use only high-quality sources while researching & writing their articles. We make every attempt to keep our content current, reliable and trustworthy .

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Urvashi Goyal

She is a city fanatic who loves exploring different cities, understanding their culture, meeting people, and discovering hidden gems. She likes to holiday in offbeat places that mainstream tourists are yet to discover. When on holiday, she avoids crowded tourist traps. Favourite cities: Bern, Los Angeles, and San Francisco

Edited by Rekha Rajan & fact checked by Jamshed V Rajan

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The Comprehensive Guide to Moscow Nightlife

• Posted on April 14, 2018 July 26, 2018
• by Kings of Russia
• 8 minute read

Moscow’s nightlife scene is thriving, and arguably one of the best the world has to offer – top-notch Russian women, coupled with a never-ending list of venues, Moscow has a little bit of something for everyone’s taste. Moscow nightlife is not for the faint of heart – and if you’re coming, you better be ready to go Friday and Saturday night into the early morning.

This comprehensive guide to Moscow nightlife will run you through the nuts and bolts of all you need to know about Moscow’s nightclubs and give you a solid blueprint to operate with during your time in Moscow.

What you need to know before hitting Moscow nightclubs

Prices in moscow nightlife.

Before you head out and start gaming all the sexy Moscow girls , we have to talk money first. Bring plenty because in Moscow you can never bring a big enough bankroll. Remember, you’re the man so making a fuzz of not paying a drink here or there will not go down well.

Luckily most Moscow clubs don’t do cover fees. Some electro clubs will charge 15-20$, depending on their lineup. There’s the odd club with a minimum spend of 20-30$, which you’ll drop on drinks easily. By and large, you can scope out the venues for free, which is a big plus.

Bottle service is a great deal in Moscow. At top-tier clubs, it starts at 1,000$. That’ll go a long way with premium vodka at 250$, especially if you have three or four guys chipping in. Not to mention that it’s a massive status boost for getting girls, especially at high-end clubs.

Without bottle service, you should estimate a budget of 100-150$ per night. That is if you drink a lot and hit the top clubs with the hottest girls. Scale down for less alcohol and more basic places.

Dress code & Face control

Door policy in Moscow is called “face control” and it’s always the guy behind the two gorillas that gives the green light if you’re in or out.

In Moscow nightlife there’s only one rule when it comes to dress codes:

You can never be underdressed.

People dress A LOT sharper than, say, in the US and that goes for both sexes. For high-end clubs, you definitely want to roll with a sharp blazer and a pocket square, not to mention dress shoes in tip-top condition. Those are the minimum requirements to level the playing field vis a vis with other sharply dressed guys that have a lot more money than you do. Unless you plan to hit explicit electro or underground clubs, which have their own dress code, you are always on the money with that style.

Getting in a Moscow club isn’t as hard as it seems: dress sharp, speak English at the door and look like you’re in the mood to spend all that money that you supposedly have (even if you don’t). That will open almost any door in Moscow’s nightlife for you.

Types of Moscow Nightclubs

In Moscow there are four types of clubs with the accompanying female clientele:

High-end clubs:

These are often crossovers between restaurants and clubs with lots of tables and very little space to dance. Heavy accent on bottle service most of the time but you can work the room from the bar as well. The hottest and most expensive girls in Moscow go there. Bring deep pockets and lots of self-confidence and you have a shot at swooping them.

Regular Mid-level clubs:

They probably resemble more what you’re used to in a nightclub: big dancefloors, stages and more space to roam around. Bottle service will make you stand out more but you can also do well without. You can find all types of girls but most will be in the 6-8 range. Your targets should always be the girls drinking and ideally in pairs. It’s impossible not to swoop if your game is at least half-decent.

Basic clubs/dive bars:

Usually spots with very cheap booze and lax face control. If you’re dressed too sharp and speak no Russian, you might attract the wrong type of attention so be vigilant. If you know the local scene you can swoop 6s and 7s almost at will. Usually students and girls from the suburbs.

Electro/underground clubs:

Home of the hipsters and creatives. Parties there don’t mean meeting girls and getting drunk but doing pills and spacing out to the music. Lots of attractive hipster girls if that is your niche. That is its own scene with a different dress code as well.

What time to go out in Moscow

Moscow nightlife starts late. Don’t show up at bars and preparty spots before 11pm because you’ll feel fairly alone. Peak time is between 1am and 3am. That is also the time of Moscow nightlife’s biggest nuisance: concerts by artists you won’t know and who only distract your girls from drinking and being gamed. From 4am to 6am the regular clubs are emptying out but plenty of people, women included, still hit up one of the many afterparty clubs. Those last till well past 10am.

As far as days go: Fridays and Saturdays are peak days. Thursday is an OK day, all other days are fairly weak and you have to know the right venues.

The Ultimate Moscow Nightclub List

Short disclaimer: I didn’t add basic and electro clubs since you’re coming for the girls, not for the music. This list will give you more options than you’ll be able to handle on a weekend.

Preparty – start here at 11PM

Classic restaurant club with lots of tables and a smallish bar and dancefloor. Come here between 11pm and 12am when the concert is over and they start with the actual party. Even early in the night tons of sexy women here, who lean slightly older (25 and up).

The second floor of the Ugolek restaurant is an extra bar with dim lights and house music tunes. Very small and cozy with a slight hipster vibe but generally draws plenty of attractive women too. A bit slower vibe than Valenok.

Very cool, spread-out venue that has a modern library theme. Not always full with people but when it is, it’s brimming with top-tier women. Slow vibe here and better for grabbing contacts and moving on.

High-end: err on the side of being too early rather than too late because of face control.

Secret Room

Probably the top venue at the moment in Moscow . Very small but wildly popular club, which is crammed with tables but always packed. They do parties on Thursdays and Sundays as well. This club has a hip-hop/high-end theme, meaning most girls are gold diggers, IG models, and tattooed hip hop chicks. Very unfavorable logistics because there is almost no room no move inside the club but the party vibe makes it worth it. Strict face control.

Close to Secret Room and with a much more favorable and spacious three-part layout. This place attracts very hot women but also lots of ball busters and fakes that will leave you blue-balled. Come early because after 4am it starts getting empty fast. Electronic music.

A slightly kitsch restaurant club that plays Russian pop and is full of gold diggers, semi-pros, and men from the Caucasus republics. Thursday is the strongest night but that dynamic might be changing since Secret Room opened its doors. You can swoop here but it will be a struggle.

Mid-level: your sweet spot in terms of ease and attractiveness of girls for an average budget.

Started going downwards in 2018 due to lax face control and this might get even worse with the World Cup. In terms of layout one of the best Moscow nightclubs because it’s very big and bottle service gives you a good edge here. Still attracts lots of cute girls with loose morals but plenty of provincial girls (and guys) as well. Swooping is fairly easy here.

I haven’t been at this place in over a year, ever since it started becoming ground zero for drunken teenagers. Similar clientele to Icon but less chic, younger and drunker. Decent mainstream music that attracts plenty of tourists. Girls are easy here as well.

Sort of a Coyote Ugly (the real one in Moscow sucks) with party music and lots of drunken people licking each others’ faces. Very entertaining with the right amount of alcohol and very easy to pull in there. Don’t think about staying sober in here, you’ll hate it.

Artel Bessonitsa/Shakti Terrace

Electronic music club that is sort of a high-end place with an underground clientele and located between the teenager clubs Icon and Gipsy. Very good music but a bit all over the place with their vibe and their branding. You can swoop almost any type of girl here from high-heeled beauty to coked-up hipsters, provided they’re not too sober.

Afterparty: if by 5AM  you haven’t pulled, it’s time to move here.

Best afterparty spot in terms of trying to get girls. Pretty much no one is sober in there and savage gorilla game goes a long way. Lots of very hot and slutty-looking girls but it can be hard to tell apart who is looking for dick and who is just on drugs but not interested. If by 9-10am you haven’t pulled, it is probably better to surrender.

The hipster alternative for afterparties, where even more drugs are in play. Plenty of attractive girls there but you have to know how to work this type of club. A nicer atmosphere and better music but if you’re desperate to pull, you’ll probably go to Miks.

Weekday jokers: if you’re on the hunt for some sexy Russian girls during the week, here are two tips to make your life easier.

Chesterfield

Ladies night on Wednesdays means this place gets pretty packed with smashed teenagers and 6s and 7s. Don’t pull out the three-piece suit in here because it’s a “simpler” crowd. Definitely your best shot on Wednesdays.

If you haven’t pulled at Chesterfield, you can throw a Hail Mary and hit up Garage’s Black Music Wednesdays. Fills up really late but there are some cute Black Music groupies in here. Very small club. Thursday through Saturday they do afterparties and you have an excellent shot and swooping girls that are probably high.

Shishas Sferum

This is pretty much your only shot on Mondays and Tuesdays because they offer free or almost free drinks for women. A fairly low-class club where you should watch your drinks. As always the case in Moscow, there will be cute girls here on any day of the week but it’s nowhere near as good as on the weekend.

In a nutshell, that is all you need to know about where to meet Moscow girls in nightlife. There are tons of options, and it all depends on what best fits your style, based on the type of girls that you’re looking for.

Related Topics

• moscow girls
• moscow nightlife

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Restaurant-Yacht Chaika

Ratings and reviews, location and contact.

Pleasantly surprised, service is good so is the food. Great selection of Fusion food, a mixture of Italian, Japanese, European, Asian etc. A pleasantly nice dining experience, highly recommended, a must try!

Thank you for your feedback and invite you to have lunch or dinner again aboard the ship in an atmosphere of high standards of yacht hospitality.

everything was perfect - the food, the service, the desserts were the best, nice atmosphere and the location - magical

Best food, best view in Moscow. absolutely faultless from arrival to finish. Best risotto i had for many years absolutely perfectly cooked. The view on Ukrainian hotel and the white house by night is amazing

Had to wait for the food for 1.5 hours and then another 20 minutes for the check. Finally called for the manager and he offered... a 10% discount as a compensation. Simply pathetic! The food is mediocre at best. Not bad per se, but one... would expect something better considering the prices. There are many places to eat in area that are much better. Avoid this one at all costs. More

Hello, Alexander Your comment is extremely important for us, thank you a lot for it. We are terribly sorry for your time that you`ve spent waiting your order and we have already taken actions to improve quality of our service and it would be realy... More

Food is very expensive,very pretentious, doesn't worth that money. Portions are very small. We ordered ravioli and there were 4! Four raviolis! For almost 15 euros. Then we asked to bring us dessert menu but nothing, they didn't even bothered, so we payed and left... without dessert. Very poor service for that price. More

This is a very good restaurant. The food is really good, maybe the best in Moscow. The service is also good. The view from the restaurant is great. The prices are very high.

I often visit this restaurant and must say it’s one of the best in Moscow in terms of quality and service. Staff really try hard to make sure that you are happy and satisfied. Customer service is a huge problem in Moscow but Chaika sets... a great example for others in the industry! Food is delicious and the menu has lots of options for everyone! Atmosphere is great and view is beautiful on the embankment. Special thanks to German & Oleg! More

Thank you for your feedback! Again aboard the yacht restaurant "Chaika" in accordance with the high standards of yacht hospitality.

Highly recommended, great location in the city center of Moscow with a superb atmosphere. Too many menu choices, though all delicious!

Thx a lot for your review! We are looking forward to see you in our restaurants.

Visited this lovely restaurant with a friend of mine. It was relaxingly warm August evening - so the place on the river seemed like a good idea. We came quite early and the restaurant was not full. The hostesses kindly offered several places to sit... and we chose to sit on the sofas. We had some wine, which was good. We struggled a bit when deciding about the food as few options (scallops) were not available. Fish on ice on display did not look very fresh. To be honest it was an unusually hot August and it is probably understandable that some see food options were not available. However, we did manage to order something and sat waiting and looking onto the river. My long-legged friend struggled sitting at the low sofa and the manager noticed that, offering as a very good, proper table beside the open window. It was nice touch and I was very pleased by their polite observations and immediate reaction to solve the problem. Food was quite good and presentation was perfect. Perhaps I can something about the food, but 1 visit is not enough to criticize or make a definitive opinion. Overall, quality place, which of course, does not come cheap. I would recommend this restaurant without hesitation. More

Good afternoon! Thank you for your detailed feedback! We are looking forward to seeing you again, we are sure that you will be delighted with our dishes!

I've been here several times during two business trip in Moscow. The overall quality for both service and food is absolutely top-notch, plus the location is very unique.

Hello! Thank you for your feedback! We are looking forward to visiting again!

Located on a boat at Krasnopresenskaya River Bank this 5 Star Restaurant transforms into a party location due to multiple groups hosting events. Impressive wine selection, Asian and European kitchen...

Thx a lot! We are waiting for you!

It is a nice place to gather specially at the lounge The service and staff very good I like the river view The food is almost like all restaurants in Russia they serve different cuisine. Staring Russian appetizer till Asian dishes Presentation and taste amazing... I consider it overpriced little bit More

Good location. Nice views. Good choice of food and drinks. European and Asian menu. Nice service. Pricey enough.

Had a large group dinner here. Food was above average and service quite good. The real attraction is the view of Moscow from the river on a nice night. Great place for a larger group dinner. More

Hello, John We are really pleased by reading that you and your friends were satisfied by our service, client`s experience is the highest value for us. We will be happy to see you again, come and enjoy some new dishes from our chef and nice... More

The luxurious atmosphere of this place, the view and the location make it quite outstanding. We had dinner here with friends and the dishes were amazing, accompanied by a chilled bottle of Chablis, it really made me feel as if it was a part of... the classic Russian movie. More

RESTAURANT-YACHT CHAIKA, Moscow - Presnensky - Menu, Prices & Restaurant Reviews - Tripadvisor

• Service: 4.5
• Atmosphere: 4.5