CityBuddy
Palace of Holyroodhouse (Holyrood Palace)
Best time to visit
Visit early morning or late afternoon on weekdays for smaller crowds and better light for photos; summer offers longer opening hours and the palace gardens at their best.
Budget tips
Paid entry for most visitors, children under 5 are usually free; book tickets on the Royal Collection Trust website to save a small online discount and avoid queues, and consider a Royal Collection membership if you plan to visit other royal sites.
Recommended for
History buffs, Royal history fans, Architecture lovers, Photography enthusiasts
Plan your visit
1-2 hours
About
Quick facts: Stone walls and ceremonial state rooms shine with gold leaf and tapestries, giving tourists a vivid, tactile sense of royal ceremony while ruined abbey arches peek into manicured gardens. Whispered tales of a turbulent 16th-century queen linger in the private chambers, and the rooms still host official royal events and visiting heads of state.
Highlights: Upon entering the Great Gallery, your eyes are immediately drawn to 96 nearly life-size oil portraits of Scottish kings, each adorned with crimson and ermine and painted in the 17th century. The room feels like a sparkling roll call of rulers beneath a gilded ceiling. In the Queen's bedchamber, you can still feel the silence of 1566 when David Rizzio was murdered before Mary, Queen of Scots. This story is quietly shared while visitors notice the creaking old floorboards and faint scent of beeswax on the sash windows.
Insider tips
- Wear comfortable shoes, the State Apartments and Abbey involve steps and uneven stone floors.
- Head straight to the Great Gallery and the throne room on arrival to photograph them before larger tour groups arrive.
- Skip the audio guide if short on time, palace labels are informative and guided tours cover the main stories.
- Combine the visit with a short walk up the Royal Mile or Arthur's Seat for dramatic exterior views and to escape the busiest spots.
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