Palace of Holyroodhouse: Edinburgh Travel Guide (4.6★)

Where the Royal Mile runs out

The Royal Mile ends at a set of gates. You’ve walked downhill from Edinburgh Castle past kilt shops and closes, and then the street simply stops at wrought iron, a forecourt and a grey stone palace with round towers on its northwest corner.

Across the road sits the Scottish Parliament, all concrete and timber, finished in 2004. Behind the palace, the slopes of Holyrood Park climb toward Arthur’s Seat. Few royal residences sit this close to both a working parliament and an extinct volcano.

This is the monarch’s official home in Scotland, and it still hosts state occasions. The Royal Collection Trust runs it. That explains the polish of the visit and also why it sometimes closes without much notice.

The State Apartments: Charles II’s idea of Scotland

Most of what you see dates from the 1670s. Charles II had the palace rebuilt by the architect Sir William Bruce, who wrapped a classical courtyard around the older Tudor-era tower. Your route goes up the Great Stair into a run of formal rooms.

Look out for:

• The Throne Room, still used for receptions and investitures
• The Morning Drawing Room, with its ornate plaster ceiling and tapestries
• The Great Gallery, the longest room in the palace, lined with portraits of Scottish monarchs painted by Jacob de Wet in the 1680s

The Great Gallery has a well-known quirk. De Wet painted many of the early kings with no real likeness to copy, so a lot of them are invented faces, and quite a few look alike. Spot the family resemblance as you walk the length of the room.

Up the narrow stair to Mary, Queen of Scots

This is the part most visitors come for. Mary’s chambers sit in the James V Tower, the oldest part of the palace, built in the 1530s. You reach them by a tight spiral stair, which is a sharp change from the grand apartments.

The rooms are small, low and wood-panelled. In 1566 Mary’s private secretary, David Rizzio, was dragged from her supper room and stabbed to death by conspirators including her husband, Lord Darnley. Mary was pregnant at the time.

A plaque marks the spot where tradition says he died. For centuries guides pointed out a “bloodstain” on the floorboards. Whether it’s genuine matters less than how small these rooms feel: the whole murder happened within a few steps.

Holyrood Abbey, the garden and the hill

The tour ends outdoors. Holyrood Abbey stands roofless beside the palace, founded by David I in 1128, and the palace grew out of its guest house. Its Gothic arches are open to the sky, and Scottish royal burials lie inside.

The palace garden usually opens in the warmer months. Look for the view of Salisbury Crags above the walls. Across the road, the Queen’s Gallery hosts changing exhibitions from the Royal Collection. It’s ticketed separately, so check what’s on.

If you still have legs left, Holyrood Park starts right behind you. The path up Arthur’s Seat is a proper climb of an hour or more, so leave it until after the palace.

Getting to the foot of Canongate

Walking is easiest, and it’s all downhill from the Old Town.

• From Edinburgh Waverley station: about 15–20 minutes via the Royal Mile, or a flatter route along Calton Road
• From Edinburgh Castle: around a mile straight down the Royal Mile, 20–30 minutes if you stop to look in closes
• By bus: Lothian Bus 35 runs along Canongate to the palace. Buses take contactless payment.

Parking nearby is scarce and the streets are narrow, so leave the car elsewhere.

Timing around the crowds and the royals

Weekends get crowded. Saturday and Sunday are busiest from 10am to 5pm, which covers almost the whole day, and that’s when queues build at the entrance and the stair up to Mary’s rooms backs up.

At the moment the palace opens 9:30am–6pm on Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and is closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Days and times change through the year, so check the official Royal Collection Trust site for this month’s schedule. A weekday visit starting at 9:30am is the best way to avoid the weekend crush.

The bigger issue is royal residence. The palace closes to visitors when the royal family is staying, most famously for Holyrood Week around late June and early July, and for other official events. Check closure dates before you book, especially in summer.

Tickets, audio guides and palace manners

Book a timed ticket online ahead of time. In summer and during the August festivals, same-day slots can sell out. Current prices are listed on the Royal Collection Trust website.

What to expect once you’re in:

• Security check at the entrance, with bag screening, so pack light
• Multimedia guide included with entry. Pick it up at the start, because it carries most of the room-by-room story.
• Photography is restricted inside the State Apartments, so follow the signs in each room. You can usually photograph the forecourt and the abbey.
• One-way route: staff keep you moving in one direction, so you can’t easily go back to a room. Linger where you want to linger.

The spiral stair to Mary’s chambers is narrow and gets busy. Let people come down before you head up, and don’t stop halfway for photos. Visitors with limited mobility should ask staff about access before starting, as the historic tower has limited step-free access.

Allow time at the end for the abbey, since many people rush it. Once you leave through the exit, you’re right by the Queen’s Gallery and the bottom of Holyrood Park, so you can pick your next stop.