Processing your payment

Headout logo. Link to home.
Help
Landmarks

Palace of Holyroodhouse Entry Tickets

Visitors entering Mary Queen of Scots Bedchamber at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
Kings Bedchamber with ornate canopy bed and tapestries at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
Mary Queen of Scots Bedchamber with ornate canopy bed and paintings at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
Palace of Holyroodhouse exterior with stone towers and courtyard in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Explore at your pace

Choose your entry time, stay as long as you like

Free cancellation

Free cancellation up to 36 hours before the start of your experience

Book now, pay later

Book now without paying anything. Cancel for free if your plans change.

Audio guide

Enhance your experience with multilingual audio guide

4.5/5

(5,058)

Elaine H

Couple
Verified booking
3 days ago
The staff were exceptional. Polite, attentive and very helpful, as I was using a mobility scooter. The palace is beautiful, even on a cold wet day. Our Satnav instructions went rather awry and sent us on a goose chase and I was worried that we had missed our time slot but we were made welcome. Love Holyrood, love Scotland

Beth M

Couple
Verified booking
5 days ago
Highly recommend holyrood palace lovely experience. Using the ticket/ vouchers from headout were easy and quick. Its a lovely small palace/ house with great interesting history and excellent audio guides.

Dorothy S

Couple
Verified booking
3 weeks ago
This was a beautiful, Beautiful palace... so fun to visit an active Royal House. I loved the self-guided, audio tours. They were very informative and allowed each one of us to go at one's own pace. Thank You! I would have lived more details about the Abbey, perhaps a printed handout. I struggle with walking....the grounds were long, lengthy and not intuitive how to exit without walking its whole distance. To add interest... naming plants, reasons they were chosen .... ? All was well maintained and beautiful... just long for my old tired and sore feet.

Emma P

Couple
Verified booking
Last week
The audio guide was brilliant and guided you thorugh the palace perfectly - it was nice to hear about the palace, its previous inhabitants and get an insight into Scottish history. As a lover of Tudor history it was a perfect end to our visit to Edinburgh to see where Mary Queen of Scots lived and was so badly mistreated by her noblemen and husband. Fabulous place, perfectly preserved and well worth a visit

Kirsty M

Family
Verified booking
2 weeks ago
A must-do attraction in Edinburgh that is great for kids too!! The audio guide is very helpful and I love that it has a child version as this kept my daughter entertained for the whole visit- she loved learning about the history of this place!! Thank you to the polite helpful staff here, you make this a wonderful attraction!

Karen J

Solo
Verified booking
2 weeks ago
The guide was wonderful and a great story teller. The history of the royal succession is fascinating. The palace is spectacular. Well worth the price and I might come again with friends!
    • Enjoy full access to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the official Scottish home of the British monarch, located at the end of Edinburgh’s famous Royal Mile.

    • Wander through the hauntingly beautiful ruins of 12th-century Holyrood Abbey, steeped in almost 900 years of religious and royal history.

    • Enhance your visit with complimentary multimedia guides and printed guidebooks, available with select ticket options.

    • Opt for a digital palace guidebook, an Edinburgh city audio guide, a guided tour, or 48 hours of hop-on hop-off bus travel and entry to Edinburgh Castle and The Royal Yacht Britannia.

    • Entry to Palace of Holyroodhouse

    • Multimedia guide in English, Brazilian Portuguese, French, Gaelic, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, Russian and Spanish

    Additional paid upgrades:

    • Digital guidebook

    • Edinburgh city audio guide

    • 2-hour exclusive guided tour

    • Expert English-speaking guide

    • 48-hour access to 3 City Tours

      • Edinburgh Tour

      • Regal Tour

      • CitySightseeing Edinburgh

      • Live English commentary on the Edinburgh Tour

      • Audioguide on the CitySightseeing bus and the Regal Tour in 9 languages

    • Entry to Edinburgh Castle

    • Entry to The Royal Yacht Britannia

    • Transport

    • Food and drink

  • You can cancel these tickets up to 36 hours before the experience begins and get a full refund.

  • 5,058 reviews

    How do we collect reviews?

    These ratings include verified reviews from both Headout guests and our trusted partners who operate this experience locally. All reviews come from real travelers who've taken this experience.

    3.7K
    955
    72
    44
    275
    United States
    Spain
    Italy
    France
    Canada
    Australia
    Germany
    Hungary
    Switzerland
    Netherlands
    United States
    Spain
    Italy
    France
    Canada
    Australia
    Germany
    Hungary
    Switzerland
    Netherlands
    Guests from United States, Spain, Italy and over 52 countries have loved this experience

    What our guests say

    Elaine H

    Couple
    Verified booking
    3 days ago
    The staff were exceptional. Polite, attentive and very helpful, as I was using a mobility scooter. The palace is beautiful, even on a cold wet day. Our Satnav instructions went rather awry and sent us on a goose chase and I was worried that we had missed our time slot but we were made welcome. Love Holyrood, love Scotland

    Robin L

    Couple
    Verified booking
    Yesterday
    Very hospitable staff. Provided taxi service to the top of the castle for my husband and me due to mobility scooter not able to navigate cobblestone surfaces. This made it possible for us to enjoy viewing this magnificent castle. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit.

    Beth M

    Couple
    Verified booking
    5 days ago
    Highly recommend holyrood palace lovely experience. Using the ticket/ vouchers from headout were easy and quick. Its a lovely small palace/ house with great interesting history and excellent audio guides.

    Celine B

    Family
    Verified booking
    Yesterday
    The warm welcome, exploring the grounds with an audio guide, the exhibits, the beauty of each room—which blends history with modern life—and the magnificent park.

    Estelle M

    Family
    Verified booking
    3 days ago
    Very enjoyable visit. Loved the Abbey and all the history in the building. Highly recommend
  • Step into royal history with entry to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, The King’s official residence in Scotland.

    Getting started

    Begin with your entry ticket to the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Just present your voucher at the entrance and enjoy direct access to centuries of royal history.

    What to expect

    Palace of Holyroodhouse

    Discover this working royal palace nestled at the end of Edinburgh’s historic Royal Mile. From State Apartments to the haunting ruins of Holyrood Abbey, explore the historic site that played a central role in Scotland’s monarchy, once home to Mary, Queen of Scots and still used by the royal family today.

    Features:

    • State Apartments: Tour grand rooms with elaborate plasterwork, historic furnishings, and elegant tapestries still used for official functions today.

    • Holyrood Abbey: Stroll through the atmospheric ruins of this 12th-century abbey, once a major religious centre in medieval Scotland.

    • Multimedia guide: Enjoy an included multimedia guide that brings the Palace’s rich history and royal stories to life through engaging audio and visuals.

    Extras

    • Digital guidebook: Get a high-quality digital guidebook for a more immersive dive into the Royal Collection.

    • Edinburgh audio guide: Get a self-guided Edinburgh city audio tour to explore the capital’s landmarks after your visit with expert city narration, perfect for those who want to discover the secrets of the Old Town on foot at their own pace.

    • Guided tour: Join a 2-hour English guided tour with an expert and learn about the palace's history without the crowds.

    • Royal Edinburgh Ticket: Upgrade to a 48-hour sightseeing experience including:

      • Edinburgh Castle: Visit the hilltop fortress home to the Crown Jewels and the Stone of Destiny.

      • Royal Yacht Britannia: Step aboard this former floating palace, now docked in Leith, and explore its State Apartments and royal quarters.

      • Hop-on Hop-off bus pass: Enjoy unlimited travel for 48 hours on three major sightseeing tours—Edinburgh Tour, Regal Tour, and CitySightseeing Edinburgh—with onboard commentary and stops near major attractions.

  • Edinburgh Castle

    Monday9:30am - 6:00pmlast entry 5:00pm
    Tuesday9:30am - 6:00pmlast entry 5:00pm
    Wednesday9:30am - 6:00pmlast entry 5:00pm
    Thursday9:30am - 6:00pmlast entry 5:00pm
    Friday9:30am - 6:00pmlast entry 5:00pm
    Saturday9:30am - 6:00pmlast entry 5:00pm
    Sunday9:30am - 6:00pmlast entry 5:00pm

    Palace of Holyroodhouse

    Monday9:30am - 6:00pmlast entry 4:30pm
    TuesdayClosed
    WednesdayClosed
    Thursday9:30am - 6:00pmlast entry 4:30pm
    Friday9:30am - 6:00pmlast entry 4:30pm
    Saturday9:30am - 6:00pmlast entry 4:30pm
    Sunday9:30am - 6:00pmlast entry 4:30pm
  • What's not allowed

    Palace of Holyroodhouse

    • Bags larger than 45cm × 20cm × 30cm are not allowed in this experience.

    • Due to venue restrictions, pets cannot tag along for this experience.

    • Photography is strictly not allowed inside the State Apartments.

    • Smoking, including e-cigarettes, is not permitted in the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

    • In consideration of other visitors, mobile phones must be switched off inside the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

    Accessibility

    Palace of Holyroodhouse

    • This experience is wheelchair and pram/stroller accessible, except in some parts of Mary, Queen of Scots' rooms.

    • Your guide dogs are welcome at the venue.

    • Concessionary rates for disabled visitors and a complimentary companion ticket are only available to book directly with Royal Collection Trust.

    Royal Edinburgh Ticket

    • Only parts of Edinburgh Castle are wheelchair accessible. The Royal Yacht Britannia experience and the Hop-on Hop-off buses are wheelchair accessible.

    • Mobility scooters are allowed if they can be folded and stored as luggage.

    • Your guide dogs and pet dogs are welcome aboard.

    Additional information

    Palace of Holyroodhouse

    • As the Palace of Holyroodhouse is a working royal palace, security and opening arrangements may be subject to change at short notice.

    • You may be subject to security checks. Some items may have to be checked in and reclaimed at the end of your visit.

    • For safety and security reasons, a one-way route operates inside the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

    • The palace is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

    • Last admission time is 3:15pm.

    • Under 5s must be booked with a paid ticket.

    Royal Edinburgh Ticket

    • This ticket guarantees entry to the Castle during the 48-hour validity of the tour; it does NOT guarantee entry on the day that the ticket is purchased. The last entry slot for the Castle is 2:30pm.

    • Children aged 15 and under must be accompanied by an adult or senior citizen during their visit.

    • You can board your Hop-on Hop-off bus anytime between 9am to 6pm and visit the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh Castle, and the Royal Yacht Britannia within 48 hours.

    • First departure from Stop 1 at 8:45am and last departure from Stop 1 at 6pm. Please click here for detailed route maps and boarding points.

    • Kids go free! Up to 3 kids can travel for free per adult ticket. Child tickets must be added to the basket when purchasing tickets.

    • Your voucher will be emailed to you instantly.

    • Display the voucher on your mobile phone with a valid photo ID at the meeting point.

    Redemption Point

    • Show your ticket at Palace of Holyroodhouse.

    • Address: Canongate, Edinburgh EH8 8DX, United Kingdom..

    Get Directions to the Meeting Point

Similar experiences you'd love

Free cancellation
Visitors walking near the Ross Fountain with Edinburgh Castle in the background.
Guided Tours
Edinburgh Castle Guided Tour
from
£31.20
Edinburgh Castle Guided Tour. Rated 4.9 out of 5 from 75 ratings.From £31.20
Free cancellation
Red double-decker bus on Edinburgh Hop-On Hop-Off Tour near historic stone building.
Hop-on Hop-off Tours Edinburgh
City Sightseeing: Edinburgh Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour
£20
City Sightseeing: Edinburgh Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour. Rated 4.4 out of 5 from 784 ratings.From £20
Free cancellation
King's Gallery entrance with ornate wooden doors and stone facade in Edinburgh.
Landmarks
The King's Gallery at the Palace of Holyroodhouse Tickets
£11
The King's Gallery at the Palace of Holyroodhouse Tickets. Rated 4.5 out of 5 from 2665 ratings.From £11
Free cancellation
Tour guide leading a group through a historic alley on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh.
Walking Tours
Edinburgh Castle & Royal Mile Guided Walking Tour
£49
Edinburgh Castle & Royal Mile Guided Walking Tour . Rated 5 out of 5 from 10 ratings.From £49
Free cancellation
Guide leading a group through Blair Street Underground Vaults.
Guided Tours
Edinburgh: After-Dark Ghostly Night Walking Tour
£31
Edinburgh: After-Dark Ghostly Night Walking Tour. Rated 4.3 out of 5 from 1014 ratings.From £31

How Headout makes choosing experiences effortless

We curate the best ways to experience

We research and organise all unique experiences - from tickets to tours to special combos - so you get all the choices without the clutter.

We partner with the best

Every supplier is vetted for quality, reliability, and value so you only get top rated experiences. No surprises, no disappointments.

All the best options, in one place

Each experience is thoughtfully organised to give you maximum availability, great value and an easy way to choose.

Book with complete peace of mind

Free cancellations, Flexible payments, and 24/7 support - thoughtfully designed for flexibility, assurance, and total peace of mind.

1/4

Slide 1 of 4
We curate the best ways to experience
We partner with the best
All the best options, in one place
Book with complete peace of mind
Download app section background

We've served 49 million+ guests and we are here for you

49 million+

Happy customers across 10,000+ experiences

In the media

Featured and recommended by the best brands

24 x 7 help center

Have a question? Live chat with local experts anywhere, anytime