Combos

Combo (Save 5%): Edinburgh Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour + Palace of Holyroodhouse Tickets

Family enjoying City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off bus tour in Edinburgh.

Red double-decker bus on Edinburgh Hop-On Hop-Off Tour near historic stone building.

Palace of Holyroodhouse facade with central fountain, Edinburgh, Scotland.

Dining room inside Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh, with ornate decor and portraits.

Opens Thursday

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

Audio guide

Enhance your experience with multilingual audio guide

4.5/5

(5,778)

Dorothy

Mar 2026

Verified booking

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.

Jackie

Mar 2026

Verified booking

Although it was a bit blustery, we enjoyed our first visit to Holyrood Palace and Abbey. The audio tour guide was easy to use and quite informative. One of the indoor highlights of the tour was the room with the purported blood stain marking Rizzio's place of death near Mary Queen of Scots bedchamber. Ah, intrigue! The grounds next the Palace and the Abbey ruins were a delight to walk through with the presence of early spring flowers. Overall, the Holyrood Palace self-guided tour was an informative and pleasing way to spend part of our day visiting Edinburgh.

Luis

Jan 2026

Verified booking

At first, I was surprised that the email didn't contain a QR code or barcode ticket like other apps, but when I arrived at the entrance, I went to the ticket counter and showed them my reservation number and company name, and they gave me the tickets. As a suggestion, it would be nice if they enabled virtual tickets so you don't have to queue to get your ticket, but other than that, it's great. I recommend it.

Jonathan

Feb 2026

Verified booking

The audio guide for children was great - specifically (and in contrast to similar audio guides elsewhere, in world) the audio guide was EASY to follow (pictures / order of rooms on guide made this intuitive for children) and each audio clip was SUCCINCT - ie detailed enough to teach them something / enhance their experience, yet short enough to maintain their attention.

Richard

Jan 2026

Verified booking

Fabulous and well curated experience. Audio guide was very good and staff super helpful. I would highly recommend this attraction. You can race through it in around about an hour which i had intended to do but as it was so good I ended up staying there well over two hours and if it had been a little warmer would have spend more time visiting the grounds.

Kirsty

Jan 2026

Verified booking

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!

Snap up this smart combo to save money! Hit Edinburgh’s top sights on a bus tour and enjoy a Holyrood Palace visit with a drop off right at its doorstep!

Zip around Edinburgh on a 24-hour hop-on hop-off bus adventure with 15 stops near all the big hits like Edinburgh Castle, with a bus every ten minutes.

Kids ride for free and listen to hilarious audio tales, while you enjoy the sights with audio guides in your language; it's a win for everyone.

Get dropped off a stone's throw from the magnificent Palace of Holyroodhouse for your chance to wander the King's stunning Scottish home.

Tread the very same floors as Mary, Queen of Scots, and the eclectic State Apartments, while listening to the palace's thrilling, centuries-old secrets.

24-hour unlimited hop-on hop-off pass by City Sightseeing

Access to Red Route

Audio guide in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Chinese, Portuguese, and Russian

Kids' commentary on Horrible Histories'

Headphones

Free kids' tickets

Entry to the Palace of Holyroodhouse (near Stop #7 Holyrood on Red route)

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

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

5,778 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.
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Guests from United States, France, Spain and over 58 countries have loved this experience
What our guests say
Dorothy
Mar 2026
Verified booking
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.
Jackie
Mar 2026
Verified booking
Although it was a bit blustery, we enjoyed our first visit to Holyrood Palace and Abbey. The audio tour guide was easy to use and quite informative. One of the indoor highlights of the tour was the room with the purported blood stain marking Rizzio's place of death near Mary Queen of Scots bedchamber. Ah, intrigue! The grounds next the Palace and the Abbey ruins were a delight to walk through with the presence of early spring flowers. Overall, the Holyrood Palace self-guided tour was an informative and pleasing way to spend part of our day visiting Edinburgh.
Maria
Mar 2026
Verified booking
The audio guide is very good and the place is worth visiting. The worst part was the lady at the entrance who checked bags and had little patience despite seeing that we didn't understand what she was saying.
Vanessa
Mar 2026
Verified booking
The palace is very beautiful as well as historically significant. The gardens are gorgeous. Too bad that you are not allowed to take pictures inside.
Neil
Mar 2026
Verified booking
Was a little uncertain how the voucher worked however the entry staff sorted us out quickly and we enjoyed our tour of the palace

Double the delight for less! Enjoy a money-saving deal on a hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus tour through Edinburgh’s top attractions and a regal day out at the Holyrood Palace.

Edinburgh Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour

This hop-on hop-off route whisks you through Edinburgh’s best bits, blending grand Georgian streets with quirky old-town vibes and royal showstoppers. Kick off at Waterloo Place and St. Andrew Square, roll down lively Lothian Road, soak up the buzz of Grassmarket, wander past storybook closes on Lawnmarket and John Knox House, then end big at Holyrood’s palaces and the space-age Our Dynamic Earth.

Schedule

First bus: 8:45am from stop #1 Waterloo Place

Last bus: 6pm from stop #1 Waterloo Place

Frequency: Every 10 minutes

Popular stops: Waterloo Place, St. Andrew Square, Holyrood, Our Dynamic Earth

Please click here for the detailed route map and boarding points.

You can join a tour at any stop and hop on and off for the duration of your ticket.

Palace of Holyroodhouse

At the foot of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile rises the majestic Palace of Holyroodhouse, Scotland’s royal residence for over five centuries and still the setting for important state occasions. Inside, you’ll uncover Mary, Queen of Scots’ dramatic chambers, the opulent State Rooms, and the grand Great Gallery where Bonnie Prince Charlie once danced. Step outside to explore the romantic ruins of Holyrood Abbey and wander gardens framed by Arthur’s Seat; a picture-perfect royal escape. A visit here beautifully blends history, grandeur, and scenery; leaving you with a true taste of Scotland’s royal heart.

Palace of Holyroodhouse

Monday	9:30am - 4:30pm	last entry 3:15pm
Tuesday	Closed
Wednesday	Closed
Thursday	9:30am - 4:30pm	last entry 3:15pm
Friday	9:30am - 4:30pm	last entry 3:15pm
Saturday	9:30am - 4:30pm	last entry 3:15pm
Sunday	9:30am - 4:30pm	last entry 3:15pm

What's not allowed

Palace of Holyroodhouse

Large bags, rucksacks, and suitcases (30L or over) are not allowed inside for security reasons.

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

Keep your camera tucked away – photography is strictly not allowed inside the State Apartments.

Accessibility

Edinburgh Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour

This experience is wheelchair accessible.

Wheelchairs must be no larger than 70cm wide, 120cm long, and 135cm high to board the bus. If unsure, contact the service provider.

Just a heads up, each bus can only accommodate 1 wheelchair at a time. If there is already a passenger in a wheelchair, please wait for the next one.

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.

Additional information

Edinburgh Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour

Children aged 3 and under travel for free. Child tickets must be added to the cart at the final stage of booking.

Small and well-behaved dogs are allowed on board.

Palace of Holyroodhouse

The Palace of Holyroodhouse will be open on Tuesday, December 23, 2025. However, it will be closed on Christmas Day.

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

The palace is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Your voucher will be emailed to you instantly.

Please display the same on your mobile phone with a valid photo ID at the time of redemption.

Ticket redemption point

Please check your final voucher for redemption point details and specifics.