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.

Open today

9:30am - 6:00pm

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(5,890)

Nelli B

Couple

Verified booking

5 days ago

We drove all the way back to Scotland from Belgium specifically to visit, after having been there last year but not being able to go inside due to lack of time. This time, I booked our tour of the Palace of Holyroodhouse right away. It was an extraordinary experience. As a huge fan of Mary, Queen of Scots, seeing this place so steeped in history was truly moving. The palace is magnificent, both inside and out, and still serves as a royal residence on certain occasions. The spring gardens are unforgettable: full of colorful flowers, intense scents, and a truly enchanting atmosphere. The only downside of the day was a £50 parking ticket for having one wheel on a faded, barely visible yellow line. Despite this, it’s an experience I highly recommend: it’s worth every minute of the visit.

Giorgia R

Group

Verified booking

2 weeks ago

We arrived early in the morning, around 10 a.m. Since there was no specific time listed on the ticket, you can go whenever you like. At the entrance, they helped us exchange our tickets for the reservation we’d made, and the whole process was very easy. The staff is friendly and helpful. They give you a free audio guide so you can listen to the castle’s history. You can complete the tour in an hour and a half to two hours. It’s a beautiful place steeped in history.

Aiden W

Family

Verified booking

2 weeks ago

The palace of Holyrood was beautiful. The electronically guided tour was amazing and detailed. Would recommend to anyone coming to Edinburgh. The Edinburgh zoo was more incredible than I could've imagined. The size itself puts most American zoos to shame, but they wide variety and beautiful enclosures are what really made it an experience I will never forget.

Colleen C

Group

Verified booking

Last week

Beautiful visit to Holyrood Castle 🌿🏰 The gardens were especially lovely and very well kept, creating a peaceful setting around the palace. The staff were friendly, welcoming, and helpful throughout the visit. A wonderful place to experience history while enjoying the beautiful surroundings. I liked it a lot better than Edinburgh castle

Elaine H

Couple

Verified booking

3 weeks 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

João F

Couple

Verified booking

6 days ago

Overall, I enjoyed the visit. The palace is well-maintained, and the audio guide is very handy and provides good information about what we’re seeing. I also really liked the abbey ruins. The gardens were spectacular in early spring (late April), and the weather was a huge plus (nothing like the stereotypical image of Scotland!).

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.

5,890 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, Italy and over 55 countries have loved this experience
What our guests say
Beth M
Couple
Verified booking
Apr 2026
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.
Marija D
Couple
Verified booking
2 weeks ago
We had an amazing time, audio was incredible, the gardens are perfect, romantic, everything was on top, after the tour we had great coffee and amazing Carroll cake
Nelli B
Couple
Verified booking
5 days ago
We drove all the way back to Scotland from Belgium specifically to visit, after having been there last year but not being able to go inside due to lack of time. This time, I booked our tour of the Palace of Holyroodhouse right away. It was an extraordinary experience. As a huge fan of Mary, Queen of Scots, seeing this place so steeped in history was truly moving. The palace is magnificent, both inside and out, and still serves as a royal residence on certain occasions. The spring gardens are unforgettable: full of colorful flowers, intense scents, and a truly enchanting atmosphere. The only downside of the day was a £50 parking ticket for having one wheel on a faded, barely visible yellow line. Despite this, it’s an experience I highly recommend: it’s worth every minute of the visit.
Giorgia R
Group
Verified booking
2 weeks ago
We arrived early in the morning, around 10 a.m. Since there was no specific time listed on the ticket, you can go whenever you like. At the entrance, they helped us exchange our tickets for the reservation we’d made, and the whole process was very easy. The staff is friendly and helpful. They give you a free audio guide so you can listen to the castle’s history. You can complete the tour in an hour and a half to two hours. It’s a beautiful place steeped in history.
Aiden W
Family
Verified booking
2 weeks ago
The palace of Holyrood was beautiful. The electronically guided tour was amazing and detailed. Would recommend to anyone coming to Edinburgh. The Edinburgh zoo was more incredible than I could've imagined. The size itself puts most American zoos to shame, but they wide variety and beautiful enclosures are what really made it an experience I will never forget.

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 - 6:00pm	last entry 4:30pm
Tuesday	Closed
Wednesday	Closed
Thursday	9:30am - 6:00pm	last entry 4:30pm
Friday	9:30am - 6:00pm	last entry 4:30pm
Saturday	9:30am - 6:00pm	last entry 4:30pm
Sunday	9:30am - 6:00pm	last entry 4:30pm

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.