Combos

Combo (Save 5%): Edinburgh Castle Guided Tour + Palace of Holyroodhouse Tickets

Name: Combo (Save 5%): Edinburgh Castle Guided Tour + Palace of Holyroodhouse Tickets
Start: 2026-01-10T09:30:00
End: 2026-01-10T15:15:00
Location: Edinburgh

Edinburgh Castle Esplanade with historic stone buildings and equestrian statue.

Visitors walking near the Ross Fountain with Edinburgh Castle in the background.

Holyrood Abbey ruins at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh, with Arthur's Seat in the background.

Kings Bedchamber with ornate canopy bed and tapestries at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

Open today

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

Guided tour

4.5/5

(5,061)

Claudia

Dec 2025

Verified booking

5/5

A visit to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh's royal residence, was a deeply evocative experience. The complex is impeccably maintained and managed with great attention to detail. The tour remains rich and engaging, offering an authentic journey through centuries of Scottish history. The interiors, still used today by the Royal Family, are remarkably well preserved and restore a solemn and refined atmosphere. Each room tells stories of intrigue, power and destiny, linked in particular to the intense and tragic figure of Mary Stuart. Holyrood Palace is an essential stop for anyone visiting Edinburgh: a place where history, elegance and emotion are harmoniously and unforgettably interwoven.

Cheryl

Nov 2025

Verified booking

5/5

It was a very pleasant visit in November. The weather was beautiful to walk through the gardens. I thoroughly enjoyed the palace itself. The tapestries and portraits were absolutely beautiful. There were 2 gift shops which had some very nice gifts to purchase.i also enjoyed a little lunch at the cafe. The staff wore very nice quality kilts and were very pleasant. Definitely a great half day experience. Thank you Cheryl Levine

Catelin

Dec 2025

Verified booking

4/5

Guide for Edinburgh castle was great (Joe)! Very funny, knowledgeable and good at keeping the group contained and moving! The only things I would change is add a QR code to the ticket because printing it made it difficult as well as just explaining on the website that the guide could not take you inside the castle due to space restrictionand you had to do that yourself. Overall, a nice time at both locations!

Visit Scotland's two most important royal residences in a single day: go on a guided tour of Edinburgh Castle, followed by access to the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

Save money by bundling your tickets. Located at opposite ends of the Royal Mile, this combo allows you to stroll the historic path in one logical, time-saving itinerary.

Skip lines and step inside Edinburgh Castle on your guided experience and see the essential highlights, including the Great Hall, St. Margaret's Chapel, and the Crown Jewels.

Enter the Palace of Holyroodhouse, where you can discover the historic State Apartments and the ruins of Holyrood Abbey, with a multimedia guide.

Upgrade to the Palace of Holyroodhouse Christmas guided tour with small-group access, an English-speaking guide, and a complimentary guidebook.

Edinburgh Castle

Skip-the-line entry to Edinburgh Castle

Guided tour of Edinburgh Castle

Expert local English-speaking guide

Palace of Holyroodhouse

Entry to Palace of Holyroodhouse

Multimedia guide in 9 languages

Additional paid upgrades:

Palace of Holyroodhouse

2-hour private Christmas tour of the Palace of Holyroodhouse State Apartments

Expert English-speaking guide

Complimentary guidebook

Small group of max. 25 guests

Edinburgh Castle + Palace of Holyroodhouse

Transport

Food and drink

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

4.5
5,061 reviews
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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, Canada, Spain and over 10 countries have loved this experience
What our guests say
Argenio
Jan 2026
Verified booking
5/5
The visit to Holyrood Palace was an extremely pleasant and enriching experience. The palace itself is truly magnificent, rich in history and architectural beauty, and it stands as one of the most impressive royal residences in Scotland. A special mention must be given to the staff, who were exceptionally kind, highly professional, and consistently helpful throughout the visit. Their courtesy and willingness to assist greatly enhanced the overall experience and made visitors feel genuinely welcome. The tour was particularly enjoyable thanks to the audioguides, which included visual support that significantly improved understanding and engagement. The explanations provided were clear, informative, and well-balanced—interesting without ever becoming overly long or tedious. Overall, Holyrood Palace offers a well-organized, insightful, and memorable visit, made even more remarkable by the outstanding quality of its staff and visitor services.
éRic
Jan 2026
Verified booking
5/5
Not too crowded. Too bad it's forbidden to take photos inside.
Irina
Jan 2026
Verified booking
5/5
It was a great experience I really enjoyed it
Aaron
Jan 2026
Verified booking
5/5
The place is beautiful, clean and interesting
Charles
Dec 2025
Verified booking
4/5
The palace was not too busy and was beautifully decorated for Christmas. A nice shop and tea room completed the vist nicely. The gardens and Abbey were also good and wether help off for some good photos.

Explore Edinburgh's royal and historic landmarks with this cost-saving combo, including a guided tour of Edinburgh Castle and access to the Palace of Holyroodhouse—Edinburgh’s official royal residence.

Getting started

Start your experience at either Edinburgh Castle or the Palace of Holyroodhouse on this flexible combo tour. Wander a stretch of the famous street that connects Scotland’s two royal powerhouses—Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Palace after exploring the first royal residence.

What to expect

Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh Castle stands atop Castle Rock, a symbol of Scottish heritage and royal power for centuries. Your guided tour reveals the fortress’s pivotal role in Scotland’s history and its enduring legacy.

Features:

The Great Hall: Step into the grand space once adorned for royal banquets and historic ceremonies.

The Royal Palace: Explore the former royal residence and discover its significance in the lives of Scotland’s kings and queens

St. Margaret’s Chapel: Visit Edinburgh’s oldest surviving structure, an intimate and historic place of worship from the 12th century.

Guided tour: Be led by a knowledgeable guide who brings the castle’s dramatic history and architecture to life.

Palace of Holyroodhouse

The Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh’s official royal residence, sits at the opposite end of the Royal Mile and has hosted monarchs and state occasions for centuries.

Features:

Self-guided access: Enjoy entry to the State Apartments, Throne Room, and Abbey ruins at your own pace. Walk through grand corridors and discover the monarchy’s history in Scotland.

Audioguide: Explore the palace on your own with insights from a complimentary multimedia guide.

Extras

Palace of Holyroodhouse Christmas tour: Enjoy all of the above, plus an intimate Christmas tour of the Palace of Holyroodhouse, offered only during the holiday season. Admire the palace’s festive décor without the usual crowds, enjoy a personalised experience with no more than 25 guests, follow a Palace expert who shares stories of royal Christmas traditions, and take home a keepsake guide filled with insights into the Palace’s festive highlights.

Edinburgh Castle

Monday	09:30am - 05:00pm	last entry 04:00pm
Tuesday	09:30am - 05:00pm	last entry 04:00pm
Wednesday	09:30am - 05:00pm	last entry 04:00pm
Thursday	09:30am - 05:00pm	last entry 04:00pm
Friday	09:30am - 05:00pm	last entry 04:00pm
Saturday	09:30am - 05:00pm	last entry 04:00pm
Sunday	09:30am - 05:00pm	last entry 04:00pm

Palace of Holyroodhouse

Monday	09:30am - 04:30pm	last entry 03:15pm
Tuesday	Closed
Wednesday	Closed
Thursday	09:30am - 04:30pm	last entry 03:15pm
Friday	09:30am - 04:30pm	last entry 03:15pm
Saturday	09:30am - 04:30pm	last entry 03:15pm
Sunday	09:30am - 04:30pm	last entry 03:15pm

What's not allowed

Edinburgh Castle

Luggage, large bags, and bags over 30L in volume are not permitted inside Edinburgh Castle.

Pets are not allowed, except for registered service animals.

Drones are strictly prohibited on the premises.

Access to the roof is not permitted in poor weather conditions.

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

Edinburgh Castle

The experience is not fully wheelchair-accessible due to uneven terrain and steps within the castle grounds and surrounding areas.

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.

Additional information

Edinburgh Castle

The guided tour takes place outdoors around Edinburgh Castle. Entry to interior buildings is not included during the guided portion, but you may explore them independently after the tour.

Specific stops during the tour are assigned by castle authorities and may vary.

Minors must be accompanied by an adult to join the tour.

Please arrive at the meeting point at least 10 mins before your scheduled start time.

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.

The tour is only available when the Palace is closed to other visitors.

Please arrive at least 15 mins before your scheduled tour time.

Your voucher will be emailed to you shortly.

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

Please check your final voucher for the starting point details & specific instructions.