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

09:30am - 04:30pm

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

(5,564)

Agnieszka

Oct 2025

Verified booking

5/5

Definitely a must when you're visiting Edinburgh. The palace of Holyroodhouse was an amazing experience full of beautiful views inside and outside of the castle and an interesting history aspect. The organization here was perfect and the audio guide was just on point, a lot of fascinating information packed in a reasonable amount of time. The whole experience was truly absorbing and the castle was such an incredible place. The service was very friendly. My expectation were high but the quality of the tour and the beauty the castle really suprised me in a great way. Great organization shows the amount of amazing work, effort and talented team of people behind it. Incredible experience, highly recommend!

Erica

Sep 2025

Verified booking

5/5

I thought that the audio and video tour of the Palace of Holyrood House was particularly well organised.. The tour guided you in a logical progression through the various rooms of the palce and there were visual prompts to help you locate and identify key features as well as video clips and photos to give background information. I found booking the experience quite straightforward, apart from the instruction that said tickets must be printed out. This was a bit worrying to a tourist with no access to a printer and proved quite unnessessary, as almost everyone in the entrance queue had tickets on their phone and there was no problem.

Stefano

Sep 2025

Verified booking

4/5

I used hop on for the first time in Edinburgh and in the 24 hours I could see how efficient the service was. Mine, however, in this case was a lucky day because the next day the route was completely turned around by a marathon run through the city. Had I not used the voucher immediately, I would have found myself listening to stories and descriptions of places totally different from the ones I was passing through at the time. Still, it was a good experience that we will do again in another city as soon as we can.

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.

4.5
5,564 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 10 countries have loved this experience
What our guests say
Christine
Nov 2025
Verified booking
5/5
Helpful staff, interesting stops and information throughout the tour. Great for the kids that there was a more "narrative" version of the information to listen to for them. Very convenient to have tickets valid for 24 hours! And great view from the front window upstairs!
Christine
Nov 2025
Verified booking
5/5
Absolutely LOVED the Palace tour - the audio guide is terrific, interesting and very informative! The palace is stunning, the grounds beautiful. I liked the way they wove the history with the current day happenings on the palace grounds.
Randall
Nov 2025
Verified booking
5/5
I loved how well the palace is being preserved and the grounds maintained. It really allowed me to appreciate what life was like when the Stuarts were inhabiting it.
Szekeli
Nov 2025
Verified booking
5/5
Visiting the Palace of Holyroodhouse was unforgettable — rich royal history, stunning gardens, and the atmospheric ruins of the nearby abbey made it truly special.
Emilie
Nov 2025
Verified booking
5/5
Very nice visit, we loved it

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	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

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.