Landmarks

Palace of Holyroodhouse Entry Tickets

Name: Palace of Holyroodhouse Entry Tickets
Start: 2026-01-15T09:00:00
End: 2026-01-15T18:00:00
Location: Palace of Holyroodhouse

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.

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Free cancellation

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

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

Audio guide

Enhance your experience with multilingual audio guide

Guided tour

4.5/5

(5,149)

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.

Stephen

Jan 2026

Verified booking

5/5

Thoroughly enjoyed our week, in Edinburgh. Using the hop on, hop off buses, was so easy. Being able to see, all the sights of Edinburgh during the tour. Also being provided, with headphones, which gave us commentary, of the historical facts, of the city as we travelled round. My wife visited Edinburgh, in March and used the hop on, hop off service, and that is why we booked it again. Would definitely recommend, to anyone, who wanted to tour Edinburgh. All the bus drivers, and reps, were very friendly and answered any queries, or questions we had. Thank-you.

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

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.

Venture into the grand chambers once occupied by Mary, Queen of Scots. Stroll through centuries of intrigue, drama, and royal life that shaped Scotland’s storied past.

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 Christmas guided tour of the State Apartments or enjoy 48 hours of hop-on hop-off bus travel and admission 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:

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

Expert English-speaking Royal Collection Trust tour guide

Complimentary guidebook

Small group of max. 25 guests

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.

4.5
5,149 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
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.
Stephen
Jan 2026
Verified booking
5/5
Thoroughly enjoyed our week, in Edinburgh. Using the hop on, hop off buses, was so easy. Being able to see, all the sights of Edinburgh during the tour. Also being provided, with headphones, which gave us commentary, of the historical facts, of the city as we travelled round. My wife visited Edinburgh, in March and used the hop on, hop off service, and that is why we booked it again. Would definitely recommend, to anyone, who wanted to tour Edinburgh. All the bus drivers, and reps, were very friendly and answered any queries, or questions we had. Thank-you.
Mark
Jan 2026
Verified booking
5/5
Wonderful experience for our family of four (two college-age children). We especially loved the self-paced nature of the tour and accompanying multimedia guide, which allowed us to take our time in the areas or rooms of greatest interest. The State Rooms/Apartments, Mary Queen of Scots’ chambers, the artwork and the ruins of Holyrood Abbey were just some of tour highlights. Highly recommended!
Roberto
Jan 2026
Verified booking
5/5
Exhaustive and satisfying visit We were extremely satisfied with the visit to Holyrood. Impeccable and helpful organization and staff. A visit that with the audio and video guide allows you to immerse yourself in history and royal events. Congratulations experience that I recommend to all who come to Edinburgh
Anna
Jan 2026
Verified booking
5/5
I found it exciting to find myself right "in history," entering places that characters who marked eras frequented. For a couple of hours I lost myself completely in that wonderful atmosphere. The audio guide was absolutely perfect in his explanations. I would never leave even from the gardens again.

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.

Mary, Queen of Scots’ chambers: Step into the private chambers where dramatic moments in Scotland’s royal history unfolded.

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

Christmas guided tour: Embrace the festive spirit with a special seasonal guided tour of the Palace’s State Apartments. Discover royal Christmas traditions as you admire royal rooms decked in holiday décor.

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

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

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