Combos

Combo (Save 5%): Palace of Holyroodhouse + Edinburgh Zoo Tickets

Name: Combo (Save 5%): Palace of Holyroodhouse + Edinburgh Zoo Tickets
Start: 2026-05-05T14:00:00
End: 2026-05-05T16:00:00
Location: Edinburgh

Palace of Holyroodhouse exterior with stone towers and courtyard in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Royal Dining Room at the Palace of Holyroodhouse with ornate table settings and portraits.

Chilean flamingos in habitat at Edinburgh Zoo.

Visitors observing primate skeletons at an exhibit in Edinburgh Zoo.

Open today

Explore at your pace

Choose your entry time, stay as long as you like

Free cancellation

Free cancellation up to 48 hours before the start of your experience

Audio guide

Enhance your experience with multilingual audio guide

4.5/5(5,604)

Nelli B

Couple

Verified booking

6 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.

Ihnat D

Couple

Verified booking

Last week

Edinburgh Zoo was an incredible experience from start to finish! We saw so many penguins, which were absolutely adorable, as well as giraffes, cheetahs, and many more amazing animals. The view from the zoo was just stunning and made the whole visit even more special. It was also very helpful that a kind and friendly staff member welcomed us at the entrance and took the time to explain everything clearly, which made it much easier to explore the zoo. The atmosphere was great, everything was well organised, and we really enjoyed our time there. We will definitely visit again!

Sarah H

Family

Verified booking

Apr 2026

The process was so easy and we all loved the whole thing from booking to leaving the zoo. The tickets were cheaper than booking direct and all we had to do was show the phone at the counter and we walked into the zoo. Much easier than paying at the entrance. The zoo was amazing, we did a few talks, including the penguins, and the kids took onboard everything that was said. We did the Easter egg hunt program and had the kids excited about running up the hill. Thank you so much for making a day out cheaper and so easy to sort.

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.

Zoey B

Couple

Verified booking

2 weeks ago

The Headout booking site just popped up when I searched for Edinburgh zoo. Easy to book, easy to use. No extra hassle whatsoever. I like cheaper deals and this was a stress free booking. My daughter and I had the best day! Booking through Headout the tickets came with a discount, it went towards a very nice lunch in the Gannet. We also got a 10% discount towards another sightseeing trip.

Jacqueline M

Family

Verified booking

3 weeks ago

Fabulous Zoo. Staff are amazing. Plenty of places to eat, or rest with your own food. We were blessed with superb weather. The variety of animals was very good. They all looked so well cared for. Immaculate bedding and rest areas. They all looked very happy. Best work out I've had in years, with the walk. They catered well for people with disabilities, so that's really good.

Book this combo ticket to seamlessly access the historic Palace of Holyroodhouse (The King's official Scottish residence) and the Edinburgh Zoo.

Maximise your Edinburgh visit by combining 500 years of Scottish royal history with an educational day out at the UK's only Royal Zoological Society of Scotland zoo.

Save money compared to buying separate entry tickets, and save time by securing access to two major sites (history and wildlife) with one simple booking.

Explore the Palace's tumultuous past, including the historic chambers of Mary, Queen of Scots, a site of murder and intrigue, enhanced by your multilingual audioguide.

At the Zoo, meet over 2,500 animals, including unique residents like Asiatic lions, sloth bears and pygmy hippos, supporting the Zoo's vital conservation work.

Palace of Holyroodhouse

Entry to the Palace of Holyroodhouse

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

Edinburgh Zoo

Entry tickets to Edinburgh Zoo

Palace of Holyroodhouse + Edinburgh Zoo

Guided tour

Transfers

Food and drinks

You can cancel these tickets up to 48 hours before the experience begins and get a full refund.

5,604 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 64 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.
Abdullah A
Family
Verified booking
3 weeks ago
Signing up was quick and easy, and the prices were reasonable; the zoo map was also easy to use in the app. The dinosaurs were an unexpected highlight for the little ones, too.
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
Colin J
Couple
Verified booking
3 weeks ago
Only disappointment was that the animals went inside due to weather which can't be controlled. Still a very enjoyable day.
Nelli B
Couple
Verified booking
6 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.

Get ready for the ultimate Edinburgh experience, blending royal history with wildlife! This combo ticket grants you entry to two of the city’s top attractions: the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the official Scottish residence of The King, and the world-renowned Edinburgh Zoo, home to thousands of animals.

Getting started

You have the flexibility to visit the Palace and the Zoo on separate days or combine them into an action-packed itinerary. We recommend starting early if visiting both on the same day. The Palace is located at the foot of the Royal Mile, and the Zoo is situated west of the city centre. Be sure to collect your multilingual audio guide at the Palace to fully appreciate the royal history!

What to expect

Palace of Holyroodhouse

Step into the tumultuous world of Scottish royalty! The Palace of Holyroodhouse is a working royal palace used by King Charles III for State ceremonies, but it is most famous as the 16th-century home of Mary, Queen of Scots.

Features:

Mary, Queen of Scots' chambers: Explore the authentic, historic chambers in the oldest part of the Palace, including the Bedchamber and Supper Room, which were the site of murder and dramatic intrigue during her reign.

State Apartments & Royal Collection: Walk through magnificent rooms used by the Royal Family and admire tapestries, fine furniture, and artworks drawn from the Royal Collection.

Multilingual audioguide: Your entry includes a complimentary multilingual audioguide to provide comprehensive historical context and facts as you tour the site.

Holyrood Abbey & Gardens: Wander through the atmospheric 12th-century Abbey ruins and stroll through the historic palace gardens.

Edinburgh Zoo

Prepare for a wild adventure across 82 acres of parkland! Edinburgh Zoo is home to over 2,500 rare and endangered animals and is run by a wildlife conservation charity. Spend the day exploring diverse habitats, seeing incredible species unique to the UK, and learning about global conservation efforts.

Features:

Iconic animals: Meet some of the Zoo’s most popular residents, including koalas, giraffes, sun bears, and Scotland's only sloths.

Penguins Rock & Parade: Visit one of the largest outdoor penguin pools, Penguins Rock, and try to catch the famous daily Penguin Parade where the King and Gentoo penguins waddle around the park!

Budongo Trail & Living Links: Get up close to chimpanzees in one of Europe’s most innovative man-made wildlife habitats and watch primates interact at the Living Links research centre.

Keeper talks: Enhance your visit by attending daily ranger talks and feeding sessions, where expert keepers share fun facts and insights into the animals' lives and conservation status.

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

Edinburgh Zoo

Monday	10:00am - 6:00pm
Tuesday	10:00am - 6:00pm
Wednesday	10:00am - 6:00pm
Thursday	10:00am - 6:00pm
Friday	10:00am - 6:00pm
Saturday	10:00am - 6:00pm
Sunday	10:00am - 6:00pm

What’s not allowed

Palace of Holyroodhouse

Photography is strictly not allowed inside the State Apartments.

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.

Edinburgh Zoo

Safety is a priority, so guests under the age of 15 must be accompanied by a guardian.

Sharp metallic tools or objects, alcohol, drones, radios, scooters, bikes, rollerblades or skates and glass items are not allowed on this experience.

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

Smoking is not allowed, including e-cigarettes.

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.

Edinburgh Zoo

This experience is wheelchair and pram/stroller accessible.

Your guide dogs are welcome at the venue.

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.

The palace is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

The Palace of Holyroodhouse is open to the public on December 23. It is, however, closed on Christmas.

Edinburgh Zoo

Re-entry after entering isn’t permitted without park authority approval.

The park may close in extreme weather; tickets will be valid for a later visit.

Visitors wearing costumes might be asked to remove them for safety.

Facilities: parking.

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.