Guided Tours

Palace of Holyroodhouse Small-Group Exclusive Guided Tour

Name: Palace of Holyroodhouse Small-Group Exclusive Guided Tour
Start: 2026-10-20T11:30:00
End: 2026-10-20T12:45:00
Location: Palace of Holyroodhouse

4.8/5(46)

Justin B

Couple

Verified booking

4 days ago

This smaller, early morning tour was wonderful. The tour guides were spectacular and wonderfully kind. The whole tour laster longer than my wife and I were able to stay (we had a flight to catch), but we stretched it until the very last moment. I was a little sad that I couldn't take pictures inside the actual building, but that's a very understandable and reasonable rule. However, I particularly liked being able to get up close (no touching though) some of the tapestries, and art to see the details and marvel at the skills of the art, embroidery, and woodwork performed in many of these rooms. This tour was wonderful, and I'd recommend it to anyone and everyone, especially if you like history and admiring craftsmanship.

Peter N

Couple

Verified booking

6 days ago

The Tour was absolutely fantastic and highly recommended however the instructions to pick up the tickets for the start of the tour were complete rubbish. The instructions were to meet in front of the main gate when the ACTUAL process was to pick up the booked tickets inside. Nothing in the instructions said this and almost missed the tour. I have rated this highly because the Tour was fantastic. I would rate the experience via ZERO instructions as low.

Arnold C

Couple

Verified booking

2 weeks ago

Holyrood house was informative espercially when including rooms and info on when the Royal Family was there. Nice walk around of the well maintained landscaping. Edinbrugh Castle was outdoors, cold and windy. Enjoyed seeing it and listening to our guide but the cold weather drove us away as soon as the tour ended.

Cathleen S

Couple

Verified booking

2 weeks ago

We loved the Palace and my favourite experience was the Mary Queen of Scots rooms and personal items. Wonderful guides and stop at the restaurant for tea and fruit scone with clotted cream and strawberry jam.

Robert B

Group

Verified booking

Last week

The guided tour was worth it! Our guide was thoroughly knowledgable and entertaining - he clearly loved his job! The palace was beautiful and historic. Overall the tour was informative and fun!

Cheryl F

Group

Verified booking

Last week

Aidan our tour guide was amazing !! He was very knowledgeable and answered all our questions! We had a great group of people as well! Thank you!!!!! I do love using your people! Cheryl

Enjoy exclusive access to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, The King’s official residence in Scotland, during a guided small-group tour.

Step inside the exquisite West Drawing Room, usually closed to the public, for a rare glimpse into one of the Royal Family’s private sitting rooms.

Experience the grandeur of this historic site in a serene, crowd-free setting, as your expert guide shares stories and royal traditions from centuries past.

Take home a complimentary Palace guidebook, an ideal keepsake to remember your visit and deepen your understanding of the Palace’s royal heritage.

Entry to Palace of Holyroodhouse

2-hour guided tour of the State Apartments

Expert English-speaking guide

Complimentary guidebook

Small group of max. 25 guests

You can cancel these tickets up to 24 hours before the experience begins and get a full refund.

46 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, Canada, Australia and over 8 countries have loved this experience
What our guests say
Justin B
Couple
Verified booking
4 days ago
This smaller, early morning tour was wonderful. The tour guides were spectacular and wonderfully kind. The whole tour laster longer than my wife and I were able to stay (we had a flight to catch), but we stretched it until the very last moment. I was a little sad that I couldn't take pictures inside the actual building, but that's a very understandable and reasonable rule. However, I particularly liked being able to get up close (no touching though) some of the tapestries, and art to see the details and marvel at the skills of the art, embroidery, and woodwork performed in many of these rooms. This tour was wonderful, and I'd recommend it to anyone and everyone, especially if you like history and admiring craftsmanship.
Peter N
Couple
Verified booking
6 days ago
The Tour was absolutely fantastic and highly recommended however the instructions to pick up the tickets for the start of the tour were complete rubbish. The instructions were to meet in front of the main gate when the ACTUAL process was to pick up the booked tickets inside. Nothing in the instructions said this and almost missed the tour. I have rated this highly because the Tour was fantastic. I would rate the experience via ZERO instructions as low.
Arnold C
Couple
Verified booking
2 weeks ago
Holyrood house was informative espercially when including rooms and info on when the Royal Family was there. Nice walk around of the well maintained landscaping. Edinbrugh Castle was outdoors, cold and windy. Enjoyed seeing it and listening to our guide but the cold weather drove us away as soon as the tour ended.
Cathleen S
Couple
Verified booking
2 weeks ago
We loved the Palace and my favourite experience was the Mary Queen of Scots rooms and personal items. Wonderful guides and stop at the restaurant for tea and fruit scone with clotted cream and strawberry jam.
Robert B
Group
Verified booking
Last week
The guided tour was worth it! Our guide was thoroughly knowledgable and entertaining - he clearly loved his job! The palace was beautiful and historic. Overall the tour was informative and fun!

Palace of Holyroodhouse

Nestled at the end of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, the Palace of Holyroodhouse serves as the official royal residence in Scotland. Discover the rich traditions of royal past while your guide shares stories of generations of monarchs and the palace's history.

Features

State Apartments access: Take in the grandeur of the Palace’s lavish rooms and ceremonial halls. Enjoy the peaceful atmosphere and unique photo opportunities in this rare, crowd-free experience.

Insights from your expert guide: Experience the Palace in near-silence with an expert guide, who provides deep historical insights and a unique perspective on the State Apartments, plus the chance to get your questions answered in real time.

Small-group experience: With a maximum of 25 guests per tour, savour the intimacy of a quieter, more immersive visit. Ask questions, linger in your favourite rooms, and enjoy a relaxed pace through this royal historic building.

Complimentary guidebook: Take home a guidebook filled with historical details, highlights, and illustrations to remember your visit and continue exploring long after the tour ends.

What's not allowed

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

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

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.

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.