Holyrood Palace

The Palace of Holyroodhouse is the King's official residence in Scotland and a public visit that combines royal rooms, the remains of Holyrood Abbey and palace gardens. Royal Collection Trust presents the palace as the home of Scottish royal history, while it remains a working royal residence rather than a historic house frozen outside public life. That combination explains both its appeal and its occasional closures. A standard ticket covers the public palace visit; a particular date may carry a different route, an event or a closure, so the official booking page is part of the planning rather than an optional extra.

A standard palace visit includes the State Apartments, where the monarch and Royal Family use rooms for official ceremonies and events. Royal Collection Trust also highlights the Great Gallery, the Throne Room, Mary, Queen of Scots material, Holyrood Abbey and the gardens. The Great Gallery is the palace's largest room and contains portraits of Scottish kings and a queen; the visit therefore moves between ceremonial rooms, personal royal history and the abbey setting rather than following a single chronological exhibition. Take the route in order before doubling back, because smaller rooms can become congested when timed arrivals meet.

Allow two hours for the Palace of Holyroodhouse, including the State Apartments, Holyrood Abbey and the garden route when it is open. This is an editorial planning estimate rather than a duration set by Royal Collection Trust. A shorter visit can cover the principal rooms, but it leaves little margin for the multimedia guide, the abbey or the garden. The palace has compact interior spaces, so an unhurried pace makes more sense than trying to arrive just before last admission. Add time only when a separately booked special tour or temporary programme is part of the ticket.

1 Jan–30 Mar 2026: Thu–Mon 09:30–16:30, last admission 15:15. 2 Apr–11 May: Thu–Mon 09:30–18:00, last admission 16:30. 21 May–7 Sep: daily 09:30–18:00, last admission 16:30. 10 Sep–31 Oct: Thu–Mon 09:30–18:00, last admission 16:30. 1 Nov–31 Dec: Thu–Mon 09:30–16:30, last admission 15:15. Open daily on 31 August 2026. Outside the 21 May–7 September daily-opening period, the Palace is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Additional full closures in 2026: 14–18 May, 26 June–3 July, and 25–26 December. In 2026 the Palace of Holyroodhouse runs seasonal hours and scheduled closure periods.

Standard adult admission for 2026 costs £22 when booked in advance or £26 when purchased on the day. The standard ticket covers the Palace of Holyroodhouse; separately advertised tours and combined tickets cost more. For 2026, Royal Collection Trust lists standard Palace of Holyroodhouse admission at £22 in advance or £26 on the day for an adult. The same official listing gives lower rates for young people, children and disabled visitors, with free entry for an access companion and for children under five. A £1 scheme exists for eligible recipients of named UK benefits, subject to its conditions. The standard ticket can be converted into a one-year pass under the Trust's terms.

The entrance address is Canongate, The Royal Mile, Edinburgh EH8 8DX. Edinburgh Waverley is the nearest railway station, about a 15-minute walk away. Bus 35 and open-top tour buses stop near the Palace. Picardy Place is the nearest tram stop, about a 20-minute walk away. A public bicycle rack stands opposite the Scottish Parliament. First-come, first-served accessible parking bays are on Horse Wynd, immediately outside the Palace. The palace sits at the Holyrood end of the Royal Mile, beside Holyrood Park and opposite the Scottish Parliament area. It works best on foot from the Old Town, with an uphill-to-downhill route from the Castle rather than a return walk along the same street.

Ask a Warden for the step-free alternative to the 27-step Great Staircase. Mary, Queen of Scots’ Chambers have no wheelchair access; they are reached by a steep spiral staircase with 25 steps. Film and audio content about the rooms is available on the multimedia guide. Manual wheelchairs and rollators can be borrowed free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis. Mobility scooters are permitted if they fit the lift: 130 cm wide by 125 cm deep, with an 89 cm door and an 800 kg weight limit. Accessible toilets are available in the Café; ticket holders also have toilets in the Mews Courtyard. Assistance animals are welcome. Benches are available in the Throne Room and Great Gallery.

The palace is best photographed as a sequence of exterior setting, formal architecture and the abbey and garden context. The Royal Collection Trust terms permit non-commercial equipment without flash or tripods in the outside areas at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, but that permission does not turn every interior room into a photography zone. Treat any room signage and staff instruction as controlling. The most useful photographs often come from the exterior approach, the garden route and the abbey remains, where the palace can be shown against Arthur's Seat. Keep equipment compact in the smaller rooms and avoid interrupting the guided flow.