Palace of Holyroodhouse
The royal residence at the foot of the Royal Mile is included in the Royal Edinburgh Ticket. Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 15 September 2026 to 31 May 2027.
from £81
Get the Royal Edinburgh Ticket- No time slot needed at the Palace
- Also Castle, Britannia and 48h bus
Table of Contents
Closing days until 31 May 2027
Plan the Palace first. From 15 September 2026 to 31 May 2027 the Palace of Holyroodhouse is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and on those two days the Royal Edinburgh Ticket offers no substitute. If your 48 hours fall on a Monday and Tuesday, take the Palace on the Monday; if they fall on a Tuesday and Wednesday, the Palace is out of reach and the ticket loses one of its three pillars - read the page Is it worth it? before you book.
A second kind of closure is short-notice: when the Royal Family is in residence, the Palace closes to visitors. Ticket holders then receive entry to the King's Gallery at the Palace gates and a Palace guidebook instead.
What you see inside
Holyroodhouse is the King's official residence in Scotland and has been a royal palace since the sixteenth century. The tour leads through the State Apartments used for official entertaining, the Great Gallery with its portraits of Scottish kings and the Historic Apartments of Mary, Queen of Scots, including the chamber where her secretary Rizzio was murdered in 1566. Outside lie the ruins of Holyrood Abbey and the gardens with Arthur's Seat rising behind them. A multimedia guide is included; allow about one and a half hours.
Getting there with the ticket
The Palace stands at the bottom of the Royal Mile, opposite the Scottish Parliament. Hop off at Our Dynamic Earth - the stop is served by all three routes, City Sightseeing, Edinburgh Tour and Regal Tour - and walk two minutes to the gate. There is no time slot at the Palace: with your Royal Edinburgh Ticket you join the next available entry.
Single ticket or Royal Edinburgh Ticket?
A single advance ticket costs £ 22 for adults, £ 14 for young persons aged 18 to 24 and £ 11 for children aged 5 to 17; on the day it is £ 26, £ 17 and £ 13. The Royal Edinburgh Ticket includes the Palace together with Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Yacht Britannia and 48 hours on the bus routes.
Questions about the Palace
Closing days, alternative and bus stop at a glance. All answers are on the FAQ page.
On which days is the Palace closed? +
From 15 September 2026 to 31 May 2027 the Palace of Holyroodhouse is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. On those two days there is no alternative - visit on Monday or from Thursday to Sunday.
What happens during a royal visit? +
When the Royal Family is in residence the Palace closes at short notice. Ticket holders then receive entry to the King's Gallery next door and a Palace guidebook instead.
Which bus stop is closest? +
Our Dynamic Earth, served by the City Sightseeing, Edinburgh Tour and Regal Tour routes. The Palace gate is a two-minute walk away.
Palace, Castle and Britannia with one ticket
Get the Royal Edinburgh Ticket - the Castle slot is reserved for you, the Palace and Britannia take you in on the next available tour.