Palace of Holyroodhouse

The audio guide is pretty good—filled with a ton of interesting history. The grounds and the ruins of the abbey are beautiful. It’s kind of expensive considering it’s mostly just an audio guide of a building tax payers pay for, but the guides are helpful and I’d say it’s probably worth the money. Castle of Edinburgh is the far superior site, so definitely don’t go here instead, but if you have extra time in the city, it’s worthwhile. Note before you go: you can’t take photos inside the building.

Today the Palace of Holyroodhouse is used as a Royal Palace, but is also open to the publicall year round. I went to Edinburgh to visit this place with friends and we have a really great time.

I am surprised by how interesting the tour turned out to be. The free audio guide gives visitors a good background of the palace and how it is used till today! Photography is not allowed inside the palace but that is good as it allows one to fully immerse in the grandeur. Take time to explore the palace gardens and the abbey though there is some reconstruction work at the abbey.

Before traveling, I learned that this palace is one of the three palaces of Queen Elizabeth's summer palaces. I came here and came down in a circle. It was a worthwhile trip. The well-preserved medieval tapestries, oil paintings, and furniture were like crossing back to that era, and there was that corner building. The blood on the top floor records the story of the murder of Mary I's Italian lover, which is a shame.

Must-check in depth experience. The history and vicissitudes of the royal family, many of the original objects, portraits and interior designs are very high-end, Scotland's glory and decline, nobleness and heritage are all in sight. The gardens and monasteries, the throne of Arthur, etc. are even more pleasing to the eye.

Hollyrood House is a royal palace located in Edinburgh, Scotland. It has served as the principal residence of the Kings and Queens of Scotland since the 16th century. The palace also has a rich history, having survived multiple sieges and being the birthplace of King James VI of Scotland and I of England. Today, it is a popular tourist attraction and is open to the public for tours.