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Attraction · Edinburgh · Updated on 1 November 2026.

Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh

Palace of Holyroodhouse is an attraction in Edinburgh. This place has an audio tour of about 2 minutes, in English or Dutch. 13 of the 50 well-known points of interest nearby are within 1 km. Within 130 m you'll find a public toilet, a water point and a bench.

Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh
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Photo: 瑞丽江的河水 · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0View the photo on Wikimedia Commons
Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, photo 2
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Photo: David Monniaux · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0View the photo on Wikimedia Commons
Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, photo 3
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Photo: Kaihsu at English Wikipedia · Wikimedia Commons · GFDLView the photo on Wikimedia Commons

Audio tour · Palace of Holyroodhouse

1:55

  • en
  • nl

You're standing at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, at the bottom of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh. At the other end of that street stands the castle. This is the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland. Look at the front. On either side are two matching towers with round corner turrets and pointed roofs. But they aren't the same age. The left one, James the Fifth's Tower, dates from the sixteenth century and is the oldest part of the palace. The right one was added more than a century later, to make the whole thing symmetrical. Above the entrance you'll see the Royal Arms of Scotland and a little cupola with a clock.

Read and hear the whole story in the Outdoor Pitstop app: check in at this place and it is yours (with Pro; new users are Pro for the first 4 weeks).

Opening hours and admission

Opening hours
Nov 01-Mar 29 09:30-16:30; Mar 31-Oct 31 09:30-18:00

Source: OpenStreetMap and Wikidata.

Photos

10 photos from Wikimedia Commons. In the app you add your own photo when you are there.

Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh
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Photo: 瑞丽江的河水 · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0View the photo on Wikimedia Commons

Facilities near Palace of Holyroodhouse

The nearest pitstop of each kind within 1 km, as the crow flies.

Well-known points of interest nearby

50 well-known points of interest nearby, those with an audio tour first. 13 of the 50 well-known points of interest nearby are within 1 km.

National Museum of Scotland
MuseumAudio story · 2 min

National Museum of Scotland · 1.3 km

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Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Maccoinnich~commonswiki assumed (based on copyright claims). · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0View the photo on Wikimedia Commons
Edinburgh Castle
AttractionAudio story · 2 min

Edinburgh Castle · 1.8 km

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Photo: Stephencdickson · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0View the photo on Wikimedia Commons
Rosslyn Chapel
AttractionAudio story · 2 min

Rosslyn Chapel · 10.9 km

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Photo: Syrio · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0View the photo on Wikimedia Commons
Holyrood Abbey
AttractionAudio story · 2 min

Holyrood Abbey · 50 m

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Photo: LASZLO ILYES from Cleveland, Ohio, USA · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0View the photo on Wikimedia Commons
National Monument of Scotland
AttractionStory

National Monument of Scotland · 650 m

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Photo: Colin · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0View the photo on Wikimedia Commons

Hear the story of National Museum of Scotland on the spot with the app

Also within walking distance

The 2 nearest points of interest with a story, within 2 km.

  1. 1Scott MonumentAttraction · 1.3 km away
  2. 2Mons MegAttraction · 1.8 km away
All 145 points of interest in Edinburgh →

Explore further

Frequently asked questions

When is Palace of Holyroodhouse open?

Nov 01-Mar 29 09:30-16:30; Mar 31-Oct 31 09:30-18:00 (according to OpenStreetMap). Check the official website for public holidays.

Is there a toilet or drinking water nearby?

Yes: a public toilet at 90 m and a water point at 100 m.

How does the audio tour work?

When you stand at Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Outdoor Pitstop app tells the story of the place in about 2 minutes, in English or Dutch.

Nearby

More well-known points of interest nearby

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