Palace of Holyroodhouse Edinburgh: Mary Queen of Scots Apartments

Walk through 900 years of Scottish royal drama at the foot of the Royal Mile

You walk through the official Scottish residence of His Majesty The King and spend time in Mary, Queen of Scots' apartments, where her secretary was murdered and her bedchamber still stands as the most famous room in Scotland. A multimedia guide is included, and you can move through at your own pace. Last admission is 4:30pm most days, earlier in winter.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Palace of Holyroodhouse

• Arrive at Palace of Holyroodhouse
• Explore Historic Apartments of Mary, Queen of Scots
• See Mary’s Bedchamber
• Learn about David Rizzio’s murder
• View royal state ceremony areas

What’s included

• Your ticket includes access to the Palace of Holyroodhouse and a multimedia guide that takes you through the Historic Apartments of Mary, Queen of Scots and the other royal rooms.
• Refreshments are available in the Café, and toilets and baby-care facilities are located in the Mews Courtyard.
• The Palace is wheelchair accessible throughout.

Information

Holyrood Palace, the official Scottish residence of His Majesty The King, sits at the foot of the Royal Mile. Tour Mary, Queen of Scots' apartments with multimedia guide.

Group Up to 14

Audio guide English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese and Russian

More information The exact meeting point address, the operator’s instructions and every other detail are in the full listing. See the full listing

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The experience

"You'll stand in the room where it happened," the guide said as we approached Mary's bedchamber, and that's the thing about the Palace of Holyroodhouse that no photograph prepares you for. It's not just a building. It's the stage where Scotland's most turbulent royal story played out. The Palace sits at the end of Edinburgh's Royal Mile, Arthur's Seat rising behind it like a stone witness, and when you walk through those doors you're entering His Majesty The King's official residence in Scotland: the place where state ceremonies still happen, where the royal family still comes.

The Historic Apartments of Mary, Queen of Scots are the heart of a visit here. Her bedchamber has been called the most famous room in Scotland, and standing in it you understand why. This is where David Rizzio, her Italian secretary, was murdered by her husband, Lord Darnley, in one of those brutal episodes that defined her reign. The multimedia guide walks you through the rooms, filling in the violence and the politics and the impossible choices she faced. You move through her chambers, seeing the tapestries and the furniture, and the guide's voice keeps the story moving. It's not a dry recitation, it's the weight of what actually happened in these spaces.

A few logistics matter: the Palace opens from 9:30am, with last admission at 4:30pm (or 3:15pm in winter), and it's closed Thursdays to Wednesdays from November through March, so check before you go. Photography isn't allowed inside, which means you're not fighting crowds with cameras. You're just looking. The multimedia guide is included, and there's a café in the Mews Courtyard if you need a break. Pushchairs have to be checked at the entrance, and the whole place is wheelchair accessible if you need that. The Palace will be completely closed mid-May and late June, so plan around those dates.

Top questions

Can you take photos inside the Palace of Holyroodhouse?

No, photography is not permitted inside the Palace.

What is included with the admission ticket?

A multimedia guide is included with your ticket.

Is the Palace of Holyroodhouse wheelchair accessible?

Yes, the Palace is wheelchair accessible, and transportation options nearby are also wheelchair accessible.

Can you bring a pushchair into the Palace?

No, pushchairs must be checked in at the entrance and collected at the end of your visit.

What are the opening hours?

From April to May and September to October, it's open Thursday to Monday, 9:30am to 6pm (last admission 4:30pm). June to August it's open daily, 9:30am to 6pm (last admission 4:30pm). November to March, Thursday to Monday, 9:30am to 4:30pm (last admission 3:15pm).

Can you eat or drink inside the Palace?

No, eating and drinking are not allowed inside, but refreshments are available in the Café at the Palace.

Are audio guides available for visitors with visual impairments?

Yes, audio descriptive tours are available for blind or partially-sighted visitors, and family audio guides are also offered.

Is there parking or public transport nearby?

Public transportation options are available nearby the Palace.

Operated by The Royal Collection Trust. Explorevia does not run this tour: we compare it with similar options, and you book it with our booking partner.