Palace of Holyroodhouse Edinburgh: Mary Queen of Scots Apartments

Travelers' pick

1/15

Duration1h

GroupUp to 14

Audio guideEN · DE +7

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

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.

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.

Operated by The Royal Collection Trust

Is this one for you?Right for anyone wanting to understand Mary, Queen of Scots and Scottish royal history without a guided tour — the multimedia guide lets you move at your own pace through 900 years of drama. Plan for two to three hours; the Palace is not vast, but the story pulls you through each room.