Touring the Palace of Holyroodhouse: The King's Edinburgh Residence

Okay, so if you're visiting Edinburgh and you're wondering whether to add the Palace of Holyroodhouse to your itinerary… just do it. It's absolutely worth your time.

For a little context: Holyroodhouse isn't just some stuffy old historic house that's been converted into a tourist attraction. It's still the official Scottish residence of the King, as in, it's an actual working royal palace. That alone makes it feel like a bigger deal when you're walking through it.

Now, I'll be honest with you - it's a palace, so you're going to get exactly what you'd expect: grand bedchambers, formal dining rooms, a throne room, lavish apartments. All the stuff you've seen in period dramas but somehow more surreal in person. I loved touring all of it, but I won't pretend it blew me away in any unexpected way… until we got to Mary Queen of Scots' quarters.

That's where things get genuinely wild. You're standing in the actual rooms where Mary Queen of Scots lived, which is cool enough on its own. But then your guide points out the spot where her private secretary was dragged from her side and stabbed to death by her husband Lord Darnley's men in 1566. And then, and this is the part that had me leaning in way too close, they show you the bloodstains. Still there. On the dark wood floor. Now, the palace is very much like yes, those are the bloodstains, and honestly? You can absolutely see what looks like it could be blood, so I choose to believe them entirely. It adds a layer of drama to the whole visit that I was absolutely not expecting and completely here for.

One of my other favorite moments was walking slowly through the Great Gallery - this long, portrait-lined hall featuring nearly 100 paintings of Scottish monarchs, dating all the way back to 4th century BC. They were all commissioned by Charles II and painted by an artist in the 1680s. Fun fact: he had to produce about one portrait a week to fill the whole gallery, which... shows he was in a rush, if I'm being honest 😆. But the sheer scale of it is impressive.

But what I personally loved even more than the palace itself was what's right outside of it.

The palace grounds are open to visitors when you tour, and walking through the ruins of Holyrood Abbey was honestly one of my favorite moments of the entire Edinburgh trip. The abbey is around 900 years old, and what's left of it is this breathtaking shell of old stone arches and ornate stonework, open to the sky. It has this quality where it feels both devastated and completely beautiful at the same time like you're walking through a place that remembers what it used to be.

The palace gardens are equally gorgeous - lush, green, and well worth a slow wander. And because this is Scotland, it started raining on us mid-walk through the grounds. Not a light drizzle either. We just kind of looked at each other, laughed, and kept going… because honestly, it felt fitting. Very authentically Scottish. Wouldn't have changed it.

If you're spending a few days in Edinburgh, Holyroodhouse earns its spot on the list. Go for the palace, stay for the abbey ruins, and don't forget your rain jacket.