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Royal palace
Palace of Holyroodhouse
The monarch's official residence in Scotland, at the foot of the Royal Mile, with historic State Apartments and the abbey ruins beside it.
Directions Website Report a problem with Palace of Holyroodhouse
A mini guide to
Holyrood, Arthur's Seat & Calton Hill
A royal palace, a Parliament and two hills with city views
Photos
1 / 10Welcome to the area
A royal palace, a Parliament and two hills with city views
Holyrood sits at the foot of the Royal Mile, where the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the ruined abbey and the Scottish Parliament stand beside Holyrood Park. The park's crags and extinct volcano, Arthur's Seat, rise just behind them.
A short walk north, Calton Hill is crowned with monuments and an observatory and gives a classic view across the city. Together the two hills make the most rewarding walks in central Edinburgh.
Highlights
Start here
If you only have a few hours, these are good places to begin.
Ruined abbey
Holyrood Abbey
Ruins of the abbey founded in 1128, beside the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
Parliament
The Scottish Parliament
Home of the Scottish Parliament, a landmark modern building designed by Enric Miralles.
Directions Website Report a problem with The Scottish Parliament
Gallery
The King's Gallery
Gallery beside the Palace of Holyroodhouse, staging exhibitions from the Royal Collection.
Park
Holyrood Park
Royal park of crags, lochs and hills just east of the Old Town, with Arthur's Seat at its centre.
Hill
Arthur's Seat
Extinct volcano and the highest point in Holyrood Park, with wide views over the city and the Firth of Forth.
Find your way
On the map
The map shows Holyrood, Arthur's Seat & Calton Hill and the streets around it. The Getting there page lists nearby stops and stations.
Insider tips
Before you go
1
Pick your hill
Calton Hill is a short, gentle climb from Princes Street. Arthur's Seat is a longer hill walk: allow a couple of hours and wear proper shoes.
2
Check the weather
Holyrood Park is exposed and the crags can be slippery in wet weather. Take a waterproof and stay on the paths.
3
Combine the Palace and the Royal Mile
The Palace of Holyroodhouse stands at the bottom of the Royal Mile, so it fits neatly at the end of a walk down from the Castle.
4
Go for sunset
Calton Hill is a favourite spot for views of the skyline at sunset. It gets busy on clear evenings, so arrive early.
Tips from the Britlens editors
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Open the mini guide →Photo credits
- Holyrood, Arthur's Seat & Calton Hill (area photo): Peulle, CC BY 4.0, source
- Palace of Holyroodhouse: 瑞丽江的河水, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Holyrood Abbey: LASZLO ILYES from Cleveland, Ohio, USA, CC BY 2.0, source
- The Scottish Parliament: Matthew Ross, Public domain, source
- The King's Gallery: Bernt Rostad uploaded and derivative work: MrPanyGoff, CC BY 2.0, source
- Holyrood Park: Richard Webb, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Arthur's Seat: David Monniaux, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Salisbury Crags: Kangarooth, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Dynamic Earth: Globaltraveller, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Calton Hill: 瑞丽江的河水, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- National Monument of Scotland: Colin, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Nelson Monument: Kim Traynor, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Dugald Stewart Monument: Carlos Delgado, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- City Observatory: Carlos Delgado, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Old Calton Burial Ground: Kim Traynor, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Museum of Edinburgh: Stewart Lamb Cromar, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Canongate Kirk: 瑞丽江的河水, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Stockbridge & Dean Village: Mike Shaw, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Leith & the Waterfront: Alan Murray-Rust, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Grassmarket & Southside: rboed*, CC BY 2.0, source
- Haymarket & Murrayfield: Kim Traynor, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Bruntsfield & Morningside: Macumba, Public domain, source
- Portobello & the Coast: M J Richardson, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Old Town & Royal Mile: Anthony O'Neil, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- New Town: Chris Morgan, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, used under the licences shown. All photo credits
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