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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.
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A mini guide to
Holyrood, Arthur's Seat & Calton Hill: things to do
Places worth your time in Holyrood, Arthur's Seat & Calton Hill
Top places
Things to do in Holyrood, Arthur's Seat & Calton Hill
Landmarks, museums, parks and viewpoints in and around the area.
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.
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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.
Cliffs
Salisbury Crags
Line of cliffs in Holyrood Park overlooking the Old Town, popular for walks.
Science centre
Dynamic Earth
Science centre opposite the Scottish Parliament, telling the story of the planet through immersive exhibits.
Hill
Calton Hill
Small hill above Princes Street, crowned with monuments and an observatory, with classic views of the skyline.
Monument
National Monument of Scotland
Unfinished, Parthenon-inspired memorial on Calton Hill, begun in 1826 to honour Scotland's Napoleonic War dead.
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Monument
Nelson Monument
Tower on Calton Hill honouring Admiral Nelson, dating from the early 19th century.
Monument
Dugald Stewart Monument
Small, circular Greek-style monument on Calton Hill to the philosopher Dugald Stewart.
Observatory
City Observatory
Historic observatory buildings on Calton Hill, now home to the contemporary art organisation Collective.
Cemetery
Old Calton Burial Ground
Historic cemetery below Calton Hill, with the grave of philosopher David Hume and the Political Martyrs' Monument.
Museum
Museum of Edinburgh
Museum in historic Huntly House on the Canongate, covering the history of the city.
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Church
Canongate Kirk
Seventeenth-century parish church on the Canongate, near Holyrood.
Edinburgh
More areas to explore
14 sights · 23 places to eat
Stockbridge & Dean Village
A riverside village, a botanic garden and Edinburgh's best-loved suburb
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13 sights · 29 places to eat
Leith & the Waterfront
A historic port with a royal yacht, a lively waterfront and some of the city's best food
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16 sights · 28 places to eat
Grassmarket & Southside
A market square under the Castle, Greyfriars and the city's main museum
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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