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Palace of HolyroodhousevsNational Museum of Scotland
Palace of Holyroodhouse and National Museum of Scotland are both recommended by travel writers. Overall, Palace of Holyroodhouse ranks marginally higher than National Museum of Scotland. Palace of Holyroodhouse comes in at #3 in Edinburgh with endorsements from 7 sources such as Michelin Guide, Lonely Planet and The Telegraph.
Palace of Holyroodhouse
Concierge
Travel + Leisure
Michelin Guide
Frommer's
Fodor's
The Telegraph
Condé Nast Traveler
Independent Frommer's
Lonely Planet
Canongate, Edinburgh EH8 8DX, Scotland
From $0/night
Concierge "The Royal Apartments are as grand as you might expect, with magnificent pictures, particularly those of the kings of Scotland by Jacob de Wet, providing the glitz."
Travel + Leisure "Every summer, en route to Balmoral from Buckingham Palace, Queen Elizabeth II stops at this spectacular, if lesser-known, 16th-century royal residence to host an annual Garden Party." Full review
Michelin Guide 2 Stars
"The buildings of the interior court are a fine example of the renaissance period." Full review
Frommer's "If you're fit and ambitious, climb up to the summit of 250-m (823-ft) high Arthur's Seat, from which the panorama is breathtaking." Full review
Fodor's "Once the haunt of Mary, Queen of Scots, and the setting for high drama... this is now Queen Elizabeth's official residence in Scotland." Full review
i
There's plenty to see here, so make sure you have at least two hours to tour the palace, gardens, and the ruins of the 12th-century abbey.
The Telegraph "A tour of the Queen’s official gaff in Scotland will show you more tapestries, paintings and plasterwork than you can shake a sceptre at, as well as Mary Queen of Scots' chambers." Full review
Condé Nast Traveler "The Queen’s official Scottish residence is a palace, all right—every room feels more luxurious than the one before." Full review
i
And be sure to check out the 12th-century Holyrood Abbey.
Independent "Best known as the home of Mary, Queen of Scots...the palace’s staterooms are regularly used by the royal family. Areas open to the public include the 14 staterooms and the grounds"
The world’s most beautiful royal palaces
October 8, 2022
Frommer's "If you're fit and ambitious, climb up to the summit of 250-m (823-ft) high Arthur's Seat, from which the panorama is breathtaking." Full review
Lonely PlanetTop choice
"This palace is the royal family's official residence in Scotland, but is more famous as the 16th-century home of the ill-fated Mary, Queen of Scots." Full review
National Museum of Scotland Concierge Lonely Planet Fodor's Michelin Guide
Afar Magazine
Atlas Obscura Condé Nast Traveler Atlas Obscura Frommer's
Chambers Street, Edinburgh EH1 1JF, Scotland
From $0/night
Concierge "One building is 19th-century, the other modern, but a link between these neighboring museums makes it possible to walk from the past to the present."
Lonely Planet Top Choice
"The new building connects with the original Victorian museum... the stolid, grey exterior of which gives way to a beautifully bright and airy, glass-roofed exhibition hall." Full review
Fodor's "Traces the country's fascinating story from the oldest fossils to the most recent popular culture, making it a must-see for first-time visitors to Scotland." Full review
Michelin Guide 3 Stars
"Two adjoining buildings make up the National Museum of Scotland." Full review
Afar Magazine "History buffs should not miss this sprawling museum housed in adjacent ultramodern and classic Victorian buildings—the latter with a magnificent birdcage Great Hall." Full review
Atlas Obscura "There are plenty of wonderful panoramic vistas in Edinburgh, but not many are hidden smack in the middle of the Old Town. " Full review
Condé Nast Traveler "Situated slap-bang in the center of Edinburgh, this ultra-popular free museum is sprawling, highly informative, and very easy to access." Full review
Atlas Obscura "Every birth, death, and marriage is recorded in these color-coded leather-bound books. " Full review
Frommer's "With a subject matter as broad as "Scotland" the resulting collection was always going to be a bit of a mish-mash. There are dinosaurs, meteorites, the jaws of a sperm whale, and frocks." Full review
