Holyrood Palace is the Monarch's official residence in Scotland.
It was founded in 1128 when David I founded an abbey on the site and is still used today by the Queen whenever she is in town.
Guided tours are available and lead visitors through the grand State Apartments, the Throne Room, and the Great Gallery, culminating in the apartments of Mary Queen of Scots and her husband Lord Darnley, their bed-chambers linked by a secret staircase.
A plaque on the floor marks the spot where Mary's Italian secretary David Rizzio was murdered in 1566.
Next to the palace lie the Gothic ruins of the Abbey, whose Royal Vault contains the remains of kings David II, James II, James V, and Lord Darnley, who was himself murdered by Mary's lover.
The adjacent Holyrood Park was historically a Royal hunting ground, but is now a wilderness where locals can escape to for walking and taking in the spectacular scenery.