Yesterday we spent the day on a 10 hour guided tour through the Scottish highlands, and tomorrow we have an 8 hour tour called, "The Best of Scotland". So today, our last free day in Edinburgh, we decided to walk around the city and explore sections that we had not seen.

We stayed at the Macdonald Holyrood Hotel, which is directly across the street from the University of Edinburgh main entrance. Unknown to us, it was around the corner from the Queen of England's summer palace, the "Palace of Holyroodhouse" the "Holyrood Abbey", and Scotland's Parliament. It was Carol who discovered these wonderful sites to see and visit.

The Palace of Holyroodhouse, commonly referred to as Holyrood Palace, is the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland, Queen Elizabeth II. Located at the bottom of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, at the opposite end to Edinburgh Castle, Holyrood Palace has served as the principal residence of the Kings and Queens of Scots since the 16th century, and is a setting for state occasions and official entertaining.

We were not allowed to photographs any of the interior of the palace, so you will have to look online for those pictures. Holyrood website

Grand Entrance

Gate to Grand Entrance

Fountain in Grand Entrance

Front Door

Courtyard

Courtyard

The interior of the Holyrood Palace Courtyard (Movie)

The abbey was founded in 1128 by King David I. During the 15th century, the abbey guesthouse was developed into a royal residence, and after the Scottish Reformation the Palace of Holyroodhouse was expanded further. The abbey church was used as a parish church until the 17th century, and has been in slow decay since the 18th century. The remaining walls of the abbey lie adjacent to the palace, at the Eastern end of Edinburgh's Royal Mile. The site of the abbey is protected as a scheduled monument.

Tours were available on the hour, but for us we were the only ones on this tour, so it was a "private tour".

Entrance to the Abbey

Inner Chapel

Inner Chapel

Inner Chapel

Inner Chapel

Inner Chapel

Sarcophagus

Flying Buttress

Original Abbey Foundation

Original Abbey Foundation

Original Abbey Foundation

The Scottish Parliament Building is the home of the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood, within the UNESCO World Heritage Site in central Edinburgh. Construction of the building commenced in June 1999 and the Members of the Scottish Parliament held their first debate in the new building on 7 September 2004. The formal opening by Queen Elizabeth II took place on 9 October 2004. Enric Miralles, the Spanish architect who designed the building, died before its completion.

Parliament. Exterior

Parliament. Exterior

Parliament. Exterior

Parliament. Grounds

Parliament. Grounds

Parliament Grounds

This striking landmark, found in East Princes Street Gardens, is dedicated to Sir Walter Scott and the tallest monument to a writer found anywhere in the world. At 200ft tall it's hard to miss, and for a small entry fee you can access the museum on the first level and four viewing platforms for some of the finest views in Edinburgh.