Monday, August 4, 2025

Holyrood Palace, Edinburgh, Scotland (August 4)

Monday, August 04, 2025  ,  No comments

Monday, August 4, 2025

Starting: #165, Kimpton Charlotte Square Hotel, Edinburgh, Scotland
Ending: #165, Kimpton Charlotte Square Hotel, Edinburgh, Scotland
Highlights: Holyrood Palace, Afternoon Tea at Palm Court, Ten Thousand Hours Show

After a restful sleep, we woke at around 07:30, showered, and dressed. We decided to try a different breakfast eatery (as we were not impressed by Fortuna Coffee). 

Inna found great reviews for Urban Angel on 121 Hanover St., and we strolled over there (about 10 minutes away). When we arrived at 09:30, there was little seating available, but we found two seats for us by the window (we were hoping for a private table). Normally, reservations are highly recommended, even for breakfast. After looking at the menu, we selected the following items:
  • Inna: Baked Eggs with Goat Cheese (like Eggs Benedict)
  • Boris: Granola Banana Yogurt - great!
I loved the Yogurt with Banana and Granola. It was healthy, delicious, and reasonably priced. Inna's Baked Eggs were also excellent. Overall, we were very happy with our breakfast (but made a mental note to make reservations next time). We saw a lot of people come in and get turned away because there was no more seating available.

After breakfast, at 10:15, we decided to visit the Holyrood Palace as I had purchased online tickets for the 10:30 entrance. I ordered UberX (to save walking time and to avoid the rain), and we were quickly driven there.

On arrival at Holyrood Palace, we picked up the free audio guide and followed it through all the rooms in the palace. It was an excellent tour and we learned a lot about Holyrood Palace and its history.

Palace of Holyroodhouse — often just called Holyrood Palace — is the official royal residence in Scotland and one of Edinburgh’s most historic and visited sites.

Location & Role

  • Sits at the end of the Royal Mile, directly opposite Edinburgh Castle, with Arthur’s Seat rising just behind it.

  • Serves as the Scottish home of the British monarch.

  • Used for official ceremonies, royal receptions, investitures, and events during the monarch’s stays.

Historical Background

  • Founded: The site began as Holyrood Abbey in 1128, established by King David I of Scotland.

  • The palace evolved from a guesthouse for the abbey into a royal residence in the 15th century.

  • Major developments:

    • James IV built the first proper palace buildings (late 1400s).

    • James V and later monarchs expanded and redesigned it into a Renaissance-style palace.

  • Has been the setting for key moments in Scottish history, particularly during the turbulent reign of Mary, Queen of Scots in the 16th century.

Famous Historical Events & Residents

  1. Mary, Queen of Scots

    • Lived here between 1561–1567.

    • The palace was the site of the murder of her secretary, David Rizzio, in her private apartments — a pivotal moment in her downfall.

  2. Bonnie Prince Charlie

    • Used the palace as his base during the Jacobite Rising of 1745.

  3. Royal Visits Today

    • King Charles III (formerly Queen Elizabeth II) traditionally spends one week here every summer, known as Holyrood Week.

Architecture & Highlights

  • Style: Mix of Gothic and Classical, with a quadrangular layout.

  • North Wing: Contains the Royal Apartments, including the Throne Room and Morning Drawing Room.

  • South Wing: Houses the historic apartments of Mary, Queen of Scots — preserved with her personal belongings.

  • Great Gallery: Lined with portraits of Scottish monarchs (some based more on imagination than history).

  • Holyrood Abbey Ruins: A hauntingly beautiful medieval ruin adjoining the palace — open to visitors.

  • Gardens: 10 acres of manicured lawns, trees, and seasonal flowers, with panoramic views of Arthur’s Seat.


Inna had wanted to try Afternoon Tea at a fancy hotel and had made reservations for 12:20 at Palm Court in the Balmoral Hotel. It was fairly close to Holyrood Palace, and we walked about 12 minutes to get there. It was very windy (as a major storm was coming through).

When in Palm Court, we were seated on a recliner and offered many choices of tea. We selected the following teas. Our waiter followed a very fancy tea serving demonstration where he poured the tea from way above (without spilling it).
  • Boris: Rare Breakfast blend tea with milk
  • Inna: 2nd flush muscatel Sikkim tea with milk
Later on, we switched to French-pressed coffee (as I got tired of drinking tea). The coffee turned out to be first-rate, too! After tea was served, we were delivered a tray with 3 stacks: 
TOP STACK
Amuse Bouche
  • Cucumber gazpacho, yuzu & dill caviar
Savories 
  • Tomato pesto, smoked buratta & almond tart 
  • West coast crab, sea buckthorn 
  • Courgette & olive cake, pumpkin seed
MIDDLE STACK
Sandwiches
  • Mature cheddar cheese savory 
  • Coronation chicken, baby watercress 
  • Free range Arlington egg mayonnaise, avocado, crème fraîche Porchetta, Arran tomato chutney, butterhead lettuce Balmoral smoked salmon, miso, cucumber
LOWER STACK
Scones 
  • Classic scone & fruit scone with clotted cream & homemade Balmoral jam, crafted by Heather Hills Farm

After we barely finished with the first tray, another tray of dessert cakes was delivered. By that time, we were already past full.

Pastries 

      • Earl Grey Opera cake
      • Cherry bakewell tart
      • Perthshire strawberries & crowdie mousse
After finishing lunch, we decided to explore the nearby Royal Mile and Victoria Street. We walked to the Scotsman Hotel and walked down the steps to another level. This area is strange in that there are upper and lower levels.

We first walked around Cockburn Street, which had lots of curious shops. From there, we walked to Market Street, which was busy with multiple street performers, some doing various acrobatic acts, others singing. Our hope was to explore the Royal Mile, but we ended up spending more time on Victoria Street and instead exploring the beautiful St. Giles' Cathedral. 

Along with Holyrood Palace, St. Giles was a definite highlight of the day. We especially liked the Thistle Chapel, which had intricate wooden carvings.

St. Giles’ Cathedral — also known as the High Kirk of Edinburgh — is one of Scotland’s most iconic churches and a central landmark on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile.

Historical Background

  • Founded: Originally built in the 12th century, likely around 1124, during the reign of King David I.

  • Dedicated to Saint Giles, the patron saint of lepers and the city of Edinburgh.

  • Over the centuries, the church has been rebuilt and expanded several times, especially after fires in 1385 and later renovations in the 15th century.

Architecture

  • Style: Primarily Gothic, with later Victorian additions.

  • The most striking feature is the crown steeple (added in the late 15th century), a distinctive openwork stone spire that has become a symbol of Edinburgh’s skyline.

  • The interior features a long nave, pointed arches, and beautifully crafted stonework.

Key Features Inside

  1. Thistle Chapel (1911)

    • Home to the Order of the Thistle, Scotland’s highest order of chivalry.

    • Richly decorated with oak carvings, heraldic symbols, and elaborate stalls for the knights.

  2. Stained Glass Windows

    • Many date from the late 19th and 20th centuries, depicting biblical stories and Scottish religious history.

  3. John Knox Connections

    • John Knox, leader of the Scottish Reformation, preached here in the 16th century.

    • During that time, St. Giles became a hub of Presbyterian worship.

  4. Memorials and Monuments

    • Contains plaques and statues commemorating figures like Robert Louis Stevenson and Scottish soldiers.

Religious and Civic Role

  • Historically served as a meeting place for both religious and civic functions.

  • Still an active Church of Scotland parish, holding regular services, concerts, and special events.

  • Strong ties to Scottish national identity and political history — even the Scottish Parliament met there at times.

Visiting Today

  • Located right on the Royal Mile, between Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Palace.

  • Open to the public with free entry (GBP 5 donations encouraged).

  • Offers guided tours, music recitals, and exhibitions.

  • The Thistle Chapel and crown steeple are top highlights for visitors.

After exploring St. Giles, we spent some time listening to a Polish guitar player, Bartek Dobrowski, see the link below:

Inna noticed a Harry Potter-themed Elephant House Cafe on Victoria Street, and we decided to stop by for a drink and a snack. At around 16:30, the cafe was not busy and we were able to get a table. Service was very slow, but we managed to order a few items. Being in Scotland, I wanted to try Scotch whisky and decided to try it here, since it was priced reasonably.
  • Boris: Finnegan Scotch 25ml  (nice smell)
The smell of Finnegan was fantastic, and even Inna (who doesn't like whisky) commented on the pleasant aroma. However, I am not a whisky drinker, and tasting Finnegan did not change my mind about whisky.

Inna also wanted to visit the Greyfriars Kirkyard Cemetery to see the grave of Tom Riddle (aka Voldemort in Harry Potter), but the graveyard was closed due to the wind.

To avoid getting bad seats, we decided to head to The Assembly early (for our upcoming Ten Thousand Hours show), scheduled for 18:00.

We arrived at 17:25, and there was already a very long line to get in. We waited and were able to get excellent seats to observe the 7+ Australian acrobats performing their acrobatic stunts. It was a fun and entertaining show. The show started a bit late, around 18:15, and ended at 19:15.

For dinner, I had made 19:30 reservations at the Italian Contini Restaurant near our Kimpton Charlotte Square Hotel on George Street.


Upon arrival at Contini, we were quickly seated and handed a menu. We ordered the following dishes, which were reasonably well prepared:
  • Appetizer: Burrata salad
  • Boris: Sogliola (oven-roasted lemon sole)
  • Inna: Nasello ( chargrilled hake)
It was a decent dinner, and the service was fast and efficient.

Day Report  (August 4)

Highlights
Lowlights


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