Holyrood Palace & Gardens, Edinburgh.

Holyrood Palace is the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland. Located at the bottom of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, 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. Queen Elizabeth spends one week in residence at Holyrood Palace at the beginning of each summer, where she carries out a range of official engagements and ceremonies. The 16th century Historic Apartments of Mary, Queen of Scots and the State Apartments, used for official and state entertaining are open to the public throughout the year, except when members of the Royal Family are in residence. The 4-hectare Palace gardens are encircled by the Queen’s park and set against the spectacular backdrop of Arthur’s Seat. The area around the north wall of Holyrood Abbey was the site of the Palace menagerie, a common feature at European courts. Tigers (in the reign of James 1V), lynx, bears,