Exploring Scotland: Visiting Linlithgow Palace for a day (or two)

‍‍Two weekends ago, we had the fantastic opportunity to attend a lovely jousting event organized at the Linlithgow Palace, and I must say, it was one of the most beautiful medieval events organized in Scotland we've experienced so far.

Even if it was a tiny event compared to the Medieval Festival Oradea that the Oradea Fortress hosted this past weekend (shoutout to our hometown! So proud!), it was very lovely and packed with fun things to do and see.

From learning about medieval Scotland from awesome people to learning about falconry and even test your stonemasonry skills (Andy had fun with that one).

And that's just one of the many wonderful things you can experience here.

The place is great for curious explorers at any time of the year, not just at jousting events (especially if you are uncomfortable when a place is packed with people).But enough with the chit-chatting! Let's get to it!

Related: Experience Edinburgh, Scotland almost for free – the perfect Edinburgh travel guide

Exploring Scotland: Visiting Linlithgow Palace for a day

Lovely dreamers, even if it is a mouthful to say this name, especially for two foreigners like us, while exploring Scotland, we found that Linlithgow Palace is a historical gem that shouldn't be ignored when you plan a visit in the beautiful and evergreen Scotland. Plus it's fun to challenge yourself to say "Linlithgow" as fast as possible!

First things first. Let's talk about the history of this place

Before Linlithgow Palace, apparently there was an old 12th-century royal manor, that was fortified in the 14th century by the English and used as a base for securing the supply routes between Edinburgh Castle and the Stirling Castle.Then, disaster struck, when a great fire destroyed half of the town of Linlithgow, in 1424 (all the info is according to Wikipedia). King James I was the one who started rebuilding the palace and make it a residence for Scottish royalty.

Mary, Queen of Scots was born here, in December 1542, as well as Elizabeth of Bohemia, the daughter of James VI.

Since the fire, many Scottish royals built and rebuilt the palace as the centuries past, even Bonnie Prince Charlie visited Linlithgow on his march south, but it was eventually almost entirely destroyed by fire, in 1746, again according to Wikipedia.Even so, you can still explore a great deal of it, and admire its beauty, preserved by Historic Environment Scotland.

What do you need to know before visiting Linlithgow Palace?

As with all of Scotland, you need to be prepared for rain and cold, no matter when you come and visit, so you will want to have a raincoat or a rainproof jacket with you, even if the sun is up when you arrive. Umbrellas won't help you much here, because you will have a ton of interiors and exteriors to explore so they would only get in the way - don't bother with them.Also, make sure to have comfortable clothes and shoes on, because there are a lot of stairs to climb up and down. The palace is quite big and it will take some time to see everything it has to offer, so keep that in mind as well.

If you are arriving by car, there is free and safe parking right up to the Palace, yay!

And last but not least, don't forget about the gift shop. Make sure to pop in for a visit. Yes, it is super tiny, but the people that work there are very friendly and helpful.

What to do and see at Linlithgow Palace?

From the moment you arrive, you'll see the courtyard, the church, and the palace. When we were there the first time, the rain just started, so we didn't spend much time outside, but we did find a beautiful statue of Mary, Queen of Scots.

As you get closer to the inside courtyard of the palace, you get a fantastic view of the beautiful ornate centerpiece fountain, that we found out recently is the oldest surviving fountain in Britain, built in 1538. That makes it 481 years old!

And what a beauty it is.

If you visit in the summer months of July and August, you can actually see the fountain in action on Sundays, and on special occasions such as the Spectacular Jousting event.Don't be afraid to explore the ruins, sit behind the chamber where Mary Queen of Scots was born, find out how the Scottish royalty lived, admire the architecture.

Also, you can enjoy a lovey picnic by the loch, or walk around and spot the local wildlife. ( p.s. those birds you encounter on the loch make some strange sounds sometimes! )

When is the best time to visit Linlithgow Palace?

The answer is simple. Anytime. We've been a couple of times now, and they were both fantastic. If you want to explore the ruins calmly and slowly (what we recommend), don't visit when events like the Spectacular Jousting are happening.

You'll be happier when the place is not packed with people.

That being said, please don't ignore events like that, because they help you enjoy and explore the palace's surroundings. That's how we got to explore the loch.

How to get in cheaper?

Of course, we couldn't conclude this post without giving you the secret sauce of exploring Scotland like a boss - the Explorer Pass ( great for 5 or 14 consecutive days trips) or the membership for Historic Scotland (if you are planning to stay for longer, as this is an annual membership that you can pay monthly)To be fair, for 7,20 £ for two adults per month, for us, it's a no brainer, really, but it's nice that there are options for everyone.

So what are you waiting for? Explore Scotland this summer with Historic Environment Scotland. (not sponsored, btw, just very very happy with them).

Bonus!

Where to stay close to Linlithgow Palace on a budget?

Another secret of ours is that we absolutely love BnBs, and the best ones (that also fit our budget) we've found were through Airbnb.Near Linlithgow Palace, you can find dozens of Airbnbs, but the Cozy central studio with rural aspect and the Shepherd's Snug sure caught our eyes.They are very much our style. Simple, clean and intimate. What do you think?

P.S. If you make any bookings through our link, you will get up to £34 off your first trip on Airbnb! Enjoy!

Aaaand this is all for today, lovely dreamers! We hope you enjoyed our piece of Scotland adventure for today, and if you did, share it, pin it, tweet it! We would really appreciate it.

Our question for you is: What's the last place you explored?