Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh (must see)

If you're ticking off Edinburgh landmarks, Holyroodhouse is one you can't skip-not unless you're on the run from the crown... Sitting at the royal end of the Royal Mile, this stately pad is the official Scottish residence of the British monarch and once housed none other than Mary, Queen of Scots. That’s right, drama lives here rent-free...

The whole saga begins with King David I, who founded the nearby Holyrood Abbey in 1128 (after a divine deer encounter, according to legend). A few centuries later, precisely by 1501, a palace was built beside the abbey. Now, calling it a “palace”, back then, was maybe a touch ambitious-a grand country house, more like it, rather than Versailles-but it did get bigger in 1532 and 1536. The property was thoroughly renovated in 1633, only to be trashed when Cromwell’s soldiers used it as barracks and then a fire added insult to injury...

Then came the 1670s, when Sir William Bruce, the architectural fixer of the day, rebuilt the place. The abbey chapel became the Chapel Royal, hosting pious activity until 1768, when the roof rather unceremoniously fell in. More restorations followed after that-first in 1822 for a royal visit, and then again in the 20th century when King George V and Queen Mary decided the palace could really use indoor plumbing. Royal flush, anyone?

When the royals are away, the house is open to the public. Inside, you can marvel at ceiling stucco so delicate it practically whispers, and gawk at an entire lineup of Scottish monarchs-some real, some as fictional as their hairlines-painted by the Dutch Golden Age artist Jacob de Wet. Then, dive into the Royal Collection, a five-century mix of armor, jewels, manuscripts, and silverware. Basically, it’s the attic of your dreams-if your attic had Rembrandts and 17th-century clocks.

Oh, and don’t wander off alone unless you're cool with ghosts. Legend has it that Agnes Sampson, accused of witchcraft and executed in 1592, still makes the occasional appearance here. So, if you feel a chill or hear something whispering about herbal remedies... maybe don’t investigate.

Palace, ghosts, ceilings, swords, and sovereign bling-are all here. Holyroodhouse doesn’t just bring the royal drama-it curates it.