On the tenth day of our Scotland road trip, visiting Scone Palace in Perth was our final stop. We had started the day at our holiday rental* near Fort William, driving along the scenic A82 through the breathtaking Glencoe valley. Originally, we had planned to head straight to Edinburgh, but on a whim, we decided to make a detour to Scone Palace – and it was absolutely worth it.
Contents Scone Palace in Perth
Arrival and a Spontaneous Decision
During the planning of our Scotland road trip, we knew that we wanted to visit Scone Palace in Perth. However, since we arrived in March, we soon realized that the palace was still closed for the season. On the tenth day of our journey, as we were heading back towards Edinburgh, we remembered that Scone Palace would reopen in early April. Instead of driving straight to the capital, we made a spontaneous decision to stop by – and it turned out to be a great choice.
History of Scone Palace
Scone Palace was built in the 19th century on the historic grounds of the former Scone Abbey. The abbey itself was the coronation site of Scottish kings and housed the Stone of Scone, also known as the Stone of Destiny. Scottish monarchs were crowned on this stone until 1296. The current palace was rebuilt in the early 19th century in a neo-Gothic style and still serves as the residence of the Murray family, the Earls of Mansfield.
Visiting Scone Palace
Even the drive up to the palace made it clear that this was a special place. The route takes you through the city of Perth before requiring a left turn onto Queens Drive. To access Queens Drive, you first pass through the palace gate. From there, the road stretches for nearly a mile across the estate, leading to the large parking area in front of the palace.
Inside the palace, guides are present in all accessible rooms, providing visitors with historical insights and interesting anecdotes about the palace’s past. We even met a German-speaking guide who gave us a detailed account of the estate’s history.
As mentioned earlier, Scone Palace is still privately owned and inhabited, which means that the private quarters are not open to visitors. However, the publicly accessible rooms are in excellent condition and well worth seeing. As in many other castles and palaces in Scotland, filming and photography are not permitted inside. That’s why you won’t find any interior shots here.
Moot Hill: Historic Coronation Site
Although the palace itself is relatively new, the site is steeped in history. Right in front of the palace, on Moot Hill, the kings of Scotland were crowned. According to legend, Scottish kings had to be crowned on their own land. To fulfill this tradition, each king brought a handful of earth from his homeland for the coronation. Over time, this practice formed the small hill. Many such fascinating stories await you on a tour of the palace.
Palace Gardens: A Walk Through Nature
As you can see in the photos and video, the palace grounds are home to some incredibly photogenic peacocks. The vast palace gardens are also part of the estate, and we highly recommend taking a stroll through them. To round off our visit, we explored the Murray Star Maze, located within the gardens. This maze is more challenging than it looks—we actually took longer than expected to find our way out! Be sure to give it a try; we had a lot of fun navigating the winding paths and searching for the exit.
Conclusion: Scone Palace in Perth and the Final Leg of Our Road Trip to Edinburgh
After visiting Scone Palace, we headed to the final stop of our road trip. Taking the M90, the northernmost motorway in Great Britain, we enjoyed a comfortable drive to Edinburgh and checked into our hotel*. Day ten of our journey was an intense road trip, packed with stunning scenery. Driving through Glencoe had already offered breathtaking landscapes, and ending the day at Scone Palace made this sunny day between the Highlands and Edinburgh absolutely perfect.
Scotland Road Trip: The Best Booking Providers for Your Trip
Here are our top recommendations for booking your trip. We prioritize booking platforms that offer fair prices, high-quality service, and excellent customer support.
Booking.com* is our top choice for accommodations and rental cars* thanks to its fast and flexible service, vast selection, and competitive prices.
Get Your Guide* is our go-to platform for high-quality tours and activities while traveling.
Viator* also offers tours. If we don’t find what we’re looking for on Get Your Guide, Viator often has great alternatives.
Skyscanner* is our number one choice for finding cheap flights.
