Britain has no shortage of beautiful palaces, from working royal residences to the kingly abodes of times gone by. Whether you want to delve deep into British history or you're after fun day out for the whole family, plenty of the country's palaces welcome the public. Here are the ones worth a trip.

The grande dame of Britain’s royal residences, Buckingham Palace is the home of Her Majesty the Queen and the administrative headquarters of the monarchy. But it has not always looked quite as grand as it does today. It began life as Buckingham House, a sizable town house constructed in 1703 for the Duke of Buckingham. It wasn't until the late 1820s that it would become a palace. King George IV, who acquired the house from his father, set about making it a lavish abode fit for royalty. 

George IV died before the palace's completion, however, and the first monarch to call Buckingham Palace home was Queen Victoria. She took up residence in 1837 and added a fourth wing to the already sprawling estate. Today, the palace has some 775 rooms, with 240 bedrooms (including royal, guest and staff sleeping quarters), 78 bathrooms and 19 state rooms. Its Neoclassical facade has become a symbol of Britain the world over, serving as a backdrop for many significant royal moments.

The glittering state rooms are open to the public through the summer months – the deep red Throne Room and the ornate Ball Room are among the most impressive. For the rest of the year, tourists throng around the iron gates to drink in the palace's facade and catch the Changing of the Guard, which takes place at 11am most days. Get there early for the best chance of glimpsing the pomp and pageantry.

This turreted fortress is the Queen's official residence in the Scottish capital today, but a whole host of royals preceded her. It's thought that the palace's abbey dates back to 1128, with royal chambers added soon after. Then, in 1503, James IV extended these chambers into a sumptuous royal palace. From here on, Holyrood would be tinkered with by every monarch who sat on the throne, from Scotland's James V and Mary, Queen of Scots through to Queen Victoria and eventually George V.

The once-glorious abbey stands ruined now, but it still retains a sense of majesty. It was, in its day, one of the county's finest ecclesiastical buildings, and guided tours of the abbey leave daily. Another highlight is the flower-filled gardens that spread out for 2.5 acres, with an additional physic garden to be added here in the near future. The Queen's annual Scottish garden party, in which 8,000 Scottish notables are entertained, takes place in the manicured grounds too.

The working palace is open to visitors year round, although they're closed sporadically for important events. You can explore the grand State Apartments, the Royal Dining Room (pictured), the preserved bedchamber of Mary, Queen of Scots, and the portrait-lined walls of the Great Gallery. The rooms can be explored independently, but look out for the regular 'short talks' by palace staff to gain extra insights.

A grand marble statue of Queen Victoria fronts this London palace. Victoria was born and spent her formative childhood years here, though upon becoming queen (in 1837) she eschewed Kensington in favor of Buckingham Palace. The estate was originally called Nottingham House, before it was bought by King William III in 1689, who commissioned architect Christopher Wren to transform it into an elegant palace. Today it's the residence of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the new Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

The palace is open to the public, and the Orangery (presently undergoing renovations) is a favorite with the visiting crowds. So too is the Sunken Gardens (pictured), a bright, ornamental plot dating back to 1908. Regular themed exhibitions are also a draw. Current displays include 'Diana: her Fashion Story', which chronicles the life of the late Princess Diana through her clothing, and 'Victoria Revealed', a peek into the life of the monarch who once called this palace home.

Imposing Scone Palace is still known as the 'crowning place of Scottish Kings', though a coronation hasn't taken place here since 1651, when King Charles II ascended the throne. The Kingdom was established in the 9th century by Kenneth MacAlpin, recognized as the first King of Scots. From here on, Scottish monarchs were crowned on Moot Hill, which is marked by a small chapel and you can still visit today. Robert the Bruce and Macbeth were among the most famous men to be crowned at Scone.

The palace and its 100-acre grounds are open to the public daily, and you can pay a reduced fee if you're content to visit the outside alone (though you'll be missing out on a great dose of history). Inside, guides are stationed to answer questions about the luxurious State Rooms and their many antiquities. Outside, you can peek inside the Moot Hill chapel and tackle the star-shaped maze with the family.

Often dubbed the Castle of Wales, St Davids Bishop’s Palace has seen better days indeed. But the decorated stonework that remains will please medieval history buffs nonetheless. The palace was originally established by its namesake, Saint David, way back in the 6th century. But the current shell was predominantly the vision of Henry de Gower, who was bishop of St Davids from 1328-47.

In its heyday the building would have included a vast banqueting hall. Today this hall is a roofless shell, but visitors can still get a feel for the grand space since the towering walls remain intact. Another pretty feature is the wheel-shaped window with its trefoil detailing, which has been preserved since the 14th century. The palace is open throughout the year, and visitors can stop at the cathedral's original main gate, which holds historical exhibits, before heading up to the ruins.

This palace was constructed as an extravagant gift from Queen Anne to John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, after he returned victorious from the 1704 Battle of Blenheim. It is also famous as the birthplace of John Churchill's ancestor Winston Churchill, the UK's Prime Minister from 1940 to 1945, and again in the early 1950s. Visitors interested in this aspect of the palace's history can visit the 'Churchill Exhibition' inside.

Time your trip between February and October, when tours of the Private Apartments are available. A highlight is the Long Library (pictured), touted as the second-longest room in England and home to more than 10,000 books. Look out, too, for the Marlborough Tapestries, which depict a string of battles, each won by John Churchill, in the early 1700s. If it's a sunny day, the intricate Italian garden and the arboretum are also a treat.

Reminiscent of a French château, this Renaissance palace, now conserved by the National Trust, was dreamt up with pleasure in mind. Once a hunting lodge, it was made into a palace by James IV during the early 16th century. It later became a beloved retreat for Mary, Queen of Scots, who would relax here and enjoy various outdoor pursuits from hunting to falconry. The palace is particularly proud of its preserved royal tennis court, which is one of the oldest in the world.

Visitors can take a guided (arranged in advance) or independent tour of the palace's interior, with its tapestried walls and antique furniture, pausing to ask questions of the costumed guides. The grounds boast a beautiful labyrinth of live willows and a historic orchard, while open-air theater performances of classics such as Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale are common.

It may be a castle by name, but this is a palace by nature, home to some of Britain's most opulent State Apartments. Cardiff Castle began life as a Roman fort, thought to have been built around AD 50. It then passed into Norman hands, before coming under the control of the affluent Bute family, who transformed it into 'a Neo Gothic dream palace', complete with a banqueting hall and a luxurious library.

Today visitors can appreciate the opulent influence Lord Bute and his family had on the castle on a House Tour that takes in the elaborate interiors. Make time too for the Clock Tower tour, which showcases some stunning palatial rooms. If you're keen to cast your eye further back in time, seek out the remains of the original Roman wall on display in the Interpretation Centre. Read our guide to Cardiff here.

The future of Apethorpe Palace once looked uncertain. On the market for six years, between 2009 and 2015, this Jacobean estate had fallen into disrepair. However, a cash injection of $10.55 million (£8 million) from English Heritage and its acquisition by French diplomat Jean Christophe Iseux, Baron von Pfette, saw Apethorpe returned to its former glory. Though privately owned by Baron von Pfette, the palace will be open to the public every summer for the next 80 years.

A guided tour of the palace gives you a chance to learn of its former royal owners. Its proprietors have included Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, and it was also inhabited by both James I and Charles I. Architecture lovers will appreciate the Long Gallery, with its wood paneling and decorated fireplaces, while the lush courtyards are a pleasant place to relax.

Rising above Scotland's capital on its bed of mossy rock, Edinburgh Castle has long been a symbol of the city, and the Royal Palace within remains one of the highlights. The castle dates back to the 12th century, with monarchs such as Mary, Queen of Scots and her son James VI once calling it home. The last monarch to overnight here was Charles I, the day before he became king.

The Great Hall (pictured), built for James IV in 1511, is the palace's glorious centerpiece. Also on show here is the Stone of Destiny, a hunk of red sandstone and a historic trope of the Scottish monarchy – Edward I even had it built into his throne during his reign in the 13th century. It can now be found alongside the Scottish Crown Jewels, which are among the oldest in the world. The castle is open all year (bar Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year's Day) with guided and audio tours available. Read our guide to Edinburgh here.

This fine Tudor palace in Richmond-upon-Thames dates right back to the 16th century. Its building was begun by Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, who took a medieval manor house and set about converting it into a head-turning palace that was ambitious for its day. Such was its magnificence that King Henry VIII moved himself into the building less than four years after its completion, further renovating it to his liking.

When William III and Mary II came to power in the 1600s, they too made their mark on the palace, rebuilding parts in the Baroque style between 1689 and 1694. Visitors now come in their thousands to take in the splendid architecture, and get a glimpse into the Tudor and Stuart eras and beyond. The rambling maze, installed in the 17th century, is ever a crowd-pleaser, and the annual Hampton Court Palace Festival, a week-long jamboree of live music and picnic food, takes place here in June too.

This palace close to Scotland's capital city was first built in 1702 for Duchess Anna Scott, the widow of James Scott, the 1st Duke of Monmouth and Buccleuch. It was modeled on Het Loo, a lavish palace in the Netherlands, and it bears a similar Dutch Baroque facade. Handsome Dalkeith has been used to entertain numerous royal guests over the centuries, including King George IV and Queen Victoria, and it still remains in the Buccleuch family today.

Visitors should take advantage of the sweeping grounds – the protected woodlands here include some trees that are more than 900 years old. The Dalkeith Park Conservatory, or Orangery (pictured), is particularly beautiful. Jacobean in design, its carved columns and ornate chimney have recently been spruced up with repairs.

Proudly touting itself as the 'oldest and largest occupied castle in the world', Windsor Castle is the favorite weekend bolthole of Her Majesty the Queen. It has also been home to 38 other monarchs in its long history. Established in the 11th century by William the Conqueror, the castle possesses no end of treasures, from the string of State Apartments (envisioned by Charles II) to Queen Mary's Doll House, a miniature representation of a 1920s residence designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

Tourists can explore the castle year round although, since it's a working royal residence, it may at times be closed for special events with little forward notice. For example, the castle's St George's Chapel was the recent venue for the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, followed by a reception in St George's Hall (pictured).

This castle-like structure dates back to the 13th century, though the Victorian influence is most evident today. A long line of dukes and duchesses have called the palatial house home, and it has been owned by the Montagu family since 1538. It's now also recognized as one of the ten 'Treasure Houses of England', who preserve historic estates around the country. Costumed guides will give you a tour of the building, including the restored Victorian kitchen and the plush library.

You can still visit the remains of 13th-century Beaulieu Abbey, which the estate was built around too. And since it lies in the heart of the New Forest, you may well spot a pony or two grazing in the grounds. The grounds are also home to the National Motor Museum, which showcases some 250 vintage vehicles.