Hampton Court Palace What to Do and See: A Complete Guide
Delivering an all-round experience, Hampton Court Palace is one of the best palaces to visit in London. Packed with an enormous range of things to do and see, Hampton Court offers the chance to step back in time and see what it was really like to live and work at the palace.
Once one of King Henry VIII’s favourite royal residences and later the much-loved home of William III and Mary II, Hampton Court is bursting with stunningTudor and Baroque architecture, furnishings, gardens and things to do.
Visit the rooms and halls where King Henry VIII and his family lived, see world-class re-enactments of what it was like to reside in the palace, explore the Tudor kitchens where fantastic feasts were devised, relax in the numerous magnificent riverside gardens, stroll the corridors and staircases of England’s most famous monarch, still dressed with the King’s impressive armoury, artworks, tapestries and more.
To ensure you don’t miss a thing, here’s your complete guide to all the best things to do and see at Hampton Court Palace.
Hampton Court Palace what to do and see: a complete guide
Why visit?
Located just outside London in Richmond upon Thames, Hampton Court is super easy to get to from Central London. Built beside the River Thames with Kew Gardens just down the road, Hampton Court Palace sits in a picturesque riverside setting surrounded by beautiful grounds perfect for a picnic.
At over 500 years old, grade I-listed Hampton Court Palace remains one of England’s best examples of Tudor architecture. The site was first the residence of Henry’s once-favoured adviser Cardinal Wolsey who built his own palace-style home there in 1514.
Wolsey later gifted the site to Henry VIII in 1525. Henry embarked upon a mammoth building project to turn it into a royal palace designed to impress. Once completed, Hampton Court was the height of modernity and a lavish display of Henry’s wealth and power. It was a well-used residence, home to Henry’s famous wives but also the place where Henry held court and entertained global dignitaries of the time.
With its own place in British history, Hampton Court has been the location of many important historical occasions. Today, the Great Hall and the chapel still survive as examples of the magnificence of Henry’s remarkable plans for the palace which was finally completed in 1540.
The site was later expanded by William III and Mary II from 1689 onwards. These power-sharing British monarchs updated the palace with new state apartments and other rooms, designed in a Baroque style intended to rival the Palace of Versailles.
A visit to Hampton CourtPalace offers a unique opportunity to enjoy a full sensory experience of what it was like to live and work in the palace during Tudor Times. Despite the age and historical significance of the site, there are lots of hands-on attractions to entertain all the senses which ensure Hampton Court is a hit with visitors of all ages.
What to see and do at the Palace:
Due to its numerous updates, Hampton Court Palace is an enormous estate with three main layers of history to uncover. On arrival you’ll find yourself in the Tudor palace and courtyards. It’s easy to imagine King Henry VIII and all his courtiers living here along with his many servants.
One of the stand-out things to see in this part of Hampton Court is the Great Hall. Hampton Court’s Great Hall was the backdrop to countless feasts and meals. It was the main hub of the palace and would often have as many as 600 people eating together with an enormous fire raging in the huge Tudor fireplace.
The Great Hall’s immense size and hammer beam wooden roof is still as impressive today as it was at the time. Lined with beautiful stained glass windows and tapestries, the entire space is constructed in a medieval style intended to evoke the aura of the legendary medieval heroes Henry loved so much.
Completed at the time of Henry’s marriage to Anne Boleyn, there are numerous visiblemarkers in the roof dedicated to Anne, including the letters H and A that are inscribed into the timbers.
The Chapel Royal is another memorable placethat’s still a working place of worship – you can even attend a service there if you wish.Constructed with much beauty, it’s royal blue and gold vaulted ceiling is a dazzling spectacle, flanked by mullioned windows with the King’s Gallery at the top. Henry’s place on the Gallery’s Royal Pew is marked by aspectacular replica of Henry VIII’s crown.
The scene of many historical moments, the Chapel Royal is the place where poor Catherine of Aragon was arrested and dragged to the Tower of London as she screamed to Henry for mercy. Her ghost is said to still haunt the corridors today.
The King and Queen’s State Apartments are a must-see for the chance to see the private rooms of a world-famous monarch where he could both unwind and sleep. There are suites for King Henry VIII and his wife as well as William III and Mary II.
Each suite consists of a series of opulent, furnished rooms, including the actual bedrooms of King Henry and Anne Boleyn plus the Guard Chamber furnished with a jaw-dropping quantity of weapons on the walls.
What to see and do in the Palace Gardens:
Hampton Court Palace Gardens consists of a number of sensational historic gardens with each offering something different as well as riverside parkland. Must-sees amongst the Palace Gardens include the Wilderness which was fashioned into its current style as a flower-filled meadow in the 1680s when wilderness gardens were a huge trend.
For children, the Magical Garden delivers hours of fun as they run around the mythical beast-themed space. If you’re a fan of growing your own, the Kitchen Garden and the Great Vine, the biggest vine in the world which produces around 272kg of grapes annually, will be top of your list.
Perhaps the most famous feature in the Palace Gardens is the ground-breaking Hampton Court Palace Maze, the world’s oldest hedge maze which dates back to around 1700. Other top attractions include the fountain-filled Great Fountain Garden and the Stuart Privy Garden reserved for the monarch’s private use.
For your journey to Hampton Court, book your chauffeur driven transportation to and from the Palace today. We travel to all of London’s top attractions as well as all London airports and more. Call us today on: +44 203 417 2724 / 0203 4172724, send us an email at: bookings@airport24.co.uk or book your car online now.