Windsor Castle & Hampton Court Palace Tour
About this activity
Highlights
- Explore Windsor Castle's State Apartments
- Discover Hampton Court Palace's Tudor Kitchens
- Stroll through Hampton Court's Formal Gardens
- Learn about Henry VIII's reign at Hampton Court
- Enjoy a scenic drive through the English countryside
Full description
Included / Excluded
- Guided tour of Windsor Castle
- Guided tour of Hampton Court Palace
- Free snack pack
- Lunch and additional refreshments
Itinerary
The preferred weekend residence of our current King Charles III, Windsor Castle is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world. Also a favorite castle of Henry VIII, the place is now his tomb along with Queen Victoria, the Queen Mother and many more royals. Wander through the stunning State Apartments and take a look at St George’s Chapel, where Harry and Meghan married. Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House is a must-see, with hot and cold running water, electricity and tiny items made by 1,500 of the finest craftspeople of the 20th century.
Step inside St George’s Chapel, located on the sprawling grounds, where notorious King Henry VIII and his favourite wife, Jane Seymour, are buried, as are Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. St. George's Chapel is one of the finest examples of gothic architecture in England. It has been the setting for many royal weddings and is the burial place of ten sovereigns. The Chapel is dedicated to the patron saint of the Order of the Garter. Britain's highest Order of Chivalry. *St. George’s Chapel is closed to visitors on Sundays as services are held throughout the day. Worshippers are welcome to attend the services. These occur at the following times: 08:30 – Holy Communion 10:45 – Mattins and Sermon 11:45 – Sung Eucharist 17:15 – Evensong
Pass by: This 17th-century historic masterpiece building is situated in the High Street, only 100 metres from Castle Hill. Prince Charles married Camilla Parket Bowles, Duchess of Cornwall at Windsor Guildhall in 2005.
You will be welcomed to the magnificent Hampton Court Palace by one of the expert Palace Hosts who will introduce you to Henry VIII’s riverside residence and set you on your way to explore the spectacular State Apartments, Tudor Kitchens and glorious gardens. A royal palace in the borough of Richmond upon Thames, Hampton Court Palace was built in 1515 by Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, favourite advisor to King Henry VIII. Once the most powerful man in the English court, second only to the King, Cardinal Wolsey fell out of favour with Henry after he failed to negotiate an annulment of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon so he could marry his latest obsession, Anne Boleyn. After Wolsey’s death in 1530, Henry VIII took charge of Hampton Court, turning it in to a hotel, a theatre and a huge private playground, using it to demonstrate his enormous wealth.
Upon arrival to Hampton Court Palace, guests will now receive a warm welcome and introduction from a guide in periodic costume.
Meeting point
Start Location
Golden Tours, Bulleid Way Departure Point, Stop 1, Bulleid Way, London SW1W 9SR, UK
Important information
Know before you book
- This tour involves a moderate amount of walking; ensure you're comfortable with this level of activity.
- The tour operates rain or shine; plan accordingly for weather conditions.
- Please inform the tour operator of any dietary restrictions in advance.
Know before you go
- Wear comfortable walking shoes suitable for uneven terrain.
- Bring a camera to capture the stunning architecture and gardens.
- Check the weather forecast and dress accordingly for the day.
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Accessibility
- Infants Required On Laps
- Easy Public Transport
Good to know
- You must bring the e-ticket provided to gain entry to this tour.
- Our vehicles are modern, comfortable, and kept to the highest standards of cleanliness, including a deep clean every day.
- During peak periods, additional vehicles without Wi-Fi may be used.
- Windsor Castle is a working royal palace and planned closures/disruptions may be subject to change.
- When the State Apartments are closed the Precincts, Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House and the Drawings Gallery will remain open.
- Windsor Castle closures: 25 and 26 December – Castle completely closed.
- St. George’s Chapel is usually closed to visitors on Sundays as services are held throughout the day. Worshippers are welcome to attend the services.
- Windsor Castle is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. A walking tour of the town will take place instead.
- Signature Tour Option: Take advantage of the best views on the bus with our premium seating option and a knowledgeable live guide. Plus, enjoy a lunch pack. Once at each location, you will have access to Hampton Court Palace and Windsor Castle, giving you a complete and immersive experience.
Traveler reviews
Hampton Court Palace & Windsor Castle
To walk the courtyards, rooms and halls of Hampton Court Palace where Henry the VIII, Anne Boleyn, Cardinal Wolsey and others walked was absolutely overwhelming…Mark was our Tour Guide and Claude was our Coach Driver…Mark gave us a wealth of information and pointed out little things that the group may have missed…but he also gave us an plenty of time to meander on our own…but the pièce de résistance was Windsor Castle!!! we were actually charmed to the fact that the royal standard was flying when we arrived…King Charles III was in residence!!! Of course, we didn’t actually expect to see him, but the fact that he was on the property was exciting! I was able to capture The Guard change just as we were getting ready to depart…just Thrilling!!!
Good tour, bad guide
This is a great way to see both sites on one day. Easy meet up place, nice transportation, a couple hours at each place. You are free on your own to go and see what you want, so not forced to follow along a predetermined tour. The Bus Driver (Elviro?) was polite and on time. The problem for me came in with the tour guide (Dolly). She gave back history and stories on the way to the sites, and then after we disembarked the bus and before we were set free to go explore. Unfortunately, she continued to pepper her commentary with personal opinions and bordering on racist remarks. For instance, there were some people in the way of the bus, walking down the middle through a parking lot, and she asked “is it the Chinese?“ On the way through London she was explaining how the area used to have Russian lettering all over the place because the Russians had bought everything up, but now everything is written half in Arabic. She stated that “the Arabs have bought everything up and come here and act like this is their home.“ she clearly does not like King Charles, and made numerous comments about some of his policies and things that he is changing. I don’t feel like these are appropriate comments and opinions to be regaling tour members with. I certainly didn’t want to hear it and was personally offended by some of the comments. I’m sure with a different tour guide I would’ve given this experience five stars.
Lovely places, but not a good experience.
First we booked our trip on 5/11 and it was rescheduled for 5/9. This messed up our 3 day London Pass for 5/8 through 5/10. We lost a day to use our pass and ended up having to pay for other entries that would have been included into the 3 day pass. Dolly our tour guide was slow and wasted a lot of time. She said we couldn’t bring in water to both places and you could have done that. Cost us extra to get water we already had. Some of the things she was telling us were also incorrect. She is a lovely person, but maybe should retire. Last thing was they didn’t drop us off at the same place as the pickup. We had to find our way back. Both pickup and drop off were located far from our hotel and they could have used a large van instead of a bus.
Palaces
Great way to see both palaces in a day!
Very Good tour
Staff and tourist guide were Great.