This is one of England’s best preserved castles and it now has a big budget “theme park” feel to it. The building itself is the star here, from entering the historic rooms, to walking the walls, you feel like you’re either on a movie set or part of the history of the place. In addition though, a lot of money has been spent on entertainment ranging from trebuchet demonstrations to hand to hand combat. Our kids particularly enjoyed the birds of prey demonstration which takes place in a ringed area within the grounds. The price to enter does seem steep, but there’s loads to see and do once inside and it would be easy to spend a whole day here. It’s a shame that you have to pay extra for the Dungeon and the Dragon Tower though. This is an extract from our free Shakespeare Country Guide.
The crowd gathers for the combat display at Warwick Castle
We really enjoyed our trip to the castle. Apart from the highlights mentioned above, we also loved just walking on the castle walls offering great views of Warwick and the surrounding area. The kids in particular wanted to climb the next winding staircase to see where it led. We also enjoyed a trip to the lovely water mill at the bottom of the castle walls which is easy to miss. Also, the castle has a beautiful interior which is in great condition and is laid out as it would have been in the time of the Earls of Warwick.
One of the 'state' rooms inside Warwick Castle
Warwick Castle now has 2 additional ‘experiences’ that you have to pay extra for on top of the basic castle entry. These are…
The Castle Dungeon – Where you’ll find gore, torture, decaying bodies and chanting monks along with the labyrinth of lost souls! (Not suitable for under 10s).
Merlin & The Dragon Tower – An experience based on the BBC TV show Merlin which includes an exploration of Camelot and an encounter with a dragon.
There are a range of admission tickets depending on what you want to have included. Adult admission to the castle including the Dungeon and the Dragon Tower is currently £33.60. Adult admission to the castle without the extra experiences is £21 (2011 prices). You can save money by buying online here (search for Warwick Castle) or by collecting the many vouchers which offer 2 for 1 admission. These are commonly in UK supermarkets or national newspapers. Warwick Castle is open in the summer from 10am until 6pm (April to October) and in the winter season from 10am until 5pm.
While at the castle, try to grab a little time in Warwick itself. You can exit the castle and have you hand stamped to allow re-entry. The castle is just a few hundred yards from the main shopping street, but there are lots of fascinating landmarks in the toen to look out for. See our free guide to Historic Warwick for more.
The Warwick Castle birds of prey show
LOCATION & CONTACT
Address: Warwick Castle, Warwick, Warwickshire, CV34 4QU
Tel: 0870 4422000 (within the UK)
Tel: 0871 265 2000 (Recorded information within the UK)
E-mail: customer.information@warwick-castle.com
MORE ON WARWICK CASTLE
Attractiontix - Discount admission to Warwick Castle
Warwick Castle – Official website
Warwick Hotels - From Hotels.com
Warwick Hilton - Where we stayed – it’s a lovely hotel
Warwick Castle, Stratford, Oxford & Cotswolds Day Trip From London
Shakespeare Country – Official website with accommodation, special offers and more information. Alternatively call +44 (0)1926 471 329
BACK TO…SHAKESPEARE COUNTRY GUIDE
