It's a tourist-centric experience in a country full of castles that may offer a more history-focused and much less expensive day out. £24 a ticket, no matter the age and then and additional £6 to park...regardless of the time of day. If you enter at 4PM you get an hour of the place for that price. Listen, the Falconer's Quest (birds of prey show) is enjoyable - but is that alone worth the cost? Maybe. I will leave it up to you. read more

Warwick Castle - Falconer's Quest - Cultural Center Near Me - Warwick, WAR

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Beautiful setting, loved the exhibits. I liked that the exhibits were not covered by decorations. You could actually see them. Friendly staff!! The cafe was wonderful!!! My first trip to the UK and it did not disappoint!!! read more

What an experience! This castle was hands down my favorite of all the castles I've been to in Europe. This place is stunning, and you could spend HOURS here! Aside from touring the castle, climbing up to the top, and learning about the interiors, they have many activities and food trucks! Enjoy a beer, learn to joust, lounge in the large courtyard, meet some peacocks. There is just so much! Well worth the drive (this place is sort of desolate, assuming you must drive far). Great for all ages, history buffs and normies alike lol. Recommended to anybody! read more

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Well if you are a real lover of castles there is a very big thing that will really put a dampner on your visit. The rooms of Guys, Ceaser and the Gatehouse are practically off limits to the public. Very dissapointing. The rebuilt parts of the castle from victoroan times are very impressive though I did note that figures were missing from the royal visit display. The castle is of course well worth a visit but in reality Merlin are treating very much like one of their parks. read more

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Such a fun place to visit with my 4-year-old daughter! The first thing she wanted to do was visit Zog's Playland. She then moved on to the Horrible Histories maze. This was a lot of fun, but in the middle of the maze, she had to use the restroom, and by the time that business had been sorted out, it was time to find something for lunch. I wish there were more food options available. It seemed like there were several food tents (a pancake one, a pizza one), but for some reason they were closed. Maybe because we were there on a weekday? Oh well. I loved that Warwick has one admission fee that includes all the shows. We saw the trebuchet show and the Falconer's Quest. The latter was worth the cost of admission alone! My daughter was absolutely delighted by this show. This is a great way to spend the day with a family, and I highly recommend it! read more

Warwick Castle - Cultural Center Near Me - Warwick, WAR

I REALLY enjoyed Warwick Castle. There were so many places to explore. They had typical shops, cafes, and exhibits. What I really like was exploring the towers and walls. There were A LOT of steps and tiny uneven stone staircases, but it was so fun! We all enjoyed the views and it felt like we were back in time as we walked the towers and walls. There were so many things for kids to do and I think there is truly something for everyone. read more

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Worth the money. Make sure you walk up to the keep. The spiral staircase is a bit tiring, but the views at the end are spectacular. This also seems like a family-friendly castle, if such a thing. read more

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Our family had an amazing time at Warwick castle recently. The castle is a pretty decent size, well preserved, and chock full of programs to interest families. The kids particularly liked the partnership they had with the Zog line of characters with a playground, show, and associated various activities throughout the grounds. Also of interest was the bird show with a stunning array of birds including bald eagle, falcons, owls that swoop over your heads leading to excitingly close encounters to various species of hunting birds. The other shows were very nice too including a re-enactment of the War of the Roses with sword fights and jousting as well as a show that had a working large catapult. Highly recommended! read more

Certainly you can spend a nice day out here. Went midweek . 3 activities for the day - Zogs Live show for the little ones , Legend of the Trebuchet and Falconers Quest. By far the best show was Falconers Quest . Great show with of course the magnificent birds taking center stage. Spent sometime at the Conservatory with the manicured gardens. Here you can grab a local cold brew and a sandwich. Of the other eateries - all good at at reasonable cost. Walked the battlements for great views of the city. Parking was a breeze at the castle with a small air conditioned coach taking you to the main gate. The place closes at 4pm but the gift shop is open at the exit gate - so don't fret if you want your fridge magnet ! All in all thumbs up to this national British treasure. read more

Warwick Castle - Peacocks roam the grounds - all very friendly birds - Cultural Center Near Me - Warwick, WAR

Family fun atmosphere with lots of room to learn more in-depth about history if you're there for a more scholarly take on the castle. Super fun activities set up (archery, shows) with a lot of pretty peacocks. Not very crowded even though we ran into tons of school kids taking a day trip. It's a good place to spend a decent 2-4 hours of time just wandering. read more

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Have always enjoyed coming here with my husband and children, great place for walks and to spend the day, especially in summer. Lovely gardens and views. read more

This is an all day affair... with ideal weather of course. I took off a star because it could use more food options... So much to do! Pretty much ideal activities for the entire family. Plan on lots of walking, lots of stairs, gorgeous views, plenty of history along with being a well preserved castle. It's always a bonus when they provide multiple bathroom facilities spread throughout the property too. The exhibit mannequins were interesting. Their facial presentations are comical... and I don't think it was meant to be... The turrets felt never ending... but worth the climb. My body is still feeling it the next day! Views of the little lake and the grounds really make you appreciate the beauty of this castle. This place was well worth the visit. I don't know if I would plan a tour bus to visit to this location. The time needed to appreciate this castle, isn't enough. I would either drive or take the train. Don't let yourself be pressed for time with a tour bus group. read more

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Definitely the highlight I in WarwicK. You would think with it being such huge tourist site it would be extremely packed with people on you all the time but it's not like that at all. There is soo much space at this attraction. Lots to see so bring your walking shoes. The afternoon tea was just ok I would recommend having tea somewhere else. The castle itself is really nice. You gotta do the dungeon... don't worry it's not that scary. If you are in Warwick area definitely check it out. You need at least 2-3 hours to see it all. read more

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Warwick Castle was fun! The gift shops are a bit lacking, but that's my only real negative. I would definitely suggest checking out the Falconer's Quest Birds of Prey show. Also, the view of the castle and surrounding areas from the high walls is absolutely stunning. This would be the best school trip for a younger audience. read more

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The castle is full of history and became open to the public some thirty plus years ago. With a rampart first being constructed in 914 then a motte and fort in 1068, the castle's beginnings have been around for quite some time. The castle has many attractions, shows and activities, and shops and restaurants. It's definitely a touristy place but well worth a visit to check out the many interiors, grounds, towers, and views (especially from the towers)! Attractions include such things as exploring different towers and ramparts, different shows and tours, checking out the interiors of the castle where royalty once lived, checking out the catapult and other weapons, and much more. There is definitely a lot to see to say the least and it is a family friendly place to visit. Whether you're into visiting a historical castle or not, these things are a rare beauty and something of interest is bound to be seen. Prices can differ depending on how far you purchase them in advance but range from about 13 to 19 pounds. read more

Warwick Castle - Catapult and tower - Cultural Center Near Me - Warwick, WAR

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Fell in love with this castle. It was my first ever castle to have seen in real life and it was amazing. It was a rainy day so I made the most out of it. It was too big but just perfect to wander around and check out the cool places you would see in movies such as the dungeon the grand hall and the tower. read more

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My friend suggested seeing a castle while in England and uh YEA! How can you go to England and not see a castle!? He ended up picking Warwick Castle which was the perfect place to explore. Our ticket was £16.80 walking up to purchase and it's valid for one day. They did give us a voucher so we could visit again for just £1 within 2 months of our original visit. Warwick Castle opens at 10 each day and usually is open to 4, 5 or 6pm. Parking is £6-10 depending on where you park. The £6 parking is about a 10 minute walk from the entrance so it may be worth it to suck it up and pay the extra £4 as after a long day you may not want to do the long walk back. You can buy an annual pass for or a Merlin Annual Pass which grants access to entry of 29 of the UK's top attractions like Legoland, the London Eye, the London Dungeons, the wax museum and other attractions for £143.10. Or simply a Warwick Castle Annual pass for £43.74 which includes free parking. All of the actors at Warwick Castle were SO into their positions - it reminded me of Disney workers. Totally in character and very enthusiastic.. When we first arrived, we took some obligatory pictures in the gallows and initial photos in front of the picturesque castle. We then stopped off to watch a Robin Hood looking character teaching all about archery. My friend's nephews seemed to really enjoy this and got to take a turn holding the bow & arrow. Their whole slogan right now is Warwick Castle Unlocked. They've unlocked various secret rooms for the first time. We explored tons of the towers walking up and down winding, tight, steep stairwells with up to 530 steps each. From the top of the various towers, we found fantastic views of the ground. But be warned!!! This is a lot of walking and slightly strenuous walking with the stairs. it's one way and there isn't much turning back once you've started on this journey through the various towers and ramparts. It was cool to go down in the castle's prison and see how they held their 'bad guys'. Very eerie to think it was truly used for their criminals and some did pass away down there. My friend's family and I did a ghost tour of the castle thinking it would be super scary and creepy. It ended up being a bit cheesy and clearly completely made up. Our tour guide didn't seem too sold on what he was saying himself which made it all a bit less fun. He was more concerned with joking around with another ghost tour group's guide who was putting on a fake a English accent. We watched their Flight of Eagles show in the Birds of Prey arena and that was fantastic. The man giving the show was talented but also funny. The birds included vultures and different types of eagles flying from the castle ramparts. The birds were so well trained and it was a fun show for all ages to watch. My personal embarrassing moment when when I saw the Bald Eagle come out of it's cage. I squealed and exclaimed to my English friends how symbolic that truly was for me as an American. Then the animal trainer said, so now, do we have any Americans here in the audience?! And I Wooooooooooed!!! My friends all facepalmed as I wooed all by my lonesome. I expected more people to Woo with me! Everyone in the audience laughed and the trainer joked how he usually had a lot of Americans there to watch the show. Sad. haha! Anyways, fantastic bird show! Gift shops are abound with one you must walk through to exit the castle. I was so tempted by all the goodies in the shop but resisted. In addition they have a couple of restaurants and some food carts around the grounds. read more

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Remarkable castle brought to life by the people who bring you Legoland. It's tailor made for kids, but enjoyable for all. Be sure to check out the demonstrations, we especially found the birds of prey and the flaming trebuchet (!!) to be highlights. The wax museum like display in the basement of the castle rooms and the ramparts and history tours were good fun too. read more

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I've been to Warwick Castle four times, and I'm finally writing a review. The castle is very well maintained with modern influence. The wax figures throughout the castle add a nice touch and help visualize the history of the castle. You can touch the figures and pose with them--we have a lot of humorous photos as we "goof" with the wax figures. The Good: You can explore the entire castle. During the summer, they have jousting matches and a great "Middle Ages" food menu. The Bad: Admittance fees are a little pricey, and in the summer, it can get crowded. Best time to visit: During drizzle rain or winter--the dreary conditions lead to the medieval ambiance! The Ugly: The Dungeon and Torture Chamber are chilling reminders of man's cruelty--but they are well worth the look! read more

Warwick Castle - Sunset @ Warwick Castle--Warwick, England - Cultural Center Near Me - Warwick, WAR

Gimmicky but fun. If you are here on a tight schedule with tour group, be sure to check out the Time Tower (entertaining history telling of the castle) and The Mound (quite a climb but with gorgeous views at top). (Written by husband) read more

A brilliant day at Warwick Castle! The grounds are huge as is the Castle! There is so much to do from the great shows to walking around the walls of the Castle to visiting the state rooms. Its all good fun, we got there around 11am on a Sunday and had to park in the over flow car park which was a 20 minute walk away but it wasn't a problem. It was a great day out! read more

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I'm thinking this is a tourist trap, but I had a really good time when I went. It's a beautiful castle, but it's been converted into a theme park. It was a lot of fun exploring the castle grounds and doing a lot of activities instead of just standing around looking at old things. It's also a really great castle to take kids because they get to pretend to be real princes and princesses at a real castle while learning about medieval England. It's definitely not the same as pretending to be a princess at the castle at Disneyland! I did a lot when I was there. We walked around the castle grounds and climbed some of the towers, which was really neat. We also went into some of the exhibits, like Kingmaker, where they have rooms displaying people like blacksmiths and scribes. I also watched a few shows. The falconry show was very entertaining, though it wasn't very easy to see through the crowd. The jousting tournament was also really fun to watch. They really got the crowd involved in cheering for the good guy, too. My favorite show was the trebuchet. Apparently it's the largest trebuchet in the world. I only got to see it from afar, but it was definitely impressive. Usually you just watch the trebuchet launch a normal ball, but because the weather conditions was good the day I went, I got to see it launch a FIRE BALL. How cool was that!! I also learned a lot about how the trebuchet was used in castle sieges. Reeeally cool. Again, it's not a great place to go if you're looking for a more serious experience. I don't think the tickets were cheap either, but I had a buy one get one free coupon. But if you're like me and was sick of just walking around looking at historical stuff England had to offer, this is a great interactive castle. And don't let being an adult stop you from pretending to be a prince or princess either. read more

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I am not sure if this is something done each Easter, but if it is, plan your trip to the castle around this. What better way to celebrate Christ's resurrection than to watch a castle being sieged by actors in period clothes? Top it off with ghosts and a working trebuchet, and you've got a traditional Easter Sunday. Okay, so maybe not, but it's still a load of fun. Watching a working trebuchet go off is an experience that no person should go through life without, as is watching a siege reenactment on an old English castle. I'm not sure if they have actors year round, but it adds certain charm to a castle when people dressed from its heyday are milling about. The HANDS DOWN best part of the Easter activities that day was the ghost tour. "Ghosts Alive!" I think it was called. After a series of massively disappointing ghost tours around the UK, this made up for them tenfold. I was actually terrified at some points, which is not easy to do to me. I think my ridiculous shriek caught the attention of one of the workers early on, because throughout every room he latched on to me, managing to scare me multiple times. The best part is when I'd scream and he'd just stand there, staring down at me inches from my face, me laugh/shaking for an awkward period of time. I loved the tour and walked out of those gorgeous rooms with a huge smile on my face, exhilarated in a way you can only get when surviving an experience that shook you to your core. The castle, of course, is gorgeous and should be visited even if these activities aren't going on, especially for the views you can get of the surrounding city and greenery when climbing up to the top of the towers. The first time I went, I didn't go inside, but much enjoyed having tea in its courtyard. Tea at a castle! Fancy that. This is a fantastic place to visit no matter what age you are, and it gives you a view into what it would have been like to be there centuries prior. Or if it was inhabited by ghosts. read more

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As a child in the 80s, I visited Warwick Castle ... I recently returned after 30 years. With the ownership changing to the Merlins Entertainment Group, it has added a lot of pizzazz and kid-focused stuff. And that sucks. Still, if you can weave your way through the loud, obnoxious young ones, you'll behold a stunning Castle worth the hassle. read more

Fancies for the 'castle thing' quelled, I think... my penchant for English castles has always been present. Having been interested from a young age in the history of this once Roman land (Londinium, babeee), I read what I could comprehend according to my phase in adolescence. I have been fascinated by the many castles in various parts of this historic, cornerstone country...what daily life was like, how they were used, which kings were good, which were corrupt.... Warwick castle is great example of why one ought to be dancing with dizziness when it comes to castles...had a great tour here, which even included a mock jousting event.. sooo cool!!! (Knight's Tale, anyone? Heath, you are one great talent). I was wowed by every feature, and as we strolled throughout the capacious grounds and structure itself, I couldn't possibly imagine having to don the heavy garb they did during Medieval times (as a lady or otherwise... worse if you were the poor sucker who had to be outfitted with armor) and get from point A to B at the castle! A good stop for castle haunts if there ever was any. Thumbs up, PS Dear Sheila A., why am I farty just because I'm American. And, pardon me, but are "ABC-American"s farty too? Do help enlighten me.... read more

Okay...so I didn't actually go in Warwick Castle. I am judging it based on what I could afford to see. Warwick: cute little town with crooked buildings and a castle. The castle: Looks like it belongs at Disneyland--and indeed, it is owned by an entertainment park. Lots of actors dressed as toothless peasants at the entrance and anxious kiddos eager to go inside. Personally speaking, it looked a little too kid friendly for me. I saw no farty Americans (as a previous reviewer had written), but plenty of odd looking Germans, British Grannies and camera toting Japanese. And then there's the price. I noticed that someone wrote it was 16 pounds just a few months ago. Well, I went in August and it was 21 pounds...that's like $23,000 for us farty Americans. Needless to say, I slid past the exit and got close enough to get an exterior shot and called it a day. read more

Warwick Castle - The part of the castle that you can see from the exit. - Cultural Center Near Me - Warwick, WAR

I visited here with my sister and expected great things!....I wasn't disappointed! It was a lovely family day out, plenty of things to see and do, the castle grounds are very impressive! The peacock garden was AMAZING! They were just free to wander and literally came within inches of me! The actors and staff were very friendly, chatty and knew a lot about the history, and two of the ones we spoke to were actual historians who had studied it at university and now taught history, so it really felt like an authentic experience! Dungeons were OK quite scary at the end, not suitable for young children, however they were nothing in comparison to the ones in London! Merlin's tower I would say was a waste of time and money. Gutted they didn't let me visit the princess tower as I wasn't between 2-8 years of age :-( awwww A lot of variety of food available, even for veggies! Toilets were actually very clean, especially considering how many visitors were there! The shows they put on like the birds of prey and archery were both funny and impressive! I loved the fireball trebuchet spectacular at the end, it was so nice to kick your shoes off after walking all day and laze in the lovely summers sun with an ice cream, and watch this awesome show. The whole embankment was full, and it was such a lovely atmosphere. The music made you feel like you were in a lord of the rings film, which was so cool lol and you could really feel the heat from the fire blasts too, even from across the river. A great way to end the day! All in all a great family day out, a little pricey though. Make sure you wear sensible shoes as if you really want to experience it all, you have to be prepared to do a lot of walking and climbing up and down stairs. Would totally recommend it, and would definitely revisit! read more

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Okay my experience of the castle is some what different than everyone elses, firstly I was there for an evening banquet and secondly this night involved large quantities of wine and ale. Basically I was here for a matey's (yes Louise that is you!) Hen Do and what a fantastic night it was . Kudos to Helen W. for sourcing such a killer venue. We all dressed up as Medieval ladies and had a jolly good sit, eat and giggle for about 5 hour. You pay a flat rate of £40 odd for a 5 course meal and as much as you can drink. What suprised me the most was the fantastic food that was served up. There is always the worry with nights like this that you'll end up eating generic "wedding food crap" that requires wine to wash it down, but i have to say that the food really did stand up for itself. Some tasty green soup with a green scone dumpling, salmon tarts, vegetable rissotto for the veggies and mustard chicken for the meatys. The entertainment was top notch too, a very funny magician and a minstle played music and got us all singing along. If you are looking for a party night out, totally go for something like this, you get to sit in the fantastic dining hall were hundereds have sat before and be entertained. They also have a Highway Mans dinner for the 17th Centry dress ups which looked fantastic too. Well done Warwick castle, well bloody done! read more

Holy crap what an awesome castle!!!!! I was so excited to come here yesterday. It's huge, and there's a ton of stuff to see. Plus, unlike at Shrewsbury Castle, you're actually allowed to take photos inside!! Hell yeah. There's a gigantic state-room area complete with weapon-laden Great Hall, lavish parlors, dining room, and bedrooms. There are some more modern areas too (and by "modern" I mean like 1900) to reflect changes over the years. The dungeon (sorry, "gaol") is creepy as fuck....once your eyes adjust, you'll notice the nasty looking torture instruments, the grate over the oubliette, and the carvings in the stone from prisoners past. Eek. Other points of interest: the river out back with the neat steampunk-esque turbines and engines used to power the castle in later years; falconry demonstrations; the big trebuchet; the "Kingmaker" exhibit showing how battle preparations were made. I wanted to get up to the battlements too, but that part was closed due to high winds. :( Cons: the price of admission is ridiculous. £21....EACH. And that doesn't even get you full access to everything - once you're inside, there are still some areas you can't see unless you pay an ADDITIONAL £7-9 each. Eff that. Also, there are some reenactors sprinkled throughout the place who kinda made me feel a tad uncomfortable. Some take their job more seriously than others I guess. I'll take the creepy mannequins over them any day. Also, groups of whiny aimless schoolkids can get a bit irritating. And one last remark - to the previous reviewer who was bitching and moaning about "farty Americans" - the only one of us who was farting during our visit was my husband....and he's English! So suck it. read more

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This castle is terrible and sucks. If you have a child, bring that child here - seems like everyone else in the entire country did. You'll have a great time. If you don't have a child, there is no reason for you to go here. It's mostly concession stands, gift shops, and middle school student tour groups. I swear to God a kid walked past me on the friggin' castle ramparts blasting Linkin Park out of his iPad. This place is just too crowded to enjoy. The staff are all really nice folks, so I can't one-star it, but man this was a shitty castle experience. read more

Warwick castle is essentially exactly what you would see if you were to close your eyes and imagine what a castle looks like, it's only missing the flooded moat. The castle is in incredible condition as it was used as a private residence until relatively recently so it's easy to climb up to the top of the towers and walk along the walls, generally having the castle experience you want. As well as the general castle and the grounds they have put a lot of effort into the exhibits so there is plenty to do and see, this is an easy day trip where you can have a good potter about, watch some falconry and see them hurl a ball of flame a hundred metres from a trebuchet. There are a variety of eateries on site, although I didn't try them and if you want you can even stay overnight in a lodge. Good value for money, plenty of family discounts available, if you book in advance you tend to get some discounts (keep an eye out for vouchers also) and they have a rainy day guarantee so if your day is rained off (this is England after all) you'll get a free ticket to come back on a sunny one. One thing to watch out for though, you may have to pay extra for certain things on top of the entrance ticket ie the dungeon. As well as the castle Warwick itself is worth having a good look around in, a really beautiful town. read more

Words I have not used in a review before now but feel obliged to report that this once revered landmark steeped in heritage has now become transformed into an outrageous travesty that is a parody and simply a theme park. I first visited Warwick Castle with my wife over 15 years ago when we spent a wonderful, relaxing, day enjoying the simple entertainments that were laid on and absorbing the echoes of the history of this place. 15 years later, returning with our family, I now feel that from the first moment I passed the barrier through to the overflow car park that I was on a carefully constructed ride to extract as much money as possible from my pocket. Six pounds to park in their own car park which is a 30 minute walk from the main entrance by time you arrive at which you discover is £96 simply to enter the grounds. On entering you find yourself immersed in il-fitting concessionary stands selling all kinds of tat and other "experiences" which are charged as extra and regrettably the construction that was once a marvellous landmark is reduced to a minor sideshow and climbing frame. Sadder still, this appears to be a commercial success, judging by the hoards of families using this venue as an adventure playground. I have never felt so depressed so quickly upon entering the main courtyard, my teenage son tried to buy food at a couple of stalls to find that not all the fryers were working or that the drinks he wanted were no longer available so even in this they failed to deliver. The organised joust which was once informative and a chance to get up close and experience the power and energy has been turned into a pantomime to be viewed at a distance. We felt obliged to stay having spent so much time and money to get to this point but could only bear it a couple of hours. If you are looking for somewhere for your 3 to 9 year olds to run around all over the place and burn off some energy this may be for you but starting out with over a £100 I would suggest your money would go further and more enjoyably elsewhere. The day before we had spent a full day walking in and around the grounds of Kenilworth Castle, learned more about the local history and enjoyed a good lunch in the local pub for much less than it cost us in Warwick. I sincerely hope we have not seen the future of all our national attractions on this day. read more

What an impressive castle! This castle is in great condition, and there is so much available to walk around. I was truly impressed and enjoyed my visit...with the exception of the commercial feel of the castle. There was "Lord of the Rings"-esque music playing throughout, people in costumes shouting at visitors, and 3 gift shops that you have to walk through in order to proceed. Aside from that, the towers give you an amazing view of the region, and the town of Warwick is mere footsteps from the castle walls. Considering the cost to get into the castle, we only did the castle and grounds. You have the option of doing the dungeons as well, but almost £25 a person was a bit steep. Tip: there is apparently a coupon book for Warwick going around with 2-4-1 offers for the castle. Try to find one, so that you don't break the bank! read more

Wow, I have to start this review by saying what an incredible night! Warwick castle is a fascinating place under normal circumstances but to see the castle from a new angle and to experience medieval life for one night is something I strongly recommend! To begin the evening we were given a private tour of the castle and in true medieval style our very elegant (£16.99 from ebay) medieval dresses swished behind us as we explored the depths of the private rooms. We were whisked into to main hall where the story tellers began to set the scene for us, the year was 1488 and the Earl of Warwick told us that tomorrow we would all be led in to battle so to enjoy our night as it maybe our last, so we did, with unlimited ale and wine this was easy. The magician enhanced the evening with his slapstick humour and even managed to embarrass me on stage, to be honest that isn't that hard! With all this going on you might think that the service or the food standards might slip, but it didn't, it was beautiful. I strongly recommend the kingmakers feast for any kind of special night, our's was my sisters hen party, something we will have fond memories of forever! Just one tip, after several tumblers of wine do not attempt to run ahead of the group in order to make the bus on time, or else you might end up like me, running around a castle, with my red dress hitched up, in complete darkness, classy! Very classy! read more

An amazing day out. It may be aimed at families but I had a fantastic time with Edd! We bought tickets online so they were fractionally cheaper, and headed through Warwick to the castle. It's very central so easy to get to on public transport. We got the train from Birmingham and then walked. We were visiting on a dry but chilly weekend in February and I think this was probably perfect. There were plenty of people there but not so many as in the summer, meaning you can have a closer look and a bit more space. There's so much to do. There's the normal things you would expect from a castle- climbing the turrets, eagles, towers etc but there's also some lovely historical information. I loved the TIME TOWER i.e. a audio visual history of Warwick castle. I learnt lots and it was great fun. Warwick Castle was a private residence until the 70s I think so it's in pretty good condition. I liked the way they had set up one section as it would have been in Victorian times. It's very hands on- plenty of things to pick up. There are food options but we chose to eat in Warwick instead. read more

A tourist trap if there ever was one. The castle it's self is pretty cool, and they have a "museum" that is really just a bunch of stuff that the Greville family collected. A few dozen swords, a dozen suits of armor, and a lot of history from the 19th century. (Not what you expect for a medieval castle.) Avoid the Dungeon and the Dragon show. A Dungeon is basically a cheesy haunted house. The Dragon show might be fun for small Children, but the 9 year old I was with didn't seem to dig it. (The 5 year old liked it.) Honestly, if you want to see some history, skip this castle. Head to the Tower of London. read more

Probably our best day out anywhere in England! First, we got 2 for 1 tickets through Chiltern Railways. Then we were super surprised and extremely delighted with the variety of things to see and go at Warwick. The castle itself has both ancient and more modern (palace-like) areas. For example, you'll see the stone castle with the ancient jail, blacksmith's shop, etc. Then starting at the great hall you see a more modern palace where dinners and parties were held. We loved being able to walk through and see the same building but in eras separated by hundreds of years. Outside the castle, we loved the hawk/bird display. We've seen several around London and this was the most entertaining. You can also climb up the ramparts outside the castle, although this was honestly exhausting. Still, climbing up a narrow turret was a nice thing to check off the bucket list. Even more surprising and wonderful was the peacock garden. They put so much into making this beautiful, along with at least 5 peacocks just hanging out, walking around, jumping onto hedges. I also recommend the Time Tower interactive video. You walk through a small part of the castle and see 3D videos about the history of the castle. read more

Warwick Castle is one of the coolest places in the West Midlands! I've been going here since I was a kid and it never get's old... the thing that made me laugh on my last visit was how much smaller the castle looks now as an adult! I remember it being 100 times the size it is when I was a kid. I would look up in awe at this mighty castle where Knights used to 'hang out' and do cool stuff. Warwick Castle is a great family day out and your children will learn so much about history, as well as any practical demonstrations they have going on that day from falconry to jousting and horse riding. They have people dressed up in costumes too, from Henry the VIII right through to the local wench! And the acting is good too, nothing like the bad acting you see on the TV! Forget the TV show 'Doctors'... come to Warwick if you want good acting! The other thing I like is how well preserved the interior is, wow, breathtaking. It really takes you back and you can feel and experience how it must have been to actually live here back in the day. There are also some lovely walks around the grounds and surrounding area, so if you enjoy walking, you'll like Warwick. There are also some really lovely little restaurants nearby, as well as great B&Bs - ok so it's not cheap by any stretch to eat and sty over in Warwick, but if you have the funds, it's definitely worth it! read more

OK - this is a very "touristed" place. If you are familiar with Bush Gardens Old Country in Southern Virginia, it feels a bit like that. There are various shows and attraction areas with the Family in mind. BUT you are always aware that this is THE REAL DEAL. Growing up being taken to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival every year, I was familiar with the name Warwick as a Maker and Shaker throughout the History Plays. So it was tremendous fun to see the place! On the 'show' side of things, there is a multi-media presentation in one of the towers giving a fun and easy rundown of a 1000 years of history. It was raining the day we were there, so we could not take in the catapult or archery exhibitions, but the Birds of Prey show went on regardless of the weather and was IMPRESSIVE seeing EAGLES launched like falcons!! The gem, though is the castle interior. One side is set up in medieval fashion, including waxworks of King Henry and his wives, etc. The armor collection alone is spectacular. The other side is the residential area as it was in the early 20th century as the still-prominent family prepares for a country weekend, including the Prince of Wales and Young Winston Churchill. Nice bits about the servants, so every fan of PBS British Programming (Downton Abby or Upstairs, Downstairs) could be satisfied! There is a bit of walking and climbing involved at places and the food options are pretty limited and expensive, but that is pretty much part of the territory. Don't be put off by the Theme-Parkish elements. This is still a very cool place!! read more

Warwick Castle is a great day trip from London. I wasn't sure what to expect because of the varying reviews, but I ended up really enjoying the castle and grounds. I'm practically a castle/palace pro at this point, and Warwick is different from the bunch of other castles I've been to - much more touristy and cheesy, but that can be fun and bring more lighthearted entertainment, even if you're an adult (as long as you're a kid at heart, I think). The key, I think, is to take advantage of the included shows throughout the day (I went on a Saturday, so there were probably more shows than usual). My favorite was the Birds of Prey show that has bald eagles and owls swooping inches from your head, but the Trebouchet Fireball Show and Historical Tour were interesting as well. If I'd been there longer, I may have gone to the jousting show, too. In between the shows, check out the interior of the castle and grounds. My favourite parts were the State Rooms and The Mound, but I liked the Georgian Peacock Garden too. Fun fact: the castle is owned by Madame Tussaud's, which means rooms and gaol of the castle are filled with wax figures, and they entertainingly talk to each other and have period drama type conversations that reminded me of Downton Abbey. The Mound was great because everyone goes up to the tower, and I'm sure that has pretty views, but The Mound is high up too, and I practically had the place to myself when I was up there. So peaceful. I recommend going on a beautiful, sunny day so you can enjoy the grounds - the River Avon runs right next to the castle, so I enjoyed wandering around that area for a while too. And the town of Warwick is adorable, if you have time to check it out with some of its Shakespeare-era houses and cute local shops! Overall, a pleasant day out and way to see something different not too far from London. read more