One must be asking me ..what on earth was I doing in Warwick, UK? It's the countryside in the middle of nowhere yet it holds one of UK's most beautiful castles --the Warwick Castle. I arrived in Warwick on a Sunday afternoon for a week long business trip and needed something to do. Being a New Yorker, I was expecting some places to be open on Sundays. I took the cab from my hotel into the heart of the "busy" town but couldn't find any attractions that were open until I stumbled upon this ancient, medieval castle, which really fascinated me. I found the entrance to the castle; paid 16 pounds; and began my journey into exploring some history about medieval UK. I'm a nerd when it comes to history so I would read everything that's on the display. The corridors and hallways were huge. The arms and armors were quite admirable. I heard that this is where they filmed parts of one of the Harry Potter movie but that could be just a rumor. The best part was walking up to the towers via the narrow, spiraling stairs and when I arrived to the top, I was awed by the overlook, scenic beauty of the countryside. The castle also sits on River Avon, which made it even more beautiful. If you ever played "Heroes of Might and Magic" (RPG game), that's what this place reminded me of (sorry, I can't control my nerd mode for the moment). Some people think this is a tourist trap but what else is there to do on a Sunday afternoon when every shop in the town is closed? read more

What a waste of time for adults! Absolutely nothing to do for adults! It's so expensive too £30 per adult... Yes really! I was looking forward to visiting the dungeons, but you had to pay an extra £9 each to do the dungeons so we didn't do that. But if we did the day would have cost us £78.... Extortionate! Definitely not worth it, perhaps if you have children interested in castles etc but otherwise what a boring waste of a day! Warwick town is nice though. read more

We had a wonderful time exploring the castle. It was a cold, windy day but that made it even more fun. The dungeon experience was just as described. Climb up the towers -- amazing views!! read more

Warwick Castle - Cultural Center Near Me - Warwick, WAR

I will admit that when I conjure up an image of a castle in my head, they tend to be more grand than the Warwick estate. I will admit, that I did not choose to go here but it was part of my study abroad trip. I will admit that driving two hours out of London was not my idea of a good time. I will also admit that I was slightly hungover at the start of this day trip, so my memory may be a little hazy. However, I do remember some things. I do remember the grounds being beautiful & the lawn perfectly manicured. I do remember being fascinated with the peacocks openly roaming the courtyard; quite a spectacle. I do remember the views from the towers being gorgeous; we don't have castles in the U.S. I do remember the weather being absolutely beautiful on this St. Patrick's Day and actually a little warmer than planned. read more

The countryside a few hours from London is spectacular rolling hills. Bucolic. Beautiful. Well worth a drive. The castle is interesting, in particular, because it has been occupied for multiple hundreds of years, up until 1978 when the descendants bequeathed it to posterity as a worthy tourist attraction to demonstrate in real life what castle living was and could be. While the furnishings and wax figures exemplified fashions and furnishings that are less than 100 years old (Victorian) and history surrounding WWII politicians -- Churchill -- it was just these figures and just those furnishings that gave this castle real 'life' that would not be possible in an empty fortress or a furnished but 'empty of human figures' museum. Strangely, and unexpectedly, the wax figures really helped tell the story of what life could be like in a castle. This is no palace, but instead a seemingly manageable place to live for the well-heeled, the upper crust, the royalty who were in line to the crown, but who knew they would never get there. This place could be a home. The main hall, the furniture, the artwork, the photographic art, the woodwork, the details, the castle walls, the towers, the green, the adjacent river/creek -- all make this place magnificent and worth a visit -- and well worth the price paid. The failure was in the Dungeon "show" -- an add-on for a British Pound, and unfortunately, that price spoke volumes, once we were unwitting victims of this poorly written, poorly imagined, poorly executed "show" that requires one to walk room to room as if in a funhouse. They should rather scrap the whole thing and start over. Here are the problems and the biggest misconception. First the misconception - I had high expectations of some sort of mock-up of a dungeon wherein actors portrayed medieval torment and torture. But instead, once inside, we were unwilling and unwitting participants in a Halloween Haunted House skit. Paid actors working in terribly dark and smelly conditions each had a room wherein they acted their assigned roles awkwardly trying to engage the audience who unfortunately spent a lot of initial energy just trying to see where we were walking, navigating circular concrete dark stairwells, attempting to avoid smacking our heads on low dark stone doorways. They even had a hall of mirrors, which I'm certain were never part of a medieval dungeon nor torture technique. The actors' scripts had little to do with medieval history and more to do with hackneyed fright techniques -- quiet voice, pause, loud voice -- wow, just wow. It was bad in every production value and not worth any price of admission. Please fix this one defect in an otherwise excellent castle visit. Cheers! read more

Despite the rain, we had a great day at Warwick Castle. There is lots to see and do that's indoors so was far from worried! The grounds are stunning and really worth a wander around. Food was really nice and good value for the money. You are able to use your Merlin Pass against this. The Merlin experience was worth the extra £3, yet the parking is a sting at £6. read more

Warwick Castle is definitely worth visiting. There are many picture-taking oportunities both outside and inside the Castle (including knights in armour and weapons of all kinds to see inside). Activities include Jousting (depending on the time of year), Merlin: the Dragon Tower, and the Flight of the Eagles show. The Castle Dungeon was my favorite - it is a must see and a genuinely creepy experience. Good for visitors of all ages. read more

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What a waste of money. Toilets closed can't even take a picture unless pay to go in. Parking 6 pounds and another 19 pounds to go in. Not worth it as far as I'm concerned. read more

Other than the weather me and the family had a great time here. All the actors props and demonstrations was very entertaining and they really cater to the audience. The history is amazing it is worth another trip. Wear comfortable shoes! Also not too far away/walking distance there are a few quaint restaurants that serve the most delicious food, so after a long day you can relax. Great fun. read more

I did not go in but took a walk through Mill Garden which gave a great view of the back of castle-I have been to other castles in Ireland so no need to go in but the outside is lovely along with the town of Warwick read more

Warwick is a good castle to take the kids to, but if you're an adult looking for more historical content, it might not be worth the high admission price. Warwick is very beautiful. If you've never been to a castle before and only have time to visit this one, you should go. On the other hand, Warwick is owned and operated by the Madame Tussaud parent company and feels very commercial. When I went, there were many gimmicky attractions like a "Princess Castle" with a pink banner, and live actors who greeted you like you were a guest at an aristocratic dinner party. This made me a bit uncomfortable, since all I wanted to do was walk around and look at the house, but one actor kept trying to engage me in pretend banter and even gave me a fake champagne drink to hold. Almost every exhibit had dramatic music, dramatic audio narration, wax figures, or live actors. There was even constant music on loop outside. I assume the castle is pretty crowded most of the time, since I went in off-peak season on a weekday, and there were lots of screaming children and school groups. I had gone to Dover Castle only a week before, and Warwick in comparison seemed more like a theme park. If you want a museum experience, I'd recommend Dover or another castle that's not owned by a commercial enterprise. read more

Lovely castle that has been ruined by trying to turn it into an amusement park. Expensive to get in and really not a lot worth seeing if you're an adult. I came away not knowing any more about the history of Warwick Castle than I did when I went in. The most redeeming parts of the day was the peacock garden and the birds of prey show. Maybe if I had kids it would have been worth it, because they seemed to really be trying to make it interesting for children, but for me it was mostly a waste. read more

My first time to a castle, besides the one to Hearst Castle, California, USA and the Disneyland castle. Other than that, I've never been to one. My image of what a proper castle should look like has always been the one of Disneyland's castle. This one looked more like a fort with houses in the middle. Yes, it did have a monolithic building in the middle which the ruling person probably lived in. So that being said, I still give this place a raving review and if you're in the area, it's a must see. Even if not, it's still a must see place. While I was there, they had a birds of prey show where they allowed birds of various species swoop around us. We were even able to get up and personal (while they are in cages, of course). There was even a trebuchet on display and a small recreation of a battle in which the device would have been used. The first show was flinging of stones boulders, etc. But the 2nd show at 4pm or so was of a fireball. I waited all day for that. Was it cool? Yeah, it was, as it's my first time seeing it. I wanted to join the medieval dinner and show, but didn't know that I needed advance reservations. Next time, I guess. If you are considering an overnight visit to the Warwick area, I would recommend a bed and breakfast place. I don't recall the name of the host, but I stayed in 400+ -year old house. The supporting wood columns appear to be petrified wood. Cool stuff. And no, the house didn't creak or or stuff as one walked around but the exterior walls/drywalls are not flushed or straight. The townhouse style houses look like the Weasley house in the Harry Potter movies. read more

This castle was a great tourist attraction. The peacock garden was beautiful. I really enjoyed the performance of the dungeon performers. The wax figures are a bit creepy but overall still a fun time. You can spend your entire day there so try to get there earlier. Bring a camera and make sure the weather is nice out. We got lucky with the weather was beautiful. read more

In the middle of the town of Warwick lies this well preserved landmark. With well manicured grounds and plenty of activities this is a pleasant place to spend the day. The employees are mostly in period dress and speak accordingly too. You really get a feel of being transported back in time. The reenactments are fun and educational. We did the dungeon tour which was quite enjoyable. The script is very good and you can tell the staff really enjoy their jobs. Walking through the state rooms you can get a firm idea of how it would have been to live within the castle. There's a little something for all ages here and that's what makes it nice for everyone. read more

I find the idea of reviewing a castle very amusing, if I may say that. So, you have to pay to park here, which was a bit annoying right off the bat, as the admission price is very expensive too. It's 17 pounds for basic adult admission, without the Dungeon bit. Prices are cheaper if you book online in advance. We came in the gloom of drizzly winter, so the grounds weren't exactly blooming, but the castle is still very scenic. We did two free show/tour/experience things....the first being the "birds of prey" show, which was out on the grounds. A funny young man brought out two lovely owls that could perform a few tricks, and also were just generally beautiful and interesting to watch and learn about. We also took a tour that featured the secret doors and passages of the castle, which led us through many lavish rooms with authentic objects and decor, much of it very old. Our guide was enthusiastic and made good use of an iPad to enhance the tour - sounds ridiculous, but any question you asked her she could show you an image on the iPad to answer it. You get quite a lot of independence in Warwick Castle - you don't have to be with a guide to explore it, and we wandered at our leisure through many rooms, poked our heads through recently discovered secret passages (used by the servants) which was pretty cool. They have lots of wax figures in the rooms who start talking when you get close which occasionally startled me! We walked up a few towers - many stairs, narrow passages, not for the claustrophobic or unsteady or afraid of heights! Lovely view from the top - you can see amazingly far away! Worth the climb, but I found the winding staircase a little scary and feared I'd slip. It's one way, but poorly marked, so some people went up the wrong way which could easily lead to trouble. Much of the exhibits seem geared to children - Merlin's dragon tower, princess tower - I haven't seen them, but I imagine they're for kids anyway. We also went through the "kingmaker" section which was somewhat interesting, about the peasants and their contributions to the battle, but also relied heavily on wax figures and strange voiceovers. Seeing it once was surely enough. Come in summer and bring children if you have them, and book in advance! I'm glad I went, and enjoyed wandering around inside, but much of the experience is aimed toward the littler ones, and it's quite expensive! read more

First Castle. (late Nov 2013) Prepaid the tickets and meal plan in advance online. Family of 4 plus semi retired grandmother (senior rate). Kids ages: about-to-turn-10 y.o. son and 7.5 y.o. daughter. Prepaying for the food is a nice touch to get a discount and make you want to stop and enjoy every bit of food and snack. I recommend it. Staff was friendly and service overall was very good. Stayed noon-5pm (5 hours)...seemed about the right amount of time to see everything we were interested in - probably could have done a little more if we got there an hour or so earlier. The kids interest made it all possible. We enjoyed walking around the historical rooms, climbing the towers, and viewing the incredible views from atop the tower and castle walls. Kids (and adults) enjoyed a break from walking (and stair climbing) at the Merlin show and the princess story. The weather was brisk and no rain nor wind, which seemed ideal. The idea of a hot and crowded summer day might have made for a claustrophobic situation in the towers' spiral staircases. Also a rainy day might have made it tough given the amount of open air walking. Our son particularly enjoyed the outdoor bird show. Overall a great day of tourism at the Warwick castle. read more

My wife and I, visiting from the US, stopped by Warwick Castle and had a great time! We took the tour, walked the towers, watched the show in the fields and would recommend it to any tourist friends going through the area looking for a good way to spend a few hours and get a feel of the castle. We know it's geared around tourists and decorated up but it's still a good time. read more

Very good experience on numerous occasions. You can also walk into the town which is small and interesting.

Warwick Castle is interesting. The figures placed throughout are nicely done and very realistic looking. Way-finding is a bit difficult. We actually wandered the castle a bit after it was closed without realizing it. read more

Delightful experience! So much to do, plan 4-5 hours to fit it in! Tours of the house and grounds were wonderful. Great views from the towers and turrets which you can climb. Wax figures throughout keep each room quite interesting. Knowledgeable tour guide going through the castle rooms. Not able to fit any other tours in I'm afraid. But still interesting on self directed touring. Bird show was along of fun too. Something to keep it interesting for every family member! (It's possible to tour a portion of the grounds without paying am entrance fee if money may be a hinderance. Great perk!) read more

We visited the Warwick Castle 'Theme Park' the other day and I feel compelled to write a review to warn people about this place. Firstly cost: £130 for a family of five and they still want you to pay £5 for your child to shoot some TOY arrows at a target. £8 for your child to paint a cheap MDF shield £10 to park!! Is it in central London??? £25 for a cheap and nasty knights outfit that was so obviously made in China for pennies. They herd you through camera points at every opportunity and then try to sell you an overpriced photograph. Not just once, both the Merlin attraction and the Dungeon had this. Secondly content: This really is just a castle courtyard with some stalls thrown in. The Merlin attraction was just a walk through a few themed rooms in low light. Abysmal! Toilet facilities are woefully inadequate. Thirdly staff: The staff (or maybe volunteers) dressed in period clothes are well meaning enough but ask them a simple question and they don't know anything. eg directions to the toilet The staff on stalls are teenage and dead eyed. Probably paid peanuts and we all know what you get for that. All in all Warwick Castle is a disgraceful place, geared to squeeze as much money as possible from their visitors but not giving back a worthwhile experience. AVOID AT ALL COSTS read more

Fantastic day out for the whole family. Thanks to ALL the staff. Every single member of staff we met was totally engaged in their role. Brilliant! Can't speak highly enough from the Bowman to the pizza restaurant staff to the King and the man selling a bucket of poo! All were great - and the Horrible history duo, just hilarious. Worth every penny. We will be back. read more

We went as a last minute add on at the end of our trip so that my fiance could get a castle into the trip. When we arrived, I was really prepared to be disappointed because of the blatantly obvious tourist aspect of the castle. But as soon as we got inside, it became clear that is how the place is maintained and I soon forgot about that side. Just so much to take in one visit, I can see why families would invest in annual passes. Endless amount of history to drink in, wonderfully designed and implemented exhibits ( and I'm in that industry, so I have some ideas about how it should be done). Really, there is too much to relate in a review. If you are after an experience of English history, this will really meet your expectations. My only advice would be to try and avoid the peak of tourist season, because we were there when it was clearly not even close to capacity, but still found the coach tourists to be incredibly obnoxious. That is what is paying to keep the place going though, you'll see what I mean when you get there. Highly recommend. read more

Too commercialized and theme park-y for my taste. Probably fun for kids, but very pricey and they charge extra for certain parts. We enjoyed the hawk demonstration and the guided tours (no extra charge for those). Pretty crowded, too. There are much better castles to see, like Tintagel for untouched ruins, or Cardiff and Caerphilly for restored. read more

A fantastic day out, lots to do and see. Unfortunately it is on the expensive side with things like the dungeon experience is an additional cost. read more

I have been to Warwick Castle at least eight times. Each time gets better. Since the wax museum took it over, they have opened more sections of the castle. There are very few places that are off limits. We went over the 4th July. They celebrated Americas b-day with the British National Orchestra and fireworks. A bit pricey, for two of us, was over $150 including some gift shop stuff. We spent the day, almost 14 hours, including the fireworks. So that was money well spent. The trebuchet was very neat to watch operating, the falconry was also very cool, the wax figures were eerily watching every move. If you have the time, a very good visit. read more