Castles Near London
The main castles near London are Tower of London, Windsor Castle, Leeds Castle, Warwick Castle and Arundel Castle.
London is surrounded by some of castle in England most famous castles and palaces. This is where kings were crowned, queens were beheaded, and conspirators met their fate.
The city’s fortress heritage spans a thousand years. William the Conqueror’s White Tower started the story. The elegant Georgian interiors of Kensington Palace continue it today. The Crown Jewels glitter in the Tower of London. Anne Boleyn’s footsteps echo through the corridors. Medieval halls where Shakespeare performed still stand. London gives visitors history at every turn.
Here are the best castles and palaces to visit from London, grouped by travel time.
Castles Within Greater London
You do not have to leave London to visit some impressive sites. These are all within the city and easy to reach by public transport.
1. Tower of London (City of London)
Nearly a thousand years of British history live within the Tower of London, this legendary fortress on the Thames that is called a tower but is undoubtedly a castle. The Tower has served as a royal palace, a prison, a treasury, and an armoury. Today, the dazzling Crown Jewels are the main attraction. The collection includes the 530-carat Cullinan I diamond, the largest clear-cut diamond in the world. Visitors can also see the crowns worn at every coronation since 1661. The collection contains 23,578 gemstones that still feature in royal ceremonies today.
Yeoman Warder tours are led by the famous Beefeaters, who share gripping tales of executions, escapes, and royal intrigue. These former military sergeants have guarded the Tower since Tudor times. They know every secret of the fortress. The Bloody Tower is where the princes in the Tower vanished. Tower Green is where Anne Boleyn lost her head. The ravens, legend has it, protect the kingdom from collapse. 'If the ravens leave the Tower, the kingdom will fall...'
The White Tower was built by William the Conqueror in 1078. It houses the Royal Armouries collection, including armor worn by Henry VIII. For an unforgettable experience, book the Ceremony of the Keys. This 700-year-old nightly ritual locks the fortress gates by torchlight. The main circuit ticket costs £33.60 and includes all attractions. Allow at least two to three hours. Arrive early in peak season to beat the queues for the Crown Jewels.
The Tower is right next to Tower Hill Underground station.
2. Hampton Court Palace (Richmond upon Thames)
Hampton Court Palace is famous for its hedge maze, where visitors wander through towering yew hedges trying to find their way out. Tours also include the Tudor Kitchens, which were built to feed 600 people a day when Henry VIII lived here. The palace is really two in one: the red-brick Tudor wing from Henry VIII and the Baroque wing designed by Christopher Wren.
Adult entry costs £28. Trains from London Waterloo reach Hampton Court station in 35 minutes.
3. Severndroog Castle (Greenwich)
Severndroog Castle is a Gothic tower on Shooters Hill, one of the highest points in London. Visitors can climb to the top for panoramic views across the city, then have tea in the tearoom below. It was built in 1784 as a folly rather than a real fortress.
Adult entry costs £5. The castle is a 30-minute bus ride from North Greenwich or Woolwich Arsenal stations.
Castles Within 30 Minutes
A short train ride from central London takes you to more palaces, including the most famous castle in the world.
1. Windsor Castle (Windsor)
Windsor Castle is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world, and the Royal Family still uses it as a residence. The fortress has served as a home for British monarchs for over 900 years, ever since William the Conqueror chose this strategic chalk ridge above the Thames to build his original wooden fortification in the 1070s.
Visitors can walk through the elegant State Apartments, where the Queen hosts state banquets and official receptions. The rooms display masterpieces from the Royal Collection, including paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens, and Van Dyck. St George's Chapel is one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in England, and it serves as the burial place for ten monarchs, including Henry VIII and Charles I.
The castle grounds cover 13 acres within the walls, making it roughly ten times the size of Buckingham Palace. The Round Tower stands at the center, offering sweeping views over the surrounding parkland to those who climb its 200 steps. Changing the Guard takes place at 11:00 on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, drawing crowds who gather in the Lower Ward to watch the ceremony.
Queen Mary's Dolls' House is a remarkable attraction in its own right. Sir Edwin Lutyens designed this miniature palace at 1:12 scale, complete with working lifts, running water, and electricity. The tiny library contains handwritten books by famous authors of the 1920s, including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Rudyard Kipling.
The Semi-State Rooms open to visitors during winter months when the Royal Family is not in residence. These private apartments feature some of the castle's most spectacular interiors, including the Crimson Drawing Room with its rich red silk walls and the Green Drawing Room overlooking the East Terrace Garden.
Fast trains from London Paddington reach Windsor & Eton Central in approximately 40 minutes via Slough. Alternatively, trains from Waterloo arrive at Windsor & Eton Riverside in under an hour. Adult tickets are £32 when booked online in advance, or £36 on the day. The ticket includes entry to the State Apartments, St George's Chapel, and Queen Mary's Dolls' House.
2. Kew Palace (Kew Gardens)
This structure, sits inside Kew Gardens, so a palace visit combines easily with a walk through the famous botanical gardens. This was the family retreat for George III, and tours show the intimate rooms where the Royal Family lived.
Entry is through Kew Gardens, which costs £24 for adults. The District Line and London Overground go directly to central London.
Castles Within 1 Hour
With about an hour of travel, you can reach castles in the Kent countryside.
1. Leeds Castle (Kent)
Leeds Castle sits on two islands in a lake, giving it one of the most photogenic settings in England. Jousting tournaments take place in the grounds, and the falconry centre lets visitors handle birds of prey. The castle was home to six medieval queens.
Your ticket lets you visit all year with a single purchase. Trains from London Victoria reach Bearsted station in approximately one hour, where a shuttle service connects visitors to the grounds.
2. Hever Castle (Kent)
Hever Castle is the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, and the bedroom where she slept is open to visitors. In summer, jousting tournaments take place in the grounds. The double-moated castle dates to the 13th century.
Overnight stays in the Astor Wing are available if you want to make a weekend of it. Trains from London Bridge reach Hever station in about 45 minutes, then it is a one-mile walk to the castle.
Castles Within 2 Hours (Top Picks)
These castles are worth the longer trip for their scale and activities.
1. Warwick Castle (Warwickshire)
Warwick Castle rises dramatically above a bend in the River Avon, its towers and battlements creating one of the most impressive medieval silhouettes in England. William the Conqueror established the original motte-and-bailey fortification here in 1068, just two years after the Norman Conquest, and the site has witnessed over 950 years of English history.
The castle reached its peak as a military stronghold under the Beauchamp Earls of Warwick in the 14th century. Visitors can climb Caesar's Tower and Guy's Tower for panoramic views across the Warwickshire countryside. The towers rise over 130 feet and retain their original medieval interiors, including guard rooms with arrow loops and spiral staircases worn smooth by centuries of footsteps.
The Great Hall displays a remarkable collection of arms and armor, much of it dating from the English Civil War when the castle withstood a Parliamentarian siege. A massive two-handed sword said to have belonged to Guy of Warwick, the legendary Saxon hero, hangs above the fireplace. The State Rooms showcase lavish Victorian interiors from the castle's time as a stately home, with wax figures recreating a Royal Weekend Party from 1898.
Merlin Entertainments now operates the castle, bringing a different approach than traditional heritage sites. The Horrible Histories Maze challenges families to navigate through gruesome tales from British history. The Castle Dungeon experience leads visitors through live actor performances depicting the castle's darker moments, from plague doctors to torture chambers.
The Trebuchet on the riverbank is the largest working siege engine in the world. Daily demonstrations launch projectiles weighing up to 150 pounds (ca. 68 kg) across the meadow, showing how medieval armies would have attacked fortifications. The falconry displays feature eagles, hawks, and owls swooping over the castle grounds.
Peacocks roam freely through the gardens, which include a restored Victorian Rose Garden and the Peacock Garden with its ancient cedars. The Conservatory houses tropical plants and provides a warm retreat on cooler days. Riverside walks lead to the old mill and the picturesque weir.
Direct trains from London Marylebone reach Warwick station in around 1 hour and 30 minutes. The castle sits a 10-minute walk from the station through the historic town center. Standard day tickets start at £25 when booked online in advance. The castle also offers glamping in medieval-themed tents and overnight stays in the Knight's Village lodges.
2. Arundel Castle (West Sussex)
Arundel Castle has been the home of the Dukes of Norfolk for nearly 1,000 years. Tours of the state rooms show paintings by Van Dyck and Gainsborough, as well as personal possessions of Mary, Queen of Scots. The castle gardens are spectacular in spring when the tulips are in bloom.
Trains from London Victoria reach Arundel station in about 90 minutes, then it is a ten-minute walk to the entrance.
More Castles in Europe
The castles near London give you everything from the Crown Jewels to medieval jousting, all within easy reach of the city. Most of these estates are established businesses, and their owners won’t do away from them anytime soon. But sometimes, castles near London (and throughout all the country) go for sale. Our private office curates a collection of heritage residences across castle in England and Europe.
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