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Tower of London, England

Guide to Visiting the UK’s Best Castles

  • Post last modified:April 18, 2022
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Large pointy turrets stretch to the sky. Giant wooden drawbridges latched over a dark moat. In the center, a tall stone keep, where royalty gaze upon the countryside from the towers. With thousands of castles across the UK, visiting at least one of these historical landmarks deserves to be on your bucket list.

Here are a few interesting tips on visiting the UK’s best attraction…castles! Plus, a list of some of our favorite bucket list worthy UK castles. 

UK's Castles Pinterest Image

More Castles Per Square Mile

Full of royal tragedy, the UK’s most famous castle is arguably the Tower of London. Though we completely agree it’s a must-see attraction, there’s more to the UK than just London.

Castles litter the UK’s countryside, and no place is it more evident than in Wales. With 427 castles, this tiny country on the west side of the UK is often called “the land of castles” for good reason.

Overlooking the River Wye, on the southern border of Wales and England, Chepstow Castle was the first Welsh castle. Constructed in 1067 by William FitzOsbern, it was one of many castles built by the Normans to take possession of Wales.

A few of our personal favorite Welsh castles include Raglan and Caerphilly Castles in the south, near Cardiff. In the north, closer to Liverpool, Conway Castle is a must.

Caerphilly Castle in Wales
Caerphilly Castle, Wales

UK Castles - What to Expect

Built in various time periods, castles can have very different features. For instance, large block towers are common of Norman castles, i.e., built between 1066 and 1071. Great Halls and large kitchens are common of castles built during the Tudor period, think Henry VIII.

The oldest castles were built around the 11th century, but few of their original features have stood the test of time. Over the centuries natural decay, sieges, and war destroyed most castles throughout the UK.

Today, you’ll find castles in various stages of ruin. Despite the decay, many of these castles are still worth visiting.

Ruins of Raglan Castle keep, Wales
Raglan Castle, Wales
Ruins of Raglan Castle in Wales, UK
Raglan Castle, Wales

Restored and Kept Castles

Not all castles are in ruins. Some castles, like Leeds Castle in Kent, were constantly owned and maintained. Owners typically transformed these castles to their liking, getting rid of their old period features. Think of it like remodeling a home and getting rid of popcorn ceilings.

Also, organizations like the National Trust, English Heritage, and even private companies have restored some castles to their former glory.

Restored castles can be pricey to visit because admission usually includes so much more than just entrance to the castle. It’s similar to visiting an attraction. Often restored castles have beautiful, extensive gardens with hedge mazes and sometimes quirky grottoes.

In the summer, some castles even have jousting tournaments, outdoor plays, and other special events. Warwick Castle in Warwickshire, England has one of our favorite castle toys, a fireball throwing trebuchet.

Seeing both a restored castle and a castle ruin will give you completely different, but worthwhile, experiences.

Looking down at castle walls from tower, Warwick Castle, England, UK
Warwick Castle, England
Giant trebuchet, Warwick Castle, England
Warwick Castle, England
Red knight at jousting tournament, Castles of the UK
Jousting tournament

Stay in a UK Castle Hotel

Did you know you can also stay in a castle?

On our most recent trip back to the UK we stayed in Hever Castle in Kent, just an hour from London. Our room included admission to the castle and grounds. We had access to the grounds even after everything shut for the day. Though, the accommodation was gorgeous, it was not in the actual castle, like our previous stay at Thornbury Castle.

View of Hever Castle from second moat, Kent, England
Hever Castle, England

In the west country, not far from Bristol, Thornbury Castle is as authentic as it gets. Spiraling stone staircases, heavy wooden doors, four poster beds, and it is even the former honeymoon spot of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. It’s a bucket-list worthy experience for sure.

Thornbury Castle front view with blue sky overhead
Thornbury Castle, England

Walled Cities of the UK

In addition to castles, the UK also has dozens of walled cities. Some of these fortified cities only have fragmented remains, usually a gate or two. However, cities like York and Northern Ireland’s Londonderry are largely intact. You can look down on the city from above as you walk the historic walls. 

Outside city walls of Londonderry, Northern Ireland, Castles of the UK
Londonderry, Northern Ireland
Canons on city walls of Londonderry, Northern Ireland, Castles of the UK
Londonderry, Northern Ireland

UK's Best Castles to Visit

Are you ready to start your own castle adventure? Here are a few of our favorite castles in the UK.

  • Windsor Castle, England – It doesn’t get more royal than Windsor. Check the flag on the tower to see if the Queen is in.
Windsor Castle large turrets, Windsor, England, UK
Windsor Castle, England
  • Leeds Castle, England – One of the prettiest estates in the country. Makes a great day trip, only an hour from London.
  • Warwick Castle, England – Medieval Times set in a real castle. Don’t miss the jousting or the flame wielding trebuchet.
Leeds Castle gatehouse, Kent, England
Leeds Castle, England
  • Raglan Castle, Wales – This once great castle now sits in ruins after a mortar battery siege by Parliamentary forces in 1646.
  • Edinburgh Castle, Scotland – Perched high on Castle Rock, it looks over the city. Catch the Edinburgh Tattoo in August for a one-of-a-kind show, in a one-of-a-kind setting.
Edinburgh Castle perched on cliff above the city, Scotland
Edinburgh Castle, Scotland
  • Eilean Donan Castle, Scotland – Sitting pretty in Loch Duich with Scotland’s dramatic mountain scenery as its backdrop.
  • Dunlance Castle, Northern Ireland – Location, location, location. The castle may be a ruin, but it lends to the atmosphere. Will forever live in our memories as the castle upon the cliff’s edge.
View of Eilean Donan Castle with Lochs in the foreground and snow topped mountains in the background, Scotland
Eilean Donan Castle, Scotland

If you’re interested in learning more about the castles in the UK, we picked up the book

Not only does it make a great coffee table book, but it is also a great historical guide to the castles across the UK. We used this book to find most of the castles we’ve visited over the years.

Travel Resources

We recommend and use these companies to arrange our travel plans; they make travel planning easy and affordable. If you have questions on our experiences, feel free to ask us!