Hampton Court Palace and Gardens Entrance Ticket

Hop aboard a train from London's Waterloo station and travel to Hampton Court Palace! A half-an-hour ride will get you to Hampton Court station, from where you’ll proceed to the entrance of the attraction that essentially comprises of two palaces. What awaits you is a spell-binding Tudor Palace, initially developed by Cardinal Wolsey and later by Henry VIII, positioned next to a Baroque Palace constructed during the reign of William III and Mary III. When Henry VIII was nearing his demise in 1547, he owned over sixty houses, but he held the Hampton Court Palace close to this heart during the latter part of his reign.

You’ll be visiting the King’s apartments in the role of one of his courtiers, donning a Tudor cloak and making your way to the enormous kitchens which was where banquets for over 1000 guests were prepared. A right-turn past the wine cellar will get you to Chapel Royal, the former seat of the monarch and his companions (Royal Pew), and a still-active place of worship. You’ll also come across the ‘Young Henry’ as part of an exhibition that portrays his relationship with Katherine of Aragon, his first Queen.

You’ll also make your way to William III’s State Apartments comprising of the Guard Chamber, the Presence Chamber, the Privy Chamber, and the Great Bedchamber. Additionally, you’ll also get to see his Private Apartments where he resided, for the most part, giving you an idea of his splendid taste in art. The views of the gardens from the apartments are simply outstanding.

Up next is 60 acres of beautiful gardens running all the way down to the Thames River. These gardens are home to the world’s oldest maze (spanning a third of an acre), three National Plant Collections (Heliotropium ‘Cherry Pie Plant’, Lantana 'American shrub verbena', Queen Mary II Exoticks), and the largest Grape Vine in the world. The Gardens feature dazzling fountains along with seasonal displays of thousands of blooming flower buds. You’ll also see Henry VIII’s deer herd along with a good variety of other fauna.

Lastly, visit the New Cumberland Art Gallery and marvel at the Royal Collection of artworks featuring the works of renowned artists such as Rembrandt, Holbein, Canaletto, Caravaggio, and Van Dyck. Learn the story behind the haunting aura of the Gallery and gaze at the Tudor portraits lining the Processional Route. The portraits feature prominent members of the family of Henry VIII, including his father Henry VII, his mother Elizabeth of York, and his heirs.