Mid-March to Mid-October
Mondays
10:15-18:00
Tuesday - Sunday
9:30-18:00
Still counted as one of the Queen's royal houses, Hampton Court Palace has been home to Kings and Queens since the reign of Henry VIII. It was originally owned by Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, who presented the palace as a gift to Henry in the early 16th century. Interestingly enough, it is not inconceivable that Wolsey offered the palace to the King simply to keep his head. Hampton Court Palace had far more splendor than Henry's palaces at St. James and Whitehall - and we all know how jealous Henry could get!
Although Hampton Court is just a 30-minute train ride from Waterloo station in central London, many visitors to the city somehow neglect to make time for the palace and thereby miss out on the fascinating history and beauty that resides here. In fact, were it a bit further from town, Hampton Court would be a great getaway. The combination of six acres of Tudor and English Baroque architecture, fine furnishings, 60 acres of great pond, pool and topiary gardens and some of the best rooms in England suggest getting here on the first boat from Westminster, and leaving here on the last. In between, there's a garden maze to negotiate, gardens to walk and at least six different tours to take.
Hampton Court has seen the likes of master architects like Christopher Wren, who also designed St. Paul's Cathedral. Insofar as the inside is concerned, art buffs should start with the Wolsey Rooms, featuring the best Renaissance pictures in Europe, save perhaps the Mantequa's Triumphs of Caesar in the lower Orangery. Not much is left of Henry VIII except for the Great Hall. King William's are the best Baroque apartments in the world. Check the interesting Tudor Kitchens too, complete with wooden and other utensils and sample some Tudor food in the snack bar. Don't overlook the courtyards -- as soon as you enter the palace look back across the courtyard at Henry's odd Astronomical Clock. And, of course, don't forget about the lush, serene gardens.
GETTING THERE: Trains: Every 30 minutes trains run direct from London Waterloo to Hampton Court Station. It's a 32 minute ride and two-minute walk. River Launch from Westminster, Richmond-upon-Thames and Kingston-upon-Thames takes about an hour depending on the river current, but shows why kings lived here a comfortable barge trip from the city. Underground: Train from town is easier, or take the District Line to Richmond, then the R68 bus to the palace.
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