The top cities between Lowestoft and Paris are London, Marne-la-Vallee, Lille, Norwich, Ieper (Ypres), Canterbury, Colchester, Hastings, Southend-on-Sea, and Maidstone. London is the most popular city on the route. It's 3 hours from Lowestoft and 6 hours from Paris.
Norwich is a city located in the Norfolk County of England. The medieval Norwich Cathedral, built in Romanesque style, features intricate cloisters. The Tombland area, which used to be a Saxon marketplace, can be accessed through two grand gates named St. Ethelbert's and Erpingham. In this vicinity lies the Museum of Norwich at the Bridewell which showcases local history including a recreated old pharmacy and exhibits on the textile industry.
Colchester is a town situated in the county of Essex, located in southeastern part of England. The Castle Park houses Colchester Castle, an enormous Norman keep constructed on top of a Roman temple's foundations. This museum showcases various artefacts that are as old as 2,500 years. Hollytrees Museum, another attraction inside the park, displays three centuries worth of clothing, clocks and decorative arts inside its Georgian townhouse structure.
1% as popular as London
36 minutes off the main route, 20% of way to Paris
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Southend-on-Sea is a borough in southeastern Essex, England that doubles as a resort town located on the Thames Estuary. It boasts of several attractions such as Adventure Island, an amusement park with thrilling fairground rides and water slides for visitors. The area's coastline offers breathtaking views best seen through the century-old funicular Cliff Lift or by taking a leisurely stroll along the long Southend Pier where visitors can explore its museum at the shore end.
0% as popular as London
50 minutes off the main route, 29% of way to Paris
London, the vibrant capital of England and the United Kingdom, is a city that seamlessly blends its rich history with modern-day attractions. From the iconic Houses of Parliament and the renowned 'Big Ben' clock tower to the majestic Westminster Abbey, London is steeped in historical significance dating back to Roman times. The city also offers contemporary experiences such as panoramic views from the London Eye observation wheel and a thriving cultural complex along the South Bank of River Thames.
Maidstone, the largest town in Kent, England, is steeped in historical significance and located just 32 miles east-south-east of London. The charming town is situated along the River Medway, connecting it with Rochester and the Thames Estuary. Visitors can explore the local market buildings which are filled with unique crafts and independent shops, exuding a quaint old-town atmosphere.
0% as popular as London
35 minutes off the main route, 36% of way to Paris
I'll never travel to Paris without this trip planner again
Hastings is a coastal town in southeastern England that gained fame for the Battle of Hastings in 1066, fought on a nearby field where the now-standing Battle Abbey is located. Tourists can visit the ruins of Hastings Castle, which was once occupied by William the Conqueror and overlooks the English Channel. The maritime history of the area is documented at both Hastings Fishermen’s Museum and Shipwreck Museum, located along Stade beach's shingle seafront.
Canterbury, a city located in southeastern England, is renowned for its significance as a pilgrimage site during the Middle Ages. The medieval center of the city is surrounded by ancient walls that were initially built by the Romans and consist of cobbled streets and timber-framed houses. One of the most notable attractions in Canterbury is its beautiful cathedral, founded in 597 A.D., which serves as the headquarters for both the Church of England and Anglican Communion.
1% as popular as London
35 minutes off the main route, 41% of way to Paris
Ypres, situated in the West Flanders province of Belgium, is a town that has been rebuilt with great care after being destroyed in World War I. The area is renowned for the Ypres Salient battlefields where various war museums, cemeteries and memorials pay homage to the battles fought during WWI. Gothic-style Sint-Maartenskathedraal (St.
Lille is a city located in the northern region of France, serving as the capital of Hauts-de-France. It was historically a significant trading hub for French Flanders and still bears many Flemish influences today. The city boasts a vibrant cultural scene, with numerous universities and bustling streets filled with 17th-century brick houses and cobbled pedestrian paths.
1% as popular as London
49 minutes off the main route, 74% of way to Paris
10
Marne-la-Vallée
Marne-la-Vallée is a new town located near Paris, France.
Disneyland Paris, Walt Disney Studios Park, Val d'Europe, Université Paris-Est Marne-la-Vallée, ESIEE Paris, and École des Ponts ParisTech are located in Marne-la-Vallée. Wikipedia.
5% as popular as London
42 minutes off the main route, 94% of way to Paris
Best stops along Lowestoft to Paris drive
The top stops along the way from Lowestoft to Paris (with short detours) are Canterbury Cathedral, Dover Castle, and Colchester Zoo. Other popular stops include Menin Gate, Leeds Castle, and Nausicaa Centre National De La Mer.
Norwich Cathedral is a famous Romanesque church edifice dating from 1096. It's currently the cathedral for the Church of England Diocese of Norwich, and is open to visitors who don't follow its faith. The cathedral has high Norman tower, large monastic cloisters, and some original Norman wall painting.
Wonderful place to visit. My first visit but certainly not my last. The staff were very helpful couldn't and be faulted. Next time I will take the free guided tour.
Neil Linney — Google review
An amazing place to visit and won't break the bank.
The entrance is very welcoming. Very open and modern with lots of information on offer and no extra mandatory charge for it, like some cathedrals. You can wander around freely or go on a tour. I chose to walk freely but would recommend a tour if you would like more info or at least picking up some of their booklets.
The buildings themselves and grounds are very well kept and are nice to walk around. I am glad this cathedral is being looked after.
The upstairs is accessible with a lift where the cafe/toilets and library are situated. I was lucky enough to visit their library on a day where they were allowing visitors to view their older books. This for me was an incredible experience and I am grateful to have seen the incredible volume of books they care for.
I did have to park a little bit away but Norwich does have a good amount of parking about, and its the only thing you would have to pay for in this trip.
redacted — Google review
A must see. Upon entry you are greeted by staff who give you a guide and explain a few things. No entry fee however there is a voluntary donation desk if you wish to donate. Donation is greatly received and appreciated. Inside the Cathedral there is lots to see with beautiful art work and architecture. Soak in the peaceful atmosphere and view the beautiful glass stained windows. There are guided tours. gift shop, cafe and toilets.
Harjinder Kaur — Google review
A very beautiful cathedral. The cathedral is the seat of the bishop of Norwich and the mother church of the diocese of Norwich. It is located in the heart of the city so I recommend anyone who goes to Norwich to visit. Entrance is free and it is pet friendly as well. The staff is also very helpful and inform you by answering all your questions sincerely.
Mine Osan — Google review
Beautiful cathedral which has a free entry although they do request for a donation at the second entrance (min £5). The shop has a lot of nice items too. Unfortunately, the toilets are closed here so ensure you empty your bowels before hand.
Romain B Fernandes — Google review
Lovely visit to Norwich cathedral with a primary school group. Informative guides and interactive stained glass activities with the children. The cathedral is clean, tidy and well looked after. Cashless cafe.
Joanne Fenner — Google review
A must see on your to do list if visiting Norwich. We visited around 2.30pm on a Sunday in December.
We were welcomed by a very friendly, bubbly, informative lady at the entrance.
Entrance is free but if you can give a donation it all helps to keep this incredible building in the remarkable condition it is.
We listened to the organ playing whilst taking in the breathtaking stained glass windows, incredible architecture (remember to look up) and the history. Pausing to light candles in remembrance of others and for peace. Sitting for a few moments of prayer and contemplation.
There is a wonderful cafe attached to the side of the cathedral, scrumptious cakes, scones, rolls, pastries, mince pies; eat in or take out. We sat and had a delicious cup of earl grey and a nibble of naughtiness.
Would highly recommend to all.
Sarah Cunningham — Google review
Phenomenal is the only word for it. It is free to visit and Dogs are allowed, which is rare.
The building is HUGE, with so many Chapels within it. The whole building is beautiful and so well maintained. Allow two hours to see it properly.
There is a Cafe on the upper level too.
The Three of Us — Google review
OUTSTANDING
The best religious building I've been in by far.
The history is fascinating.
If you get the chance to do a guided tour then you must, there knowledge is amazing.
Loved everything about this Cathedral.
Sara Tomlinson — Google review
Really lovely cathedral right in the middle of Norwich, in walking distance of the train station. I only popped in for a quick visit so really didn't get the full experience. I'd love to come back and invest a bit more time as there's so much to look at and so much history to learn about. I recommend giving yourself a couple of hours if you really want to explore everything, however it's still worth going in if you only have a little bit of time.
Connor Scott-Gardner — Google review
Very impressive cathedral, amazed it was free to visit! I particularly enjoyed the treasury and seeing the painted brickwork up close, many people don't know that these historic buildings were painted when they were first built, that paint has largely faded over the centuries.
Matt Roberts — Google review
Incredible 900 year old building, absolutely huge and stunningly beautiful. Spent well over an hour here because there was just so much to see.
Can visit for free or make a donation.
Staff were so friendly and helpful. Highly recommended. One of the best cathedrals I've ever been to.
Tim Husain — Google review
Love this cathedral. Love the grounds and building.
You can light candles and give prayer requests.
It's donation only and walkable to the main city as it's the bottle m end of the city.
Your surrounded by plenty of places to eat .
If Norwich is new to you, Riverside has gravity / the Odeon a/ swimming and bowling etc and the main centre has most stores and some quaint side streets.
The assembly house is an amazing place for a treat afternoon tea and an amazing building in itself.
Nina Fri — Google review
A beautiful cathedral in a beautiful city.
Great history. Fantastic art and architecture.
Peaceful surroundings to rest and contemplate.
Excellent facilities for the disabled visitor.
Superb cafe which is accessible and can cater for food allergies/intolerances.
Alison Lodder — Google review
Stunning. Definitely would go again but on a weekday. Such a different without place being overcrowded. Beautiful architecture inside. Free to visit. Toilets at the premises too.
Air? Vizbarait? — Google review
Just not enough time to explore this amazing building, it's actually really big and the courtyard reminds me of something from Harry Potter or X Men. You have to come here with 2-3 hours to appreciate.
Also wrap up as it's cold in here too!
Dr23rippa — Google review
The cathedral is nice. The staff very welcoming and friendly. Lovely place to relax if you need to quiet your mind. What's really lovely though is the surrounding area. The most beutiful chocolate box houses you've ever seen
Oreo Icecream — Google review
It is a fantastic building worth exploring if you are in Norwich. Some lovely stained glass windows are framed by the architecture, and the craftsmanship is incredible. Free to explore and see what the building has to offer. There is a cafe, toilets and a gift shop and a labyrinth in the cloister. I visited late in the day so the cafe and shop were closed along with the exhibition but reason to visit again one day
Ashley Lightfoot — Google review
I absolutely loved our visit to Norwich Cathedral. They have super helpful volunteers on the door that are extremely nice and make you feel really welcome. We joined a free tour which was superb, it lasted just over an hour and I could have listened to the guide all day. The architecture was simply stunning and the information that the guide conveyed brought the history of the cathedral to life. I loved the carvings of the Green Men dotted all over the place. Entry was free (as it should be for a place of worship) but I was more than happy to make a donation to this wonderful place.
MJ E — Google review
Really nice visit, even though I am local and seen it all before....you can't fail to be impressed by the beautiful architecture of this magnificent building, the sheer scale of it is incredible. My young son really enjoyed looking around which was somewhat surprising as it's not really something you would think children would enjoy.......it's the school holidays & IT'S ALWAYS RAINING !!!! so give me marks for being creative!!! the resident cathedral cat helped my cause & obviously the cafe who is powered by BREAD SOURCE so always gonna be a winner!! Although the gift shop is seriously lacking ...although really busy with customers even my 5 year old couldn't find anything he wanted...that means it is REALLY BAD.... should collaborate with Jarrolds to stock it. Two Norwich icons together would be great to see.
Amanda Dyble — Google review
Beautiful cathedral with so much history to see. Free to enter, but I would suggest a good donation as it’s such a nice day out.
Really dog friendly, except the cafe, but there are plenty of dog friendly places to eat in Norwich. The staff are so welcoming and knowledgeable.
Lee Wesson — Google review
Beautiful Church with amazing decoration. Is free to entry and staff are really friendly. I seem tourists having guided tour. The courtyard is amazing and there is a huge cafe/restaurant on site.
Nil Romano — Google review
Loved visiting Norwich Cathedral. For starters, entry is free which can be a big help to larger groups and families. The Cathedral is kept in excellent condition and most areas were accesable. The staff are very friendly and the Cathedral also offer free tours around. It was really good to walk around and enjoy all the sights of the Cathedral. Overall a good experience and the atmosphere was excellent. 👍😁
Malcolm Chinoy — Google review
A must place to visit, This beautiful church has so much to see.Its free to get in but donations are appreciated.
I had a guided tour which is free and I recommend it, With the Gentleman tour guide so knowledgeable, and so enthusiastic, The artitecture of the cathedral is stunning, Everywhere you look from the floor to the ceiling it's just a work of art. The guide showed us Graffiti markings on some of the walls that was put there by some of the stonemasons..There is a cafe and toliets on site as well..
David Kirby — Google review
Stunning architectural building made many of our group feel so emotional. To think it took 50 years to construct is truly amazing especially considering it dates back to 1096.
Our son took part in being a chorister for a day last Saturday. It was so special and something we will always remember.
The staff were so committed and passionate. It was a real privilege.
Definitely recommend the shop, too. Lots of lovely bits and pieces to buy for presents or keep sakes to remember the day, reasonably priced and good quality.
We give 5*
Museum of Norwich Castle houses collections of archaeology, natural history, regimental history, fine art and contemporary art. The castle is a beautiful Norman keep built in 1095 by William II. There are tours to the keep every half hour and also tours around the battlements and dungeons which are very creepy.
Beautiful place, definitely worth a visit. Lots of exhibits to see. We were only there to go to the registry office for a wedding. Despite the prevailing storm, the taxi got us all the way to access the castle. Great occasion.
John Ernest McGeorge-Oanta — Google review
First time seeing this kind of castle, and it's own unique designs (to be honest) i like the shapes of this castle. You can explore whole castle and it's art galleries 2in1 but for this year 2023 the castle staff said the castle is close/not working and you cannot explore visit, because it's under reconstruction works... so. But all in all nice place to visit and explore. If you guys will be visiting Norwich this castle it's one of the popular places of this unique and beautiful City. (i'll drop some additional bonus photos of all around the city places not only the castle :) ) enjoy.
Mantvydas ?. — Google review
The castle was being renovated but the local museum was open. It had interesting information about things including natural history, Boadicea, Romans, art, and the military. It also had a special exhibition about a local shipping disaster of the Gloucester, that was carrying the future King James II.
Karen B — Google review
I took my children to see The last voyage of The Gloucester exhibition which we found very interesting. They did make us aware when we arrived there were lots of parts of the museum closed so be prepared to not see as much as you normally would as you go around. The staff we met around the museum were pleasant and helpful.The coffee shop is limited in what they serve at the same time The food they do serve is really good and the member of staff that served us was a real star, she was very welcoming and helpful with everything we needed. If you are interested in local history definitely check out The last Voyage exhibition. We did find that the lighting needs a bit of improvement in some of the cabinets especially with such small name labels. At the same time if you're not too interested in reading the names it won't be to much of a bother.
Natasha — Google review
Very pleasant visit to the castle. Parts under construction but still lots to view. Coffee very nice in the cafe. Vegan food was an orange/apple/ chocolate bar. Watched a wedding party move through the museum. The exhibits are fabulous. £6.50 admission. Must view for visitors.
Lorraine jarvis — Google review
Castle is under construction, so only thing you have access to is the museum.
The great thing is the deal for £2 if you come the hour before closing which I did. Which I think is enough time to see everything. There is natural history displays, historical, art, military, teapot collection and tapestry upstairs. They have a little souvenir shop and a cafe.
I have rated the attraction as if I would of paid full price of £6.70, which I do feel is a bit expensive for what is there. There is reductions for family groups.
All staff were very friendly, and I did love the adopt the artefact initiative which I thought was very novel. Would visit again when the construction has finished on the castle which is the main attraction.
Claudette — Google review
For the cost of just over £7 the museum exhibit is both well put together and very informative with plenty of activities for kids. The historic items span from the roman times all the way to modern day which makes things more interesting also. It's well worth a visit and is an enjoyable place with very friendly staff.
Nathanael Riley — Google review
The castle itself was closed for some heavy-duty building works when I visited, but the galleries were open. A fascinating display of artifacts from the wreck of the 'Gloucester', along with a history of the event.
Some lovely art galleries and even one devoted to teapots!
Worth combining with the ciity museum.
Mike Collins — Google review
Didn't expect so much taxidermy. Lots to see and do, as long as you like stuffed dead animals. The dungeons were unfortunately closed due to building works, so we just saw the museum. Well kept and managed.
Emily LikesBiscuits — Google review
Wonderfull place to visit with kids. All family enjoyed exploring the history of Norwich and Norfolk. Great expo of ancient relics, coins, pictures etc. Worth mentioning huge section of teapots (hundreds!).
Two thumbs up!
Andrejus S — Google review
Nice museum with lots of things to see there is a salary of iceni tribe and Queen boudicca and her roman conquest . Natural history museum was lots of taxidermy specimen and there were another galary about the norwitch regime had a nice Caffè and shop there is no parking at the castle must use the park and drive unfortunately the castle is on a restoration project so is not opened willing to visit another time to dog in to the history
Thilange Mahapatune — Google review
Lovely Museum, despite the castle area being under refurbishment. Similar to another big museum in my home city Oxford. Minus 1 star because the toilets are in two different ends of the building for Male and Female which meant it was difficult to find, this could be due to the refurbishment, so did not cause us too much trouble! We got a free entry ticket to their other museum, on the other side of the city too!
Roller Coaster Rewind — Google review
Norwich Castle is a must-visit destination for history buffs and architecture enthusiasts alike. Despite undergoing some repairs at the moment, the castle remains an impressive sight, showcasing Norman architecture at its finest. The castle has a rich history, having served as a royal palace, a prison, and a museum over the centuries.
Visitors can explore the castle's museum, which houses a vast collection of artifacts, including Roman, medieval, and Saxon treasures. The museum provides a fascinating glimpse into the history of East Anglia and the city of Norwich. The castle also features beautiful gardens, including a tranquil picnic area and a stunning floral display.
Despite the ongoing repairs, the castle is still worth a visit. The work being done is not disruptive to the visitor experience and does not detract from the castle's natural beauty and historical significance. The staff are knowledgeable and friendly, and they are more than happy to answer any questions you may have about the castle and its history.
In conclusion, Norwich Castle is a truly unique and fascinating place that should be on everyone's list of must-see attractions. Despite the repairs, it is still a wonderful place to visit and explore. Don't miss out on this fantastic opportunity to step back in time and discover the rich history of East Anglia
Duncan Andrews — Google review
What a great place to visit! We came to see the Gloucester exhibition.
We were greeted by Matthew who directed us to the ticket office
The exhibition was fab! So informative and interesting, the staff were so invested in the subject and really friendly.
Well worth a visit
Tony Parkins — Google review
Norwich castle is very good and is lots of fun..
Even though a few parts of castle were/are closed for renovation work, there is still enough to see. The lower admission fees are very fair.
Hazel Hackwell — Google review
It’s a pretty decent museum and has some interesting exhibits and art throughout. Norwich Castle has some amazing history as well as being the museum it is today. Unfortunately right now it is under construction so many exhibits you can temporarily not enter, but this does not stop you from having a good experience. There is amazing paintings and sculptures throughout, taxidermy animals, fossils, areas about Egyptians, Romans and more; and a nice gift shop. A nice touch is that students enter for free, so this is a great place for students to come if they are looking for something to do in Norwich for the day. Highly recommend.
Alex Crisp — Google review
Not recommend going to the museum, the castle is closed. It is half natural history museum, half Norwich history museum. It costs me 7£for a student ticket, I prefer a pint in Norwich, prefer to sit outside the castle rather paying and going inside the museum
wong gavan — Google review
It's a big place
Sadly it was under renovations when we got here but there was still a lot to see.
Had a coffee and scones which was lovely.
Kids friendly, my kids enjoyed it.
Buhle Sibanda — Google review
Norwich Castle, situated in the heart of Norwich, England, is a historic fortress with a rich and varied past dating back over 900 years. Originally built by the Normans in the 11th century following the Norman Conquest of England, the castle has served various purposes throughout its history, including as a royal palace, a county gaol, and a museum.
Its impressive architecture includes a massive stone keep, which is one of the finest examples of Norman military architecture in Europe. The keep once housed the royal apartments and later served as a prison. Surrounding the keep is a defensive wall and a large dry moat.
In addition to its architectural significance, Norwich Castle is renowned for its extensive museum collections, which cover a wide range of topics including archaeology, fine art, natural history, and ethnography. Visitors can explore exhibits ranging from ancient Egyptian artifacts to contemporary art installations.
The castle also offers educational programs, events, and guided tours, making it a popular destination for both locals and tourists interested in history and culture. Its strategic location atop a hill provides panoramic views of the city, making it a picturesque spot to visit. Overall, Norwich Castle stands as a testament to the enduring legacy of Norman influence in England and continues to be a symbol of the city's heritage.
Andre B — Google review
Free to Art Fund members :-)
Nice selection of east Anglian artists. Some lovely paintings by Edward Seago
Castle currently closed for renovations
Ben Hills-Jones — Google review
Great day out, however the castle is still undergoing some refurbishment and looks like there is a long way to go yet before it's complete. Would highly recomend a visit.
Phil Flaherty — Google review
Would have liked to have visited the Castle but it was under total re-building and renovation so just walked around. Maybe I will come back again when the works have been completed.
Malcolm Chinoy — Google review
It a beautiful place and quiet extraordinary. We'll worth a visit. I took my 4 year old and was surprised out how much she liked it.
Banham Zoo is a zoo in the town of Banham, Norfolk, England. The zoo has an extensive range of animals including primates, primates and carnivores, birds, reptiles and amphibians. There is also a children's play area and a high-roping adventure playground.
Was surprised to an amazing day out to Banham Zoo for Mother's Day this year! I had never been before and it's such a lovely zoo, we enjoyed the sea lion and cheetah talks throughout the day they were very informative. we had an amazing day out and would definitely return in the warmer summer months! I definitely would love to do a giraffe feeding experience here one day as well.
Chloe Jane — Google review
Another amazing visit, we visited several years ago, this time without grandchildren, we had more time to ponder, sadly thanks to bird flu we didn't get to experience the birds flying, or displaying. But the zoo did not disappoint.
I will be going back again.
It was great being able to hire a mobility scooter, and very reasonably priced.
brion james — Google review
Animals looked very depressed. The food areas need a good clean and signs to help form actual ques.
Main Park area very clean and tidy, could do with more seating for parents.
Staff knew what they were talking about with animals.
Unfortunately wouldn't come back, Africa Alive is way better
Georgina Davidson — Google review
Wonderful zoo. Beautiful large enclosures for the animals. Lovely landscaping. Good eating selection. Free road train. Lots of amazing animals. Value for money. Even a sea lion show. Spider monkeys do a show all day long!
A&J Zaman — Google review
Lovely afternoon at Banham Zoo, not to many people to bump into.
Saw most of the animals and the tigers had some baby cubs ☺️.
Downside was some of the indoor areas are closed to (covid) restrictions..
Overall great time.👌
Gary — Google review
Lovely zoo. Not too big so easy to walk round and see every animal. Not great on a very hot day too many wasps and not enough shade but otherwise great day out for the family. We visited in summer holidays as the zoo had lots of deals on tickets.
Lynda Evans — Google review
A great little zoo to visit. Lots of different & interesting animals & some good animal talks too. We got great views of lots of the animals & only a few we couldn't spot. The Pallas's cats were one we'd never seen before. The staff were friendly & welcoming & we got a drink in the cafe later on which was nice. We spent the best part of a whole day here & really enjoyed it.
Ann Gollins — Google review
Loved this visit! So many beautiful animals to see and shows going on. If you don't want to walk round you can take the land train. A lovely play park and activity pack that kept the youngest engaged. Such a great variation and the keepers have such a special bond with their animals. A wonderful day for us and the children. We will be going again!
Christine Toomer — Google review
Amazing place. Our friends little boy loved it but we loved it more. ☺️ great price for entry and the animals have so much space and are well looked after. Would definitely visit again
Sophie Stevens — Google review
Even though we’ve been many times Banham Zoo still offers a fantastic day. Highlight of the visit has to be the ring tailed lemur enclosure allowing you to get up close with the animals. Sadly the sky walk was closed today. Friendly and clean 👌
Colin Breckons — Google review
A great small and extra clean zoo. There is abundant free parking and many picnic tables. The size might be a benefit for families with kids visiting, since it is not becoming too tiring visiting the zoo. The ticket includes a free ride with the zoo train offering a fast view of the zoo. Also with 10 pounds you can rent a single or double push stroller. Make sure you go and see the sea lion feeding time it's really nice!
Petros PAPAZOGLOU PAPAZOGLAKIS — Google review
Very nice place to take the kids. We went on a weekend and it was busy but still had enough room to enjoy ourselves and see a bunch of animals. Staff is very friendly and the food places are pretty good as well. This was our second time here and we will definitely be back!
Benjamin Early — Google review
We really enjoyed our day trip to Banham Zoological Gardens. The staff were all smiles & very friendly to us, even when it had been pouring heavily outside. Thankfully, as soon as we arrived, the sun started to shine again.
The animals are well looked after, and the staff do a great job looking after them. Especially loved seeing the sea lions, sloths, penguins, a Tiger and her cubs plus the giraffes and cheetahs. There's a cafe / pizza shop inside where you can eat, drink and have some ice cream. Also noticed a few seating areas around the park should you need to rest your legs from walking. Toilets with baby changing units were available in the foot paths too.
Good sized parking spaces outside too.
LunmZy — Google review
A lovely day out. Not full and just lovely to be with a great team here.. The team on the talks are funny and entertaining. And just a lovely place... a bit expensive but a lot is given to conservation. The zoo is nice.. worth a visit even cheaper than Colchester..
Reena Dookhee — Google review
Really enjoyed my day here. The zoo is sadly a little run down in places. However, it is clean, and the animals look happy and well-fed. There's a train that goes round the site giving you information, and there are plenty of talks/shows to show off the animals.
I would definitely recommend a visit. We need to support our zoo's, they're doing some great work. 👍
Tj — Google review
Very family friendly. A very good variety of animals including those can be petted. I was glad to see the big cats being active. Surprised to see the camels. Conveniently located shops and toilets for a pit stop with coffee and things to nibble on. Bonus is a nice play park, little train that is gives you a quick tour of the zoo, and also a woodland area for bit of free play. There are trails for walks too. We basically spent a full enjoyable day there. You can save quite a bit if you are able to prebook the tickets few days ahead.
Tom Tai — Google review
We were visiting locally and looking for things to do, found this place last minute and we were not disappointed. We took advantage of the cheaper winter tickets which was amazing also and managed to get around before the bad weather struck.
We have been to a lot of zoos but we both said it’s the nicest we’ve been to. What struck us immediately is how clean all the habitats are, and how well maintained all the animals are. I’ve never been as close to wild animals as I did today, to be able to see them like that was just spectacular. We had a go on the land train which was a pleasant little ride. All in all a wonderful experience! Thank you so much!
Laura — Google review
Lovely zoo, which is very well kept. The animals are kept in large enclosures with some monkeys actually able to leave the enclosure and climb trees close by. The only reason I am marking 4 stars is due to all but one of the cafes/restaurants being closed. This led to around a 20mins wait for 2 cups of coffee at the one restaurant open. The poor staff were under so much pressure with a lot of people understandably upset at massive wait times. My advice would be bring a packed lunch and a flask of coffee!
Alan Clarke — Google review
Very quiet and peaceful during the week and when children are not off school! Was perfect for me and my client who suffers dementia..staff were all lovely animals really well looked after and cared for.
November is free everyday for children
Easy to find
Cafe was lovely bit pricey but it goes to a good cause so i didn't mind.
You ca take your own pack lunch too
Toilets very clean
Car park at the entrance so not far to walk.
Emma — Google review
Banham Zoo is a brilliant zoo, the animals are well looked after and fed well, there are different times through out the day which you can watch the animals being fed at and listen to the talks.There are different food locations located around the zoo the get lunch or a quick snack from. There is a lovely little gift shop that you can look around near the entrance and it has a range of different products ranging from t-shirts, stuffed toys to tote bags. There is plenty of parking and the disabled parking is located near front of the zoo.
Z Studd — Google review
Fun day at the zoo with my grandson. It's a bit pricy, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.the animals are all looked after, and the enclosure was clean
Steven Lawler — Google review
Me and My Boyfriend loved going here. Its child friendly they have a train incase little ones don't want to walk around the whole park. It's interactive and some annimals you can pet and have experiences with such as feeding. I enjoyed seeing the annimals.
Mary XO — Google review
4.6
(5151)
•
4.5
(1557)
Kenninghall Rd, Banham, Norwich NR16 2HE, United Kingdom
The Abbey Gardens are a beautiful and peaceful place to visit, with formal gardens, ruins, sports facilities, an aviary and light refreshments.
Stunning grounds steeped in history. What a lovely place to have a walk and appreciate the amazing architecture and beauty. Walled gardens as well as the Abbey and picturesque local properties that showcase a blend of the ages. Great options within the City to shop and eat.
Mark P — Google review
This place is gorgeous and full of history! I loved it here. The only had two issues.
1. I ended up picking up trash as I was walking. People can be hogs!!! There are refuse containers everywhere so there is zero excuses.
2. People letting their kids climb on the ruins like it is a jungle gym. I actually saw a kid knocking stones off one of the monuments. That was awful.
Other than that it’s worth the trip… you can spend a full day here.
Heather is ALL-IN — Google review
My friend and I had a lovely trip here with our dogs. Dogs are allowed on leads in the gardens but there is a fairly long circular walk too, where we did let them off, not in the gardens. There are plenty of seats for relaxing and chatting in the gardens and we did some of that despite the fact that it rained nearly all the time! We had lunch and coffee and cake at the kiosk cafe. Only outside seating but there was a lucky break in the rain! Lovely sausage rolls and soup, cappuccino and brownies. Also got some dog biscuits. Pleasant friendly staff too. There are very clean loos in the park with an attendant which was nice. We parked all day nearby at Rams Meadow Car park for only £3. What a bargain! It would have cost 3 times that in Norwich! Would recommend.
Bridget Goffin — Google review
Partner loves a good cloister I tell ya. View of the cathedral is amazing and the gardens are very well kept. The ruins are a joy to walk around if you’re into history and architecture at all. Squirrels aplenty as well and are very comfortable around people (if you have grapes). Free public restrooms as well, to include a small cafe (haven’t had anything from there but looks rather nice). Benches in case you want to bring a takeaway there. It’s great and I suggest a stop at the gardens for anyone who passes through. There’s parking 🅿️ right outside the gardens (paid of course) but worth it.
Elijah Ward — Google review
The Abbey Gardens are lovely and well worth a trip into Bury (which is a nice town with lots of interesting independent shops). In the summer there’s lots of flower beds and greenery. A lot of care goes into maintaining the gardens and I’m grateful for it.
The ruins are mostly open to explore and they’re absolutely fascinating - a glimpse into another time. My eldest child’s fascinated with them and imagining what they would have been.
I have so many lovely memories of the Abbey Gardens from my childhood, especially looking at the birds kept there (they still have them now). It’s really nice to be able to visit the gardens when I’m back visiting family in Suffolk to make more memories there with my children.
Victoria S — Google review
Beautiful place with lots to explore! The abbey ruins, St Edmundsbury Cathedral, the aviaries, plant shop, flower gardens, playground, cafe...there's lots to see and do. If you're visiting BSE, park in the Ram Meadows Car Park - it's just round the corner and only around £3 per day.
Emily Henley — Google review
Lovely, peaceful gardens between the cathedral & old Abbey ruins of King Cnut of Anglo-Saxon times. Only the ruins of the Benedictine Abbey remain but these are extensive with interpretive boards showing the layout of St Edmund's great Abbey. The gardens, laid between large mature trees, are exquisitely kept, a perfect place of tranquility & rest.
Gill C — Google review
A pleasantly set out and well maintained public park in the grounds of a former abbey. A kids play area is on site as well as refreshments in the form of a cafe. The birds on public display are cute, the ruins interesting but the most enjoyable and entertaining thing by far are the many squirrels that will come and say hello for ford.
Jamie Titchener — Google review
Absolutely love it here! Beautiful walking trails, lovely flowers that are very well taken care of and the ruins are breathtaking. Lovely little playground for children and very dog friendly.
Linzy Gierucki — Google review
Gardens are well maintained. There's toilets near the entrance. Cafe and shop. The priory ruins are amazing!
It is wheelchair friendly, although there are some steep areas and uneven terrain! There are plenty of benches to sit down.
Dog friendly!
S S — Google review
What a fantastic place. It was our first trip to Bury St Edmunds as a family, and we took the kids through the gardens, into the park and around the ruins. They all loved it. Ages 10, 8 and (almost) 2. Despite being in a busy city center, there was an unedniable air of the idylic to gardens.
The playground offers something for kids of all ages, while the gardens themselves are an area of pure beauty. There was a wedding photography session in place when we arrived, and I can understand why. The picturesque setting offers an array of stunning backdrops.
One thing to keep in mind is that you only get a max of 2 hours parking outside the gardens. So you're best to look at the long stay car parks and walk down. You can easily spend a day in this park without even looking at the rest of Bury.
We can't wait to go back for more.
Alex Laybourne — Google review
Came here in the winter just before closing. Was so lovely with some amazing views of the Chapel. The gardens are well maintained and are a lovely place to chill out. The closing times depend on which gate you go out of.
Hannah Wild — Google review
A really interesting historic place, free to roam with pets, amazing ruins left to see and information to read up on, a must visit.....
Gary Ward — Google review
Always a place we drive by..sugar beet factory is the landmark...but we pulled off A14 on sunny BH Monday...what a lovely place..so full of history. A picturesque square with a unique illuminated traffic signpost ( like a lighthouse) leads to a portcullis through to the most amazing parkland which used to be the largest Abbey in Europe (?)..now in ruins with just the walls inner flint rubble core remaining..the limestone walls being repurposed after the destruction in the 16th Century...
Memorial rose garden to the USAAF at Rougham Airfield 1939-1945.
julian cardew — Google review
Lovely grounds to meander. Meticulously kept year round. The ruins of the ancient abby are honored and explained beautifully.
Laura Hess-Steele — Google review
Lovely green area with gardens, ruins, cathedral, lots of seating areas, good for picnic or just for a nice relaxed walk. Very peaceful and beautiful when all the flowers bloom.
Indy Ro — Google review
Beautiful gardens, well maintained, lovely flowers and space for families to walk and enjoy looking around the place or chill on the grass without feeling like everyone is close to you. Toilets and an icecream/coffee window and a play area for kids. Am looking forward to going plenty more times as parking nearby is good value and you feel so relaxed there
hannah b — Google review
4.7
(3539)
•
4.5
(1836)
22 Mustow St, Bury Saint Edmunds, IP33 1XL, United Kingdom
Southwold Pier is a Victorian pier in Southwold, Suffolk, which extends into the sea for 250 metres. The pier houses great sea-view restaurants and is a popular tourist attraction with families.
MThis was my 1st visit to Southwold Pier & beach & was pleasantly surprised by how beautiful it was. It was also very clean & rather popular with adults, families with small children & a lot of dog walkers. It was easily accessible with my mobility scooter as was the high street.
Donna Hinchliff — Google review
Lovely little pier, such a shame the scaffolding was up. Kids love the dodgy arcade as most kids do but also loved the walk past the "hall of mirrors" not a hall, the mirrors are on the side of a building. Kids found it hilarious. They also enjoyed the under the sea arcade, something a little different.
Nikola Williamson — Google review
A delightful and quaintly British tourist attraction. I visited on a very quiet day but imagine that it would be a very popular hotspot for holiday makers and day trippers. The whole pier appears well maintained and clean and the lack of noisy in your face amusement arcades is a definite plus!
Aiden Walsh — Google review
Love this pier. The old fashioned amusement arcade is brilliant. I decided to give Frankenstein a miss this time and put my hand in the fierce dog cage instead. Hilarious 😂. Loved the wall of mirrors, the niche gift shops and coffee shops. Even better that the weather was dry and warm. A good old fashioned seaside visit.
Allie Rodgers — Google review
Super pier with some wonderful little features from the superb cafe seating made from galvanised metal, super feature water clock and great amusement arcade with out of this world and totally waking one off amusements. Just visit and find out for your selves.
Michael Walker — Google review
Spent a really lovely day at Southwold. Enjoyed the Pier with al its seaside charm. Had a very tasty lunch, (as you can see from the photos!) The restaurant on the end of the pier IS a must! Great food, perfectly cooked and very pleasant helpful staff! Loved it😁👍
Paul Hemmant — Google review
A good old fashioned seaside town. Nice beach and plenty of parking down by the pier. We'll worth a visit just to see the beach huts. A short walk into the town as well.
Paul Rayfield — Google review
Nice place great views, typical British pier, fish and chips and an arcade, what more could you ask for. Can definitely recommend the alternative arcade on the pier full of weird and wonderful attractions great fun, would have been 5 stars but some of the pier was under repair. Completion in 2024
Tony F — Google review
We love visiting the pier at Southwold. There is a lovely cafe on the pier to eat and the children love looking in the different mirrors! The views from the pier of the beach and Southwold are spectacular!
Laurence Bragard — Google review
What a gem! Even though it was cold and raining had a lot of fun. Its good to be surprised and the under the pier show slot machines are a diamond in the rough! Otherwise, its quirky, you get a choice of a restaurant or cafe, whacky mirrors, sweets and interesting mechanical details that all made it a memorable visit.
Rich Garner — Google review
Lovely old pier still in good condition and free to walk along, with ice-cream parlours, slot machines, weird 'one off' games, gift shops and a great view up and down the coast. Dog friendly and safe for children.
Karen Willsmer — Google review
Absolutely love the beautiful stretch of white beach sand and the joy of everyone out and enjoying themselves. Children building sand castles, or perhaps the adults enjoying it just as much. Lovely shops and places to eat in the town and overall lovely and clean. To see the colourful beach huts that seem to go on forever. All well kept and a joy to see. Walk ways along the beach was so worth the walk and see the lovely views out into the sea. Next time will make a weekend of it.
Tony Strowger — Google review
Beautiful beach with stunning pier and lots of parking nearby! Beach huts make a pretty sight either side of the pier lining the beach promenade. It’s a lovely beach to wander along and you can venture into the lovely town which has a good variety of shops, cafes and restaurants!
Claire Beeson — Google review
Nice short pier in the affluent town of Southwold.
There are places to eat, souvenir shop and a traditional arcade along the length of it.
The end allows you to easily look back towards the sea front and town.
It's just very nice. The restaurant is of a particularly high standard.
Jason Howard — Google review
Great little Pier. Lovely for some nice pictures. I just think that fish and chips are overpriced everywhere. It’s just chips and fish, but they charge £8 plus for the portion of chips and a only fish that will last nothing.
Please, make cheaper - maybe £6 or £5. Big families will always think twice before spending £50 plus. My opinion only.
Other than that the Piers is beautiful and the walk around is great.
Robson Zoccoli — Google review
Great fun, with excellent café, restaurant, and gift shops. And don't miss the under the pier show - ingenious!
Brian Martin — Google review
If you enjoy sea, sand and traditional seaside cafe food, then this is it. But being a 'local' for the last twenty years, I have to say that's even better once the holiday frenzy dies down. We timed our recent visit at the end of the afternoon as day visitors we're leaving & the B&B crowd were just getting over the shock of eating out; a friend with a beach hut had an open evening which was great. Treated ourselves to two huge scoops of ice cream each. Then, chilled, & away from the high street, queued for ten minutes just before the cafe on the pier closed. Not too pricey, decent sized fishcakes, & excellent chips. Enjoyed as the evening was drawing in & everyone was going home.
The Audley End House and Gardens, a magnificent Jacobean mansion now owned by English Heritage, was originally built on an ambitious scale by the first Earl of Suffolk. After its purchase in 1668 by Charles II, it became a royal palace and is now one of England's grandest country homes. The lavishly decorated rooms are adorned with priceless furniture and paintings, while the fine landscaped park was designed by Lancelot 'Capability' Brown.
I love it here, such a beautiful place.
As you would expect from an English Heritage property it is very well presented.
The grounds are vast and that makes it very easy to spend many hours here just enjoying the outside as well as the inside.
Depending on the day you go there are activities and demonstrations that you can watch and be part of....really interesting and educational.
If you have children there's a lovely play area as well as lots of space to run around
The food in the cafe was excellent with seating inside and out
A fab place to spend the day
Debra Roberts — Google review
Great park and house. Made for a lovely weekend. Nice to explore and relax in the gardens.
Restaurant should have been better staffed so a full menu could be available. The Cornish Pasties and sausage rolls were good, but I would have preferred a few choices.
Johnniewon — Google review
It was so quick and easy to get to this place and park, but I would recommend getting a membership as it makes it even easier. The house and gardens were wonderful, I took loads of pictures because I found it so fantastic. I would definitely recommend visiting this place. Absolutely stunning house with tons of history and entertainment for any children you might bring with you. They have a few different interactions within the house for children to take part in, staff dressed as the characters that would have lived there around the house, dressing up areas in the children’s bedrooms and play areas inside along with puzzles to play with. So overall Audley End would be a great place to take the whole family as it provides entertainment for the children and history sites for the adults. There is also a play area in the gardens further away from the house for the children to play in, with a cafe. Absolutely amazing place to visit. I would totally recommend it for a nice day out! 😋
Lily Cole — Google review
An interesting place and something different from the normal English Heritage property. The last entry to the hall is 15:00, inside you will find an amazing entrance hall. You are free to wonder round with information boards in each room and a volunteer on hand. There is no photography allowed in the hall, but you can get a guidebook with pictures in. The gardens are well kept with plenty of benches. Cafe, gift shop and toilets.
Ashley Lightfoot — Google review
Driving in to Audley End feels like you're entering a scene from Downton abbey, it's just stunning. We loved our visit and knew we were entering somewhere pretty special.
You will need around 3-4 hours to visit if you want to just wander through the house and extensive gardens. We wished we had taken a picnic though as the grounds are stunning and there is ample space to set down a blanket and enjoy the environment. There is a cafe where you can buy lunch, cakes, drinks etc.
We missed the shows and demonstrations they offer due to lack of planning on our part, it was a last minute decision to visit. I would recommend looking online to see what is going on before you go.
The curators have explained everything perfectly, you get a real sense of the story and what it was like to live in the house.
There is a lot to see, the visitors were multi generational and of mixed abilities, there are steps and there is a lot of walking but there are also plenty of places to rest, I think if you take it easy most of the house could be enjoyed by all. I didn't see any lifts inside but there may have been.
No photography is allowed in the main house unfortunately but the do have a guide book to buy if you would like to show friends and family what it's like inside.
We didn't get a chance to do the miniature steam railway which is just opposite the main entrance, they do say always leave something to go back for though and that is good reason to return. My advice, make this a full day visit, there is ample to do for people aged 2-102
Richard Adlem (Rich) — Google review
Audley end house and gardens make a great day out. Attended the ww2 weekend which was absolutely brilliant and would certainly come again next year. And to get away from all the crowds, the grounds are quite something too.
John Gregory — Google review
Audley End House was just opening up for spring when we arrived. There were few visitors when we arrived just after midday and we toured the house first. The house itself is well set out with knowledge guides and information sheets in the main rooms. The nursery was particularly interactive for kids (the rest not so much). Some of the rooms were poorly lit, presumably for the preservation of the exhibits, stuffed animals & birds, tapestries etc. The ceilings are spectacular ... so don't forget to look up.
The tea room has an odd layout and the queue was substantial at lunchtime. By 2pm they still had plenty left (the pasties were a favourite) and the staff were helpful. The dining area was tight, especially with prams & pushchairs. Highchairs are available but I could see several mums were not impressed by their cleanliness. The plates, bowls, cutlery etc. was all disposable but some metal forks/knives/spoons were available in the 'dresser' if you know where to look.
The kitchen gardens are tidy but uninspiring as they are not growing anything yet, and we didn't have time to see the stables as they shut at 3:30.
The shop was small but as they are changing the products lots were half price. They are clearly developing some additional spaces, a shop and seating in the courtyard area.
Alison Martindale — Google review
This was our Sunday afternoon sorted!
Plenty to see plenty of history and above all very child friendly, activities within the house for children areas for you to just sit and take in the history and even on this visit one of the staff members was playing the piano which was very pleasant, two lady servants in the kitchen areas was very in character telling us what they was up to for who and then whT they will do when they clock of from the working quarters (loved it).
The tea rooms was reasonably priced and a nice amount on offer for lunch and snacks.
Children's play area was good and toilets at hand in multiple places.
Plenty of pick nick areas and space.
Well worth the 2 hour drive.
Will 100% be visiting again.
Scott Arnold — Google review
Audley End makes a gentle day out. Plenty of room to stroll and enjoy some scenery. If you need some greenery and ducks it's perfect! We really enjoyed the gardens in spring.
The house is interesting, especially if you like classic portraits. But the more curious things are explained to you by the staff. Worth asking!
Only downside was the price for refreshments. Plenty of room for picnics tho.
tracy smith — Google review
Peaceful and relaxing gardens with historical interest. Worth a visit if you're a member of English heritage. Many different places, walled garden, historic house, seasonal garden displays. Two cafes and a small kids playground. Quite a few picnic tables. The river cam provides a beautiful backdrop.
A Rehman — Google review
Beautiful house containing some amazing pieces. Love that some of the staff around the grounds are in costume and in character. The grounds are vast and beautiful. Horses in the stables are gorgeous and of great temperament. Cafe and toilet facilities are of good high standard. Lovely little play area just before heading back to the carpark for the kids to let go of that last bit of steam and for you to relax with a coffee.
Diane Boswell — Google review
English heritage site, stately home, gardens, cafe and playground. We had a fantastic time walking around and taking in the history. There's just enough going on to keep you entertained for a few hours, followed by a few hours just sitting on the grass under one of the lovely trees... just relaxing.
Haps — Google review
Wow! This place is incredible. The house is huge with lots of history and beautiful/different things to look at. You get to see the children's nursery, the dairy, the servants area, the laundry, the meat store and much more. The grounds are extensive with lots of lovely places to sit. You get to see the stables, an organic vegetable garden and the most beautiful set of ponds and a river with waterfalls. Both adults and children thoroughly enjoyed our day out.
Emily Ward — Google review
This is a remarkable building which has been incredibly preserved to give visitors a real taste of history. Once visited it becomes clear why it is one of the jewels in the English Heritage collection. There are many well furnished rooms to look around and a decent tea room to relax in. The gardens seemed to be quite decent but I didn't have time to tour them properly. The one part I did try to visit, the walled garden, was unfortunately closed.
The main reason I have not been able to award this place the full five stars is because of their ban on photography in the main house. I can understand there being no flash photography but no photography at all seems excessive. I am aphantasic which means I can't picture images in my mind so photos are really important to me as a memory. No photos means I have no real memory of the building at all which is a huge disappointment. I would strongly encourage English Heritage to look again at this ban to see if it can be relaxed.
Apart from that it is a wonderful place that I would encourage anyone to visit.
Vincent Malone — Google review
Beautiful piece of architecture, well-informed and friendly staff, plenty to see and explore. We had a great day out with our 6 year old. We had lots of fun despite the rain. Good playground too.
Monika Pick — Google review
A quintessential stately home set in Capability Brown landscaping. English Heritage have done very good job with the conservation and balanced our a accesss to the house so we can best enjoy it. Brilliant.
Paul Lethbridge — Google review
Great place to visit. Staff and volunteers are very helpful and friendly. The rooms are really good and volunteers are great at telling their history. Nice cafe and reasonably priced food.
eric simms — Google review
10/10. A bit pricey but worth to pay the entrance fee and visit the magnificent interior of the house along with the outside rooms and gardens which are really big and so beautiful, looked after. Had an amazing day out in there and you can also have a cuppa and some snacks or food :)
Andreea Anghel — Google review
Really lovely English Heritage property. Beautiful grounds and plenty to do for children including playground and a nursery with toys and dressing up items. Riders stop horses so children can stroke them.
Fiona Riseley — Google review
Fantastic place! Full of history and art. Visited before, but some rooms were closed because of the pandemic.
The volunteers are so knowledgeable and happy to help with any questions.
The staff is amazing too, friendly and welcoming.
Lots of space for parking, and a lovely café for the necessary tea/ coffee afterwards.
We'll definitely visit again.
(I suggest becoming an English Heritage member though)
Antonis Kalogerakis — Google review
This was a really enjoyable rainy day out. Lovely walking around and learning the history of the family and their grand home. Met one of the horses close up and got to ask questions about him. My girls played in the little park. Not much in the way of lunch choices, and really long queues but we did get to the restaurant late. We would love to return in the summer to enjoy the grounds more.
Zoey Dowell — Google review
Great for a walk in the grounds and the house is small but lovely to walk around. Nice cafe with a good selection of hot and cold sandwiches, pies etc cute shops. Not a whole day out but ideal for an afternoon visit
julie francis — Google review
So wonderful to see, and the tour guides were awesome! We watch The Victorian Way, and it was a delight to see where the magic happens! So pleased it's been opened for the public! We will be back!
Georgestown Inn — Google review
4.6
(5301)
•
4.0
(1615)
Audley End Rd, Audley End, Saffron Walden CB11 4JF, United Kingdom
Jimmy's Farm & Wildlife Park is a small wildlife park with tapirs and a reptile house, as well as casual eateries and a shop selling farm produce. The staff are all really nice and the animals are all happy looking. It is a great few hours out with the kids, but bring snacks and drinks if you plan on staying for more than an afternoon.
Great offer - kids go free in November (with the app). It was great. Lots of animals - some really uncommon.
Play areas, hot drinks. We brought our own food. Lots of picnic tables. Would recommend.
Justyna Kapera — Google review
A few exotic animals along with farm animals , picnic areas and play areas for the kids , restaurant and gift/toy shop , woodland walk with den building.
Great place for children , you might want to wear Wellington boots if its been raining as the pathways can get quite muddy.
At the entrance you can buy a bag of food for £1so you can feed the farm animals , I would recommend this as its good fun feeding the animals , especially for young children , there are plenty of hand washing stations along the way so its totally safe⭐⭐⭐⭐
Review for restaurant,
The food was great quality, I had Lamb stew , very tasty and filling , the service was not so good , we ordered 4 drinks and 4 meals , the meals took at least 30 minutes to come out to us (its a small menu and should be a quick turn around) I had to remind the waitress we had ordered drinks , they arrived half way through eating our meal , we were asked if we wanted a dessert , the menu was given to us , after waiting 20 minutes (the restaurant was NOT busy at this time) we decided to give the dessert a miss !!
when paying we wanted to split the bill between 2 couples , my friend paid on her card , I paid cash , I was short changed buy £5 , I told the cashier my change was not correct , she stared at the till and gave me £2 , I told her again it was not correct , she again stared at the till and I explained what money I had given her and what my correct change should of been , she eventually gave me the correct change . overall not a great experience ⭐⭐⭐
JASON BACON — Google review
Lovely day out with lots to do and see. We went with our 1yr old son (in buggy) and dog. The gravels paths are easy to navigate with buggy despite what a few people have written. We will definitely be back in a year or so so my son can take advantage of the park area which looked great fun for kids.
Alan Clarke — Google review
We had a wonderful day at Jimmys Farm today. We haven’t been for a few years and it has a much wider variety of animals than I remember, including zebras and camels. The animals all have large and much more natural habitats than some other places and you can tell they are well cared for. We saw baby goats minutes after they were born and we were also very lucky to have the amazing experience of feeding the capybaras. The piglets in the rare animals section were adorable and so funny to watch. The food was also really good and freshly made. A special thank you to Keeper Tom for all your insight and helping us have a fabulous family day out.
Emma Clark — Google review
A good way to spend a few hours or so with a range of animals, they also sell animal feed for £1 per pack and have multiple hand wash stations throughout the farm. They had Marshfield Farm ice cream, which is one of my favourites do it had to be done... There are also several food outlets but we brought lunch with us.
Gary Sweetman — Google review
This is a wonderful day out for all the family. It is really clean. You can see that the animals are cared for and well looked after with plenty of room. There is also a lovely restaurant, gift shop and clothing outlet, so lots to see and do. Staff are really friendly and helpful. I would definitely recommend this as a visit.
Martin — Google review
Fantastic day out. Lots to see and lots to do. Really loved the fact that hand washing units all had hot water wherever we were going. We loved to watch polar bears and wolves and search for a brown bear Diego. Also, the sausage rolls in a farm shop were super tasty.
Valentina Ovcerenko — Google review
Not a zoological marvel, however the staff are all really really nice, animals are all happy looking and seem cared for. You can see the investment here, and I am sure this place will grow. Great few hours out with the kids. If you bring snacks and drinks, it is a cheap day out just down the road.
Adrian Haddock — Google review
Lovely farm, had lots to see and do and interesting animals such as armadillos and ant eaters that you'd not expect to see at a farm! The animals looked well cared for and happy. The staff were very friendly and informative, particularly the man handling the dinosaurs today- very good with children! The butterfly house was really nice.
Sophie — Google review
I attended the Wellness Day, which included Pilates in the Woods. The whole day was perfect, including the healthy breakfast and lunch. I didn't get all round the park, so missed out on many of the animals, but just makes we want to go back.
Sue Cowell — Google review
My Son & I visited Jimmy’s Farm in July 2023. We were both amazed!
We’ve never seen animals so relaxed and so well looked after. We did the Capybara experience & VIP, would definitely recommend. The girls who ran our experiences were a real credit to farm. You could see that they loved their jobs & all the animals :)
Sophie Mullins — Google review
Brilliant! Went thinking it was your typical "farm" style place was great to see so much! My kids had a fantastic time on the blow up pillows, Super friendly staff spoke to us for ages about animals behaviour! Had a late breakfast which was really good, loads of different things to see with what looks like an expansion of the site so 100% coking back!!!
GAD Tuning — Google review
Jimmys farm is wonderful, with plenty of animals to see, and they were all awake, well and lively, the polar bear is obviously the main attraction for most, but all of the animals shine in their own right.
The park is fun for children and adults alike,and even though I went during winter, you can look around the place and see it's 10 times better during summer, genuinely a good day out, just be sure to bring wellies.
Bloodclart Black bwoi — Google review
Always over sold without the facilities to accommodate the amount of visitors.
I visited today in half term with my family. It's very expensive to attend and the car park was very full. The bouncy cushion was unattended and with about 50 kids flying around crashing into each other, throwing sand etc - it wasn't the safest.
There aren't enough toilets, people queuing. The same with anywhere to eat, there were massive lines, and not enough benches to sit on. It being February it was very muddy so you couldn't sit on the grass and lots of people resorted to perching on tge edge of flower pots etc.
There wasn't any soap at the hand wash station, and no hand sanitiser as you left, or in the gift shop which you are made to exit through to leave, which is a bug bear of mine as I have an autistic child who is clumsy and grabby around glass jars of things and other expensive items around.
The walk in the forest was very muddy, and was impossible to walk on the actual trail, as no one had thought to put wood chips down, or even a sign that it was boggy ahead. My 75 year old dad struggled off the path with roots and other obstacles to navigate. My step sister actually fell in the mud at one point.
I will say that all the animals looked well cared for and happy. They all had nice enclosures with plenty to keep them entertained and had food and water available.
But I wouldn't visit again, at least not in peak times, as it seems they are more concerned with getting lots of people in and making money out of them than they are making it an enjoyable experience.
Sinead Champion — Google review
We was all very excited to go to Jimmy's farm but in all honesty wasn't was I was expecting. I totally take my hat off to this guy for giving these animals the best life and the space is I'd say the most I've seen for the animals which is the main thing in my opinion. Very clean site and can see they are all very well taken care of. There wasn't as much as we had thought to see and the viewing was quite far from some animals which was disappointing but was lovely to see them nevertheless.. I do think the tickets are overpriced in my opinion especially when your a family and wanting to eat also, burger and chips for £25 is extortionate I think. With the tickets, the drive down and something to eat for us would have ended up £200 which I really don't think was worth it.
Again we all loved seeing the animals we did and well run, well kept and spacious for these types of animals.
Bryan Harman — Google review
What a lovely day we had, its more like a mini zoo than a farm ! So many different animals to see !
Just listing a few here, goats, rabbits, sheep/lambs, pigs, meerkat, butterflies, crocodile, lizards, geese, chickens, anteater, zebras, armadillo....and so on !
The farm itself felt very well spaced out, the animals had plenty of area to explore, it felt very clean, no litter or mess anywhere, it's easily a full day out.
There where at least 3 different play areas for the children to play in, everything seamed brand new, there's an ice cream shop, coffee shop plus a restaurant and gift shop. The woodland den building area was a great idea ! My daughter would happily stay there all day !.
We will definitely be going back again in a few months, there was a sign saying that 20 new animals will be added soon. We felt the entry price was fair considering what was there!
The restaurant was really nice, looked stunning aswell as its set inside an old barn! The food was really really nice, we will happily eat there again, you are allowed to take your own food and have a picnic on the grass if you wish but we ate in the restaurant and I think we would again as the food was super yummy !!
If your hoping to see farm machinery such as tractors, this isn't the farm for you as I said earlier, it's more like a zoo. This wasn't a problem for us, we loved it !
Aaron Molloy — Google review
When as a Father's day present , never been before and had a lovely day. Lots of animals for the little ones to feed. Nicely set out. When in the restaurant for lunch and the food was very good. The sausage rolls are brilliant. One thing we did comment on was toilets. Could do with a couple more on site. It's a bit of a walk from were the raccoons are to the toilets. But apart from that very good. Large car park.
David Mower — Google review
Great time at Jimmys Farm.
Easy to find. One road in and a separate road out. Large car park.
Reasonable entry price and animal feed.
Great to see all the animals at the farm.
Toilets at the entrance.
Large park for the children.
Would recommend. I will visit again when the weather is better.
Kristel Goldsmith — Google review
Great place for a day out for all ages. My wife and I spent a lovely 4 hours there today. Loads of different animals to see with some you can feed.
Just don't stand too close to the goats with your box of food, as my wife found out, or they'll pinch it
😂😂
Graham Hardy — Google review
We love going there. Watching animals, feeding them, learning about them.
Food, coffee and ice creams are great! Bouncy pillows and play areas. This is perfect place for children and adults.
Ania N — Google review
The experience was nice.
On the top half of the park there isn’t a proper footpath, therefore could be dangerous/slippery as it is uneven and quite muddy in parts.
The animals look well looked after, the polar bear and artic wolves didn’t seem to have much shade and looked quite sad in the sun, feel more could be invested into making their habitats a more enjoyable and comfortable environment. Enjoyed seeing the animals as a one off experience but can’t say I’ll be coming back regularly.
Alexandra Cristina — Google review
I am a carer and was looking for somewhere to take a young adult in a wheel chair, the website stated it was wheelchair friendly so we gave it a go, it is not wheelchair or pushchair friendly. Really steep pathways which has stones as pathways, small pebble and larger rocks. as I was pushing the wheelchair up hills the stones were making me slip and nearly myself and young lad fell backwards. I met other people with buggies struggling as well, some bits I just wasn't able to assess with a wheelchair. Where it had been raining made muddy, stoney paths uneven too. Definitely a let down. Wasn't there long as safety, then to get out there is another quite steep hill, with slippery stones on had to do it in stages, workers were walking pass. Jimmy's only saving grace was the animals looked very well looked after. Love the wolves and polar bear but couldn't see them very well as too far away. With a nearly blind lad he wanted to see them. But couldn't get close enough although could hear them howling.
June King — Google review
They have certainly been busy adding the Polar and brown bear enclosures which gives the animals lots of space. Pathways are stone clippings whi can make it a bit hard going, but otherwise it’s a good day out with plenty to see and do for young and old alike.
Could do with some more food outlets as the park expands but the barn restaurant is nice food good quality and nicely cooked. Fortunately we did book a table in advance as it was a bank holiday and very bust.
Tony Jackson — Google review
Such an amazing day. The restaurant was fantastic, we had a full English breakfast to start off our day. And then spent the whole day in the park. All the animals were viewable. Such an amazing place to see how well the animals are cared for and how much space they have. Family and dog friendly. We went as 2 adults and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We will be back!
Kirsty — Google review
What a brilliant park. We had such a good day. The animals seem really well cared for and the enclosures are large. Obviously the highlight was Ewa the polar bear but we enjoyed spending the whole day here. Animal feed can be purchased at the gate and it's great fun feeding the animals. Playparks are good fun too. We also ate in "The Barn" and I highly recommend a burger 🍔 😋 X
Hayley E — Google review
Outstanding wildlife part. So impressed with how much space there is for the animals. You can pay £1 for animal feed which is a lot of fun. There are multiple play areas for children. During the winter, wear boots as it gets very muddy. Ewa the polar bear is beautiful and so active. Highly recommend passing by her.
Lauren Griffith — Google review
Jimmy's is a wonderful place. The enclosures are big and well laid out. The staff, although we didn't see many, are friendly and helpful.
We didn't have food onsite as we had our own food but a family from our group did get food and it was delicious, although slightly expensive.
Seeing Eva the polar bear was a highlight for everyone and we all stood watching her for a long time. Behind her are the Arctic wolves who were very loud the day we visited. But we loved hearing the howls.
Jane Meddows — Google review
Simply the best. All the staff are great and friendly and knowledge. Food is excellent and the little polar bear is very well looked after by (Ranger) James and Co!!! My good friends' children - the 7 and 9 year old boys loved the whole experience.
I am partially sighted and disabled and whilst some areas were tricky to navigate there were always spots to rest - such as benches etc - and toilets and the staff jumped up to help me at all times, when I did or did not ask.
The restaurant had good disabled facilities and a disabled access door.
The disabled parking was great.
I did take some time to climb back up the steeper parts of the park but then I do recognise that a wild animal park must have some bits that may be difficult to manage for people such as myself as they cannot tarmac a polar bear enclosure or even the path to it for very practical reasons.
I know that the plans in development will improve the facilities further and I cannot wait to go back and see more!
Kieran Bennett — Google review
4.5
(3786)
•
4.0
(1023)
Pannington Hall Ln, Wherstead, Ipswich IP9 2AP, United Kingdom
Colchester Zoo is a large zoo, with 200 different species of animals and many interactive features. There are also special themed zones, such as the Orangutan Forest and Edge of Africa.
A fantastic day out for the whole family. This is a nice big zoo with a huge range of animals. You can easily spend all day here and not see everything. We have a zoo pass and go most weekends. There are loads of places for food and drink. The hot chocolate is amazing!
The jungle tumble soft play is a really fun part for younger kids to enjoy. They run in 45 minute slots (you must book!), so a good chunk of time to wear the children out a little.
They are constantly revamping areas, so it is cool to see the changes as they happen.
Overall there is a wide range of interactive areas and activities. Near the eelphants they have an area where you can hold stick insects or African land snails, etc.
The train takes you from the tigers to the lemurs and back again (return trip is up to you).
I feel that I could waffle on for ages about this place, but I would definitely recommend it. If visiting from afar, definitely come along for a trip, or if local, I would strongly recommend getting a pass. I had one before having a child and loved the after work walks to the tigers and back!
Tarot Noble — Google review
What a brilliant day out for the whole family!
We spent 7 hours here! There really is so much to do, so many animals to see.
A few lovely little parks also.
Plenty of toilets around.
A few different places to stop for food or drinks.
Tracey Butcher — Google review
A great day, we all preferred the second half of the zoo where the bigger animals were kept as it was a lot more open, less cramped and less slopes. Overall there was a great selection of animals to see and things to do for all ages. Took us all day to soak it all up without really stopping to eat. Feeding the giraffes was definitely the highlight for me and the Komodo dragons talk was the highlight for my daughter
Lucy Dunne — Google review
Even though it's 3+ hours drive, it's a lovely zoo to visit.
Few new things since we last visited.
Great exhibits, and they're all built with the animals' welfare as first thought.
Not good for people who are motility impaired due to the hilly nature, but most of it's still accessible.
Definitely worth visiting.
Steve Waite — Google review
Went there on a Friday! Loved it so much, it was relaxing and very interesting!! Great zoo to go to with family and friends, the gift shop had a wide range of products and some items were unreasonably expensive but other prices were great! My favourite area was the one with the Koi fish, they were so gorgeous!!
Ivana Yanusheva — Google review
An absolutely wonderful zoo. We visited on a cold March day, yet the welcome was very warm. Lovely the way you wander round. The animals have plenty of privacy but you also get great views. The tiger enclosure seemed so natural. The edge of Africa was so well laid out. Highly recommended
Ian Mantel — Google review
An enormous zoo just 40 min outside of London! A great place to spend a day! It’s kid-friendly. Buy tickets in advance. We also tried one of the experiences available - feeding the elephants. It was definitely worth it. You should try one too! There are plenty of restaurants and cafes. The gift shop is big and full of interesting things to buy as a souvenir. The parking lot is enormous and it’s part of your ticket so no worry. There are also free tours available in different section throughout the day - look at the map at the beginning of your journey. Dive in the interactive activities that are free of charge!
Radi Galinova — Google review
My daughter bought me a Zookeeper for the Day experience. We came yesterday. Loved every minute of it. Keeper's are so friendly and knowledgeable and great to see how proud and caring they are for their animals.
Would recommend this for anyone who loves animals, and wants to work with animals. Thank you all so much for a very memorable day.
Heather Searle — Google review
This zoo provides a great family fun day out! We all enjoyed our experience. There are various different types of animals and so much to see. You definitely need the whole day to explore. There are also lots of fun play areas for little ones which is fantastic! The zoo itself is huge and takes a while to get around. They also have a free train service incorporated within the zoo that allows anyone to get on and go on a short tour with the guide. The toilets are well maintained and clean. The feeding facilities for babies are also amazing. There are plenty of shops around and lots of sitting areas, perfect to bring your own food and enjoy too!
Sana M — Google review
Tickets for 2 adults and 1 child about £80 so if you can use your Tesco points. The big zoo , can see a lot of different animals. The place has cafes , a playing area, an activity area for kids or you can bring your own food, gift shops , ice- cream cafe, toilets). Better to start exploring from the left side ( less people so you can enjoy a nice walk+ not long to wait for the train, usually later there will be a long queue). Kids can feed goats -goat food costs £1 but it's really fun.
Usually it takes all day to walk around the zoo so make sure you have comfy shoes.
Irina ... — Google review
I visited for the newly added Pygmy Hippo experience and this was a great experience. As well as being informative, I was able to get really close to Venus, feed her fruit and help prepare her enclosure. My keeper was great, deeply cared about all the animals on his section (Giraffe) and spoke about how Venus will be enriched by this new experience as she has recently lost her partner, Freddy.
The zoo is fantastic, so much for adults and children to do. I went during the week, which was really quiet, but would I really loved is that all the animal talks proceeded even though I was the only one there. Each staff member waited at the meeting point and happily invited questions.
Ate in the food outlets and prices were very reasonable. Breakfast roll was under £4 and cooked freshly for you. Great range of vegan treats and loads for the children to do. Will definitely be returning!
GJX W — Google review
Had a great day out at the zoo. Plenty to keep all ages entertained for hours. Special mention for Paul who was one of the guides on the train. How he can keep telling the guests about all the animals and telling jokes whilst having to hurd us off on and off the train and through the enclosure without having a melt down is amazing. Keep up the good work.
Overall I can't fault anything about my visit. Highly recommend and I will be visiting with the kids again soon.
Paul Mills — Google review
Even with a wet and rainy day the Zoo was still very good. The staff are all nice and polite. A gold pass holder has a lot of good benefits. Kids love the soft play area which is free but need to book a place in advance as it gets fully booked quickly.
David Daniels — Google review
Lovely family day out. Plenty of toilet facilities. Zoo well maintained and staff friendly. Please note the Zoo has lots of steep inclines but is wheelchair friendly. I would recommend advanced booking a mobility scooter as it is worth the money to make your day as enjoyable as possible
Lauren Day — Google review
Fantastic day out, even my 16yo & 18 yo daughters enjoyed it. Booked tickets online which was easy . We also booked the giraffe 🦒 & elephant 🐘 feeding experiences, which was definitely money well spent. We went 19/04/22 . Spacious zoo, one of the best that I’ve ever visited. Arrived 9:45 stayed until 5pm . All the animals seemed happy in their environment which was kept clean. Download the App onto your phone as a map etc . Can’t fault this place, even the toilets 🚽 were clean. The staff were helpful that worked there
Gary Read — Google review
We had a lovely day out. We got there early and did need the full day (10:30-17:45) We had two children under four and a baby, the toddlers loved it! They are both good happy walkers, so if your child doesn't like walking too much you will need a push chair. Lots of hills, but lots of benches everywhere.
All the animals were easy to see and all looked happy and healthy.
The train ride was fantastic, a queue to get on however they had two trains running. Well worth it as you then walk through the lemur enclosure.
Indoor play area was fantastic, they had timed slots, so book ahead. As it's at the start of the park, either do it first thing or last. If you go in the middle of the day you'll be going backwards and forwards.
We didn't know the birds that you can feed stop being fed at 16:00. So make sure you do that before then. Also we found there weren't many toilets, there was a wait each time.
All in all a very good day.
Sarah Lewin — Google review
Excellent zoo with lots to see, Not the cheapest and often deals on tickets via Groupon/Kids pass (saved over £5 with this one), etc. Includes some farm animals, goats, pigs.
Worth checking the times for various talks/feeding times as well. We were lucky enough to see the Otter feeding.
Mark Freeman — Google review
We absolutely love, Colchester Zoo. Lots of talks and interaction.
The parakeet feeding part, was new to us and we thoroughly enjoyed it 🙂.
It is a shame though, as years ago, you could queue and feed the Giraffes and Elephants. But you now have to pay extra for that. But I appreciate that it can't be cheap to keep a zoo going, especially in this economy and they do a lot to help support wild animals, so it's all worth it 😊.
Nicola Shannon — Google review
A brilliant day out with the family on my return visit after quite a few years.
Very busy bankholiday Monday, which added to the atmosphere.
Plenty of parking with entry being managed very well and efficiently without queues.
Place was very clean, well designed, and easy to get around.
Plenty of cafes, food outlets and ice cream Stores to keep family happy.
Most importantly the big 5 were out and not hiding🦁🐯🦒🐘🦏
Motin Khan — Google review
The best zoo I have been too. Lots of animals, lots of play parks scattered around the zoo, a train ride around some of the park into an up close visit into the ring-tailed lemur exhibit. Food seems a little pricey but that's no different to any other place.
James Day — Google review
We have the yearly pass great value for money.
Great Zoo all animals look like they are kept very well.
Had the chicken pieces and chips great value for money large portions and free sauces as much as you want.
Land train is great fun close up and personal with the ring tailed lemas.
A must visit well done to all involved.
Great day out.
Martin Hall — Google review
We visited Colchester zoo today(15/01/24) for the extraordinary experience full day for my son’s Christmas present and it went far beyond expectation. From start to finish you are met with a wealth of knowledge of the animals and zoos history while having special encounters with the animals. You are well catered for the day during your experience making the day care free. Our host Amanda was so knowledgeable and went above and beyond to make the day amazing as was all the keepers we met through out the day. The care and passion the team have here for the animals is very evident. Experience was true value for money while the memories you keep from it especially for my son!
Harry King — Google review
The staff are always so happy and friendly.
The Billy-Joe walk is very emotional. This is a zoo that truly loves their animals and you can feel the love for their animals - especially the ones they’ve had to say goodbye to. The enclosures are always clean, happy animals, very social! We love going here and will continue to support the zoo due to their caring nature. The orangutan was my favourite. She was swinging around, playing with cardboard, coming up and inspecting people.
Thank you for always being fantastic and putting animals first!
Dino — Google review
This is a fantastic zoo. The animals and enclosure are really well kept. Safe are friendly and helpful. Talks are good although unless you are interested in animal knowledge then you should give them a miss. It is a big place and takes a good full day to get round everything properly. The play parks and great and plentiful and the food and drinks are actually reasonably priced but there is plenty indoor and outdoor picnic areas if you want to take your own. Really enjoyed the day out and for anyone with kids it's a must!
Hannah Wilcock — Google review
Wonderful zoo with an amazing collection of animals, some of which we've not seen anywhere else. Slightly convoluted layout so it is easy to miss exhibits if you're not following a map, but there are lots of friendly staff around to help. The train was an excellent idea too. Food and drinks are readily available, varied and reasonably priced and there were many great talks throughout the day too. All in all, a fab day out, and we will definitely be going back.
Kim Stafford — Google review
My wife and I visited here for the fourth time and our experiences have only got better. We were welcomed by the staff attending the entrance, and easily located maps of the park. We visited at half nine and therefore weren't surprised when we couldn't see a lot of the external animals. We had a nice stroll through the park looking at the animals we could see and we had intentions on going round the park again. We got some awesome photos and we were extremely lucky with some of them. We had an amazing day and loved seeing how far the park has come from the first time we visited it 7 years ago. While there were refurbishments currently in progress it only makes our next visit even more exciting. I would recommend everyone to see this place at least once and I would also recommend you book online, although you save some money I would also urge you to make a donation while in the park as well. Colchester Zoo always delivers!!!! (Haven't included all the photos but just a few favorites)
Luke Cossey — Google review
The best zoo in the UK, book your tickets now if your not sure, you'll not be disappointed. Loads of free parking, free soft play (45mins sessions) amazing range of animals in enormous enclosures, so nice to see happy animals
Rob Beacham — Google review
Absolutely brilliant, staff answer your question. Food to feed the goats, and birds (for one pound). Lovely animals there there's one (maybe two) train there but you have to wait an hour for it (well we did). And at the end of the zoo there are Lego dinosaurs! Will definitely be coming again.
JJ Cambridge — Google review
There are a lot of animals here and some really wonderful exhibits. I'd give it 5 stars but the layout of the zoo is a bit odd and we got turned around a few times. That being said, it is certainly worth a visit! Easy parking as well.
Lauren Schwartzbard — Google review
I liked this zoo when I came the 1st time ten years ago, it was even better this time round with my kids. The things we liked; The lion roaring at the visitors. Sleeping all day crocodile. The hungry otter sisters. Sensible soft play. Bargain new year tickets. Underwater Anaconda. All the little bush dogs by the train station. Plenty of play parks for a sit down.
Max Daley — Google review
4.7
(18943)
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4.5
(6512)
Maldon Rd, Stanway, Heckfordbridge, Colchester CO3 0SL, United Kingdom
Clacton Pier is a restored Victorian pier that offers a wide range of attractions and entertainment options. It features a funfair, amusement arcade, eateries, aquarium, and tenpin bowling center. The 350-meter pier also boasts a 50-meter Helter Skelter tower with views of the Offshore Wind Farm. Visitors can enjoy arcade games, rollercoasters, fairground rides, and special Circus Fantasia shows during the summer.
Amazing venue. So clean and well run, lovely to see it evolve over the years. Never fails to disappoint. It's the perfect family day out. All you can want under one roof, well and outside :) live music gives a great vibe too.
Steve Cable — Google review
A really good family day out. Just the rollercoaster last only a few seconds. Also my fish wasn't cooked properly, but my husband 's burger and the children meals were good and the portions were big. Almost forgot, they have a small aquarium very interesting.
Ana ?Le?n? — Google review
Nice beach area near the pier, shops near by as well as children's amusements parking near by the pier if you are lucky enough to find a spot or be prepared for bit of a walk, parking is free from 6pm so only pay up untill and not for the full day as can be costly. Like most beaches does not have running water to clean your self down and the public toilets were quite dirty. Otherwise the beach area is fine.
vikram kumar — Google review
A lot has changed on the pier since last time.
New Pier cards, as shops and rides do not take cash, so you put money on a Clacton Pier FUN CARD, and use this to pay for rides, food, and 2p's.
The more you put on, the more additional free credits you get BUT NOTD NO REFUNDS, the crefits do not expire, you you dont have to use all at once.
Tonight (31 March 24) the Easter Bunny was here and Fireworks at night too.
Car parking is PAY even with a Blue badge, Enforcement patrols are in force so pay or face a fine.
Michael webb — Google review
There was definitely a lot to do and the family were kept occupied but it's not the most picturesque pier and I prefer the more traditional looking piers and not the arcades as being the entrance. We definitely had fun though. A selection of rides, golf, arcades, places to eat. Really a bit of everything.
Lucy Dunne — Google review
Surrounded by beaches that stretch as far as the eye can see, this traditional seaside town is full of character. Beautiful displays of flowers on the upper area with rose gardens, garden of remembrance and Mediterranean gardens. Its ideal for a long stroll, healthy jog or gently cycle.
The pier is just going from strength to strength year on year, with updated rides and amusements. Renovations have upgraded nearly every space with new attractions with games, dinosaurs and lots lots more. Free fireworks displays during the summer, live music and even a little train that will bring you to the far end of the beach. There's a water sports hire area also. Its all aimed at a family fun with Essex charm. When the sun is out there is no better place.
Den Cogan — Google review
Amazing how much this pier has changed since 2016. A whole lot better now than it was and it's constantly improving. Awesome arcade, perfect coffee shops, bars and amusements.
Damon Gould — Google review
I love piers and this is as good as they get. Low season so not many people around. Still feel the magic they bring to people. Especially the little people. Felt like a kid myself with all the lights flashing. Have to return to feel the magic in summer.
Glen Kent — Google review
Lovely pier, plenty of entertainment for all of the family. Definitely a few hours worth anyway. We didn't go on the rides but you can purchase saver tickets, golf and go karts are inside too. Busy when we visited in the summer but wasn't unbearable. Definitely a nice little day out.
Lizzie Prout — Google review
Really nice day out. Rides are great. Arcades are great. Beach was beautiful and very clean. Parking just up the road was easy (we got there before 11am) and not too expensive. Highly recommend old school English seaside town
robert hodson — Google review
Lots to do on the pier. We plated both mini golf and both were fun and reasonably priced. The pier amusements and restaurant was spotlessly clean which was great considering how many families about. We went in the 4d dinosaur experience which was fun and nit very expensive £5. Lots to eat around the pier and nice gardens.
Becky James — Google review
I've been here a few times on holiday now, and this pier is packed with stuff to do. The mini golf course is large over two floors, and the arcade is huge. The wristband deal is good, and we love the bumper cars and go karts. The water rings are good fun, especially spraying the water guns and people watching. Will definitely be back again soon.
Daniel Jupp — Google review
Good pier. Needs finishing but lots to do on a rainy day. Worth a walk to the end of the pier. Really wanted a go on the cars but closed due to the weather. Enjoyed the walk and the golf course and stuff all looked good. Has had a grant to do it up and it will be great when completed.
M S (Sunders ont road) — Google review
The pier is quite wide with a large arcade building and some outside fairground attractions. Beyond the fairground, you can see the old disused lifeboat station (there is a modern replacement along the coast), and at the far end, there is a fishing area.
It also appears to be open throughout the year and not just during the summer season.
Karen B — Google review
Not so sandy but still it's a bit better than most beaches. They power and the beach - not as busy as Southend on sea. Been there for the first time and loved it. The pier is good for a walk or to indulge in done arcade games. Worth a visit!
Jay B. — Google review
Really great. I think the height restrictions are a tad strict. Toddler missed all the baby rides by half a cm but really like the ride cards. Great you can spend in soft play and sweet shop too.
Róisín Fountain — Google review
4.3
(12156)
•
4.0
(1880)
No.1, North Sea, Clacton-on-Sea CO15 1QX, United Kingdom
Westfield Stratford City is a large shopping mall located in London, England. It features luxury stores such as Armani, Burberry and Miu Miu, as well as a cinema, food court and restaurants.
This is my second visit to Westfield's Stratford, the first was to have breakfast with my dad. This was actually a shopping spree and for dinner after. O am amazed to the amount of shops and restaurants over three floors indoors and restaurants and street food outside too! I never managed to take photos , but I will add more next time I visit. You find brands you expect and all other sorts of companies. Ample parking and well worth a visit .
Chris P — Google review
Westfield mall in Stratford city has a lot to offer in one place. From shopping to dine in and play area for kids. Anytime I had been there, it was always busy.
The layout of the shopping mall is such that the shops are all parallel to each other with a walkway in the middle. Toilets are clean with a waiting area on the outside. There are plenty of options to eat or have a quick bite. There is a information centre desk right at the entrance to the mall.
The collection in all the stores is decent for casual wear. So, if you want some expensive party wear clothes this may not be the right place.
Of you are it going for shopping, be prepared to walk a lot.
Tip: prefer not to wear too many inner layers rather carry a warm jacket as it gets too warm inside with too many people.
The metro station is internally connected to the mall so no need to worry about rain.
shaina saggar — Google review
I love Westfield Stratfor shopping center. I visit it every time I visit London. Its size is good compared to the onse in Europe. If you are done shopping, you can take a walk in the Olympic Park nearby. Inside the mall there are so many shops and a huge group of cafes & restaurants including Italian, Chinese, Indian, Vietnamese, African restaurant but unfortunately Arabic cousins were missing. But the only thing is that some cafes and the food area are not clean! Tables are full with left over food. They take so much time to clear and clean the table, so sometimes I have to do it by myself. The mall has so many entertainment places such as cinema and ping pong. In addition, there is a multi faith room for prayers.
RoOo7 KA — Google review
It is the biggest mall in East London. It has almost everything you need. It is not for luxurious products. There are two food courts with different cuisines. There are also many kids friendly facilities, one small indoor play area, and the biodiversity playground outside of Waitrose.
Junqian Qiu (Jun_radioheadache) — Google review
The shopping centre in itself is massive and spoiled with choice to shop from the brands and eateries options. The best part is the prayer rooms and the water purifiers installed near the food halls. Massive thank you for that. Also an extra star for that lovely gesture.
Dr Razana — Google review
It's a wonderful, and beautiful City, and place. With huge 🛍 shopping centre, some tourist attractions one of the famous ones: ArcelorMittal Orbit slide tower (which is longest tunnel slide in the world with 115 meters high sculpture). And plus other places: boat trips, beautiful parks like Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. I could recommend to visit and see it :)
Mantvydas ?. — Google review
I feel like this mall carters to whatever your need is, whether it be window shopping or actually shopping or you just want somewhere to hang out, there are loads and loads of things to either shop or eat. Beware though the crowd when you want to pay sometimes requires inner patience and strength, other than that it’s really a cool place to visit
Gold Emereonye — Google review
Very cool mall. Everything you need for life is sold there. Food, children's products, clothes, food, entertainment, there are good cafes, sportswear, sports equipment, various appliances, many boutiques for choosing gifts. There is a production of keys for door locks. Payment is made by all types of money. Debit and credit cards. Gpay, NFC. There is parking.
Bohdan Solodovnichyi — Google review
Honestly I can’t decide if I like it here or not. It was busy on the day I came which was a Sunday before a bank holiday so I don’t know if this is normal or not. Security guards at the doors in most of the shops that I went into which I understand but didn’t really like as they seemed to be watching me as I was wearing a backpack. I feel that Westfield needs a USP, just feels (inside at least) like anywhere else, could easily never return …:
Marco Cantoni — Google review
Firstly I recommend westfield for shopping your goods. Because,It’s big, busy, but beautiful. If you’re out to just hang at the mall and hop between shops and restaurants, this could be a day out. They have many options to choose.
The lights and decor! Always a great vibe and chilled area.
Abdullah All Rauf — Google review
Its a ok mall, but it’s missing an arcade like most malls😔. Also the Kenji shop near Boots sells cute plushies!!!👍 and i saw that Pop Mart is going to open soon here 😆👍🔥
Also as everyone mentioned, theres a lot of places to eat inside and outside, which is nice.
M M — Google review
It was very easy to get to and there were a lot of shops and wide variety of items and brands. The food court has quite a nice variety of cuisines and the Vue cinema is an added bonus. However the customer service in most shops and food court wasn't that great.The mall was very busy and most people didn't really seem to bother about social distancing and wearing face covering which made the atmosphere a bit daunting.
Bhadya Dias — Google review
Well, it’s the only Mall in London. As in real mall. Maybe they are finally getting around the idea that gathering the shops together might be more effective idea for shoppers than the high street concept. Big, clean, warm and has a lot of food outlets. If you’re shopping then go there.
Marwan Aasar — Google review
The Market's atmosphere in and of itself is remarkable. The inviting seating area offered the ideal ambience for me to enjoy my delicious sweets. The calming mood was made possible by the contemporary yet welcoming decor and the soothing background music. I was able to fully appreciate every second.
Shibbir Shabab — Google review
Westfield Stratford offers an impressive shopping experience with a vast array of stores. It's a great spot for shopping, dining, and entertainment with its many restaurants and cinema. The mall is clean, modern, and well-organized, making it a joy to explore. Sometimes it can get crowded, especially on weekends, but it's a testament to its popularity. All in all, a top-notch destination for retail therapy in East London.
Travel Buddy London — Google review
Huge mall with all the shops you can find at Oxford street. There is a few supermarkets, parking and an outdoor area pretty cool. Also a playroom for kids near the exit to the bus station. Good options to eat all over the place, for all budgets. Loved it!
Alejandro S. — Google review
Westfield Stratford City was an incredibly amazing place to visit. The experience was very interesting and fun to look around, and there is a good selection of vegetarian and halal food menus available. The seating areas are usually always packed and usually it is very busy and crowded here (which is obvious why people love it here)
Zeynep Kucukkose — Google review
Westfield Stratford is a huge shopping mall. All brands exclusive and biggest show rooms are her .like Hugo boss, super dry, JD, John Lewis,Mark and Spencer, H&M ,will Smith, boots, greggs,adidas,under armor,Zara, North face, many more stores.
One can get all under one roof. The location also very convenient near to Bus stop and Tube station,
Food court like Nandos, Starbucks, pret manager, McDonald's biggest food court are also here.
Prashant Martha — Google review
Brilliant place for kids, has everything for all ages. Amazing place for a day out, with lots of activities in place. Not just for shopping, but for kids and adults' entertainment alike, with cinema, and games covering the entire building.
shomon zaman — Google review
One of Europe's largest shopping malls with a lot of low to mid range brands. Unfortunately, this Westfield does not carry the luxury brands as the other Westfield in White City.
You can reach here from car, train, bus. Lot of options in getting here.
Car parks can be confusing, so it's best to take a picture of the place you parked with the level and the lift you exit out into the shopping city, so getting back is that much easier.
Lot of activity areas for kids, and its packed with kids' shops.
Get very busy on Saturday
There is a food hall andhave plenty of options.
There is a huge casino here, too.
D S — Google review
It’s big, busy, but beautiful. If you’re out to just hang at the mall and hop between shops and restaurants, this could be a day out.
It’s particularly beautiful around Xmas. Gosh! The lights and decor! Always a great vibe!
Maryam Awaisu — Google review
4.4
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4.0
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157 Montfichet Rd, London, E20 1EJ, United Kingdom
Adventure Island is a free-admission fun park with more than 40 rides and attractions from rollercoasters to ghost trains. It’s centrally located in the Southend experience for families and adults who are young at heart, with 32 rides in all. Blue rides include Big Adventure rides, Junior Rides are green rides and Mini Ride are red rides.
We had such a brilliant day here today. So much fun we ended up upgrading to an annual pass! Kids loved it. Such a great variety of rides for all ages, sizes and fears! The staff were all really energetic and helpful and the park was spotlessly clean. Can't wait to come back.
Kerry Santucci — Google review
I came twice. First I bought the tickets and it is one per ride any ride so no complications. Second I got a band as it means all twice completely paid for. The staff were enthusiastic the whole time and had good banter for the day and kept the joy of the day going with not one going to a phone each keeping engaged with what's going on.
Would recommend for the day as it is a mix of big rides and children's thst adults can still go on so great for a family
Ali R — Google review
We had a great day out at Adventure Island. Entry is free. However, it is recommended to buy the day wristband if possible online as it's much cheaper (yesterday it was 28 in the ticket office but 20 online). Single ticket rides are £3.5. Lots of rides to go on, kids get measured in the entrance and if they are over 120cm they can ride on their own. Under 120cm they will need an adult but the adult will go in the rides for free. Lots of food places inside too.
Isabel Escano — Google review
Kids loved it every moment, they had an incredible time at Adventure Island! From thrilling rides to delicious food, it exceeded my expectations. The staff were friendly and helpful, and the park was clean and well-maintained, with no more than 10 minutes waiting time for the rides.I can't wait to visit again! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Mehul Maru — Google review
Had a wonderful time with our little one there. we went there over the weekend so the place was a bit crowded, however that was to be expected when the weather was nice and sunny. Some rides had a bit of a queue ( around 10-20 minutes wait), but it was worth it for our little one.
Plenty of food to grab and i would say more than ok seating areas to sit and relax over a cup of coffee/tea.
No parking available there, so you would need to find either road parking or look for pay and display parking spots around.
It was great to see that they also have an indoor play area (soft play) and some arcade games in case the weather is not playing nice.
Overall great day out and we had loads of fun.
Roxana P — Google review
Great fun for all the family. Lots of rides for big and little kids. Big wheel, roller coaster etc. Lots of staff/security around too if you need them. Plenty of food options. A good place to visit even on a grey day.
Louise — Google review
I took my young baby there to the soft play play stack area and she loved it. She enjoyed going through the obstacles, the slides and really loved the ball pit that she didn't want to leave!!!
There's a cafe, arcade stuff for the adults which all the adults enjoyed doing whilst i was inside with my baby.
Definitely a must for any parents
We went at new years so there was lots of Christmas decorations which were all beautiful and my baby enjoyed looking at them!!
Aisha Ahmed — Google review
Was a great day out that we all loved and would love to do again. Atmosphere was great and lots of different rides for adults and kids, even some calmer rides for smaller kids. Some nice places to get food & drink also. Not too long waiting in queues apart from a couple of popular rides.
A thoroughly great day
Mike S — Google review
It's nice to enter and walk around without having to pay an entry fee. We walked around on a Thursday and it wasn't too busy but got there too late to purchase tickets to get our money's worth. However on the Friday , a public holiday, we decided we will do the half price from 5pm and we had til 10 pm closing time. The park was very busy throughout the day with queues. By the time we got our tickets, the rides were getting less busy which was great. We got to ride each roller coaster at least twice. Rage is the most adult one and though I don't like a full drop, I went on it twice, cause why not. The queues were short. By 9pm we were cold and had enough. But it was time well spent and so much fun.
L Jo — Google review
Not necessarily a place for adults, but children go crazy when here. I took my students on a school trip to Adventure Island, and they had a blast. They ran, they rode, they sang, and they enjoyed every second of the trip.
The place has some fast-food options to eat and many sweets available.
A big shout out to the call centre team that made the booking system very easy, and they supported me all the way. Thank you!
I think AI is a great place for any school trip.
cristi cristian — Google review
Great small park that appeals to both older thrill seekers and younger families. Could definitely do with a few more thrilling attractions. I would love to see a new rollercoaster but it's great as it is.
Be aware some rides advertised on the website are removed or not open (including their biggest ride time machine), plus it's unclear on how to buy tickets online.
TCE — Google review
Wish I could give six stars to bring their rating up. Let's start with the good the park is well set out with loads to do for the kids and grown ups alike. Paid for wristbands in advance to save a few quid but even at the gate price they are fantastic value. All the food outlets we tried were great well priced and well staffed. The park was clean and tidy. Now let's move onto the bad.... There was non just even better I have always said the right staff can make a good place great and the excellent staff here make this already great place absolutely fantastic. Every member of staff where working a stall, food outlet, ride or even just walking around all had a smile on their faces on both of our visits. Interacting with the kids when on rides often dancing at the side honestly if you have any bad staff they were hidden on both these days. My at the end of the 1st visit my son came to me and said "we are definitely going here again the staff are lovely" now on our 2nd visit my mam has just said "the staff on this site are unbelievable so happy and helpful". Keep doing what you are doing.
M B — Google review
Superb way to spend a whole day with a little one. Plenty of rides and stuff to do throughout the park for an entire day out. Plenty of places to buy food from and somewhat ok seating areas. The place does get quite crowded during busy times and some ride queues have waits of upwards of 10-20 minutes for only like 3 minutes rides. Superb atmosphere and i like that the place also has an "indoor" area where there's soft play and some arcade games in case the weather is not suitable. Parking is a different story as they don't have dedicated parking places so you will have to either find a car park or street parking. Nearby theres loads of them but during busy times it gets quite crowded.
Adrian Stefan Iancu — Google review
1. Good value for children and families
2. Can spend the whole day
3. Indoor ride is good for younger children and have soft play
4. Annual pass is a must
Tracy But — Google review
Oooh Wow it was a beautiful experience, an amusement park with lots of amazing rides, scary and mild ones, we had so much fun and a lot to eat to, and just by sea, you can have picnics at the sea shore, as at evening the tide had gone down and the water at the banks had gone back to the sea, we could even walk on the sea beds and pick shells. I will sure visit again in the future, it was fun with the children and adults alike.
Egy Daniels — Google review
We weren't too sure what to expect from here (picture thoughts of typical seaside amusement parks) but we were pleasantly surprised.
The entry was quite expensive (£22.50) but the super saver wrist band worked out good value if you try enough of the rides. Take your child's Blue Peter badge if they have one for 2-4-1 entry.
Unlike normal theme parks, it's very easy to come and go as you please so easy to pop out for food (plenty of options within 2 minute's walk). The facilities inside the park didn't get great reviews.
We visited on Halloween weekend and the staff were really getting into the spirit!
Plenty of places to park nearby, but the Royal's shopping centre seemed particularly good value.
Rides are good for all ages. Lots of amusements, facilities and also a mini golf course (though this costs extra).
All in all, a good fun day out.
Adam Sewell — Google review
I have really enjoyed my time over there . It's a small heaven for kids .. all the fun games and rides seem really enjoyable..I had a fun time just watching all those kids enjoying themselves. It felt like it was reducing my by with their joyfulness. And the nearby Pier gave me a peaceful walking experience. I will definitely go there in Summer In sha Allah .
abul basher — Google review
Great local fun park. A few good teen/young adult rides. More aimed at primary school age. I observed that security and other staff were friendly & professional. Lots of fun to be had, especially with a day wristband pass. The bonus was the good weather. 22°C.
I'd advise taking a packed lunch. Hour long queue for food. The queue was chaos. It started out as three single orderly lines to each order point but slowly became a morrass of bodies pushing in, that melded into a formless crowd clamouring for overpriced hotdogs, burgers (3 mm thick), chicken nuggets or vegetable wedges. The servers were working so hard but the quality of what they're working with is IMHO substandard. The price doesn't bear any relation to what you receive. I had two bites of the hotdog with onion, mild mustard & ketchup but could eat no more. I reminded me of the 1970s. The kids were disappointed too. They're not snobs but can detect a rip off very well. If you have a severe food allergy, have coeliac disease or are a vegan, be very cautious. Call them up when planning to visit.
Having said all that, I still recommend the park for a few hours. Queues for rides varied between a few minutes to a ½ an hour, so not too bad.
The park is split in two by the pier. A passage takes you under the pier, past an amusement arcade and into the part with the more adventurous rides.
Have fun!
The Williams — Google review
Great place to take the kids. Adults go on free with any kids under 110cm which meant it was a cheap day out with a wristband
Kids had a particularly great time as we timed our visit to a superhero day and the staff engaged our children with genuine enthusiasm.
Only let down was the food situation, tasteless but at a reasonable price compared to many places along the seafront.
Buy tickets in advance (save £8 per daily wristband if bought online in advance... )
Jonathon Lawrence — Google review
Went on public holiday, the wrist band is worth it as you can go on all the rides and depending on how busy it gets you can go on some rides more then once. You can purchase online and save or you can purchase wrist band on the day. If the adventure land is open until 10:30 you can get the wrist band half price after 5pm. You can purchase individual tickets which works out £3.50 for a ride if you know your little on or your self is just going on one or two rides. It’s a great idea to measure your little one hight so you know exactly how much rides they can go on.
They have wheelchair friendly rides.
Staff are amazing and full of energy which is always a great bonus.
They have drinks and snack which you can purchase.
Toilet are available, you may need to wait in a queue depending on how busy it gets.
They have arcade play, you do need to pay separate for that.
Car parking available near the resort how ever it can get really busy, after 6pm parking is free.
This is over all a good place for family and children to enjoy.
In holidays it can get busy but I think they manage it well. The wait time for rides wasn’t bad at all, the longest I had to wait for a ride was 20 min. Which is reasonable considering it was packed.
Nazma Patel — Google review
Variety of rides available with comparatively low waiting period. Totally worth it with full day pass. Park staff is also nice, they interact with kids on ride and keep them engaged.
Yogesh Pardeshi — Google review
Wonderful fun for all ages and weather. A day pass is £28 (or £14 after 5pm), but if you book online it's only £20! 😃 A year's pass is great value at £56 if you'll visit more than twice. Lots of fun rides to keep the kids amused, plenty of places to sit, eat and drink, and toilets around the area
Sarah Littleboy — Google review
If you’re going for the whole day, get tickets online. It’s cheaper. However if going after 5 get on the till. Entry is free. But u need either wrist bands or individual ride tickets to go in the rides. The opening and closing hours are updated daily so make sure to check the website. The website is quite informative and easy to navigate. We had a lot of fun in all the rides and there are some good spots to eat in and around the adventure island.
Izza — Google review
This place offers fantastic fun for both kids and adults. Normally, I tend to avoid such places due to long queues, but when we arrived around 11:30 on a Sunday morning, there were no queues at all. The staff is exceptionally helpful and friendly, and there's a wide variety of enjoyable rides to keep you entertained all day.
What's even more impressive is that it's very budget-friendly.
Ahsan Jalil — Google review
Good selection of rides and activities, lots of fun for all the family.
Sol Nawaz — Google review
Extremely good place suitable for any age and for rainy weather there is an Indoor place with a play area a swinging boat and more you can get an annual pass for 60 pounds and all you have to do is show them and you go in for free there are a lot of places to get food and drink And a day pass is 20 pounds hope this helps
Layla Atherton — Google review
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4.5
(4452)
Western Esplanade, Southend-on-Sea, SS1 1EE, United Kingdom
The pier is a well-known landmark in Southend-on-Sea and is home to a museum with displays of historic railway cars, slot machines and costumes from the early 19th century to the early 20th. The pier also has an electric train that takes you all the way to the end, where you can find a lifeboat centre, cafe and shop.
A great historical landmark and the longest pier in the world! The heritage train ride on the Thames Estuary is amazing and a great view on a sunny day. Worth the price and the queue.
You can also walk if you want to.
You have a lot of options for food and drinks in the middle of the river.
The train and the railway was maintained properly, staff professional as usual.
You must head to the pier if you are around
Joydeep Pal — Google review
Visited 21/04/22 bought tickets to walk down the pier and get the train back. It was a lovely sunny day but rather windy. Got to the end of the pier had a wander round only the Costa cafe was open this was previously Jamie and Jimmy's cafe. Out of the wind it was really nice and warm sitting on seats at the pier head. Got the new electric train back. These are a lot better than the old trains one.of which had been converted into shelters on the platform and other locations nearby.
Matt Cook — Google review
A really interesting place to visit from how long the pier is and that it has a railway along it I would have loved to get the chance to travel on the new trains they have but they weren't running and only had the old train running.
I did find there wasn't really much at the end of the pier but it's perfect for those who want to go to the end and just sit and relax watching the ships passing.
It's definitely a place to visit at least once to say you have been.
Katie Thayer — Google review
Pretty impressive pier considering the age and length! Nice stroll and reasonably priced. Only downfall was very limited shops open at the end of pier. Would have been good to have been informed before setting off, otherwise pretty cool for a afternoon trip!!! Would advise going in high tide, didn’t consider that! You can travel one way and walk back or just buy the return for a bit more on the ticket. The views are pretty impressive on a clear day.
James Shipman — Google review
I was here with my wife on Saturday, 06/04/24. It was a very windy and cloudy day but not so cold. Best to go on a hot day. The train departs towards the sea every 30 minutes at 00 and 30 minutes past the hour. Return train departs every 30 minutes at 15 and 45 minutes past the hour. The return ticket costs £7.50. The pier is just over a mile long and the train journey saves you the long walk in the wind. There is a Life Boats building at the end of the pier with a higher level offering beautiful views. The gift shop has many beautiful items on sale. There's also many food and drinks outlets at the end of the pier. The sea is very dirty and the end of the pier would look much better by removing some junk to create more space.
Abdullah Yildirim — Google review
A fantastic experience - took the train out and walked back - 1.33 miles long. Train is so modern and an unusual brilliant thing on a pier. The pier has the RNLI shop and view at the very end - worth a visit and a donation for the great things they do. Also a fantastic little cafe there that does amazing cake and yummy coffee. A pity its costs to go on the pier but suppose it takes a lot to maintain such a long pier.
Mark Broadbent — Google review
It’s not just a walk. It’s meditation, contentment. Made my day.
Bonus point for the humble professionals on the ticket counter. Thanks a lot to James for his kindness.
Do lock your cycle away as cycles are not allowed. James offered to hold my foldable in the office.
Praveen Pandey — Google review
This was our first visit to Southend, and we loved it. The seafront is a traditional British resort but is well cared for and clean.
The pier was the highlight of our visit. Access is through a modern glass frontage with very helpful staff. You can either walk both ways, take the little light train both ways or what we did, walk out, and train back. All prices were reasonable.
The actual pier is wooden and arout a mile and a third long. It is a delightful walk with plenty or areas to sit if you need to.
We were there as the tide began to come in, and it was great watching the shoals of fish (whitening) following the incoming water.
At the end of the pier, there is the cafe used in the Jamie Oliver TV programme. It's much smaller than you would think
There are also two cafes that share a modern building with outside and inside seating.
The pier invested in modern electric trains, but they broke down after days, so they still use the old engines. To my mind, they are better than the new electric stock.
A great way to spend a morning!
martin cox — Google review
Brilliant and unique railway on one of the longest pier's in the UK. A gentle and scenic journey to the end of the pier and back. One can travel one way and walk back or just buy the return for a bit more on the ticket. At the end of the pier, there is a cafe, shops and entertainment things. The views are amazing.
Richard Allen — Google review
My visit to Southend-on-Sea was nothing short of magical, and the highlight of my trip was undoubtedly the iconic pier train ride. As the longest pleasure pier in the world, Southend-on-Sea offers breathtaking views of the estuary, and the train ride allows you to experience these scenic vistas in a unique and relaxing way. The gentle journey along the pier was a serene experience, providing a perfect blend of historical charm and natural beauty. Whether you're a local or a tourist, this attraction is a must-visit for anyone looking to create lasting memories.
But the wonders of Southend-on-Sea don't stop at the pier! The surrounding area is rich with attractions, beautiful beaches, and delicious dining options that cater to every taste. To capture the essence of our adventure and to share more about what Southend-on-Sea has to offer, we've put together a detailed YouTube video. From the tranquil shores to the lively town center, join us as we explore the many facets of this enchanting seaside town.
For a closer look at our journey and to discover more hidden gems in Southend-on-Sea, make sure to watch our YouTube video. We dive deeper into our experiences, offering tips and insights that could help plan your perfect visit. Don't forget to like, share, and subscribe for more travel content!
Sanjee With Randi — Google review
Worth the long walk to the Pier itself and especially on an overcast day as the colour of the sea really stands out during this time. You can get the train across but really, there is a serene pleasure to walking across and hearing the calm of the ocean around you. Will come back in the Summer to capture the Pier glazed under peachy evening skies.
Sadek Miah — Google review
Loved the views from the pier and the history behind it. The railway track running in parallel to the walkway adds on to the beauty. We bought the walkway return ticket and it costed us each £2.50. They are concessions for some group of people.
The only suggestion is to have some more varieties of food at the end of the pier( has awesome ice cream collections though!). Definitely one of the must visit spots when you are in Southend !
Mithra Radhakrishnan — Google review
This is an awesome pier! The deck is beautifully maintained with new boards as necessary. It's a lovely walk to the far end. But sadly, there is very little to do once you're there. We had tea and cake in the café where "Jamie & Jimmy's Friday Night Feast" is filmed. The cakes were commercial - nothing special. There are toilets are the 'land' end. Two temporary toilets - with a queue and the hand-drier not working. A lovely heritage pier - and the best is not being made of it. Needs more amenities and things to occupy you at the far end.
MartinR — Google review
Fantastic view from the tram overlooking the open sea, and the cost is likely under 20 pounds for two adults and a child. Highly recommended for a summer visit to enjoy the beach.
Jain — Google review
Great little trains to take you to the end of the pier and back. You can walk if you prefer or train one way walk the other £7.50 for a return journey. They go back and forth fairly regularly. We didn't wait either journey but that could've been luck. Plenty of space on board for wheel chair users too.
Louise — Google review
Home to the longest railway pier in the world! Southend pier is a must visit in Southend! Trains do leave every 30 minutes. The pier itself has a cool view of Southend from afar! They also have my favorite fish and chip shop at Southend! Its extremely windy at the end of the pier! There's also a gift shop and a cafe at the end! Highly recommend!
Leo Papadopoulos — Google review
Enjoyed a nice walk along the pier on a sunny summer day and a relaxing train ride back. The pier is in great condition and the entrance fee is completely reasonable. Not particularly busy but a short queue for the train that appears to run a little infrequently.
Recommend for a visit when in the area!
Tom Daff — Google review
Southend pier has changed so much over the last 10 years. I visited at the weekend and took the train to the end. Wow completely different to 10 years ago. A flash new train. £6 per adult return on the train. New restaurant at the bottom and a lovely little cafe at the end. Beautiful coloured beach huts at the end and amazing views. Very cold at the end on an overcast late October day.
Kristel Goldsmith — Google review
Love Southend-on-Sea, the pier is beautiful and even on a rainy day, is a fun walk. Also found some of the most incredible wall art I've seen in a while. Great coastal town to visit on the weekend.
Vanessa Warren — Google review
Had a wonderful experience here. They offer a wheelchair for a £50 cash deposit, which they return when you have finished with the chair, and we were able to take it everywhere off the pier also. The train ride was bumpy and noisy as expected and the chips at the end of the journey from the hut at the end were lovey and hot, just what was needed, but mind the gulls, who did mostly stay away.
The pavilion was handy for drinks and toilets. Then the pier was lovely to sit and enjoy watching the sky and water change. I couldn't access the lifeboat section as it was all stairs.
Mat — Google review
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Western Esplanade, Southend-on-Sea, SS1 1EE, United Kingdom
Hever Castle is a 13th century castle and childhood home of Anne Boleyn, located in Hever, Kent. The castle is an incredible place to get married with its lavish furnishings and stunning gardens. There are two rooms that can accommodate 64 guests each and the views from the castle grounds are breath-taking.
A great day out with a lot to offer. If you like Tudor history you can see plenty in the Castle, but for me, the gardens were the highlight. Huge and mature, the main gardens are impressive. The Italian Gardens were spectacular and worth the trip to me. Columns, water, statues, tulips. Dramatic and beautiful.
We did not see everything and shall probably return to see more.
MBK Wildlife Photography — Google review
Honestly, nothing can do it justice. The castle is wonderful, especially at Christmas. The grounds are exquisite. The staff and volunteers are helpful and knowledgeable.
The bed and breakfast is absolutely better than anything you can imagine. The rooms ate incredible, the service wonderful and the breakfast ( and dinner if you are able to dine there) excellent.
Honestly, just cannot enthuse enough about this place. It has become our favourite.
Adele James — Google review
What a lovely day out. We'd been before twice, but not been for a good few years. The sun was out and the flowers in bloom. There was a little cold wind but we found a sheltered spot for our picnic. There was a little queue for the castle but definitely worth the wait. There is an audio tour while in the castle, very informative. Both the water and hedge mazes are great fun. The gardens are amazing and must take ages to tend. The lake was lovely but the cold wind blew in from there. There were plenty of food vans around and a couple of restaurants but we did not buy coffee in the pavilion as there was over a 30min wait to get coffee, they need to sort this out as that is not acceptable. Overall excellent day out that I would recommend
simon futcher — Google review
Lovely day out with plenty to do. Good parking within walking distance. Entry process smooth. Beautiful gardens, roses, lake. Historic tour of House recommended and the audio guide added to the experience. Food outlets are good. Small museum to the Kent soldiers. Children's play area. Boating Lake.
Recommended as a lovely day out with something for everyone.
Valerie D — Google review
Probably has become my no 1 favourite castle to visit.
Beautiful castle and surroundings, loved every minute of it. Highly recommend to do the lake walk, takes an hour but worth it!
Fun day out here, so much to see and do, lots of ducks!
Kimberley A — Google review
We enjoyed a lovely afternoon at Hever Castle yesterday. The history of the house is very interesting. The gardens are really beautiful. There's a lot for kids to do. The water maze,in particular, was a big hit with the youngsters.
Well worth a visit, go there if you can.
Mark Griffin — Google review
A beautiful place , gardens are lovely with something new to see round every corner. The water maze was fun , and happily we solved the yew maze too! The moat cafe had enough food options including vegan ones to satisfy all of us. Close to Halloween when we were there and we chatted to a vampire, spotted a ghost and saw lots of crashed witches. Well worth a visit for adults and children alike.
suzanne shaw — Google review
Beautiful castle with great exhibitions and lots of great informative staff. It also has lovely gardens and a very nice walk around the lake on the grounds. Definitely worth multiple visits for the many different events held throughout the year
Glenn McCain — Google review
Wonderful family-friendly experience.
The gardens are absolutely amazing, regardless of the time of the year you go, there's something special going on.
The playground is insane, a real add-on to the visit ! Beautiful walk around the lake to finish, lovely food selection and plants/gifts to buy.
Marie Anselot — Google review
Beautiful place. We stayed in the castle B&B and was able to wander around the garden before it was open to the public. Great place to spend the day with kids. The kids audio guide in the castle is great fun. It kept us entertained for nearly 2 hours.
maria gonzalez — Google review
Visited a couple of weeks ago, so worth the visit of the garden and castle. Well kept and interesting audio guide, plus kiddies playground was superb. Archery was fun, payable separately in cash. A couple of places to eat and have coffee. Shop was well stock too. Seen a wedding held there and bride photos taken in front of the castle
Diana Manasieva — Google review
Such a beautiful place. Visiting the castle felt like time travel, but we loved the huge park even more. The rose garden is amazing. Everything is looked after so well and there is so much to discover :)) Perfect destination for a wonderful day trip
Claire J. — Google review
Great day out. Been here before but not during the jousting competitions. Great experience and they involve the kids so it's fairly family friendly. Would recommend a walk around the gardens and the castle (even though the castle itself is quite small). A lot more food options than last time I went, and the gift shop is pretty decent. Very tidy overall and very helpful staff.
Craig Higginson — Google review
Great place!!! Castle is amazing. It is not big, which is good and when you walk through all the rooms you are not feeling tired. You enjoy everything. The gardens and the lake (especially Italian gardens) blow your mind. Thoroughly recommended!!!
Natalia Pronina — Google review
A friend had toured the castle and grounds and mentioned that there was a B and B. We were only in the UK 6 nights and only had one night to spend here--and I'm glad that we did.
The Falstaff and Bremly rooms were wonderful and the staff was even better. We took their recommendations for places to eat and all were top notch.
And then there is the castle--what a treat.
Brian Hamilton — Google review
An absolute gem of a place. Beautifully maintained with plenty to see and do. We got to see plenty of the castle interior and I’m sure it will be even better following the offing renovations. An amazing slice of British history. The cafe was also good with decent coffee and cake.
Drew B — Google review
I stayed at Hever Castle for the night, hoping to get my head down to study. This didn't happen because there is far too much to see and it is absolutely beautiful! Friendly helpful staff. Lovely room with everything you need. Stunning surroundings. You can wonder the grounds after all the visitors leave, and you're also given entry into the castle. I would highly recommend
Corene Hughes — Google review
What an amazing day we had!! Steeped in local history! We got the family ticket which allowed us in to the gardens and around the castle which a has an excellent audio tour to accompany it! Parking is free! You can take a picnic or buy from the many food stalls available! Dogs are allowed on leads and there is a huge adventure playground for the kids! We drove from West London which took around 60 mins on a bank holiday. I would highly recommend!
Nils Fearons — Google review
We had no idea how much time we would need to see and experience all. Which means, we have to come back for sure.
This place is amazing. And so many activities going on. We did only book the gardens, but with watching the jousting, the weaponry demonstration, the battle of the knights and visiting the Italian garden and lake, time was running away from us.
Great day out. Most people bring there own picnic as there is ample space to rest on the various lawns throughout the park.
Definitely a place for a family. Kids will be entertained, as there is so much going on for kids of all ages.
We loved it. Next time we will be visiting, we will come much earlier and leave time for a visit of the castle as well.
There is lots of parking space available for free and wheelchair accessible as well.
Sabine Eifert — Google review
We loved it. What a wonderful place to visit. The history of the Boleyn family and its relationship with Henry VIII is prominent on display.
The grounds are spectacular and the craftsmanship in the castle is amazing.
The staff were extremely helpful and friendly.
I would definitely recommend the trip.
Shane Giddings — Google review
Really great park to visit! Especially for kids, but we went as a family and a dog! Dogs are allowed around the garden but not inside the castle.
There are loads of activities for everyone, interesting architecture.
We went on the boats which was about 19£ for 30 minutes and definitely worth it!
There are people dressed up in costumes and interesting stands to see from back in the old times.
For families I would recommend, even for a walk as a couple. There are entrance fees but no fees of parking.
STASKA S — Google review
Lovely place buzzing of joy and wondercolours of autumn as we visited on an October Sunday. Everything for everyone- military museum at entrance, history castle with lots of information, great Halloween decor, fair selection of snack and cold or warm drinks to buy, nice souvenir and gardening shop, amazing gardens and maze. Highly recommended either for family, friends, romantic or just for a day out !!! Hope you will enjoy it as much as we did.
S. Alexandra — Google review
A great place to visit if you enjoy both history and gardens. If you like to know more about the Tudor era, you must visit Hever castle. It's a beautiful house, and it has great gardens filled with pretty flowers and different types of maze. It's a pleasant place to visit with family and friends.
Fatemeh Ghaedi — Google review
The tiniest castle I have ever seen! So interesting history and the most versatile cool garden with fun mazes. I enjoyed the walk so much despite the weather wasn’t the best.Why 4*? I found it a bit cheeky to charge full price when most of the rooms in the castle were under refurb. Also, the cafe girls have no manners or customer service skills. There was chaos and dirty tables in the cafeteria. Dog friendly castle and garden was a plus 🐕
Nusynasy S — Google review
Excellent day out. Lovely gardens, interesting house. Almost too much for a single day trip. Can be a longish walk back to the car park. Very helpful staff. Water maze on a hot day good for kids. Food a tad expensive but to be expected.
Neil green — Google review
Great castle to visit. Packed with stuff and interesting stories of the history. It set in massive grounds with gardens and a lovely lake. Very picturesque. Look out for the animal topiary. The snowdrops are lovely at the moment in February with some daffodils as well. The tour for £3 is very worthwhile with extra stories and more rooms to visit.
Denis Parker — Google review
Beautiful garden and palace! A bit pricey but well worth it. Ticket with palace entrance include audio guide for all—-kids version as well and very entertaining! Lovely garden and amazing shop, don’t forget to visit the miniature Tudor models tucked at the back of the shop! A gem!
Estef Vargas — Google review
A lovely visit to Hever Castle.
I went with my 85 year old Father and he loved it too We had been many years ago,so we were overdue a return visit.
Highly recommend it for a relaxing day out and the history of the castle itself if fascinating. The Maypole dancing was really fun to watch and the Sheriff of Nottingham and his crew were brilliant too.
Penny Atkinson — Google review
A really enjoyable day out. Huge gardens and lots of walks to see, lakes, waterfalls, colourful and aromatic plants. The Castle is beautiful, crammed full of history, ranging from hundreds of years ago to (fairly) recent. Staff are very friendly and welcome. Our guide, Susan, was very interesting on the behind the scenes tour which was well worth the £3 each. Would go again and at different times of the year to get full experience of the gardens.
Samantha Hale — Google review
Fabulous castle with fascinating history. We had a behind the scenes tour with an excellent guide who was so knowledgeable and kept our small group very interested. We visited in the spring and saw lots of daffodils and other spring flowers. The gardens are immaculate and absolutely amazing. Would love to visit in the summer to see the summer flowers. Definitely worth a visit. Highly recommend.
Melanie King — Google review
It is time to breath history here. The gardens are amazing. I recommend you to dish out the additional fee to enter the building. We even paid an extra to have the behind the scenes on the unfinished section of the internal renovation, the lady guide was very informative and we had a lovely tour
Yalcin Trana — Google review
The most special place with gorgeous gardens. No end of people spend so much time here making it pristine and beautiful, all I can say is thank you and hats off to your talent! Fabulous acer trees to be admired here amongst other things!
H J/X — Google review
The castle is filled with some very interesting history which is relayed through a free audio guide. Unfortunately a number of the rooms are currently closed to the public.
There are ample grounds to explore, a maze to get trapped in and well manicured gardens.
NSLondon — Google review
A delightful.plsce to visit for a wander amongst beautiful gardens, lake & explore the history of the castle. Clean and well maintained. We look a picnic as food/drink.prices are typically high in such places & they were here too. A nice day out.
Jane Spray — Google review
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4.5
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Hever Rd, Hever, Edenbridge TN8 7NG, United Kingdom
The Turner Contemporary is an impressive art gallery in Kent that showcases works by renowned artists such as JMW Turner and contemporary creators. Its modern architecture provides a versatile backdrop for weddings, with breathtaking views of the sea adding to its appeal. The venue features two rooms, the Foyle Rooms and Clore Studio, which can be customized to suit individual tastes and styles for a dream wedding in Margate, Kent.
I'm not a very big gallery visitor but would highly recommend this one! A lot of the gallery explores race very uniquely and accessibly, also includes a history of video games with the chance to play all consoles, a great shop full of great souvenirs and also a contemporary section too. Free entry also!
Sagar Haria — Google review
The building itself is great; the exhibition's can be mixed. Seems to be focusing on social engineering at the moment: when an artist spends more time explaining his art than on making it got have got to worry.
James Stephen Medes — Google review
Fantastic gallery in a marvellous location looking over Margate beach. Great exhibition on when we visited. Nice shop too with postcards and art books👍No need to book as FREE entry😀
Pandora Martin — Google review
Beautifully designed contemporary art gallery. There is permanent collection, which we’d seen before but is worth a second visit.
The shop is interesting and eclectic. The cafe is good quality, although a little pricey.
The real star here though is the beautiful building overlooking the harbour. Even though it’s very different to the Georgian town it fits beautifully. We’ll worth a visit.
Peter Hall — Google review
It’s a nice place to visit in Margate and it’s a really interesting building. I wasn’t too impressed by what was in there though - the building itself is huge but the exhibitions are quite small. They had a selection of works by local artists which I enjoyed even though you have to search for online information/ a booklet to find any information (even the artists name)
Ella Hillyard — Google review
Unfortunately the gallery was between exhibitions so we didn't see much art but the staff were friendly and though the attached shop was small it was open plan and easy to access even in my wheelchair. Outside there is easy access with a ramp to the big entrance doors. There is an outside installation by Anthony gormley called another time but if the tide is in be aware its submerged.
Joy Gartside — Google review
Fantastic art gallery for all age group. One of Michael Craig Martin's work is installed in the shop. Tracy Emin's print is available to buy. Definitely worth visiting.
PA Jos — Google review
The place to go to for art lovers, last chance to see Beatriz Milhazes exhibition which ends on the 10 of September 2023. It is a squeaky clean venue, well organised, cheerful and cultural. Make sure to have a word with the available staff, they have a wealth of information on everything arty. Only reason for the 4 not 5 stars is the limited amount of exhibits. Suggestion, give a permanent space for local artists, you won’t regret it.
Khalid Abdalla — Google review
Wonderful space! The exhibit changes every season, and the one I got to see was of 50 women artists through the last 60 decades. Some of the abstract pieces were remarkable.
Personally abstract art isn't for me, so this was a miss, but if you love sculptures, installations and abstract art - this is a definite must see!
Lovely cafe right at the entrance. Turner Contemporary does not have a permanent exhibit so check their website to see what's on!
Mash Mala — Google review
A fantastic art gallery and wonderful resource for the town. It's free to enter, which makes it very accessible and allows for long or short visits, as you feel. The exhibitions are innovative and provocative. Although the exhibition space isn't as big as the galleries in London (for instance), it punches well above its weight. A must visit if you're in Margate.
Shadow Cast — Google review
It's a beautiful building and the cafe and shop are both fab but I'll admit I was pretty underwhelmed by the collection. I'm not sure if we visited on a bad day but the whole gallery seem to be given over to one exhibit (Brazilian contemporary artist Beatriz Milhazes). Whilst this was a good exhibition, I was left a bit disappointed there was no permanent collection of local art 😕
Lizzie Chapman — Google review
I've been to the Turner Contemporary many times, often with my daughter. It's always been a wonderful artistic experience. The penultimate visit included a crazy animated silver alien that seemed to track you as you walked around the room with its neck and eyes.
This time a brilliant show of the work of Beatriz Milhazes, a Brazilian artist. The works take over five galleries, and given space, they shine.
I'm never disappointed when I visit. Free, but worth donating, or buying from the shop. Great rebooted cafe as well.
Patrick McDougall — Google review
Interesting pieces of art! Love that the gallery faces the ocean as well—upper floor is great for taking pictures. Best of all is that it’s free.
Leung — Google review
While the gallery is not huge, it has a well presented and accessible exhibition. I found it quite pleasant to wander around and take in the art. The internal 1st floor balcony offers a nice view onto the sea.
Parking is available right next to it.
Mark P — Google review
As a local wedding photographer and videographer team we know that the Turner Contemporary is absolutely the BEST wedding venue in Margate.
We love shooting here and we can't wait to be back!
This Modern Revelry — Google review
On the positive it's a lovely location as the photos show, right in the heart of Margate's harbour area. There are now loads of bars and restaurants around the area and places to sit. Entry is free but you can make donations, the staff were clearly interested and friendly. It's a bright, clean and welcoming building so very pleased we visited. I'll be honest I didn't understand the art in the slightest, neither the artist blurbs or pieces but it was open, welcoming and with the visit. Others visiting were clearly engaged with the art so it must be good if you understand it.
wobbly woz — Google review
The current exhibition features an enormous breadth of work by history’s best female abstract artists. Complementing last year’s joyous Beatriz Milhazes exhibition.
The galleries are spacious, the staff super friendly and it’s free. Ignore the negative reviews and immerse yourself.
Alison Medd — Google review
Lovely gallery and my 6 year old loved the sensory bags which each room has, kept her really engaged!
Helen Mesher — Google review
Excellent free gallery with interesting exhibitions, a pleasant cafe with view of the sea, and shop selling cards and gift items. I visit regularly.
Leeds Castle is a beautiful Norman stronghold situated on an island in the River Len. It has been home to six medieval queens and features influences from Medieval and Tudor times, as well as an exhibition of original artefacts, illustrations and film. The grounds include multiple things to do, including golfing and zip slides.
We visited Leeds castle during the week, in February, Wednesday to Friday and stayed at the Stable Courtyard Bed& Breakfast. Perfect time as there weren't many people around and we could explore everywhere - the gardens, the castle, the Falconry, The Dog Collar collection.
There are plenty places to have a meal around as well - coffee shop near the mini golf course, the Castle view restaurant, bar/coffee shop next to it and a lunch place that is also next to the restaurant.
There are two playgrounds for small and older kids and a mini golf.
I recommend to visit the Falconry - the guys there are amazing and they can tell you all about the birds of prey. They take some of them out around 11ish so you can have a closer look 🦅🦉
The castle itself was very nice to explore too. Part of it was under renovation that should be finished by April 2022. So we could not see the library. It is a beautiful place with a rich history and it is amazing that some of the rooms are used even today.
I recommend to everyone to visit. We are def going back Spring/Summer time when it is greener ❤️☀️🏰
Miroslava Todorova — Google review
The grounds are stunning, loved walking around the gardens and ponds. Don't take the train up or you'll miss it! The castle itself is a sight to behold. It's probably one of the better castles to visit in England. The property is huge, plan to spend a few hours. There's the grounds, the gardens, the lakes, the castle, the courtyard, the maze, the boat ride ... Etc. Should definitely be on your bucket list.
Miki Nyckel — Google review
Leeds Castle is a captivating destination that offers a perfect day out for families. As annual pass holders, we have come to adore this picturesque gem, where each visit feels like a new adventure. Here's why Leeds Castle has become our go-to place for an unforgettable experience.
The grounds are stunning, providing a breathtaking backdrop for picnics. The presence of ducks, geese, and swans adds to the charm. The playground is a paradise for kids, with a variety of engaging activities. The mini-golf course offers friendly competition for all skill levels.
The falconry displays are awe-inspiring, showcasing the incredible skills of these magnificent birds. The maze adds adventure and excitement to the visit, while the castle itself is a splendid example of historic architecture.
Leeds Castle also prioritizes accessibility, with pathways and facilities designed to accommodate varying mobility needs. The staff is friendly and attentive, providing assistance when needed.
Food options are delightful, including a wide variety of ice cream flavors. Additional attractions such as the ferry and land train add a touch of whimsy.
With numerous events throughout the year, Leeds Castle ensures there's always something exciting happening. Whether it's a jousting tournament or other special occasions, visitors are in for a treat.
Leeds Castle offers an exceptional day out for families, with its beautiful grounds, engaging activities, accessibility, and exciting events. It's a place where memories are made, and annual passes are truly worth it.
Emily Stawell — Google review
Well worth the ticket cost. The house tour is surprisingly interactive with seats, games and displays. Grounds full of flowers and things to see. Easy to spend a whole day there, and standard tickets allow for free re-entry for the year.
Shan Song — Google review
We visited for the Christmas lights festival. We usually go to Bedgebury, but this was closer to us and more convenient.
We all felt it was easily on par with the latter, and we had a great time walking around the grounds exploring all the sites.
Movement throughout the grounds was smooth and painless. Staff worked well to ensure this was successful. Parking was also very easy and quick.
We'd definitely visit again next year.
Sean Mayes — Google review
Leeds Castle offers an exceptional day out for families and history enthusiasts alike. With its rich historical significance, it provides a captivating educational experience for visitors of all ages. The expansive grounds offer a plethora of activities for kids, including a fantastic play area and a mesmerizing maze that guarantees hours of fun.
The castle itself, set against the backdrop of the serene lake, is a picturesque sight, evoking a sense of wonder and awe. You'll find numerous coffee and snack bars scattered throughout the estate, ensuring that you stay energized during your exploration.
One of the most notable aspects is the incredibly friendly and helpful staff. Their enthusiasm and knowledge enhance the overall experience, making you feel welcome and valued.
And let's not overlook the captivating birds of prey demonstrations. These majestic creatures add a unique touch to your visit, leaving you with lasting memories.
In summary, Leeds Castle is a treasure trove of history, adventure, and natural beauty. It's the perfect destination for a family outing, offering a harmonious blend of education and recreation in a breathtaking setting.
Alexander Hatzidakis — Google review
Absolutely beautiful and breathtaking castle. Entrance tickets are expensive, but this place is worth every penny. The castle, gardens, the lake , the maze, and a massive playground for kids. Most of the views are scenic. There is a wonderful restaurant with a big terrace. The view of the castle is stunning.
Joanna Lackorzynska — Google review
Lovely day at Leeds Castle today it is beautiful. Went arround the Castle and outside, watched a bird of prey display. The grounds are vast with beautiful lakes there is crazy golf a large play area for children and a large maze.
Didn't get to go in the maze as time ran out so much to do for the whole family. Will definitely visit again and again as now I paid entry the ticket last for a yr. Well worth the ticket price.
A lovely start to the new year
Carol Larner — Google review
I've been here many times. Every time I went the castle looks different.
Handicap services are excellent. A bus will bring you up to the castle if you're not able to walk long distances. Unfortunately my mum couldn't get to the top floor in the castle due to her handicap. They offer a video about the castle as an alternative. My mum was very pleased with that.
There are so many things to do. Well worth the money.
Make sure you register you're ticket when you buy it. It will give you a chance to come back for free for a whole year.
Anneke Adema — Google review
Superb castle & beautiful gardens situated in a majestic location- surrounded by a scenic moat. But...Outrageous entry fee (£35) at times of economic crises ! Visitors showed their approval...with their feet- not many there- in July- peak times ! TIP: if you travel by train- look online for '2for1' entry. Sooo glad we did...& didn't get our pockets burned...
David Lally — Google review
Beautiful castle to visit! Get your walking shoes on because it’s quite a walk from the parking area to the castle. It’s a lovely walk though through the gardens. Just beautiful. They do have a mobility bus for those that need it. There is a well laid out, self guided tour. Enjoy!
Jason T — Google review
What a lovely picturesque castle. Great stories from the past and staff are very friendly. The massive garden is amazing and you can explore for a whole day. It’s great if you have kids as they will run endlessly in the garden.
We were told that it’s not a dog friendly and only guild dog allowed as we were thinking of bringing our dog. But when you get inside the grounds you will see a lot of people have their dogs in. Don’t understand.
Emmanuel Siojo — Google review
Fabulous! Very well thought through and kids friendly. In fact kids centred. Dog bone hunt in the castle. Amazing play area. Oh, and the castle and grounds are beautiful, chocolate box ++. Definitely worth the entry fee.
Gareth — Google review
A wonderful attraction for all ages. There are acres of wonderfully manicured lawns. Get the children, or adults, to feed the ducks on the way to the castle. It has interactive exhibits & free audio tours. Then, walk to see the Falconry area, play on the artificial beach. Loose yourself in the maze, then grab a bite to eat.
Your ticket gives you year-long access, so you can go again to see the bits you couldn't see the first time! Good value.
Andrew Booth — Google review
OK, firstly I thought the tickets were expensive at £35 for an adult. However, if you buy them online, it's £31.50 AND it's an annual ticket ( go as often as you like!)
Staff are friendly and helpful.
LOTS of parking (free of charge)
Not just a castle, there's tons for all ages. Playgrounds, mini golf, segways, boat on lake, little train rides, sand "beach" play area, beautiful gardens, a maze, birds of prey, falconry show (2pm today, it was brilliant!), there was children's entertainment and an Easter trail today, and of course the castle.
Get the audio guide (multiple language options) it's free.
Cafe, restaurant, ice cream parlour... or bring a picnic to have next to the lake (it did cost £4 for a box of fries, although they were delicious and a decent size portion!)
Lots of seating. Multiple toilets that were really clean.
Quite a lot of walking, so wear comfy shoes!
Wheelchair accessible.
Would highly recommend.
Rebecca Lee — Google review
Absolutely beautiful grounds with lots of birds and water to see. The castle is magnificent and a must see. Your ticket, once purchased, is valid for a year. You can return as often as you like within that year.
Steven Walker — Google review
One of my favourite places to visit. Great that one ticket gets you a year round visit.
Stunning views and great weather we had. Love the gardens and the views fr afar of the castle. Pick a sunny day and you won't be disappointed.
Great to see that the castle has switched it up a little and is moving with the times. They have a wonderful feature of all the women that have reigned at the castle and it was fantastic to see and read about it all.
If you're looking for something to do for firework night too. I would highly recommend here as it's spectacular and this would be our 5th visit for fireworks. It doesn't get old.
L MM — Google review
Really nice place to visit and such a variety of things to do and see. The reason I dropped it stars is we live a fair distance away and whilst if you can visit a few times in a year it offers value for money £95 for two adults and a child is a bit much. Loved the house/castle, maze and birds of prey displays. Well worth a visit if you can make it there a few times in a year.
Nick Gaunt — Google review
Beautiful and well-preserved castle. Stunning interior. Alarms everywhere. It's definitely worth a visit. The premises are gorgeous too. Beautiful and well maintained gardens. After closing hours, when staying at the courtyard, you're allowed to wander around. Great. No people cluttering your photos. The best spot for sunset pictures is the golf court. But golfers will not be pleased if you wander there.
Jorita Schosswald — Google review
We came by coach and were looking forward to coffee and cake but they had run out of milk and cakes. Had a lovely day looking at Narnia Christmas in the castle. We thought we would look at the maze and have a game of crazy golf, unfortunately these finished at 2.30 and 3pm so we were told to go back and had to stand in the cold till the light trail started at 4.30. Although we had a lovely day, the castle could do with better time and supplies management. Perhaps a cafe at the entrance where you could wait in the warm and dry.
Karen Pattrick — Google review
Visited the house for the Narnia experience. Castle and grounds stunning. Lots of water fowl and landscaped gardens. Castle was great - if a bit crowded due to the kids holidays. We stayed at the castle for our Wedding anniversary and got entry free - but a great venue.
Jeremy “Jem” Gilbert — Google review
I’ve been to Leeds Castle a few times, incredible history behind this castle!
Fireworks is fantastic event, however it’s usually sells out fast.
Christmas lights event is lovely, especially on a dry evening. The walk around the grounds is pleasant, well kept and maintained.
Hopeful to stay in the castle itself one day, as heard this is a great experience.
Daniel Richards — Google review
Beautiful 12th century castle and gardens. Lots of history and places to visit for the kids. It deserves a 5 star rating for the wow factor but sadly it’s let down by the prices, lack of attention to detail for customer service and general poor quality food and refreshments plus the almost negligent attitude towards making the venue accessible and inclusive for people with limited mobility or disabilities. A visit is recommended but I wouldn’t rush back as the venue is very expensive (£100 entry for a family of 4), poor signage, no discounts for senior citizens and no help for people who have limited mobility.
Matt Wallace — Google review
Amazing day out, would thoroughly recommend to anyone, especially families. The gardens are beautiful, you can feed the ducks, the audio as you're going round the castle is engaging even for kids, good restaurant, ferry, land train, maze and grotto, fantastic adventure playground, falconry, giant sandpit, kids' obstacle course, adventure golf... we all had an absolutely brilliant time! I wish we lived nearer so we could return sooner! I'd recommend going for 4-5 hours, for all ages.
Lucy Oliver — Google review
Good value. Now that the tickets are valid for a whole year. The grounds are vast and gardens are pretty. The maze is challenging and the audio tour for the castle is also interesting.
Malcolm YM Lau — Google review
Leeds Castle stands as a testament to history, beauty, and tranquility, offering visitors a truly remarkable experience. Surrounded by breathtaking landscapes, this enchanting castle exudes charm from every corner. The meticulously landscaped gardens, adorned with vibrant flowers and lush greenery, provide a perfect backdrop for leisurely strolls or peaceful picnics. The shimmering lake adds to the picturesque setting, inviting visitors to immerse themselves in the serenity of nature.
Stepping inside the castle is like stepping back in time. Each room tells a story, showcasing centuries of history through exquisite furnishings, intricate decor, and fascinating artifacts. From the opulent state rooms to the cozy chambers, every corner of the castle exudes elegance and grandeur.
But Leeds Castle is more than just a historic monument—it's a place of exploration and discovery. Visitors can delve into the castle's past through engaging exhibits and informative displays, learning about its royal inhabitants and illustrious history. Additionally, the castle hosts a variety of events and activities throughout the year, from outdoor concerts to themed exhibitions, ensuring there's always something new to experience.
Whether you're a history buff, a nature enthusiast, or simply seeking a peaceful retreat, Leeds Castle offers something for everyone. With its captivating beauty, rich history, and tranquil ambiance, it's no wonder that Leeds Castle continues to enchant visitors from around the world.
Ivaylo Kolev — Google review
Had an overnight stay with dinner & breakfast for my birthday treat. Fell in love with the place and it trumps my previous favourite Royal retreat Hampton Court. We uograded to stay in the Maiden's Tower and were given the bridal suite. The room and views were gorgeous!! Dinner was great as was breakfast the next morning. The staff were warm and welcoming and made us feel really special during our stay. Will definitely be going back (fancy staying at one of the lodges overlooking one of the lakes) and would highly recommend staying here for a memorable experience!
Karen Knight — Google review
A must visit Castle, perfect for the whole family! When we went, it was overcast and windy, and it had rained the night before, so some outdoor areas were muddy in parts, but despite this, we had such fun. The only thing that was hugely disappointing was the food in the Castle Restaurant, terrible food at expensive prices, avoid and bring your own packed lunch. So much to see and do, castle grounds are beautiful, a really fun hedge maze with a very cool grotto in the centre, historic castle, playgrounds, boat trip, little train ride, a mini beach, birds of prey, Easter trail activity and mini golf. In the summer it would be perfect and as our tickets last a year, we will definitely be back.
Moushumi Banerjee — Google review
Leeds Castle is a great place to visit. Especially for families. It has something for everyone. History and education for the adults and a phenomenal playground and activities for the kids. Just a beautiful place all around. The restaurant is really good as well.
Melinda Freeze — Google review
Leeds Castle is a stunning historical landmark with picturesque gardens and a rich history. Visitors often praise its well-preserved architecture, beautiful grounds, and engaging exhibitions. Whether you're interested in history, architecture, or simply enjoying a peaceful day out, Leeds Castle offers something for everyone.
Annu Singh — Google review
I love visiting Leeds Castle and its stunning grounds. A beautiful Old English Castle and the tress are truly epic.
Buying one ticket and having access all year is also a huge bonus, with the groundskeepers always up for a laugh.
Would recommend to anyone who enjoys nature and the outdoors.
Tim Betts (spirittraveladventures) — Google review
We went on an overcast Wednesday, it was lovely to have a good walk around with not too many people around. The castle is well set out. We had fun trying to find the centre of the maze.
We then went to look at the various owls, eagles and hawks, which are all named after cars.
Then off for a quick game of mini golf at £3.50 per adult, it was very reasonable and fun.
All In all an excellent day.
One of the oldest and most important churches in England, Canterbury Cathedral is visited by millions of people each year. With rich history dating back more than 1,400 years, the cathedral contains some beautiful historical collections and is home to the Church of England. The main attraction is the crypt which was about to hold a wedding when it was visited.
Amazing experience. So much history and experienced guides who delight in imparting this history. We took a break after an hour or so and went for refreshments. Came back and spent another couple of hours there, a good way to see the Cathedral if you have time. Ticket allows you to return again during the year of issue, excellent value.
Florence Wise — Google review
Sadly on this visit could not go inside the main cathedral because of a private event we could only go to the crypt and the gardens but for a mere £5 it was worth it. You still get to see the stunning architecture of the cathedral from the outside and the crypt has lots of great things to see with such a stunning herb garden. I would recommend that you always check for events before you have you heart set on seeing the cathedral just in case but this was still a lovely option!
D A — Google review
Canterbury Cathedral is an absolute marvel of architecture and history, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. From the moment you set foot on the grounds, you are transported to another time and place, surrounded by stunning Gothic architecture and steeped in the rich cultural and religious history of England.
Every detail of the cathedral is breathtaking, from the intricate carvings and stained glass windows to the soaring vaulted ceilings and meticulously maintained gardens. The sense of peace and serenity that permeates the cathedral is truly awe-inspiring, and I found myself completely absorbed in the beauty and history of the place.
The knowledgeable and friendly staff are a testament to the cathedral's commitment to hospitality, and their willingness to share their expertise and passion for the cathedral's history and significance only adds to the overall experience. Whether you are a history buff, a religious pilgrim, or simply a lover of architecture and beauty, Canterbury Cathedral is an absolute must-see destination. I cannot imagine a more perfect way to spend a day than exploring this magnificent cathedral and all that it has to offer.
Piotr Czajka — Google review
Beautiful and ancient cathedral. Stunning stained glass windows.. the cathedral is easily accessible from London and a high speed train takes you to Canterbury in about an hour. The cathedral is easy walking distance from the train station and an easy day trip to cover most of the town. Right now there is a quaint little Christmas market in the city Centre that’s fun to visit.
divya tiwari — Google review
We were a bit unsure about buying tickets to enter, but trust me, it's totally worth it! 😊 It's not just the church you get to see; it's the entire surrounding area, including beautiful gardens. Inside, you'll find unique pieces of history displayed in the crypt and picturesque ruins of the former monastery. It took us about an hour and a half to explore everything fully. Plus, it's a UNESCO World Heritage site! 🌟🏛️
María De Abreu — Google review
Lucky to have visited during a concert rehearsal and viewed the Cathedral with an epic orchestra & choir backing. Such a treat! Absolutely massive Cathedral full of history even for a non religious person as myself the architecture & stained glass are particular highlights. Tickets with gift aid donations are valid for a year of return visits.
James Ponter — Google review
Enjoyed the day roaming around Canterbury city center and Canterbury Cathedral. Although we had visited before, this time we went for our 1st boat trip around the canals. Really enjoyed the canal trip. Also enjoyed walking through the Free Libary and Art Gallery in the Oldest building. Enjoyed the Pubs and had a fab meal. Most people & staff were very friendly.
Malcolm Chinoy — Google review
I beautiful old cathedral built in the Romanesque style. It is 1000 years old and absolutely amazing. The acoustics are incredible. A choir was singing and we could hear the songs even in the crypt. The don’t build them like this any more.
The cathedral has great history (even a grisly murder) and famous people buried within.
You approach the castle through the town of Canterbury, which has lots of shopping and food options. The town and cathedral draw a lot of traffic, so be prepared to wait in the weekends. We rented a car and made the drive ourselves and it wasn’t bad but if the thought of driving on the wrong side of the road isn’t appealing, there are many tour groups who go to Canterbury.
The trip was fun and I would recommend a visit.
Shane Giddings — Google review
A very grand cathedral and easy access for anyone, dog friendly and you pay once and can go free for an entire year. You can buy tickets on entry. Under 18s are free to enter. There's grounds around the cathedral which are nice to have a walk around with it usually being fairly quiet. The streets around the cathedral are slightly busier but filled with cute shops and independent restaurants.
Olivia Hibbert — Google review
Canterbury Cathedral is an awe-inspiring historic masterpiece that truly takes your breath away with its remarkable architecture and profound sense of history. Stepping inside its ancient walls is an experience that transcends time, leaving you with an overwhelming sense of wonder.
The cathedral's architecture is nothing short of amazing. Its soaring spires, intricate stained glass windows, and meticulously carved stone details are a testament to the skill and craftsmanship of the builders who created this sacred marvel. Every corner of the cathedral holds a piece of history, and the Gothic and Romanesque elements blend seamlessly to create a visually stunning masterpiece.
Walking through the cathedral's hallowed halls and cloisters is an experience that words can hardly describe. The weight of centuries of history presses down on you, and you can't help but be moved by the sense of reverence and spirituality that permeates the air. It's a place where time seems to stand still, and you can't help but feel a profound connection to the past.
I wholeheartedly recommend visiting Canterbury Cathedral to anyone who has the opportunity. It's not just a place of worship; it's a living testament to human achievement and spiritual devotion. Whether you're a history enthusiast, an architecture lover, or simply seeking a moment of reflection, Canterbury Cathedral is an absolute must-see. The feeling you experience when you walk through its old walls is truly unbelievable, and it's an experience that will stay with you long after you've left.
Ivan Bilic — Google review
An absolutely beautiful cathedral riddled in such significant history! The staffers at the visitor center are so helpful and kind. Purchase a ticket there (you have to top up £5 for an audio guide) before you head in to the cathedral.
The cathedral itself has plentiful stain glass windows and a direct link to how the England church was born.
Do note that while strollers/buggies are allowed inside, there are still quite a number of stairs around which require you to carry your stroller/buggy up/down.
The crypt was closed in the morning so we went for lunch nearby and came back just in time for it to be open. Photography isn’t allowed in the crypt.
Beverly - — Google review
Visited Canterbury Cathedral on a sunny day, January 16, 2024. Paid £17 for an adult ticket, opted for the full experience. Noticed ongoing restoration work, a testament to preservation efforts. The cathedral boasts extensive history; dedicated a few hours to explore, amidst the grey surroundings. The sound of someone playing the organs added a sublime touch, enhancing the overall experience.
aleksander linkowski — Google review
Beautiful cathedral. It’s undergoing a lot of renovation work currently and there are some interesting updates on this around the building. It’s not a very serene space as there are lots of tourists around and about but it is still a vast and impressive space. Be warned lots of steps, it’s quite cold even in the summer and it is very expensive to get in
Jo Simpson — Google review
It was chilly but sunny weather. Beautiful cathedral, incredibly built and decorated. We had a great historical time and enjoyed. If you do gift aid when you buy the ticket, you can have 1year anytime visiting ticket. Inside out side it took around 2hours for us. It’s worth to pay and visit. Great 👍
J ANNA — Google review
Entry fee is £14 for an adult. Absolutely stunning Cathedral. You can almost feel the history! You can have a guided tour or an audio/ media tour. The guides really know their stuff! Or you can just wander on your own. Thoroughly enjoyed our afternoon here. Would highly recommend a visit.
Emma Chase — Google review
Beautiful Cathedral! I was here for a ceremony so didn't get a chance to explore the building but the main sanctuary is beautiful. Quick note, there are no toilets in the Cathedral but they have a very clean washroom in separate building just 3 minutes from the entrance.
Lucy Todd — Google review
Such a stunning Cathedral. We spent around 3 hours inside, there is so much to see and admire. In the Crypt no photos or videos are allowed, and it's a silent prayerful space. One can take photos in the rest of the massive cathedral.
There is only a small kiosk for coffee and tea on the property, but so many restaurants and Coffee shops are very close.
The Cathedral is undergoing constant restoration and maintenance, parts of it outside were covered by scaffolding. There are some beautifully restored, clean walls where the workmen have already done their magic. The cathedral requires £18,000 per DAY to run, so donations are welcome.
Liesel Teversham — Google review
The cathedral is nice looking and the grounds are well maintained. Inside the cathedral the guides are not proactive and don't share information on the site unless prompted (a lot). The day of our visit we saw students graduating, surrounded by their very proud parents. The atmosphere was a little chaotic and but I am sure that this is not usually the case. Whilst viewing an exhibit, there was a fire alarm, I asked the guide if we should leave and where the muster point was. She didn't have an answer. I made the call to evacuate. The fire alarm stopped sounding, so we went back to touring the cathedral. About five minutes later, the alarm sounded again. At this point another of the cathedral's guides came running in and shouting "get out, get out!". The tourists began running. My children were very scared. We CALMLY walked out and when we (again) asked where the muster point was, was told to follow the crowd (!) Unbelievable. We waited until the alarm went off and then when the crowds started piling back in, we asked a guide if we could return. She looked around and said: "I guess so". Upon entering the cathedral, we saw the guide who incited the panic and reminded him that panic causes more accidents. He informed us that the way he behaved this was company protocol!
The rest of the visit was spent viewing the cathedral and using Google as my guide. Definitely not worth the money. Particularly, as the staff are not trained in what to do and how to behave in emergencies.
Carissa Tolmie — Google review
Canterbury is a place where history and modern life coexist harmoniously. It’s a journey through time and a delightful destination for anyone seeking a taste of old-world charm in the UK.
Beyond the cathedral, the city’s cobbled streets and medieval buildings create an enchanting atmosphere. The Canterbury Tales attraction brings Chaucer’s tales to life, and you can explore the medieval architecture of Westgate Towers.
Finally, Canterbury’s friendly and welcoming atmosphere makes it an ideal destination for travelers seeking both history and contemporary experiences. Whether you’re wandering its ancient streets or enjoying a meal in one of its charming restaurants, Canterbury invites you to savor the best of the past and present.
Punting tours in Canterbury often take you past several iconic landmarks, including the stunning Canterbury Cathedral, historic buildings, and beautiful gardens.
Highly recommended place to visit!
Pooja Prasad — Google review
Unmissable experience for first time visitors, it's no coincidence that this has been a site of pilgrimage for over a millennium.
The cathedral with it's iconic mixture of centuries of building styles is worth the price of admission on its own, and the daily services, performances and special events make return trips well worth it.
Note that an admission ticket is good for a full year.
Martin Hansen — Google review
Amazing Cathedral; spare minimum 2 hours to enjoy . It’s the second time We visited; both times We were accompanied by our dog. Yes; this is a Dog Friendly attraction just for that 5 Stars . We wanted to take the tours they have available but unfortunately they don’t allow dogs on the guided tours . We payed for the audio tour and it was really good and easy to navigate ; they have it available in few languages ( No Spanish ) .
All in all very happy with the service and be able to visit an architectural wonder; while visiting Canterbury.
HL JV — Google review
So much to see!
The precincts and gardens should not be missed either.
So much history to catch up with around the cathedral.
Pride of place the story of Thomas Beckett. Also a must see is the Anthony Gormley in the crypt.
Melvyn Ede — Google review
Really nice day out in Canterbury. The cathedral is not the most beautiful in the UK but very impressive with its Romanesque architecture. Plenty to see - took 1.5 hours without audio guide. £17 to get in and that’s an annual ticket which is good value. Kitch will worth a visit too for something for eat.
Carl Argent — Google review
Amazing Cathedral; spare minimum 2 hours to enjoy and see the entire cathedral
England’s first Cathedral and one of the most visited historic sites.
Paid £17 for an adult ticket. Beautiful and ancient cathedral
You must see when you coming in Canterbury
Catalinka — Google review
Our visit to Canterbury Cathedral was nothing short of glorious; every step within its hallowed halls felt like a blessing. As we marveled at the intricate craftsmanship of its Gothic architecture and the ethereal glow of its stained glass windows, we couldn’t help but feel a profound sense of reverence for the centuries of history and faith that permeated the space. It was a pilgrimage of the soul, filled with moments of quiet contemplation and overwhelming gratitude for the opportunity to witness such magnificence.
From the tranquil cloisters to the resplendent choir, every corner of Canterbury Cathedral seemed to radiate with a divine presence, enveloping us in a sense of peace and joy that lingered long after our visit had ended. It was truly one of the best experiences of our lives, leaving us feeling both humbled and uplifted by the sheer majesty of this sacred place. Canterbury Cathedral is indeed a must-visit destination—a glorious testament to the enduring power of faith and the beauty of human creativity.
As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Canterbury Cathedral’s significance transcends national boundaries, embodying universal values of cultural and historical importance.
Canterbury Cathedral holds a special place in the cultural heritage of England. It has inspired countless works of literature, including Geoffrey Chaucer’s iconic Canterbury Tales, which immortalizes the journey of pilgrims to this sacred site. Today, visitors from around the world flock to Canterbury Cathedral to marvel at its architectural splendor, explore its rich history, and experience a sense of awe and wonder in its hallowed halls. A visit to this monumental landmark is not just an encounter with the past but a journey into the very heart of England’s spiritual and cultural identity.
Nibu George Thomas — Google review
Canterbury Cathedral is not just a building; it's a living testament to over 1,400 years of history, faith, and artistry. Stepping through its grand entrance is akin to stepping into a time machine, transporting you from the modern world to a realm steeped in medieval grandeur and spiritual significance.
The sheer scale and intricate details of the cathedral are awe-inspiring. From the soaring Gothic arches and stained glass windows that shimmer with vibrant colors to the Romanesque crypt with its echoing silence, every corner whispers stories of the past. Wandering through the cloisters, with their tranquil gardens and peaceful atmosphere, provides a moment of respite and reflection.
Canterbury Cathedral is a must-visit for anyone interested in history, architecture, or simply seeking a unique and uplifting experience. It's a place that resonates with the soul, leaving you with a sense of awe and wonder long after you leave its hallowed halls.
Kwok Lau — Google review
Canterbury Cathedral is a magnificent example of medieval architecture and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visitors are consistently impressed by its grandeur, intricate details, and spiritual ambiance. The cathedral's historical significance as the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury and its connection to the Canterbury Tales add depth to the visitor experience. Whether you're interested in religious history, architecture, or simply appreciating awe-inspiring beauty, Canterbury Cathedral is a must-visit destination.
Annu Singh — Google review
Historical cathedral with some good activities inside. Once you get inside you can see the herb garden, dark room, tombs of ancient people and so on. You also have a prayer room inside. You can spend some time peacefully.
Ajay Aravindakshan — Google review
An amazing piece of history and well worth a visit. It costs £17 to get in but this is valid for a whole year. I paid £5 to go on a guided tour which was 1.5 hours. Worth every penny. Our guide was Kirsten, a very knowledgeable and good humoured lady. I felt very engaged and learned a great deal.
The cathedral is enormous and I could easily of spent the whole day there as there is so much to see.
Thomas Becket,The Black Prince and the influence of William of Normandy and many others give this cathedral a long and very rich history.
It is a working cathedral and its open for various services and also for private reflection and prayers.
W W Howe — Google review
Fabulous historic cathedral (see Thomas Becket) plus plenty of interesting memorials to curious people. Monument to Becket is striking. Stained glass and cloisters beautiful. Tea shop was closed by 4pm (so no comment and no comment-err? Such a British tradition to close doors to cafés when visitors are in greatest need) but the visitors’ shop was open and had good stuff.
Catherine Rudd — Google review
I think the entrance fee can be off-putting to a few people. However, you can go back as many times as you like for a year, so it evens out. We live near Canterbury, so now have the year's pass.
How many times do you want to visit the same place? I thought that, but each time we go, you see something different. Also, there are a number of very knowledgeable guides there. One of these, Michael, gave us a real insight of a specific time/part of the Cathedral. Very interesting.
Michael J “Bulldog” Ranger — Google review
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Cathedral House, 11 The Precincts, Canterbury CT1 2EH, United Kingdom
Scotney Castle, a National Trust property, boasts both castle ruins and a Victorian mansion set in vast woodland and parkland. The house appears grand from the outside but is furnished comfortably as a country home inside. The gardens are well-tended with beautiful floral arrangements on display during the flower festival. A ruined castle and moat provide scenic views at the valley bottom, while lambs add to the charm of this picturesque location.
Lovely gardens with the ruined castle in the valley bottom. The house looks very grand, but inside it's furnished as a comfy country house. The flower festival was on when we visited. The rooms were decorated with beautiful floral arrangements. The grounds are extensive, with plenty of hard paths so very wheelchair/mobility scooter friendly.
Sandie Packman — Google review
Excellent in all respects. The house is fully furnished and was lived in until 2006. You get to see more than 50% of it. The grounds are generally wheelchair accessible although there are some large slopes. They have a modern toilet block with disabled and baby changing facilities. They have a cafe although the choice is fairly restricted. If you are holidaying in the Sussex / Kent area I would strongly recommend you buy an annual National Trust subscription we have already got back our Couple subscription (£106.00) by visiting just 4 National Trust sites and still have 11 months remaining.
Bob Austin — Google review
Lovely day out, grounds are absolutely stunning, so peaceful too! Free entry for National Trust members! Staff all over the site and at the cafe are really friendly and clearly love what they do. Would definitely recommend a visit! :)
Ky ?Kye? Boot — Google review
A site that could easily be overlooked but is well worth a visit.
The castle ruins are still beautiful, the setting is almost fairytale in appearance. The main building is now home to an emotion stirring art exhibition.
The gardens, which incorporate the quarry used to excavate stone for the main house, are very pleasant with walks around the estate.
The house itself is very interesting, contrasting rooms some a little dour, others bathed in light and airy.
The most notable feature, in my opinion, is the wonderful collection of paintings from several periods that literally cover every wall space.
A delightful discovery.
Michael Lees — Google review
DOG FRIENDLY!!! (Not the house)
We love a good national trust walk especially now we are members!! Great price for viewing some amazing places!! And scotney castle is like a fairytale absolutely stunning!!! 😍😍
The gardens are incredible!! Beautiful flowers to view. The wildlife and babies we saw today so cute!!!
kalie funnell — Google review
We finally got round to using our National trust memberships...
A 45 minute journey brought us to a beautiful site. We were guided in from the initial parking attendants were we were given a map to show us what was to offer.
Our daughter took charge in guiding us!
We decided to do a walk around the fields of the castle which took us roughly 45 minutes ( not forgetting that we left our wellies in the car...🫣)
When we got back to the main facilities, we sat outside and enjoyed a Red pepper soup and cheesy wedges from the coach House cafe. Which, was very tasty.
As we initially took the long route around we missed the castle. So, this time we walked through past the secondhand bookshop and through the tranquil gardens. We finally got to walk through and around the castle which looked stunning in its setting.
As a family, we had a fantastic time and made a whole day of it.
Thanks for having us 😁👍
Jamie Mongardi — Google review
What a beautiful castle! This has definitely been one of my favourites. The castle and the surroundings are breathtaking. There is a small playground and many spots to sit or for a picnic. Staff are friendly and enhance the whole experience. Definitely recommend a visit!
Sami P — Google review
Beautiful place to visit, staff were very welcome and knowledgeable and the food was very yummy! Great for children and grown ups of any age. A place we will visit over and over again. If you are a national trust member you can book a space for the car park in advance, if you turn up on the day there is additional parking with a beautiful 8-10 minute walk through woodland.
Jennie Everett — Google review
Dog friendly, pick up a Pooch Passport to see more dog friendly national trust locations. All staff met were lovely. Beautiful buildings (couldn't go inside with the dogs but outside is stunning)
Maxine Collins — Google review
I loved visiting Scotney Castle during recent holiday in Kent. We went on a whim and luckily there was space in the car park as it was a weekday. Man recommended booking in advance next time.
House was wonderful and the tour was very well organised. The wider grounds are beautiful with signed walking routes so you don't get lost. The old house was open so we were able to go in too. I think the hours are limited and dependent on volunteers being available.
Highly recommended
Hannah Rapley — Google review
An excellent day out, a smallish house (for this type of venue at least, or at least the public areas were) which the children took us through quickly. Fantastic gardens, well kept, the ruined castle and moat at the bottom of the grounds was very scenic, there were lambs, and the rustic children's play area was a hit with our 5 and 8 year olds. Recommended.
Paul Curtis — Google review
Great castle to visit with two separate parts - old castle and new house. It has a long and rich history and beautiful trails.
It's easy accessible with parking and overflow parking, big tearoom with outside space, and fantastic National Trust staff members. It's worth visiting for sure!
Robert Birkholz — Google review
Fantastic grounds. Unfortunately the castle itself wasn't open on the day we visited as it was closed for its winter clean. But the grounds were lovely to walk around, especially with the autumn colours. Though not massive, but big enough for a wander around for an hour or so.
Paul Knight — Google review
Scotney Castle is a wonderful place to spend time with your family. Impressive house, ruins and beautiful gardens. There is a small playground for kids and many spots to sit and enjoy the nature. Free entry for National Trust members. Would definitely recommend a visit
Piotr Kwiecien — Google review
Lovely spot for a visit. Plenty of walks & lovely sights to see.
Definitely a must to book parking in advance though.
The cafe has plenty of seating but gets extremely busy at peak times, with very long queues as a result.
Lots of people parked on the entry & exit roads (as presumably they didn't pre-book), which is more than a little annoying when trying to enter or leave the site.
James Hinnells — Google review
We just visited Scotney castle and grounds for their Halloween trail, it was beautiful with the autumn colours popping out everywhere.
The food at the cafe was delicious, the staff was super friendly and informative - we’ll be back!
I would advise to book your car parking in advance on their website to avoid disappointment on the day.
David Aobadia — Google review
Lovely place in the countryside of Kent. Is a medium size castle the old castle is inhabited, is part destroyed. I was in love with the architecture the water around the castle. A new Manor House was built few yards away from the old castle. That house is warm and cosy. The library is just stunning with books dated 1500s people working in there are nice and polite. You have yo book or pay for a car park extra £4.50 adults entrance £17.00… they have a nice coffee shop and souvenirs store. The gardens need some more work.
Ljubica Banic — Google review
A really worthwhile visit. Not only is there the castle itself which is really interesting to look around, there is also the very impressive main house. This is decorated in the style of different eras depending on when you visit. At the time of out visit it was decorated as it would have been in the 60s which was actually a very interesting insight compared to some other period properties. There were very knowledgeable staff throughout the house. The tea room was excellent.
Rowan Hunter — Google review
Visited for Christmas season, beautifully decorated in 1960s style. Warm and welcoming. Mild day so enjoyed a walk to the old castle. Lunch in cafe, plenty of outside seating.
Remember to book parking before visit!
Sally C — Google review
Beautiful grounds, the gardens were so well looked after. Purchase parking before arriving. All staff and volunteers were friendly and so helpful. Had a lovely day out with the family here.
Jade — Google review
Scotney is a long standing favourite of ours. Set in a beautiful location. A picture postcard castle overlooking wonderful grounds. A good walk ( lots of slopes)..Good shop and cafe with decent food.
Accessible to all if needed. Compared to some other National trust properties its well worth a visit.
Especially at Christmas 🎄
The heritage railway in Tenterden offers journeys on vintage steam and diesel trains, some with dining service. If you're looking for a unique dining experience, book a seat on the Wealdon Pullman between April and October. Your meal is served in the perfectly preserved Pullman cars by Pullman attendants in authentic attire.
We went on a 70 minute steam train ride on 18th December, Santa came along with his elves to talk to the children and give them a wrapped gift with their names on it which they loved. One of the elves pulled his mask down and poked his tongue out at my daughter and that was the highlight of her day!!
The magician that visited our first class carriage was also brilliant!
The station staff were all friendly, there was a lovely carousel ride, family photo was taken in front of a lovely fireplace and there was mulled wine on offer, all included in the price!
The model railway on the way put was also lovely and just after that the kid's could write their letter to Santa and put it in the post box. Overall a lovely way of taking the kids to see Santa, different from the usual grotto!
Josiie Hall — Google review
So much fun! Riding the stream train was awesome. Staff are friendly and really nice. The food was great and the picnic plough.ans was delicious as was the cream tea box. Also tiny bottles of processo and cans of gin and tonic were very cheap indeed.
The views from the train were stunning and each station was as cute as the next.
On the table top of our train seats was a "what animals you might see" during your train ride, pri Ted on to the table top and we were luckily surprised that we did see many of those animals, exactly where the map said, including deer!!
We went to Bodiam and alighted. Walked for 3 mins and we were at a lovely pub for a quick bevvie and some slap up yummy grub! We had soft pulled chicken tacos, deep fried hallumi bites and some cheesy chips for the kids.
Then we crossed over the road to go to Bodiam Castle which was a nice quick walk around, climb to the top, looked at the kou and ducks in the pond and headed back to the pub.
The price of the entrance to the g
Castle wasn't cheap for what it was but it didn't break the bank either.
After a swift drink in the pub we walked back to catch the last train back to Tenterden.
The weather was beautiful, so were the people and the surroundings! All in all a brilliant day!
Tickets for the steam train were decently priced but not what I would call a very cheap day out. I got the tickets as a fathers day gift from our boys, as he loves steam trains. He was overjoyed and so excited. He said the pullman carriage was his favourite.
Jodi Roscow — Google review
Went here just before Christmas for the Santa train ride experience with the kids. An excellent afternoon, a great day for the kids to meet Santa on a real fully working operational steam train! The whole journey lasts about 90mins with Santa giving presents to the children, and a magician on board for the return journey. There's a carousel ride for all and stalls selling hot/cold food and drink.
You can easily spend around 3/4hrs here, including the train ride!
The staff were also excellent and make the whole experience magical for all.
Highly recommended and will definitely be back again!
Sam Charlesworth — Google review
We visited the Kent & East Sussex Railway as part of our honeymoon, as my wife loves trains. We booked Freedom passes, and spent a whole day riding the railway, and visiting the nearby museum.
The engine and carriages seem really well cared for, and we had a lovely day out.
The really special part for us was the staff, who were absolutely lovely, with one of the engineers in particular taking some time out of his day (I fear I interrupted his break) to make this truly special, and he absolutely made my wife's day.
A truly wonderful experience.
Magnus Druitt — Google review
Had a really nice family afternoon on the railway. Scenery was fantastic and all the staff were helpful. Has been the best steam train visit we have done. Can recommend highly enough!
Graeme S — Google review
This was my very first heritage line visit in all my life, and being born and bread Londoner, I've never had a chance to venture out of my comfort zone until now.
As a train spotter inside me comes out, it was a surprise how the level of detail this place is. It was like you've been transported back in time. The sights and smell of the engines were awesome & as for the views, a long the line it was scenic, like you see in a post card.
If I had time spare time, I'd surely come back again. I recommend this place place highly and it was worth the 2 hour drive.
Melvin Bartolome — Google review
We had an amazing afternoon here at Kent & Sussex railway. We took the train from Tenterden to Bodiam and return. It felt very good traveling in these heritage trains, all well preserved.
It was very delightful to see how passionate all employees/ volunteers seemed to be about their job, always smiling.
The views from the train are also amazing, although we had a very rainy afternoon, we still enjoyed it.
This is a must to do in Kent/ East Sussex.
Highly recommended.
Sónia Martins — Google review
We just love the KESR. We’ve been twice just this year- once in April for the Pullman dining experience and today for the Santa Special. I can’t explain it but it’s something really heartwarming- yes it is expensive but the value is there- they go above and beyond to make it a magical experience. We had a first class compartment and they had laid out a little bag with treats in for the ride, and came to check we had everything we needed. We have been before and had a table in a regular compartment and had an equally lovely time, but the private compartment really was that little bit extra special. We had free hot drinks, unlimited rides on the carousel and a photograph included- honestly it’s really good value when you break it all down, and the train ride alone is an hour long. They’re just great people and we can’t recommend them enough.
Sophie De-Roe — Google review
OMG, what can i not say about this treat. Highly recommend to do this fabulous treat. As a gift we had the evening dinner experience. Everyone at Tenterden Station, on the train, on the lines, museums and platform our volunteers. Absolutely amazing, well done each and everyone who has put so much time, love and restoration into this little world of joy.
We are very much into 1940s/50s so we went dressed for the fun and splendour. The service: Polite and couldn't do more for you to enjoy the experience. Food: All cooked and prepared on board, just fabulous.
Do book somewhere to stay overnight as you get back late. Plus the Village is lovely to visit to.
This is a must do. Great for a gift.
Julie Pilcher — Google review
A beautifully kept station full of pride at Tenterden and Bodiam where we got off for a trip to a favourite pub of ours.You can feel the love that the volunteers and their knowledge. We were lucky to have 1 very clued up older Scottish gent looking very dapper give us a talk on the surrounding countryside on our return from Bodiam. A real history lesson! The staff work hard and are eager to make your experience a happy one. We enjoyed it very much as first timers though we've lived locally for years. Definitely worth a day out.
Sheryl — Google review
An amazing place for lovers of trains, steam trains, history, science, museums, nature, heritage, old times. Visited with my parents (who are in their late 60s now) during 1940s weekend where customs of era were so well presented and performed - my parents, my toddler (3yo) and I, loved every minute. Everything was at our fingertips to explore, staff very friendly, informative and entertaining. Good facilities, good and affordable prices when you want to ride a train, free museum, extra attractions in a nearby town and surroundings. Marvellous trip by steam train from Tenderdem to Bodiam through fields of outstanding beauty. My parents got very emotional as the day brought them back to times when they were under 10 and travelled themselves this way.
We also visited a nearby castle in Bodiam, a cherry on top as the surrounds were fabulous.
A sunny and warm spring day with blue skies made a fabulous day out to remember and made new memories. Thank you K&ESR team. You are a gem of Kent!
Dorota Trapl — Google review
Very pleasant steam train ride from Tenterden to Bodiam and back. Wonderful views from the carriage windows. Saw whole host of butterflies at one stop. A herd of Fallow deer and a Little Egret were also spotted. A luxury was a drinks and snack trolley wheeled through carriages. Loved it. As we caught the last train of the day there wasn't time to get off and explore the stations along the way. We are going again and give ourselves plenty more time explore.
AS — Google review
What an amazing day. First time on a steam train and absolutely loved it.
Also what made the day special was all the staff were very friendly and a good laugh. Highly recommend visiting this place. We did the train from Tenterden to Bodiam and it was such a lovely ride even though it was super hot 🥵 haha. Great day! A must go! ❤️
Kimberley A — Google review
We had a fantastic day out and would highly recommend a day out at K&ESR. The whole team there from the lovely lady at the ticket office, the train driver - who invited our little boy into the train cab - the platform staff, the conductors on the train and the lovely lady in the gift shop are really nice and very helpful with their customer service just as good. We will definitely be going back again. Thank you for a fantastic day.
CJ “Space Runner” Paine — Google review
A wonderful place to experience the days of steam, with services running from here to Bodiam in just under an hour (where you will find a country pub and castle to explore).
The station is full of character, including a model railway and lots of enthusiastic staff who do their best to ensure everyone enjoys their experience.
Tenderden station opened in the spring of 1900, finally closing just 61 years later. Thankfully a little over a decade later it reopened with the service through to Bodiam running since 2000.
Although you can buy full fare tickets immediately before boarding it is well worth booking discounted “Freedom Tickets” up until midnight the day before travel, allowing you to board any train you wish both there and back.
The specific timetable depends upon the day and season (check the website), but typically if the railway is open there are five services in each direction with the first around 10:20am and the final return around 4:45pm.
If you found my review or photos helpful please leave a quick thumbs up 👍 Thank you!
Sam Saltwell — Google review
A worthwhile visit. Families and train lovers. Good prices for everyone. Park at Bodham castle and a short walk to the railway. Or Tenderden Town at the other. They ran 2 steam locomotives on Saturday. 50min one way. All ages
sarah lawrence — Google review
Had a fantastic ride ,thoroughly enjoyed it. Great idea with the trolley ladies. All very friendly and accommodating. Had a lovely informative conversation with one of the staff.
Can highly recommend this trip.
Helvy — Google review
We had a brilliant time with the Pullman dinner for two evening trip. Everyone was great, the food was lovely and the carriage was brilliant. It was like going back 100 years.
William Bungay — Google review
If you love trains, you will love this railway. The line takes five stops, around 50 minutes in one way. With a freedom ticket, you can change at any reason any time.
For us, it was a really good day.
Attila Farago — Google review
Brilliant visit to the diesel gala. Did the drive a diesel for 10 minutes in a tiny shunter and didn't crash or derail. Love older diesel locos, they have their own character.
Graham Thorne — Google review
A beautiful trip in best weather for us and our little daughter. She was fascinated and having fun. We are delighted that such a nice little piece of transport history is being preserved for people to experience. It was just a pity that the museum closed very quickly after the last train. I will definitely look at it again with more time when we come back to the area.
Steffen Fritsch — Google review
A great morning out on the extinct express. My kids really enjoyed it and loved meeting the baby dinosaurs. The only criticism I have is, can they make it longer and possibly put some dinosaurs along the track for little ones to spot? My 2 boys loved being in their own carriage and their new books. It was run very efficiently, and the dinosaurs bought to life wonderfully for my kids. We all really enjoyed it. Also, we visited the cafe before getting on the train, and the prices and quality of food and service were some of the best I've experienced in a long while. We are looking to book onto one of their other events later in the year!
Robert Hewitt — Google review
4.7
(2418)
•
4.5
(1240)
Tenterden Town Station, Station Rd, Tenterden TN30 6HE, United Kingdom
The Port Lympne Reserve in Lympne near Hythe is a wildlife park home to some fantastic animals from tigers and elephants to gorillas and big cats. You can stay overnight in one of the safari-themed hotel suites, cabins or treehouses on site. The reserve is also linked to Howletts Wildlife Park through the Aspinall Foundation and offers 20% online ticket discount.
Absolutely brilliant day out. No queues anywhere, lots of well kept animals, really lovely setting and a great safari ride. The walking route was quite long which was fab. We were there for 5 1/2 hours and still didn’t quite make it around everything. Highly recommend.
Alexandra Julian — Google review
We weren’t sure what to expect before arriving there as it was our first time. But we had a great time there. The one hour truck ride was fun and different as no other places that we’ve been to do this. We managed to see many animals on the tour. We also walked around the park to see the animals up close and we weren’t disappointed as you can see from the photos. The park is very well kept and clean too. Staff are friendly. Highly recommended for families with young or old children or even adults.
Weemee Liew — Google review
We have just got home from a day at a safari. Park and grounds are beautiful and well kept. Animals seem happy and well looked after.
We booked the Safari and have been on a few safari type experiences in the UK. This by far, was the most boring. We barely see any animals and when we did most were at a great distance except for the giraffes. It was a glorified taxi service around the grounds.
If you are a wheelchair user or buggy user then forget it! It’s all uphill and lots of stairs to climb. I can imagine children getting very tired.
The food and drinks were ok and overpriced.
All in all, we had a good day. But there are far more interactive experiences with animals around the UK at a similar price. I feel even some zoo’s you get a closer look at the animals. We won’t be returning.
Ky88 — Google review
Though it has wheelchair access and parking, not all of the areas are wheelchair friendly. We had to ask for the mini bus to pick us up and take us to places. There are buggies, but they were fully booked. It was a hot day, so some animals were keeping inside to stay cool.
There are a few places to eat and get ice cream or drinks. It also has a play area for children.
Sandra Lawrence — Google review
Spent a day here and had a private party with a safari and afternoon tea for a friends 60th birthday. What a fabulous day we all had. We were greeted with tea and shortbread in our private function room which was beautifully decorated. Then we moved on to our safari and we had Charlie as our ranger, who I must say was superb. His knowledge about that animals was amazing and very interesting. Our whole journey was presented with passion for the animals. Charlie made the experience wonderful. Then we went back to our private room and had a very delicious afternoon tea. The service was also fantastic for this part of our experience. Would highly recommend this place and would return in a heartbeat.
Joanne — Google review
Stayed in the Pinewood pods for a night. Facilities were great, immaculately clean, and well heated. Food is not cheap, but very nice.
A great zoo if you enjoy looking at big cats and gorillas. Only downfall was that some of the zoo is off-limits to pedestrians, and some enclosures can only be seen on the safari. Additionally, we could not view the leopard enclosure as it was gated off for leopard creek guests and animal encounter guests only, which was slightly disappointing.
However, the zoo is clearly well maintained, and the animals well looked after. I’d definitely stay here again.
Chloe Bassett — Google review
Stayed at Lion Lodge overnight and wow, what an experience.....
The lodge was pure luxury and being able to sit next to the lions was amazing.
All the staff were so helpful and friendly and made this a truly memorable time.
Also booked a AAA Safari - this is highly recommended. Will, our ranger, was so knowledgeable, funny and friendly. The real highlight for me was hand feeding the black rhino and stroking the white rhino.
A most enjoyable 2.5 hours roaming the reserve.
Karl Davies — Google review
The Safari was such an enjoyable experience for all of us, suitable for all age. Some of the animals have a spacious natural ground to explore around, I suppose similar to their natural habitat. So don’t think of this park like an ordinary zoo please.
The restaurant’s interior was most fond by me, 30-40 for two adult plus a child which is acceptable. Applause for the chefs here, the beef burger and lamb kofta were absolutely amazing!
Great (free) parking space, though the extended grass parking could be very muddy and splashy around the wheels after the rain.
The staff were lovely and polite, attentive and happy to offer info to new visitors. A good selection of souvenirs.
Louis S — Google review
We didn't stay here as we live fairly near by. We had the most incredible day. The dinosaur forest is incredible and the best thing ever for any Dino loving life ones. The safari is great, bumpy but, very informative and it's lovely to hear about the reintroduction of animals into the wild. If you do go on the safari, try to sit on the left!
Maxine Morgan — Google review
Amazing wildlife park, so professional and well kept, animals have vast well thought out enclosures. They breed and return animals to the wild to their natural habitat to repopulate endangered animal communities. Recommend paying extra for the close encounters. We fed the gorillas and it was magical. The park is set in beautiful countryside, with views to the sea
Josh L — Google review
Wow!!! Port Lympne Safari Park is amazing!! We had the best day here. So much to see and the safari is so good. We got very close to the giraffes and our guide was very knowledgeable. What I will say is the safari park is built on a hill so make sure you wear comfy footwear. The grounds are beautiful. With the gardens and the orangery you will have plenty of photo ops. The accommodation looks amazing and we are absolutely going back to stay!
Becky Price — Google review
Wonderful day out with my fiancé here! The AAA safari was incredible with our guide Casey bringing the whole tour to life with his extensive knowledge of all things animal related.
We were able to feed the Rhinos and Giraffe and could not have been happier with the overall experience. Before hand, we were able to walk the ground a little ourselves and see some of the animals who all looked in great condition and well fed! This place truly loves their animals and keeps them in great health and perfect living conditions.
Can't wait to go back.
Jakeus 25 — Google review
Had a stay at Port Lympne for my husbands birthday and they have been nothing but exceptional the whole time. They allowed me to drop my husbands present down a week early with some decorations and a cake to decorated our wigwam helped advice us on the best animal experience and time to take the safari and alway on hand to answer questions on the animals. Food in the garden restaurant was amazing! Big shout out to Amy down at the gorilla for spending 30minuets with us answering questions and telling us about all the girls in the cage! Thank you to Candy for the best experience with the white rhinos! The team from start to finish went above and beyond! Will recommend to anyone who will listen! Will definitely be back!
Katiejane Quinn — Google review
Had an absolutely fab weekend away to celebrate some birthdays. The service is fantastic, the staff was so friendly and made us feel so welcome and special each step of the way. The accomodation is great value, we stayed at the Bear Lodge and it was lovely. The safaris were so educational and you get one for each night of your stay so we made the most out of it! I could honestly have spent a whole week here exploring and trying out the different activities! We'll definitely be back and I've recommended it to everyone!
Catarina Fattori — Google review
This is a review of the Reserve . No one likes to see animals in captivity but at least here you know that the philosophy behind the Reserve is all good . The Aspinall Foundation does great work in conservation and getting animals back in the wild . This it was doing long before it was trendy to care about wildlife .
It's great to know that the admission fee helps support the good works of the Foundation.
As a destination it's a lovely place for a day out . Set in a great location with wonderful views .
The ' big house ' and gardens would be a nice destination even without the associated animal reserve.
There seems to be plenty of facilities to eat and drink , or picnic if you bring your own food .
All in all a great day out .
Michael Dillon — Google review
We stayed here overnight in a small hut 🛖 in the pinewood area. The hut had two normal beds and a fold out futon, adequate lighting and a few sockets one of which powered a small oil filled heater. We really loved our accommodation.
Some people commented that they couldn't sleep because of the loins roaring, but when the door is shut you can't really hear them.
The park itself is fantastic. All of the animals came out to see us, so there was no lack of things to see. We also did a safari trip on one of the troop carriers they have and that was brilliant too.
The whole site is built onto the side of a hill, so if you go around and see everything, be prepared to do a lot of climbing to get back to the top.
There are two restaurants on site which you will have to book early for but the food is lovely (if not rather expensive).
Overall we really enjoyed our visit and would definitely go back here again!
Matthew Chard — Google review
Just back from a lovely day out . The car park was smaller than we thought and the staff explained that in the winter months no one parks on the grass , but in the summer months many more spaces are available. This place was amazing, right at the start was greeting by a friendly boy in the gift shop who helped as with all of our questions.
We had booked the safari which was very interesting and great as you got up close to most of the animals. Well worth the £6 per person for the hour on safari. So much to see and do in this reserve , will definitely be coming back again .
Julie craker — Google review
Fantastic day at Port Lympne. I was amazed how knowledgeable the lady that took us on the safari was.
I would 100 per cent recommend. The safari took about an hour. Driving round at about 5mph. Information on all animals and the zoo. The ride was very comfortable and the animals are clearly seen. Some animals standing around in front the truck very funny.
Rosanna — Google review
More than expected. From the start the staff were friendly and helpful. The park was muddy and a lot of walking was involved, but we don't have mobility issues so this was fine.
1st class service. Beautiful park with well cared for animals. Good project to support. It was the little details that made it perfect. Would recommend to anyone that can walk well.
Anita Beukes — Google review
Absolutely enjoyed my time here. It was a lovely experience to see the animals, especially the tour which they provide taking you closer to the giraffes. someone from our group touched the giraffe which made one of a staff a bit sentimental. she kept bringing the topic out during rest of the safari to make her point.
Driving the gold cart was fun. the restaurant near the entrance was absolutely fantastic. overall, if you love animals than i would definitely recommend to go there. Best to take your kids and not at summer time. there were no air cons at the outdoor cabin which can make kids a bit hot tempered.
i will visit again under pleasant circumstances.
Delta Young — Google review
My grandsons, 7 n 13 , me n my friend , had an amazing day at the port Lympne safari Park today! Saw lots of animals close up on the safari.such wonderful, friendly, informative staff ...relaxing atmosphere . We all said great value for money.well worth a visit. Highly recommend doing the safari , Mel was brill ! Well done staff ....perfect day out !
Jayne Brookssherman — Google review
Myself and my partner went here for a day out and had the most amazing time. The safari is a must, for no extra cost, it was great to see so many different animals in such a massive amount of space. It lasted around an hour and we got to get some nice close ups of some of the animals. The zoo itself is very big and there's lots to see although it was tiring with all the hills. The gardens were also very beautiful and great to have picnics or to take a break.
Sometimes it was a little confusing knowing where we could walk, as you would have the buggy only pathways and the map didn't have the full list of animals on there, which would have been nice. The location was not very tourist friendly if you're not driving in, we are from Birmingham so found it hard to get there by bus from our hotel and did have to walk quite a distance to get to the park.
Overall, the zoo is definitely one to go and see and we had a wonderful day.
Kristal Ramdeen — Google review
Stayed for 2 nights at the Tiger Lodge all the family were super excited to see the Tiger.
We stayed here as part of a special holiday after a bereavement of a parent
Port lymph contacted us the day before we left to inform us that the safari experience that we had booked would be cancelled on the Thursday due to bad weather conditions and made arrangements to move the experience to half an hour after we checked in on the day of arrival this was all super efficient and a great experience
However what they failed to say was that the tiger would be locked away due to the bad weather for our whole visit apart from the last 4 hours before we left!!!
The staff on reception were very informative and helpful but nothing seemed to follow through with bookings we had made
There was just a lack of ‘finishing touches’ which would have made the holiday
I don’t think I would recommend
higgy — Google review
My son and I have returned from a night and two days at Port Lympne. We stayed in Leopard Creek in one of the huts (most beautiful hut I have ever seen!). We have had a fantastic time. The animals are fascinating and have so much space and care - they seem so happy and content - and the devotion to the animals from all the team is clear. And that’s what put shine on the trip - every single person working at the Park was so kind, helpful and knowledgeable. Had an amazing time.
Chloe Bradley — Google review
Very cold wet and windy day to be visiting. Lunch at the Garden Room was one of the best roasts we have had. Highly recommend the beef followed by apple crumble. Well priced and a lovely setting. Service was good, a little slow at times but a busy Sunday lunch so to be expected. Kindly accommodated us earlier than scheduled. Thank you, will be back to explore in the warmer months. Great day out for both couples and families. The guide on our safari was very knowledgeable and friendly.
Hannah Smith — Google review
I visited here for as was staying nearby for my birthday and loved it. Great zoo, we did the safari truck tour and the two staff members were great so glad we did it as saw more animals. The reserve itself is massive and loads options if you wanted to stay! Great for walking lovers. Reasonably priced and could have stayed even longer. Recommend to all visiting. Thank you.
Amber Wrentmore — Google review
We didn't stay at port lympne, we went on a day trip as we were staying in Rye and it's only half an hour away. It was a fantastic day, we took my 2 year old son he absolutely loved it, the enclosures are very large and the variety of animals on show is great. I'd definitely recommend doing the safari tour as well, it's a little extra when buying the ticket, it's well worth it, we had a lovely and informative host this took in total about an hour. I would say food even though it was very nice in the park, is very expensive. Also if you have a young child bring a buggy due to the sheer size of the park, if you have any mobility issues walking the park could be a problem, but you can rent a buggy for the day which id recommend. Overall a great day and for me the best zoo/safari park in the UK and we've been to many of them.
Matt D — Google review
We had an absolute memory of a lifetime experience staying in lion Lodge. it was absolutely incredible the Lions were right up to our window face to face Close, remarkable. the actual Lodge accommodation was truly five star and we were treated in such an amazing way as if we were really special it's a memory that will stay with me for a lifetime. the actual Safari Park is really good it's large and the work they're doing is excellent we did the safari on the trucks sadly it was raining but we still saw lots and lots of animals. the only thing I would say is we had pizza delivered to the room which was extraordinarily expensive but that would be my only gripe. I highly recommend it if you ever get the chance to stay at Lion Lodge it really really is worth the investment.
sandra philip — Google review
i treated my husband for his birthday to the safari ride and also the gorilla encounter, both were good , the gorilla encounter was phenomenal to be as close as we could be , the staff were very friendly and knowledgeable. the park itself is very good all the staff you meet very friendly, this park is definitely worth a visit lots of walking which is very steep in some places , we visited in the week which was quiet but nice as you got to see all the animals really enjoyable experience 😀
Paula Drew — Google review
Absolutely fantastic day out from start to finish. We went on Safari with our Ranger (Will) who was brilliant and we saw some incredible animals, we were very lucky as there was only 2 other people in the vehicle so it really felt like a personal experience. Will's knowledge of all the animals and their personalities was second to none he gave an excellent experience and was an absolute star not to mention had a great sense of humour too. Every member of staff was extremely helpful and friendly, all the places to eat were great and the food was extremely tasty and restaurants were kept very clean and tidy even though is was very busy. Would definitely recommend! 5*
Rob — Google review
Truly amazing experience, Just out of this world. If I could live here I would.
Staff are great, polite, friendly and happy to help,Full of information.
Accommodation is breath taking along with the views of the park. All combined just makes for a beautiful trip away. This was our second time there, first in the tree tops and this one in the lion room and hope to return again. It's great for not just the children but adults as well. Thank you for bringing us the magical adventure
Chris — Google review
We had an enjoyable 2 night stay here to celebrate our 40th anniversary. We stayed in a shepherds hut which was very comfortable and cosy. We had the opportunity of a log burner inside or an outdoor chimnea, neither of which we took advantage of (but a lovely added touch).
Our cabin was a fair distance from the restaurants and other places but the addition of a golf cart made it an even more enjoyable stay. The golf cart was big enough to carry all our luggage and the 2 of us (they also had larger ones for larger parties).
The safari was OK but personally I enjoyed the ranger tour a lot more. The Safari allowed us to see many animals but felt very much like they had to be back in time to do the next trip. The Ranger tour was a lot more relaxed with the opportunity to ask questions and take many more photos. (It probably helped that there were only 4 of us on this tour).
All in all a very enjoyable stay with the added bonus of knowing the animals, both on site and in their natural environment, are being cared for and protected for future generations.
diana roach — Google review
Spent a lovely day here at the Reserve. We started with a safari drive around an off limits part of this 600 acre park. After a sandwich and coffee at Base Camp we continued on the walking part of the park taking in a Gorilla scatter feed and talk. An excellent day out but beware there is a LOT of walking with some steep inclines.
Robin Sparks — Google review
Amazing. My partner and I had a great day out. The glory of the park has no comparison. Zoos don't come close to this for animal welfare, habitat and experience. Can't recommend highly enough.
Jack Collins — Google review
Port Lympne is amazing with beautiful grounds. The stay is great however very expensive for what you get included. You are unable to get into your accommodation until 3 then have to leave by 11 which seems so little time in the accommodation as you are exploring the park and eating dinner.
You do get a golf buggy but it is not allowed around the whole park which is a shame and there is a few animals that you are unable to see unless you stay in that part of the park totally unfair for all paying guests.
It's so expensive and doesn't include breakfast which is £18 per person and small portions.
Overall great place however over priced for what you get.
Jessica Kinsalla — Google review
If you book a safari and are late by two minutes you miss your jeep. We had arrived about ten minutes before our slot but the queue to get in took too long. Total disappointment. Drove all the way from London. They send hundreds of marketing emails but nothing to highlight you need to be early for the safari. Waste of time and money. won't be back. The walk about part is really nothing special. Other places do that much better. Walked around in about an hour and a half. No real wow moments. No giraffes on foot trail.
Stephen Leonard — Google review
Had such an amazing experience.
Our 3 year old loved seeing the animals, experiencing the camp fire, and hearing the lions roar through the night.
The pool table in the common area does need to be updated as not many people carry money anymore, but apart from that great!
Kelly Medlicott — Google review
4.5
(4647)
•
4.0
(2721)
Aldington Rd, Lympne, Hythe CT21 4LR, United Kingdom
The White Cliffs of Dover are a stunning natural phenomenon, where towering chalk cliffs stretch for 8 miles along the coastline, reaching heights of up to 350 feet. This breathtaking vista offers panoramic views and is an ideal location to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine in England. The area features multiple paths with varying levels of difficulty, allowing visitors to tailor their hike accordingly. There are also resting spots scattered throughout the landscape, providing ample opportunities to catch one's breath or take in the scenery.
White cliffs of Dover is a beautiful place. Beautiful views and in the distance can see France (which was exciting) a lovely walk around. Great spot for scenic photos too .
Jade Crawford — Google review
It's an awesome trek along the white cliffs with stunning views all along. Nice place to have a picnic and just have a great time.
The starting point is a bit steep with a lot of steps, so if not a regular trekker, keep taking breaks in between. The views are stunning all across, so enjoy them.
Aman Yadav — Google review
The cliffs are breathtakingly beautiful and on a good sunny day, the walking trail along the cliffs is lovely. Car parking can get filled up fast, so better to do the planning around it. The restaurant around the place is also nice and kids friendly. Mist in the area can play spoil sport though with visibility sometimes getting very poor.
Abhirup Bose — Google review
This place is a heaven on earth. So serene and beautiful. An easy walk of around 40mins to reach the end. Would love to visit again😍
Saman Imtiaz — Google review
The best way to see the cliffs is with The English Bus tour—we were taken to a ground level location for breathtaking views of them. I have never seen such WHITE cliffs in my life. The very narrow roads, got quite windy and “narrow”. We were there in mid July as well. A definite must! The beach area was local for sure and there was even a little refreshments area setup too.
Cindy Baker — Google review
Our visit to the White Cliffs of Dover was nothing short of memorable. The scenic walk along these iconic chalk cliffs offers unparalleled views of the English Channel and an opportunity to bask in the natural beauty of the surroundings. It's a must-visit destination for anyone seeking to experience the awe-inspiring majesty of England's coastline.
Globe Voyage Vistas — Google review
Beautiful experience!!
Walking up and down the mountain during the cold is really effective…..
M22 NSR — Google review
Amazing walk trail with beautiful scenic ocean view and white chalky mountains. Lovely place to visit with family and spend the day.
Amir Maghfoor — Google review
Great views- can get a taxi to drop you off near the lighthouse, from which it’s a 1.5-2 hour scenic walk down - instead of doing it both ways or taking a short view route
Sambhav Jain — Google review
Breathtaking view and lovely place for a walk. Parking is fairly cheap for the day, since you can pretty much walk around and just enjoy the view and the breeze all day.
We didn't go to the restaurant, but it looked nice and there are enough restrooms available.
The Travelling Witch — Google review
Amazing place with great views!!!
Great plan to enjoy fresh air and ideal to make the most of the sunshine in England. There multiple paths so you can select the "difficulty" of the walk and you can always turn around when tired.
There are a few benches in some spots for resting.
Ana Garrote — Google review
Such a wonderful place to visit. Worth the ride of about 3 hours. Better visit there early as you can visit castle also.
350ft above from sea. Breathtaking views.
Bring something to drink and eat 😉 While walking along 8miles of coastline.
Sasanka Rathnayake — Google review
£7 for parking and great views as you walk along the cliffs. Loved it. The cafe looked lovely although we did eat there and the toilets were clean. Definitely be back
Nick Gaunt — Google review
Nice view, perfect for hiking or walking. It would be better if we could see the sea. It was foggy so we could not have the best view but still quite nice to go.
Ivy Lin — Google review
The White Cliffs of Dover, with their brilliant white chalk formations, offer a breathtaking coastal spectacle. Their sheer beauty and historical significance make them a must-visit destination. Whether gazing at the sea or exploring wartime tunnels, the cliffs leave an indelible impression of nature's grandeur and England's resilience.
Binoy Xavier — Google review
Chill and beautiful place. It’s about 40 minutes to an hour walk or so for the entire view point. The beginning of the view point is this cafe, walks is about 45 minutes to the train station. Therefore save 90-2 hours if you are walking from Dover privey to the end of the cliff.
Sheng C — Google review
Stunning! Well worth the visit. People are friendly. Loved seeing the "welcome to England" signs. Lovely watching the ships and ferries. The parking and pedestrian walking areas to the cliffs could be better though especially since its paid parking. Wear appropriate gear and shoes and bring plenty of water as it is a real hike if you want to walk the full extent.
Taryn Taylor — Google review
Beautiful views of Dover. So relaxing couple of hours of walking. They are benches around so its a perfect spot for a mini picnic or a stop for a rest.
Emanuela Bozhinova — Google review
This is an all-time favourite place to come to with my family. The stunning coastal views, seasonal flowers, the stark white cliffs, the sea and sky is mesmerising indeed.
I've been here a few times and I never tire of the scenery. Its so refreshing, the walk is exhilarating.
Its an easy walk for the non experienced walkers, just make sure you have the right footwear and clothing.
Depending on the weather it can get quite muddy and messy.
Toilets, cafe and boot/shoes/cleaning area available just before you start your trek.
Car parking facilities very easy and accommodating for wheelchair and disabled persons.
Sabira Begum — Google review
Stunning view and relaxing walk. There are safe walking trails along the cliff. Wood chairs give resting places for you to catch a good view of the sea with ships/ ferries. Had multiple parking slots (need to pay £5 for the stay). Restaurant and the toilets were closed on the day we went.
Dumi Bas — Google review
Stunning views and parking can be a little hectic at the weekends as most of the larger vehicles don't know where to go, but the 40 minute walk to the lighthouse is gorgeous. Well worth a visit.
James — Google review
Breathtaking! You have to be there to really take it all in. Amazing views in a serene setting. There’s miles of trails to explore, there’s a nice little cafe at the entrance too. A must visit. Free to walk but parking is £5.
Gautam Andotra — Google review
A must hike! Beautiful view from the cliffs to the ocean, from other parts toy can see the white rock formations. Really pretty and easy to walk since the paths are well marked. You can choose different trails depending how far you want to go. There’s a bunker in the way that was closed to visitors, but interesting to see from outside. The other end is the lighthouse, the coffee shop was closed; so check their opening times and days if your goal is to go eat there.
Free parking.
Their cafe in the entrance is very convenient, there’s also clean bathrooms there.
The water hose and brushes made a lot of sense when you walk back from the cliff because you can get very muddy.
Patty Pagoada — Google review
Magnificent! I’ve seen it in photos, videos, etc. for so many years. Finally made it here and it’s totally worth driving 1.5 hours to come here. The sunny weather does helped. Would love to come back again for photos taking. We didn’t get to the lighthouse which is a shame. Will definitely go next time!
Gnip Weis — Google review
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I'll never travel to Paris without this trip planner again
Dover Castle is one of Englands oldest and most imposing castles, located on a hilltop above the shortest seacrossing between Britain and Europe. It has served as the countrys first line of defence for centuries, while also housing secret wartime tunnels and an underground hospital. The Battlements Walk offers views of the castle from atop its walls, while the Roman Lighthouse is one of only a few extant lighthouses in England.
As a member of English Heritage, entrance here was free. There is ample car parking space as well. Staff here were all really lovely and kind, also very knowledgeable. My four kids, aged between 6 and 12, had a really good time, so much to see including a wonderful tour of the underground tunnel system. Lots of amazing history, great views and the main tower was very well kept. If you are a member of English Heritage, I would definitely recommend this place. My youngest was also studying about castle life at school and it really helped him understand castle life and he enjoyed telling his class about his trip. Big thumbs up to all the staff for being so helpful and kind.
Asim Khawaja — Google review
An amazing place to visit and one of England's top castles for sure. The castle complex is huge with the keep offering impressive views of the whole town of Dover and to the French coastline. Easily 3+ hours of things to see. One of the most impressive I found were the Roman lighthouse and medieval church which underline the significance of the site. Also has very interesting WW2 history with a fascinating tour of the tunnels in which the Dunkirk evacuation was planned.
Henry Gayfer (Harry) — Google review
You can easily spend a whole day here - the castle grounds are massive and there’s a lot to see. The tower can be done quite quickly as there’s actually not much to see inside and the interior is very dated but worth it to climb to the top and see the great views.
Definitely recommend doing the war tunnel tour - very interesting and very well put together.
Chantal Johnson — Google review
Great place for kids. Castle itself is not wheelchair or pushchair friendly and there are lots of steps in the castle to get to rooms and top of the castle. They have got handrails. The rest of the grounds have paths. The tunnels are pushchair and wheelcahir friendly as long as your prepared to push them back up the hills. Had great story telling show for the kids in the castle. Stunning views from the tip of the castle. Staff super friendly.
Gillian Selby — Google review
A beautiful historic location with plenty to do and see for a whole day out. Suitable for families. Plenty of parking. Good visitor centre with information. A good restaurant with good choices of hot and cold food and drink. Very picturesque. Staff very friendly and informative. Wet particularly enjoyed the mini show with the king and his son in the main throne room.
Tom Dupplaw — Google review
Really must visit this! So much to see and we only had two hours. Enthusiastic and super-friendly staff, impressive and well-kept collection. And apart from all that: the views over the harbour and the sea are absolutely stunning!
Bob Lefevere — Google review
Dive into history and the gorgeous sites here in Dover. There is ample parking and walkways that are nice if you are pushing a pram. My "big kid" really enjoyed the tunnel tour while my 9 & 16yr old enjoyed exploring the medieval castle and grounds. We spent easily 2.5hrs but could have spent longer here. If you are an English Heritage member, there is also a cottage on the castle grounds that you can rent. Prices are on the website.
Elizabeth NVelazquez — Google review
This is simple one of the best Castle I've visited, vastly huge and impressive a full day is required. The war tunnels are a must the Dunkirk exhibition is truly emotional. The views from the top of the tower are spectacular. Car parking on site, has a couple of cafes / shops. The role this castle has played in our history is amazing
Steven Moseley — Google review
One of best castle to visit in England - wonderful kept and fully of history. The tunnels are great - but I recommend making them the first things you do as the queues can get rather long. Defiantly allow yourself a whole day there to see everything - we arrived when it opened and lefts just before closing and I'm still not sure if we saw everything. Loads of parking and great for kids.
Stephanie williams — Google review
I love Dover Castle, it is beyond fantastic
So many pivotal pieces of history happened here. You can spend an entire day exploring the premises, walking around and learning. Incredibly views, wonderful staff. A great day out for all ages. The price is quite steep but given the vastness, can't really complain! I believe you can get 10% off if you buy the day before online, so would recommend doing this!
Natasha G — Google review
Beautiful place perfect for a family dayout. The view from top is just spectacular. The castle, up and downhill walk around the garden is fun will keep everyone active all day.
The staff are very kind and helpful. They will help you plan the route if you're not sure where to start or if it your first time. Overall, the visit was great. Children had fun all the time. The Castle is a must visit place.
J Grg — Google review
I recently visited Dover Castle, managed by the National Trust in England, and it was an incredible experience. The highlight for me was the immersive journey into history at the war rooms, where you could almost feel the past come to life.
The breathtaking views from the castle are simply awe-inspiring. The white cliffs of Dover, the English Channel, and the serene landscape create a picture-perfect setting that's not to be missed.
However, I must mention that the parking situation was a bit inconvenient. Despite parking being available, we were directed to park outside the castle, which required at least a 20-minute walk, and this was quite challenging with young kids and a buggy. The gravelly and hilly path added to the difficulty.
On the positive side, the history within the castle walls is incredibly rich, and the maintenance of the site is top-notch. The tickets were reasonably priced for the value you receive, making it accessible to a wide range of visitors.
Be prepared for a lot of walking as exploring the castle and its surroundings can easily take 4 to 6 hours. I would highly recommend carrying water and snacks to keep energy levels up as you delve into this historic gem. Despite the parking hiccup, Dover Castle is a must-visit for history enthusiasts and those seeking stunning views of the English coastline.
Ajay — Google review
Absolutely loved my day at Dover Castle! The tower was my favourite with some amazing views at the top. The underground hospital tour was surprisingly entertaining, really well done, I felt I went back in time. I only regret the medieval Tunnels were closed to the public.
klaudyna kawecka — Google review
A must visit. Massive place with lots of different periods of history. Medieval tunnels are shut until summer 2024. We really enjoyed the great tower and looking through all the rooms. Great views of Dover. The church was nice too. Great place for people of all ages. Can be very windy.
Isabel — Google review
A massive place, so allow I’d say half a day of not all of it to visit. Tunnels are fab and views from the top of the tower are great. Cafe serves half decent food but overpriced as always at these places. Picnic is probably a better option if there a few of you.
Negative points for me is the bad signage and the lack of information boards to tell you what things are. Also the amount of distance you have to walk just to get to a toilet! Also the rudeness of some of the staff here is a disgrace! The woman in the shop next to the war tunnels has a bad attitude and would not show my daughter where the magnets were when asked! I wasn’t allowed in the shop due to not having my mask and she couldn’t even be polite about that! Also, if you’re going to enforce mask wearing then at least tell your staff to put their masks right over their face instead of just under their noses. One rule for all not just for us!! I’m not an anti masker, I forgot it.
Other then the negatives, I would visit again and allow myself more time to explore.
Caroline B — Google review
I was expecting just a castle but it actually has quite a bit more which surprised me. I found the tunnels in the cliffs more interesting than the castle as it's a bit different . We spent about three and a half hours there and missed a few things to see. The kids seemed to really enjoy it.
Stuart Wright — Google review
Amazing day. Kids loved it, loads to see. Would advise anyone who wants to go in the tunnels to get there early and do it straight away as wait times can build up. Summer holidays they have things for the kids to do on the green in front of the castle. Get the map in the ticket office it will help to make sure you see everything. There is a cafe and tea room but also plenty of picnic benches and grass if you take a packed lunch.
olly — Google review
Gorgeous view and super friendly staff! Little to do on Dover itself, but would definitely recommend a day trip just in the castle. With nice weather, you can even have a picnic on the castle grounds.
Fátin — Google review
What a fascinating place! I used my mobility walker and it was a bit of a challenge in some areas, but there is a courtesy disabled electric bus going constantly around the site which will pick you up and drop you off where you want to go. The staff are so friendly and helpful and very knowledgeable about the castle. The views over the Port of Dover are amazing. The Naafi Restaurant was nice although a bit pricey for a family to dine there. A meal of a small portion of macaroni cheese and a portion of garlic bread was priced about £9. I had a little bottle of juice and a bottle of spring water and it cost £5.75. I subsequently found that complimentary tap water is available. The staff were very helpful and friendly and there was an excellent disabled toilet with an adult hoist. Complimentary Mobility Scooters are also available on a first come first serve basis. If you need assistance to visit the castle, you can get a complimentary ticket with your adult ticket for your carer. We had a fantastic experience visiting and there is so much to see and do that to do it justice it would take another visit!
Rachel Camm — Google review
One word Stunning! I know if you heard it but never came along here you will feel the same even if you’re British or not. From the very beginning with a tiny bridge it starts your special journey. Castle, chapel, view or war tunnels it’s truly stunning. Be careful about to spare enough time because it’s big enough and tunnel tours are not self made tour. If you’re an English heritage member it’s free entrance. If you’re not become one.
PS. I would expect a better museum admission because of that many things would be more original or similar as it is not look like a toy specially inside the castle if it’s not main purpose of the design.
In tunnels you don’t even see the video specially at the second part.
I IGK (Daydreamer) — Google review
Stunning experience! Staying in Premier Best Western Hotel on the seafront. Staff were so lovely. 5 min drive to Dover Castle. Fantastic 2 nights away!
Jane Ross — Google review
I was a bit taken aback by the £30 entrance fee! But there is bundles to see and do here. Spent nearly 2 hrs walking around, up the Tower and along the battlements. Fantastic views of the Channel and the port. Nice cafe onside too, if expensive. Would advise again ordering the pizza, we didn't have it but everyone that we saw order it, sent it back.
Emma Hunter — Google review
Very easy, enjoyable day out. The Great Hall was the highlight, whilst the underground tours of the tunnels provided a fascinating glimpse at the second World War. We went on a Friday so it was relatively quiet but with a few school trip groups.
Tamara Marshall — Google review
I have been to this castle many times with my children. Everytime they love it and find something else to be excited about. The war tunnel are amazing , the castle is spectacular! On a sunny day you can see France from the castle. Spectacular views and steeped in history. I have been many times as a teacher and as a parent and highly recommend due to the facilities, the history and the knowledgeable staff!
Val Ross — Google review
A nice place to visit with scenic views all around and a peek into the history of the castle! You can also see the artillery and anti-aircraft guns used in WW 2. Be ready to walk a lot, though! Mind that the queues to the WW 2 tunnels might be longer!
Kaushal Vyas — Google review
Unforgettable experience!!!! Many place to visit (we spend 4 hours there) and the view are BEAUTIFUL me and my partner walk there from the city centre. Make sure u choose the sunny day and don’t forget to enjoy the view!!!
Pinn Sat. — Google review
Visiting Dover Castle was an enriching experience! Delving into the history of England's first frontier was fascinating. The castle's historical significance is palpable, and the views are breathtaking. A must-visit for history enthusiasts and anyone curious about England's rich heritage.
Omar Bhatti — Google review
Huge site, with lots to see. As a dog owner, dogs have very limited access on the site. I'm fine with this, but it's not clear why English Heritage policy varies so much. We have visited similar sites as members and have been able to access much more. Biggest issue wasn't able to get any drinks because dogs not allowed in cafes and no outdoor vendor at all. It would be a benefit to consider a kiosk type arrangement somewhere.
Lots of kids activities laid on for Easter, queues for the tunnels and hospital, but well managed and didn't wait long (dogs also not allowed into these).
Would benefit from Audio guides. Lots of history but not that well explained, so some areas information overload and some with no information at all. Some new displays evident which were much better.
Gail Davies-Walsh — Google review
Very large grounds with lots to explore. The castle itself has been kept in a way that represents how it would of been many years ago. The 2000 year old lighthouse is a fantastic piece of architecture that has really stood the test of time. Lots of modern fitments still in place including gun posts when it was protected in WW1/2. Great views from the top looking down across Dover. Plenty of parking, restaurant and lots of toilets to use, staff are very friendly and helpful. A great day out for everyone.
Karl Venus — Google review
Excellent and very well preserved example of castle building. Make sure to save plenty ty of time to experience the WWII tunnels and stories. Make sure to join English Heritage prior to going and sign up for entrance to the site and centers. If short on time, visit the tunnels first, then the castle grounds.
James Vickery — Google review
Beautiful large castle with lots of grounds to walk around, a really interesting walk around the interior with halls to visit and a route up to the roof as well as fascinating wartime tunnels with a really fantastic tour and videos. A couple of gift shops too with the usual stuff and a lovely cafe with proper cooked food too (although obviously quite expensive). Overall an excellent day out and you could easily spend a full day here so make sure you have plenty of time!
The staff at the ferry crossings at both Calais and Dover speak French and English, and they make the entire process very easy. I selected the premium lounge option as well as priority parking, and I was not disappointed in the experience at all whatsoever.
Christopher Combest — Google review
We had a pleasant time on board P&O ferry. Its the only ferry that provides Pet Lounge so our fluffy one can be with us. There is also complimentary soft drinks available in the pet lounge. Would strongly recommend travel with P&O ferries and book their Pet Lounge for a small fee.
Kevin Mao — Google review
We cross to Calais by foot and overall the experience was simple and enjoyable. You need to consider the check in, as it needs to be completed 90 min before the departure time. Once in Calais it was Sunday and there's no taxis/buses and you will have to walk
Daniel Picado — Google review
We took the boat to Dover via P&O Ferries, and from here to our accommodation in Robertsbridge. P&O Ferries is very good and we also had some delicious fish and chips here. I would recommend it to everyone.
On board there are several things to do, like a play area for kids, a supermarket and even a casino. There's also plenty of dining options and the food is of a high quality. Changing money is quick and easy on board.
We had a nice view over the sea and our car was safely parked downstairs. We didn't worry about anything, and we certainly didn't need to. It felt very safe on board!
Timo van den Berg — Google review
We took the Pride of Kent back and forth from Dover. Both in calais and Dover, there was a bit of a wait at the border (40min wait). Boarding was nice and easy. The ferry on itself is a bit old and was not exactly clean. The club lounge does offer a bit of quietness but toilets were really dirty (overall I would take that upgrade again).
Dunstan R. Alexander — Google review
Always fast and efficient.
Nicer experience than the other ferry companies that cross the Channel.
Staff very polite and welcoming when onboard.
GiggleBox Van — Google review
Travelled out on the Spirit of France and back to the UK on the Spirit of Britain, on the Dover/ Calais crossing, using the Pet Lounge both ways. The personnel were brilliant both ways and I would highly recommend the Pet Lounge when travelling with your dog. With free refreshments in the lounge and an outside exercise area for the dogs you can’t fault it! Well done P&O 👍
David Orritt — Google review
I'm stalk during orkan Eunice came. Spend two night on parking ,close next to armatores office ( after first check in gates). Toailet and shower available . Customer service P&O very friendly. Thank You.
Ez ZE — Google review
Good ferry service
Lounge clean
Starbucks and range of restaurants
Magic show and free balloons for kids
JO UFFU — Google review
We had a great experience with the ferry from Dover to Calais and back again. The ferry was nice and there were plenty of food options. Ran on time. Smooth experience
Jason Miller — Google review
We travelled on the P&O Pioneer ferry, which is one of the new ferries with beautiful interior. The pet lounge on the Pioneer is really big with lots of seating and a very nice outside area with seating, too. There was free tea, coffee, water and coke in the Pet Lounge and of course lots of bowls for water and food for dogs. Most seats also have a plug and charging point for mobiles and a hook under the table for dog leads.
Our dog definitely seemed to enjoy the crossing and far better than having to leave your dog in the car for the whole journey. You do have to book the pet lounge in advance for an extra cost, which I think is around £12, but considering the offer of free drinks it is very good value for money.
M T — Google review
When our Eurostar train from Paris to London was cancelled, made our way north to Calais and took the ferry from Calais to Dover. All ferries were booked up but we managed to get on the foot passenger waitlist, and were able to get on a ferry with the help of some wonderful staff at the Calais port (big shout out to Virginie - she was amazingly helpful). Once aboard, the ferry experience was great - huge ship, with several restaurants, bars, gambling areas, duty free shopping. Was very impressed with the quality of the travel experience.
Josh Levey — Google review
I am writing to express my disappointment with the level of preparedness exhibited by your staff in verifying documents for dogs arriving from Brazil. Despite presenting our official document issued by the responsible authority in Brazil, it was refused by your staff.This refusal resulted in additional expenses for us, as we had to spend an extra €250 to cross via the Eurotunnel. Upon arrival, all reception personnel at the pet checkpoint confirmed that our document was indeed correct and valid.Such a lack of competence and knowledge among your staff not only inconvenienced us but also led to unnecessary financial burdens. We expect better service and competence in document verification procedures to avoid such issues in the future.I urge you to address this matter promptly and ensure that your staff are adequately trained and equipped to handle document verification procedures effectively.
Adriane Malaquia — Google review
The staff were lovely, not a lot of seating available for waiting, coach was good, the actual ferry was not as comfortable as the one I arrived on but very clean, well organised. Good boarding and disembarking.
Samantha T — Google review
I highly recommend P&O Ferries than DFDS. I recently took a ferry from Dover to Calais and was impressed with the service and amenities. There are always long queues for security check and immigration checkpoints so I recommend you to get there earlier. Once on board, I was pleasantly surprised by the spacious seating areas and the variety of dining options available. The food was tasty and reasonably priced, and there were plenty of options for all dietary preferences. The ferry itself was clean and well-maintained, and there were plenty of restrooms available. The crossing was smooth and comfortable, and I arrived in Calais feeling relaxed and refreshed. Overall, I highly recommend P&O Ferries for anyone looking for a hassle-free and enjoyable way to cross the English Channel.
WanderLensBiker “WanderLensBiker” — Google review
Over the new cross channel ferries. The staff are very friendly and helpful. The prices were very reasonable and for Club Class, I went in Club class and you can have unlimited things to eat and drink, including wine and champagne and tea and coffee. For breakfast you can have cooked breakfast and crossiants or cereal and tea and coffee. For dinner you can have a cooked dinner like beef casserole and roasted vegetables and potatoes, and also quiche and salad. The lounge is lovely with comfy chairs and tables and also an outside deck with sun loungers.
The crossing didn't take long, about an hour and a half and you have to get there an hour and half before you sail, to get through customs.
Venetia Cattroll — Google review
Very efficient and fast moving terminal. Prices are the best around, we checked!
Plopsaland De Panne is a popular family amusement park located on the Belgian coast near the French border. It offers a wide range of attractions, from thrilling roller coasters to rides suitable for toddlers. The park features excellent themes and top-class coaster selections, including House of Anubis. Visitors can also enjoy Plopsaqua, a favorite among kids. Additionally, there's a hotel with delicious food and included dinner stays available for booking.
A Wonderful Day Out
Well worth the long distance travel from the UK, such an amazing park with lots of rides to keep you entertained.
Excellent themes around the park, all family friendly.
Top class selection of coasters including House of Anubis and the Excellent, frankly insane ride to happiness, absolutely my number one having managed 8 rides in total during my visit.
Food and drink is all reasonable priced, except for water which per litre is literally more expensive than beer? not that i am complaining. Hot dog and Drink came to under 10.00 euro, so fairly standard park pricing.
Staff are all super friendly, positive and really add to the guest experience.
Tickets are best purchased offline, using the bid and buy feature which provides a fairly decent discount on purchases, although it does appear to be genuinely random.
Lockers are available on site for varying costs depending on the size that you require.
Paul Hayes — Google review
Very fun place especially for little kids. Lots of additional playgrounds, fountains to play in, small, fun rides. No long lines or none at all when visiting on Wednesday off season. We'd come back in back to De Panne... Buy your tickets online and Google a discount t rate. There are promotions going on all the time
Bartosz — Google review
Really a nice theme park. The park is well maintained, relatively large and the staff is very friendly and helpful. We had a very nice and unforgettable day. The atmosphere was so pleasant and both staff and guests were very relaxed and friendly.
C J — Google review
the attractions are great, the decorations also but it is very very expensive (5€ the bottle of water). the waiting time can sometimes be a bit long and it would be great to have a real way to know them.
vladimir lorent — Google review
The price of drinks was insane! Doesn't feel as nice as our last visit a couple of years ago, so much emphasis on sponsors now! Heidi is an amazing ride though!! Great for young kids. Ride to happiness was painfully slow to get on to and uncomfortable to ride. The park is very clean though.
Becca Cairns — Google review
Wonderful theme park built around the many Belgian cartoon characters famous from TV such as Plop,Maya the bee and others.
Plenty of rides to choose from also for toddlers.
Don't miss the musical shows ,usually performed in Dutch and French simultaneously.
Parking is 15 euro.
Note:arm yourself with patience, waiting lines can be a bit lengthy.
Sufficient sanitary opportunities around with quality paper towels instead of those annoying heaters.
R_ASD ASD — Google review
We enjoyed this park, a great variety of rides for both adults and kids. We were lucky and lines weren't long for the rides on the day we visited, this made our experience very positive. But I can imagine when lines are long it can be very frustrating and completely changes the experience. Food and drinks are ridiculously expensive and disproportionately priced, in some cases more expensive than in Disneyland. One coffee and an ice cream €12. Ironically large beer on tap was only €6.
Ilya M — Google review
Visited during the off-season, and truly appreciated how the major coasters operated 2 or more trains making the queue even much shorter. The staff were very warm and hospitable - always serving with a smile. Park was conveniently located near the coastal tram stop, making it easy for tourists to visit via public transport from the major cities of Belgium. Went to Belgium just for The Ride to Happiness extreme spinning coaster and it totally exceeded my expectations! That coaster lived up to its name - it was a beast, and every re-ride was a completely different experience. Highly recommended for coaster enthusiasts out there!
Charles Mandy Ayran — Google review
Spent 2 days here, I believe it’s better than summer busy days, the line is not very long. The food and drinks are really expensive, better to bring some food and drinks if you want to stay a long day here. We spent more than €900 for the hotel and entrance fee , I think it’s totally ok, the hotel room is really interesting and very attractive to children. But I don’t want to pay €5,5 for a cola, it cost more than a fancy restaurant. it’s wicked to ask people pay so much higher to meet their basic need, it is not just.
Hao Yu — Google review
Small but really enjoyable theme park!
Ride to hapyness is one the best rides I tried! Also in love with the Heidi, a good wooden coaster.
Park Can be visited in a single day
Jean Christophe Beyer — Google review
Large amusement park with many rides for different ages. Sufficient places to eat so not a lot of waiting times around lunch time.
A bit of traffic building up to enter the park do plan for this. Public transportation is very close as alternative
Rosca George — Google review
The food price is freaking expensive ( way too overpriced ) compared to Phantasialand in Germany.
The best thing about the park is that there weren't huge queues to play games.
We were able to play almost all games before 16h00.
Exept for one that was closed due to the wind.
All in all good experience ,Recommended.
For the food better bring it with you.
Mohamed ANIBA — Google review
What a grate place to have some fun with you friends and family. Good vide. Plenty of games to ride and play. Best is to come early as possible like 6-7AM and then you have enough time to go through everything because it might be so busy at each game queues.
Bugs BunnyEh — Google review
We love our stay in Plopsaland! Hotel is nice : food are delicious. Dinner is included in our stays but the drinks are not (extra payment). Plopsaqua is also nice, our kids favorite in Plopsaland. We were booked Plopsa hotel in the weekend, so the prace are inclusive Plopsaland, Plopsaqua, parking and dinner. Every service went smooth. We enjoyed our short holiday.
Karuna Visser — Google review
Fantastic theme park. Visited on a Saturday in January over from England. No queues were longer than 2 minutes. Everything very clean, staff polite and my daughter had an amazing day here. Prices were high but no higher than an other similar attraction.
Glenn Kennedy — Google review
Fantastic theme park. Some rides are really amazing. Kids loved it.
Wait times got better to almost no wait time towards the end of the day on the Wednesday.
You can get a good deal if u buy ticket in advance. Note that they are quite strict on kids height, if below threshold, they will not let them go.
Imran Khan — Google review
Very nice amusement park, clean and spacious. We were there on Friday ( in April), it was not full, and some roller-coasters we could enter without waiting time.
However, for the biggest one ( Ride to Happiness) we were waiting about 30-40 min in the first half of the day. In the evening waiting time reduced to about 15-20 minutes. Our children ( aged between 8 and 12) were totally happy. However, the entrance price is incredibly high for a family. We were lucky and got a discount using Groupon ;)
Small notice: The park is almost on the sea side, and the wind was quite cold. So my advise is to have a little bit warmer clothes, than you would wear normally at such weather.
Maria Matveeva — Google review
The Best Thème Park for the whole family everyone find à suitable ride for himself!The park is clean ,there are micro wave at each picnic point ,many tasty restaurants and snacks , there is a farmhouse where you can feed goats .
You can find facilities everywhere.
If you are a family with babies and adolescents, this is the place where everyone can have fun . The staff is really kind as well.
The Centre national de la Mer in Boulogne-sur-Mer houses a large aquarium with sharks, sea lions and penguins, as well as a tropical lagoon full of colorful coral. This is a great attraction for children who can see some of the more exotic fish species at the aquarium. The historic sites and port of Boulogne-sur-Mer are also worth a visit while in Boulogne.
A truly wonderful day out. During our 6 hour visit we saw everything there was too sea 😉 and enjoyed every minute of it. We have many highlights to share with our family and friends. The auditorium is like the biggest and best TV you will ever see - truly stunning. Could have spent all day there alone, just watching.
My wife is slightly disabled, and being able (for free) to have use of a wheelchair (secured with your ID) made the day possible. And with at least 97% accessible with a wheelchair we missed nothing (other 3% you could still see, just not quite as close). Lifts (with notifications giving priority to wheelchair users) are plentiful and like everything else clean, and to a very high standard - and even some nice surprise.
Food, maybe is the only negative, we had a crepe for lunch and a coffee (no problems with that), as we planned a restaurant meal that evening, but the other offerings did seem excessively expensive and not that good.
In conclusion for a day out of memories, under €30 entry it is well worth a visit.
Ian Steel — Google review
It's a nice aquarium but a but expensive for what it was. We where done in 2 hours. Drove especially from Luxembourg for it which didn't seem to be worth it. Only nice if you are already in the area. Tickets should be maybe only 15 euro per person not 24.
Anusha Mian — Google review
This is a really big aquarium, with a huge central "pool" and then smaller aquariums all around. Lots of floors all having different topics about marine life. Very educational and fun, great family outing. Was quite crowded, but rightfully so. If you so fancy, the sand beach is right outside to build sand castles after (or swim in the sea).
Simon Willems — Google review
Fantastic experience. My view on jellyfish completely changed :) So beautiful... So much to see. Beautiful aquarium. Take it slow and pay lots of attention to what you can find in the aquarium. There is so much going on. Every fish sort had its own behavior. Unique. Never saw something like this before wrt aquariums.
Joost Maltha — Google review
Summary - a pretty damn good aquarium with lots to see and do for kids and adults. It makes The Deep (an aquarium in Hull) seem tiny!
We only went here as it was raining but we were certainly glad we did. The first point to note is that the ‘official’ car park has a height restriction so is no good for camper vans.
The place itself has two main exhibitions plus a penguin exhibition. The first one has a huge tank with sharks, sting rays and lots of lots of fish. This also has a tunnel through it was is good. There are lots and lots of smaller tanks and exhibits.
The second one is based on the coast and, again, has loads of small tanks and exhibitions. However the main attraction are the seals and you can only see these through a wall in their tank. This means that you can see them swim under water.
The third area is the penguins and these are in a relatively small area. However we were tired by this point so didn’t stay long.
There is the obligatory cafe (warning - expensive) and gift shop (reasonably priced).
In all we spent 4 hours there which ain’t bad for the €70 or so it cost. Well worth it.
James C — Google review
Lots of fish, as we walked the fish tanks never stopped! Recommend the large main tank with the manta ray, very cool and curious! The seals were very cool also!
Good crepes and hot chocolates
Zinc Rich — Google review
Nausicaa is truly an experience to take your kids once, to prepare them for the future and climate change. Even though the tariff is high, and yes some reviews do feel it is a glorified sea tank. However given the context we live in this project is remarkable and opens your eyes to the synergies between man and sea in a setting so interactive for kids and adult. Special packages can be introduced to make this accessible to all.
Ruchita Sharma — Google review
I have always wanted to go since I was a kid and we finally managed to get there. Absolutely amazing place, if you love an aquarium trip then you will love this place! Only advice I can offer is give yourself plenty of time to get around it as it's huge!
Stevie Bates — Google review
A great experience, lovely staff and an overall value for money visit. The variety is great too. They have penguins, seals and a large number of sealife including sharks and stingrays. I went with a school trip that I helped organise and can only say that I will be doing this in future! Visit if you can, you won't be disappointed.
Shabazz Siddiq — Google review
It’s very big and beautiful, their seal 🦭 show was pretty nice and the visiting steps are super interesting, they’ve got many fish i’ve never heard of, and a great sea experience!!!
joseph kettaneh — Google review
Great family day out. We spent 5 hours there with 3 kids and they were all entertained. The first part of the exhibition is very digital and tech heavy and there didn't seem to be many fish, but it greatly improved as we moved on to a different exhibition. Food options seemed limited, but the crepes were fresh and tasty.
Laura — Google review
We made a special visit to go as birthday present for our son. You can buy an additional day ticket for only €5 which is excellent value. We spent the second day seeing things we were too tired to appreciate the first day!
This is the best aquarium I’ve ever been to and highly recommend it. The welfare of the animals is paramount and it is obvious how well cared for they are.
The cafe is mediocre and quite expensive but functional and has the best view over the beach.
Best part is the huge deep water tank based on a site off Columbia in Pacific. The giant manta ray is particularly impressive.
Only downside was trying to buy an ice cream at the end and the staff member laughed with her colleagues at my poor French. I left customer feedback for that to raise training need but it meant that I left on a down note after 2 brilliant visits.
Please visit and enjoy but I can’t recommend the ice creams!
Rosemary Bolton — Google review
Lovely day out for all the family. Went for a day trip from the UK. Used the eurotunnel to get from Folkestone to Calais. From there, it's a straight forward 30 minute drive to Nausicaa. Spent a good 5-6 hours there and then drove back. The aquarium itself is fantastic and the staff helpful and friendly. Would definitely do this again.
Stephanie John-Baptiste — Google review
Very friendly personnel and also very helpful. The aquarium itself is quite big and split up in 2 main parts. It took us 4 hours and 30 to get through it all, at a slow though, which is not bad I think. The place is very clean and modern and there was not a lot of people so it was very comfortable, being a Saturday this was a little bit surprising. The big tank is amazing and is definitely a show stopper. Be sure to check out the giant manta, it's amazing. Parking is located on either side of the facility and is a Qparking. Be mindful however that the beach side parking 'la plage' didn't have Maestro working, so you were only able to pay there with cash, Visa, or Mastercard.
crazedentity — Google review
I didn't really think that this place lived up to the expectations. I would visit if I lived in the town, but wouldn't say its worth a long trip to see. The large centre aquarium is quite amazing but there were a lot of areas that just have screens and tv's. Personally, if I go to an aquarium I don't want to see screens... I want to see the real thing! Knocked off some stars for this reason, otherwise there's a wide variety of fish and cool things to see!
E M — Google review
It was an ok experience. I expected more than just one big fish tank and tiny sea lion and penguin areas. I feel bad about the animals, though, because they look very crammed. The penguins and sea lions enclosures, especially, looked so tiny! Loads of space for people to walk but not enough for the animals.
There were restaurants and a smoking area. I'd advise against using the loo if you can hold it because there are some shocking things to see, apparently. My husband went and came back traumatised 🤣
Yuliya Mulvaney — Google review
We spent around 2 hours here, one Sunday. It is an incredible place to visit. Definitely take your time to read all the interesting material that is on offer. The Aquarium is huge and very impressive, with a large array of fish & rare creatures. I would recommend this for all visitors in the area!
Terry Caton — Google review
Such a great experience to visit this aquarium! you can see different kinds of animals there in very close distance, I was so impressive. Highly recommend people to visit !
T Leung — Google review
Really cool and big aquarium with lots of animals to see. We spent 2h here and that was perfect! We visited on a very sunny and warm Sunday 2.5h before the closing so the aquarium was very empty and that made the experience even better! The sea lions show was stunning! And my favourite thing was the biggest aquarium. That one just leaves you speechless.
The only downside is that the ticket prices are quite expensive and I definitely wouldn’t want to visit on a rainy day as there are most likely be too many screaming children around. Additionally, there isn’t much interesting information about the animals.
Eva Meglič — Google review
Absolutely impressive. Huge aquarium/sea life center. I have visited many sea life centres in the world but this one definitely stands out. It has 3 distinct exhibitions: mankind & shores, journey on the high seas and in the eye of the climate. It’s a real deep dive into the ocean world, the aquaria are all super nice, the information is complete and the tone of the exhibition is informational, encouraging and positive. Instead of feeling depressed about the current state of the planet (which can be the case after visiting earth-related exhibitions) you walk out of this place with an informed, positive and motivated mindset, all thanks to the ‘both sides of the story’ perspective of the exhibition.
Due to its recency (it was completed in 2018) it feels very up to date.
The giant aquarium is super impressive (holding a 4m span manta ray), it has a great restaurant, and never felt extremely busy although we went on a holiday and there were many people inside. Throughout all 3 exhibitions nice and calm music helps set the tone, it’s very nice. We visited with 2 kids aged 10 and 12, and they absolutely loved it. Walked in at 11am, finished the tours at 4.30pm with a 1 hour lunch break. Very good value for money, highly recommended!!
Ilya Chardome — Google review
A great family day out while staying in the area. The huge tank where the bulk of the sea-life live can be seen from several places, including from above. We spent around 3 hours there. Parking in the nearby Q-Park Nausicaa is discounted if you're visiting the aquarium.
Ben Clarkson — Google review
An excellent attraction with a huge array of marine life.
There are lockers that accept one euro or one pound coins. But they get used up quickly so try to arrive early.
The giant mantaray is the highlight but there are various outstanding examples of marine life from sharks to seals, jellyfish, and much more.
Be warned, there are two main sections, so you might want to arrive early and do one side before lunch at the excellent onsite restaurant. Overall, it takes around 3 - 4hrs to get round unless you want to rush through!
The aquarium is also an educational resource, and has a lot on conservation and the changing world.
gavin white — Google review
Aquarium Nausicaa offers a large collection of marine life, making it a worthwhile visit for nature enthusiasts. The exhibits are well-presented (French and English) and provide educational insights into the ocean's ecosystems and the importance of conservation efforts. However, it's worth noting that the admission fee is relatively high. Parking options are available in nearby garages, but on weekends, the area can get quite crowded, which is to be expected.
Overall, Aquarium Nausicaa provides an immersive journey into the underwater world, despite some considerations regarding pricing and weekend crowds.
Nikita — Google review
Incredible aquarium. Easily the best one I've been to in France, and even rivals some I've been to in the US. The large tank which houses the stingrays and sharks and whatnot was definitely the highlight of the aquarium, I could have stayed there for hours just watching. Overall the aquarium was a great experience, lots to see and would definitely go back. Went on a Monday and there was hardly anybody there, with no wait line to get in.
Levi Merrill — Google review
Lovely place for a visit, you need around 4 to 5 hours to see everything, the exhibits are wonderful and well spaced out, the large tank is amazing and we spent nearly an hour just watching all of the fish there.
Kevin Jeffrey — Google review
Loved it . We bought tickets in advance online and no issues to get in. Nice place, very well looked after. A lot of interesting information and visual presentation.
msmula19 — Google review
The most amazing aquarium I have ever seen. The centre care about their animals !! The place is massive and such great exhibits from different areas of the world.
Chris Hodges — Google review
One of the best aquarium I have done. Kids were mesmerised and it was uged. We spend at least 3h in there. Lots of fun.
The In Flanders Fields Museum in Ypres, Belgium is a museum that covers the history of World War I in the Flanders region. The museum provides a comprehensive look at the war, from the details of campaigns to everyday lives of soldiers to impact on locals who were displaced. The museum encourages visitors to reflect on the major historical events and personal stories of individuals.
Beautiful church, was nice to learn the history of this town. Very sad but very informative; a true testimony to the war and the tragedy that befell the city and the victims of this war.
Cecilia Orozco — Google review
This is an excellent museum and well worth the price (you can get a joint ticket with the Ypres museum but this one is better).
It’s all about WW1 and is excellent. The tech is amazing with wristbands used as a access card for various displays. It works very well.
You can also pay an extra Euro 2 for an audio tour (we didn’t) and the same to go up the belfry which is really good.
If you’re interested in WW1 then go here before you is the tours of the battlefields and cemeteries as you’ll bet a better understanding of the absolute horror of what went on in the area.
It’s really worth the money (there is also an absolutely amazing ice cream and waffle shop across the road from the entrance!). Note that the museum cafe is very expensive. Best eat elsewhere off the main square.
James C — Google review
A wealth of information and genuine exhibits from the WWI era. Wireless touch points scattered throughout the displays enable visitors to receive more detail in a selection of languages. This enables visitors to explore beyond the basic information texts explaining exhibits. There is also a cafe. Also access to the clock tower and outside on the roof to admire the impressive views.
mark foster — Google review
The museum is housed in a beautiful building. It provides extensive information about the course of the war and displays some beautiful artifacts. There's also plenty of interactive opportunities with the wristband provided. Parking is available everywhere. Audio tours are available for €2. The staff is friendly and helpful.
Nikita — Google review
Great museum. Only downside is some of the information boards at the bottom of some of the displays are too bright making the actual displays a little difficult to see.
Carlos Alcaraz — Google review
An absolutely fabulous museum. So well done - we spent two and a half hours here and could have spent more but we had a ferry to catch. Absolutely go for the audio tour - so much information and it brought the exhibits to life. Going up to the bell tower was a great extra too - amazing 360 degree views across the roofs of Ypres.
Nicki Barker — Google review
A must visit if you're ever visiting Ypres, there is a small charge with a discount for those of us over 60. I totally recommend getting the audio assistance (only an extra €2) this will give you a commentary in English at each of the exhibits throughout as you go. You can also pay a little extra to go up to visit the Belfry (231 steps up) this is best for the reasonably fit BUT TOTALLY worth the effort.
I have visited the Museum & Belfry a good number of times, seen something new, & learned more on each visit. 'Lest We Forget' has become a saying we all know, the In Flanders Fields Museum really helps to truly explain the sayings importance.
Bob Burns — Google review
This place was a must-see. The museum itself was very interesting. The entrance of the gallery offers a well-written descriptions of situation in the years before 1914 (belle époque). We paid for access to the bells and views of the city, which was entirely worth it. We also were given wrist bands so that the exhibitions would be tailored to a particular identity. Unfortunately I did not take much advantage of it but would if I had more time.
Matt Wong — Google review
This is the best museum I have ever visited in my life, now 81 years so far. It uses audio visual media with remarkable success. Fact, drama and emotion combine for a powerful experience. Expect to be moved. I wish all politicians took the time to visit and learn. Very worthwhile.
Hugh PC — Google review
Wow! An extraordinarily good museum about the First World War! The exhibition uses many different media such as videos, audio tours, and classic showcases in order to get the information across. This is especially practical while travelling with kids, because it never gets boring. I also love how the museum contains historical artifacts from various countries, so that everybody can find something in their native language. I would advise paying the two euros to go to the tower, the view truly is astonishing! I spent two and a half hours here and I was not disappointed. Huge recommendation!
Clara V. — Google review
Great museum! It really humanizes the history of the Great War and makes it approachable. There are many videos and descriptions present. The trip to the bell tower is great too for only extra €2.
Mark — Google review
so very well done - we spent 4 1/2 hours going round. Profoundly moving
Great view from the top of the Bell tower - time it for the hour to watch and hear the carillon.
Ali Bakewell — Google review
I loved this museum. I spent around two hours inside and the audiotour was excellent for an additional €2; it enriched the whole experience.
There were three levels of detail to the tour- children’s (marked with poppies), the basic tour (shorter spiels) and then a greater depth version. Whatbi loved is that I could pick and choose based on what I’m interested in, I.e. learn more about the weapons, artists and trench life but could skip the actor’s monologues.
We also paid the extra €2 each to climb to the top of the tower. There were ~250 steps but the view was worth it.
The museum wasn’t too busy, though it was a Monday morning. The cafe wasn’t open and the gift shop was okay- prices weren’t too bad compared to other museums.
A great morning out!
Lauren Austin — Google review
Part of a history trip I've been on for a few years. Great museum and interactive areas which give greater insight into horrors of WW1. Certainly worth a visit and Ypres Town is beautiful
Linda Prendergast — Google review
This is a must to add to your itinerary. This museum has great displays with so much information and videos of actors telling real peoples stories, they were very moving and sombering. There are audio guides for different language options.
You can also climb to the top of the tower, not for the faint of heart but there are some lovely views.
The gift shop was great and staff were friendly.
Vanessa Becker — Google review
Contemporary approach to a very sobering topic. The building itself was beautiful and my children (11) loved the interactivity learning about the lives of different soldiers on the screens. We followed the visit by a short drive out to Tyne Cot cemetery which was beautiful and a sight to behold.
Can also highly recommend the waffle House opposite the museum- very reasonable and the ice cream was delicious
Peter Everett — Google review
This museum was memorable and moving. They have managed to create an engaging exhibit that commemorates the tragedy in Flanders while still sharing the fascinating history surrounding ww1
Ingrid Cunningham — Google review
A must see museum that shows the true horror that soldiers and civilians endured in the 1st world war. Including life in the trenches, free time, equipment, uniforms (of all involved) and medical care. Lots of awful statistics too. Very emotion and moving at times. Be good for the younger generation to learn all about the war and what happened. 10 euro entrance fee and we here here 3 half hours so good value for money. We paid extra 2 euro to go up bell tower. Their was also another exhibition at the end all about the military cemeteries. I took no photos as it did not seem right, just some from the bell tower. It was housed in a beautiful building that is undergoing renovations.
Sheila Brooks — Google review
Located inside the Cloth Hall this is an excellent museum with many interesting exhibits. It takes you through the war from start to finish.
The Menin Gate is a British war memorial located in the town of Ypres, Belgium. The gate is inscribed with the names of 54,896 military personnel who have lost their lives in battle here during World War I and II. It serves as a place of remembrance for those who have died, and it is also the location of a daily Last Post ceremony.
Excellent a sobering experience to see so many names from so many continents called to war.
There were pipers who marched though this evening and we listened to the last post. A truly humbling time on a beautiful sunny evening.
Andy Parsons — Google review
A wonderful memorial. Spend some time here to reflect on the men who walked through on their way to war and never returned. Be sure to catch "The Last Post" ceremony at 8:00 every evening. Be there 30 minutes early to catch a good viewing point.
Kevin Meier — Google review
Went to the last lost ceremony. What a service. A genuinely beautiful thing. It is under construction at the moment as the stone has become a bit weathered, i think. It is still a strengely beautiful place. If you're in the area...8pm every evening... get yourself there for the last post ceremony.
Craig Wood — Google review
Currently under major renovation so most of memorial under cover. Last Post at 8pm each night. Work will take a couple of years at present. Still a magical, thought-provoking place
Paula Vance — Google review
This is an absolute must visit along with the beautiful town of Ypres, whether a history buff or a casual visitor. Don't miss the the Last Post at the Menin Gate a ceremony that has been performed every evening since the Menin Gate memorial was opened. Plenty of accommodation and restaurants in Ypres.⁹
To the memory of the fallen.
Lest we forget ❤️ 🌹
gav perry — Google review
This is a WW1 memorial in Ypres, Belgium dedicated to the soldiers of British and Commonwealth whose graves are unknown. I & Family read there aloud a poem The Flanders Fields by John McCrae and we all were very moved visiting this monument and various Military Cementaries.
EllyO — Google review
Excellent. A fitting & moving monument to the soldiers & service men & women of The Great War. The daily evening service provides a few minutes to reflect & ponder the past as well as the future.
The thought of so many with unknown graves is so sad. The people of Flanders & in particular Ypres to maintain such a monument & tradition is testimony to their gratitude to those who died.
Tim Griffiths — Google review
Important!
The site is undergoing maintenance for all of 2023 so the gate is covered with scaffolding.
The site is astounding and worth a visit if you're in the city.
Every evening they pay tribute to those named here and lay wreaths to the fallen with buglers performing the last post. This tends to get very busy so be sure to arrive early.
Leon M — Google review
Was such a great atmosphere! The evening last post ceremony was incredible and something I will never ever forget. Would definitely recommend watching the ceremony as it's amazing to witness. The only reason for the 4/5 instead of 5/5 stars was because unfortunately when we visited there was scaffolding up but that can't be helped-hoping to visit again when the scaffolding is gone!
Gemma Hollingworth — Google review
A very sobering experience. To see the 50,000+ names makes them people and not just part of a statistic. The remembrance ceremony at 20.00hrs each day is very well done, is somber, and they do ask people not to applaud.
Point and shoot pics — Google review
Such an evocative place.
So, many names of those who have no known grave and from so many different nations.
It is a sobering experience just to see so many names, ranks, regiments.
On the right hand side (if approaching from town) and just before you go under the gate there is a slope, if you walk up there you can find the Indian and the Ghurka memorials. There is also a fabulous scale model of the Menin Gate with Braille panels for those with a visual impairment.
You won't be disappointed and if in the area it is a must see monument to those who gave their tomorrow's for our today's.
Shona Floyd — Google review
Amazing experience this. Playing of the last post. Every night at 8pm. Loads of people came to see it. Very moving experience. Something you must see in your life. Highly recommend. Would even of made a long trip to see it.
Greg Vizer — Google review
Our generation need to remember and salute those who fought but had no future themselves.
The quiet restrained experience of listening to those 3 bugles makes you feel humble in this torrid world.
"Give peace a chance" If only !
Michael Stewart — Google review
We attended the Last Post Ceremony which takes place at 8pm daily. A very moving act if remembrance. Get there early so you can see what's going on.
Lyam Galpin — Google review
Only reason for 4 stars is scaffolding is up so couldnt see the actual gate but went there for armistice day and watched the last post ceremony from the town centre and it was a beautiful service
0d3LL — Google review
A truly humbling experience. This was the highlight of our short trip to Belgium. A must visit for those wishing to pay their respects.
John Busby — Google review
I already visited the Menin Gate many times in my life and when I did yesterday 26.09.23 I found the Gate currently being restored which of course was a shame. However, I fully understand the necessity of doing so and look forward to see the Gate again in its full beauty.
The Poppies wreath is to be found in front of the Gate about 50 mtrs further down the road.
Lest we forget 🏵️
Multimedia, museum of WWII & French occupation, plus 3D planetarium in huge, 1940s rocket bunker.
One of the larger nazi bunkers in the world. It was constructed in only 10 months, but never became operational. After the allied forces destroyed most of it, some of it has been preserved and turned into this museum dedicated to the development of the V2 bomb. Interesting to visit for those who like rocket science and space and who want to learn more about the history of it.
Thomas B — Google review
Great historical WOII site. A V2 launching site built in a couple of months. From life in the area during occupation, through to horrible images of forced labor in the German rocket factories by prisoners in concentration/death camps.
Luckily, you can easily skip the parts unsuited for sensitive children.
Michiel Kerstens — Google review
This is amazing place to visit. The WW2 buildings are both amazing (size, scale, speed of construction) and horrifying in equals measures. The museums are good and certainly tell the history well.
So why not 5 stars? Well the planetarium is good and the 3D affects amazing. However the movie we saw was advertised as being in English as well as French. They give you headphone for the English which is fine. What is not fine is that only 15 minutes of the 45 minutes is in English and the rest is in French. If they had told me that upfront I would have saved my money (and I did ask).
In summary the WW2 building and muse
is amazing. The planetarium is also amazing….as long as you can speak French.
James C — Google review
One of the best museum I have visited! Great multimedia and real size rockets. Definitely recommended!
Bartek Dyras — Google review
Excellent historical museum. Shows the development of the German WW2 rocket programme in a massive concrete bunker. Fascinating place would visit again. The audio visual tour was fantastic and good value for money
Chris Meadows — Google review
This centre is amazing, the French have done a fantastic job on this architecture of destruction. It's set on a few levels with a built in elevator that makes getting around easy. They have a doodlebug V1 full size a V2 full size, dicriptive videos and curators dotted about to answer any questions. The site is well worth a visit especially if your following the WWII scenes as we as a group are, and we were not disappointed with our findings. There was still the untouched damage that was left by the Brits in the bombing runs that cascaded down. Definitely a visiting center that shouldn't be missed. If you enjoyed this review then please give me a like. Many thanks Marcus 👍
Marcus Simpson — Google review
A museum I recommend. Reasons: 3 distinctive parts: 1). La Coupole: who/what/where/why - 2). Peenemunde (for those who have not visited the site in Germany you receive a nice recap - 3). The NASA era after the war.
Geert Lambrechts — Google review
An amazing place with historical significance. I found it lovely how everything was in french and English. Beware that the temperature inside is very low, don’t go wearing a t-shirt like I did, you’re gonna freeze.
Theseas — Google review
Great find. Nestled in the French countryside this little gem. Be warned some of the videos and pictures are more graphic than perhaps we are used to in the UK. Very informative and at time very thought provoking.
Kevin Colclough — Google review
This is a real hidden gem in the French countryside. We arrived not quite knowing what to expect but we're pleasantly surprised.! You can quite easily spend a full day there and they allow overnight stops with a motorhome, free of charge too..
The 360 Planétarium shows different films thouout the day say you do need to plan your day there..
I would suggest that some of the museum in not for small children.
A really Informative day out and I highly recommend it. Cafe area and shop are very well stocked. Overall, great value for money.
Allen Molloy — Google review
Never knew about this place until we saw it on the history show on Disney Plus. What an amazing experience. Make sure you catch the DDay show at the planetarium.
Frances Salas — Google review
Wonderful memorial and museum. V1 and V2 missiles on display as well as footage from the occupation. Thoughtfully laid out and hugely interesting. Shocked at how war criminals were pardoned after the conflict and set to work in American and Russian space programs.
Didn't have time (ferry to catch) to do the planetarium so can't comment on that but it did look cool.
Derek Crabtree — Google review
Wow awesome find on the way to Lille. So much history and not for the feint hearted . Our kids who are eight years old liked the rockets didn’t understand the war history. Plenty of footage that runs for 20+ minutes all around the bunker - dozen or so videos is my guess. We had to miss so much history cause they were bored. Graphic photos and footage but the cafe at the end helped. Didn’t see the 3D cinema but looked great. We purchased the family pass plus 1 child. 28EU and well worth it.
Jimmy Lee — Google review
Fantastic visit, great value at 10.50 euros each.
Incredible museum and display.
Thank you to the multi lingual staff.
Motorhomingmadness — Google review
What a fascinating museum to visit. I couldn't recommend this place enough if you love history. Not too far from Calais either.
Barry Hodge — Google review
Very interesting museum for all ages with some films, displays and original items to guide you through the museums. Not really under 5 yo friendly apart for the rockets and car hanging and the film / display on concentration camps are definitely not for them but they can sit next to the film projection and not see anything. I was warned by the friendly staff beforehand which was very helpful.
Highly recommend visiting this WWII memory site.
Audrey Larrive — Google review
Very nice maintained WWII site. Most of the explanation was available in multiple languages.
The audio guide is good, but has some errors. The gift shop and cafetaria is good too. We saw the show of the falling stars, that's a pitty it was only available in French.
Had a great day and learned a lot about terrible weapons. Seems like humanity didn't learn a thing from the past
Vieux-Lille is a vibrant area that boasts the intricate Old Stock Exchange from the 17th century. The region is bustling with activities, including redbrick houses, trendy cocktail bars, and restaurants that serve outdoor dining. Notable landmarks in Vieux-Lille include the medieval Hospice Comtesse Museum, Porte de Gand monument, and the impressive Notre-Dame-de-la-Treille Cathedral from the 19th century.
Grand Place, also known as Place du General de Gaulle, is a renowned square in Old Lille characterized by impressive architecture and an expansive terrace dotted with restaurants. It features a remarkable monument and fountain that add to its allure. The Grand Hotel Bellevue - Grand Place, located within this vibrant area, showcases Flemish-style architecture and offers elegant accommodations with marble bathrooms and antique furniture.
The heart of Lille! Great place to walk around and feel the city's vibe. There is always something going on here, and big events such as the Xmas Ferris Wheel and the Video mapping Festival are held here.
Bernardo Pagnoncelli — Google review
Amazing place to visit during Christmas season.
Beautiful vibes, nice decorations, yummy food and games for adults and kids.
Moreover, the architecture of the buildings is spectacular.
I highly recommend this place.
Mirey Nehme — Google review
A must visit when you are in Lille. All the buildings surrounding the place are incredibly beautiful
Esther Ollé — Google review
Real nice lights, Christmas ambiente, music and a lot of people enjoying the coming festive days. Better go to the stairs of the theater for a better view and photo.
Yassen ?Frickelbude? Todorov — Google review
The very heart of Lille and does not disappoint. The eclectic mix of building styles actually makes the Grand Place unique and interesting. I had a lovely meal at President brasserie on the Grand Place who accepts solo diners.
Pahris Android — Google review
Heart of the town, main square. Lot of tourist, lot of restaurants and bars, great spot for picture
Kasia — Google review
The heart of the historic Lille - alongside the Place Louise de Bettignies & streets around...
Every building here is worth a closer encounter :)
Peter Agoston (Petros The Musician) — Google review
Situated in Charles de Gaulle square in Lille surrounded by 16 century architect great place to visit.
Alex — Google review
Très belle place . The Grand Place of Lille is wonderful, especially in summer. It is very clean and filled with numerous restaurants and cafés. It is definitely a must-visit place in Lille.
Mika — Google review
Atmosphere where you feel relaxed and living like in a different world
Nikka B — Google review
Very beautiful, the beggars can be annoying, don't give them anything and pay attention to your bag cause they can have one sneak behind you to steal stuff from your bags. Otherwise enjoy this place.
Brown Michael — Google review
Lille’s biggest square where you can find the goddess statue, the vielle bourse, the theatre alongside different restaurants. This place is vivid and full of people.
Globetrot With Mikalys — Google review
Grand Place
General Charles de Gaulle Square is historically the central square of the city of Lille and houses the largest market in the area.
Nice architecture, with many beautiful buildings around it. Cobbled streets that lead you to discover the magic that is hidden in the adjacent streets and the smallest alleys.
The Louvre-Lens Museum is a contemporary gallery that showcases artworks from the Louvre in Paris, as well as temporary exhibits. The Galerie du Temps offers a unique and minimalistic display of art from Europe, the Near East, Egypt, and India. Unlike traditional museums, the artworks are not hung on perimeter walls but are arranged geographically and chronologically to create a three-dimensional experience for visitors.
Loved this, a capsule collection almost - showcasing world history in an accessible way, with some English interpretation boards. Free entry for all and a lovely little gift shop. Outside there are further boards explaining the history of the site as a coal mine, with a view of the famous pyramids of coal waste. Inside there is also a model of the site as it was as an industrial coal mine.
Elizabeth Anderson — Google review
I had always wanted to visit the Louvre-Lens and I finally went on a Sunday. The bus lines were not running, so I had to walk from the train station. It is a very long walk, longer than what they advertise on the museum's website. The museum is in a beautiful building, and the visit is relatively short. They have relatively few, but very interesting works of art spanning several centuries. The gallery is one large open space, and I noticed kids get less bored with this configuration compared to a regular museum. The indoor picnic area is quite convenient, I strongly recommend bringing your own food. Oh, and it is free. Worth a visit!
Bernardo Pagnoncelli — Google review
Very impressive museum with a stunning permanent collection presented in a very original way. The outside area and the building are very beautiful. We loved our visit!
Evangelia Sylleliadou — Google review
Wonderful exhibition Champollion, well curated and really well explained. The modern architecture of the museum is stunning as well as the lovely park surrounding it. Lens is lucky to have this gorgeous museum
claire sancelot — Google review
I thought this museum is a great idea to spread arts culture to a depressed city. I guess I was disappointed by its size, they should call it micro Louvre,
... 2 rooms compared to the 450,000 rooms in Louvre! I was hoping for a bit more...
Barbara Tomasella — Google review
This is a wonderful place to visit. I loved it! The very open plan design of the museum was so inviting and the special exhibition of Fantastic Animals with the masked attendants in the foyer was spectacular. I would have given the visit 6 stars out of 5 were it not for the dreadful parking facilities. We drove around the nearby residential streets for way too long (the offsite recommended parking lots were small and full). If you build it, they will come. If they come, you need to provide parking.
Elizabeth Niven — Google review
A small but very impressive collection from the Louvre located around an hour away from Calais.
Impressive building design and architecture and contents spanning human development to the present day.
Parking available close to the museum, recommend to allow 1-2 hours for a comprehensive visit.
Edward Pym — Google review
The gallery of time is fascinating (from Egypt to Romanticism), highly didactic and can be accessed for free. Temporary exhibitions can be accessed for a reasonable fee. They are wonderful, with all the resources of Le Louvre behind.
Alain Orban — Google review
Small museum in the village of Lens in the north of France. Displays a number of items from the main Louvre in Paris. For school students and local residents a wonderful way to get ideas about who we are, where we come from, why we are who we are.
MR — Google review
Great space, welcoming, very kid friendly - a complete surprise! Really impressed and really enjoyed.
Sarah Murray — Google review
The museum is free but very small compared to the Louvre in Paris. There is also a temporary exhibition (not free) and a big park around the museum. The building is very modern architecture and spacious.
GentilDanseur GOOGLE — Google review
One of the nicest museums we had visited so far. It’s spacious - aesthetic architecture, with a beautiful park around it.
Reeta BW — Google review
Very nice and interesting museum. Not too big ,ideally if you have about 2-3 hours time. The permanent collection is free, the special temporary collection is 11 EUR but always worth it! Ability for a drink in the main hall, and a nice museum shop.
heidi Van Steerteghem — Google review
Amazing building to begin with, impressive architecture. Once you get in, the non-permanent exhibitions are always worth the trip, stenography at its best, and multiple experiences available on top of the main exhibition. Must go !
Stanley David de Lossy — Google review
Very nice smaller museum. Super interesting building and great exhibition in rather unexpected place. Worth a visit.
Bojan Pavicic — Google review
Great collection. The grounds are lovely too. I also enjoyed the special eclair in the cafe. It was made to celebrate the mythical beasts exhibition - which annoyingly for me started the day after my visit and would have been exactly what I’m into. Despite my timing a great gallery.
Phil Corbett — Google review
It’s hard to get a car between the train station and the museum, so factor 30 min of walking time each way. The museum is nice, not as big as i thought. If you don’t appreciate a good Sanaa building, you might be little disappointed with the exhibit alone.
Justin Jiang — Google review
Unexpected treasure. We didn’t know it exists till we went to this area. They should do more promotion. And only one, it would be nice if there will be one pyramid infront of the museum 😃🥴😉
Chandrakanta Gavel — Google review
What a fantastic day at the Louvre-Lens! 3000m² with over 200 works of art...so beautiful!
Don't miss the gift shop - although rather expensive, it is filled with gorgeous things. We would go again!