Warwick Castle is a medieval castle originally founded by William the Conqueror in 1068. With 1100 years of history, it has existed as a fortress, royal residence and today is one of the best castles to visit in England. It has huge amounts of history and is incredibly well-preserved.

How To Spend Your Day At Warwick Castle

Here’s what we did during our day out to Warwick Castle.

The Ramparts

Warwick Castle was a fortified medieval castle so protecting the castle from attacks was important. The ramparts were used for observation and defense of the castle from their elevated walls.

You can walk up to the ramparts and along them for a good view over the castle.

Be warned: walking the ramparts involves lots of narrow, winding tower staircases which you have to climb up and down. If you are at all claustrophobic give the ramparts a miss. I was determined to complete the full walk but had to stop half way and go back down to the bottom on very shaky legs!

Great Hall and State Rooms

The medieval Great Hall with its chequered flagstone floor and weapons display is an impressive sight to behold.

The State Rooms are some of the best that I have seen in an English castle. They are really magnificent, and a nice touch is the models of the historical inhabitants in each room. Our favourite was the drawing room where Henry VIII and his six wives were in residence. This really makes the history of the rooms come alive, and helps you relate to them as a visitor.

In fact this is a general theme of Warwick Castle – making history come alive. They make the history engaging and accessible, so you are learning without realising it.

The Dungeons

This one is for adults and older kids only and is an extra charge (£10 at the time of writing).

It involves walking down narrow staircases into the dungeons of the castle in darkness. Once you are down there you walk through the dungeons while character actors, such as a medieval judge, tell you stories of the castle and give you a few jump scares. Audience participation is a big element of the dungeons tour.

It’s interactive and immersive, and a lot of effort has gone into the dungeons experience. Be warned: it’s not for the faint-hearted!

The Kingmaker

Learn about the preparation for 15th century battle in this immersive walk through experience with the sights, sounds and smells of life in the castle ahead of an actual 1471 battle.

If you love seeing history come alive like this, with the sounds and smells of the past – I would strongly recommend Jorvik in York. Read more about Jorvik here.

Time Tower

See Warwick Castle through the ages in this modern exhibit detailing 1100 years of the castle’s history. Walk through rooms of the castle watching videos of characters coming to life in this multi-media journey through the rulers of Warwick Castle down the centuries.

Zog Playground

Just outside the castle walls is the Zog Playground, a huge children’s play area with Julia Donaldson’s Zog story and characters as the theme. The kids will love this adventure playground with slides, zip lines and obstacle courses.

Horrible Histories Maze

Next to the Zog playground is the Horrible Histories Maze. This is a genuine hedge maze geared towards the kids, with history around every corner. The kids have to work their way through the maze getting a stamp in each section. They’ll learn about the Tudors, Stuarts, Victorians, Vikings and more without even realising it. As we’ve already talked about, Warwick Castle does a fantastic job of bringing history to life in an engaging way. The kids were learning while they were having fun!

Know where else you’ll find a fabulous maze and family fun in a historical setting? Chatsworth! Read my full guide to Chatsworth here.

The Grounds

As well as all the attractions of the castle itself, the grounds are worth exploring, with peacocks casually meandering through and perfect views of the castle. If you time it right, you’ll be able to catch a jousting tournament, falconry show or battle reenactment.

Where To Eat

You have a few choices in the castle. Our favourite was the Undercroft Cafe in the castle cellar – for sandwiches, light bites and cakes.

There’s also the slightly more formal Coach House restaurant which is a good spot for a cream tea.

You’ll find more quick and casual eating available in the courtyard where a number of kiosks offer takeaway refreshments.

Final Thoughts

Warwick Castle sits just on the right side of commercialisation. It stays true to its medieval roots and respectful to its history. You are encouraged to have fun, but also learn about the history of the castle while you’re doing so. It’s no surprise its so popular with school trips.

They do such a good job of making history accessible for visitors, which is why I’d say Warwick Castle is my favourite castle to visit in the UK for families.

If you like visiting castles I have lots more castle guides for you to read. See the full list here.

Warwick Castle Tickets

Tickets can be purchased directly on the Warwick Castle website for £26. Discounted tickets can be found on Get Your Guide for £21.99 – use this link for the discounted ticket rate, and you’ll also see options for combination tickets for other attractions.

If you’d prefer to join a tour combining Warwick Castle with other local highlights such as the Cotswolds and Oxford – Viator has some great options. Use this link for discounted Viator tour prices.

You can buy Warwick Castle tickets at the door, but they are more expensive – make sure to buy your tickets in advance!

Where To Stay Near Warwick Castle

Warwick Castle has plentiful accommodation onsite. Your top choice should be the brand new Warwick Castle Hotel, only a 10 minute walk through the grounds of the castle. This is a great hotel for families and is strongly medieval themed – I would highly recommended staying here. Read my full review of Warwick Castle Hotel here. For the best room rates on this hotel you can use booking.com.

Alternatively you have the nearby market town of Warwick, with its cobbled streets and pleasant atmosphere.

Further afield is Royal Leamington Spa, a grand regency town abuzz with University of Warwick students.

How To Get Here

Warwick Castle is a 2 hour drive from London, and only 30 minutes from Birmingham.

Looking to spend more time in Birmingham? Try these 12 things to do in Dudley and Birmingham.

Further Afield

There’s so much more to do in the area – read my full guide to Warwickshire coming soon!