Hampton Court Palace Visitor Guide

I visited Hampton Court Palace after seeing the recent RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show. It made for a long, tiring day but a really enjoyable day too.

Hampton Court Palace is best known as the former home of King Henry VIII and therefore as a Tudor Palace but King William III and Queen Mary II planned to rebuild their 'old-fashioned' palace in the 17th century. Sir Christopher Wren started the work but a collapsed wall, Queen Mary contracting smallpox and then dying, and the funds running out to continue the renovation, has left us with a half Tudor, half Baroque style building.

The Maze is always popular but I like the Privy Garden on the other side of the palace - look out for the Great Vine: planted in 1768 by the celebrated gardener 'Capability' Brown, and still produces a yearly crop of black, sweet grapes that are sold in the palace shops in early September.

Hampton Court Palace Resources
1. Hampton Court Palace Introduction
2. Getting to Hampton Court Palace
3. Opening Hours
4. Hampton Court Palace Ticket Information
5. Family Activities
6. Access Information
7. Hampton Court Palace Highlights

Image: © Laura Porter | Laura's London Travel Blog