This castle, with its lush gardens and delicious café treats, is fit for a king, and a queen’s mother.

The Duke of Wellington, Winston Churchill and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother are among the list of Wardens to the grand Walmer Castle and its fine gardens. Built in 1540 under King Henry VIII’s reign, Walmer Castle was a defensive fortress against Spanish and French threats. Explore the castle’s ornately decorated interior and see the rooms that the duke and queen made their own. An original pair of “Wellington Boots” and the duke’s armchair are on display inside the castle.

The castle protects the lush Walmer Gardens from the salty English Channel winds, allowing a diverse selection of plants and trees to thrive. Walk among the rows of blooming English flowers, manicured hedges and a pond crowned with lily pads. Visit on a sunny day and stretch out on a deckchair while bees hum in the blossoms. The garden has a feature for every season and uses every inch of space for beautiful displays. Even the dry bed of the castle moat is now filled with magnolia trees.

Visit the on-site café to sample tasty dishes that feature produce from the surrounding kitchen garden. This part of the garden includes a diverse vegetable patch and an apple and pear orchard. Enjoy a pot of English breakfast tea and a slice of cake on the sheltered lawn.

Drive northeast from Dover to Walmer Castle and Gardens in just 15 minutes. You’ll find plenty of on-site parking. Alternatively, board an inexpensive East Kent bus and reach Walmer in half an hour.The admission fee to Walmer Castle includes an audio guide, which provides an immersive and informative experience of the castle chambers. Opening times vary seasonally so call ahead to confirm the dates for your trip. Stroll along the seafront to the nearby Deal Castle, a 25-minute walk away, and make a truly royal day of your visit.

Plan a trip to see Walmer Castle and Gardens

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Sandman Signature London Gatwick Hotel

Save 100% on your flight

per person

9 Aug - 11 Aug

found 1 day ago

Return flight included

Edinburgh (EDI) to London (LGW)

8.2/10 Very Good! (1,003 reviews)

The service was excellent and the rooms were amazing.

Reviewed on 5 Jun 2024

Best Western Princes Marine Hotel

Seafront

per person

8 Jul - 14 Jul

found 11 hours ago

Return flight included

Belfast (BFS) to London (LGW)

8.8/10 Excellent! (1,001 reviews)

We paid extra for the sea view which was lovely, the staff were fine, the man on in the evening was great showing us his magic tricks. The room, however very clean, had paper thin walls. You could hear everything from someone filling up their kettle and putting the lid on, to someone coughing in their room. Check out is at 11am, but the cleaner seemed to start her shift at 9am to which you could hear every move from her plugging in her hoover in one area, hoovering, moving and plugging it in another. Seems like downstairs they had a chair moving competition as there was constant scraping of chairs from about 6am. You could hear every time someone flushed their toilet as it ran the water in the bathroom as if you had flushed it in your own. The lift didn’t work once when we tried it. The entrance to the car park is also tiny, if we had taken my 4x4 I would’ve honestly been worried that the sides would’ve been scratched by the walls. The positives are the price, the staff, the free parking. I should have believed Google when it said it was a 50 minute walk to the pier, though. But thankfully there is a bus right outside for only £2 one way.

Reviewed on 6 Jun 2024

Bloc Hotel London Gatwick Airport

per person

9 Aug - 11 Aug

found 1 day ago

Return flight included

Edinburgh (EDI) to London (LGW)

8.8/10 Excellent! (2,829 reviews)

Convenience to departure gates and shops.

Reviewed on 6 Jun 2024

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