English Castles - Windsor and Leeds

Nothing quite says England like a castle. Except a cup of tea. A cup of tea in a castle? Anyway, I only had time to visit two castles - Windsor Castle and Leeds Castle - and admittedly neither one for very long.

Windsor Castle, The Queen's Home
19.20 Pounds (29.95 USD)

I only toured a little bit of the grounds of Windsor Castle and didn't go inside anything other than St. George's Chapel. But your ticket allows you to visit the State Apartments, decorated to reflect some of the older monarchs from the 17th and 19th centuries. You can also check out Queen Mary's doll house, the largest in the world built between 1921 and 1924, featuring electricity and running water. Between September and March the Semi-State Rooms are open, which are used by the Queen for official events and entertaining. Lastly you can attend service, or simply tour, at St. George's Chapel (except on Sunday).

As a residence of the Queen, Windsor does host the Queen's Guard. Changing of the guard takes place at 11:00 am every day and includes a small parade including the band. It takes about half an hour and takes place just outside St. George's Chapel. Arrive 10-15 minutes early to get a good viewing spot.

The hours of Windsor and its various rooms vary throughout the year, so it's best to check the website, here. Prices also vary slightly based on the time of year. Be prepared for a thorough, airport-style, search before entering the grounds. Allow 2-3 hours for a full tour.

The Queen's Guard at Windsor Castle

My favorite things about Windsor: You can get much closer to take a great picture of a Queen's Guard. The old moat has been filled in with a beautifully decorated and maintained garden. All of the lights on the lampposts have crowns. The town around the castle is very nice and could easily help fill whatever is left of the day after touring the castle.

Leeds Castle - The World's Loveliest Castle
24 Pounds (37.44 USD) - this ticket can be used repeatedly for an entire year

I wish I had had an entire day at Leeds. The castle and its grounds are stunningly beautiful and on a nice day you could spend an hour or so just sitting beside the lake, doing nothing.

The castle was built during the reign of William the Conqueror and after being passed down as a royal residence for 300 years it became a private residence. The castle remains in the style of the last private owner, Lady Baillie, who purchased the castle in 1925. Prior to her death she established the Leeds Castle Foundation which has owned the castle since her death in 1974.

Lady Baillie Mediterranean Garden Terrace

Aside from touring the castle there's a lot to do at Leeds. I'm deeply saddened that I didn't get to play in the maze - made of 2,400 yew trees. Finding your way out of the maze leads to the underground grotto. After the maze you can visit the Bird of Prey Center with 22 birds and free flying demonstrations. If you want some leisure time you can send the kids of to one of 2 playgrounds and take a float around in the moat, in a boat of course (called a punt and costing an extra 5 pounds). The grounds also house 3 beautiful and full gardens. If you're looking for something a little more out of the ordinary try the Dog Collar Museum (seriously) or the Go Ape! Ziplines.

Leeds also hosts a lot of special events and exhibits throughout the year - all posted on their website and changing through the seasons.

Open April - September 10:30 am - 6:00 pm. October - March 10:30 am - 5:00 pm.

My favorite things about Leeds: The gardens are amazing. Full of beautiful, and some strange, flowers it makes for great photos and offers some unique views over the lake. I'm pretty sure the maze would have been a favorite, if I had experienced it. The grounds are huge, and spread out so it never seemed crowded - in the castle or out.