Day Trip to Highclere Castle from London (Downton Abbey)

Highclere Castle is a beautiful estate that was made famous from the popular show Downton Abbey. Any Downton Abbey fans must visit Highclere Castle on their next trip to London.

It’s a bit out of the way for London visitors, so if you’re trying to plan a day trip to Highclere Castle from London, I’ve got a complete guide to help you go without the hassle.

The author in front of Highclere Castle — Highclere Castle

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First, What to Expect: Is Highclere Castle Exactly Like Downton Abbey?

Highclere Castle is the real name of the house made famous in Downton Abbey. Most people who visit Highclere Castle are fans of the show. This was the case for us as well.

Downton Abbey ran for six seasons and three movies (so far) and was incredibly popular all around the world.

The castle exterior, gardens, and several rooms were used in filming Downton Abbey. It is a real treat to see it in person after admiring it on TV for so many seasons!

But should you expect it to look exactly the same?

Well, almost! Almost everything inside Highclere Castle was kept the same for filming, including all the artwork and furniture. It really does feel like you’re stepping into the show!

Differences Between Highclere Castle and Downton Abbey

The lamps. The only thing that was changed in the house were the lamps. This was to be more historically accurate to the time period of Downton Abbey.

The kitchen. The kitchen in Downton Abbey, where most of the servants’ scenes were filmed, was a studio set. This is because the kitchen in Highclere Castle is too modern. You also can’t see the actual kitchen on the tour of Highclere Castle, unfortunately. I think because it’s off limits or in use (or both). A lot of people were disappointed about that, so it’s good to keep in mind.

Fun fact: Both Highclere Castle and Downton Abbey were converted into hospitals for wounded soldiers during World War I.

Quick Facts about Visiting Highclere Castle

Spring 2025 Opening Dates: April 12-16, 19-24; May 2-6, 25-29
Summer 2025 Opening Dates: July 6-August 28. Closed Fridays and Saturdays.
Special Events: The castle is open for special events and guided tours on select dates throughout the rest of the year for an extra charge.
Ticket Prices: £22.50 – £29 per adult for the self-guided tours
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Last admission to the house is 4 p.m. Park gates close at 5:30 p.m.
Admission Windows: Morning 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Midday 12:30-2:30 p.m., Afternoon 2:30-4 p.m.
Purchase tickets online.

Things to Do at Highclere Castle

Tour the Castle

You’ll need to line up outside the house when it’s your entry time. Enjoy every moment because it goes much too fast. Note that if you arrive before your house entry time, you can still explore the gardens outside the house until it’s your turn.

When we toured the house, we were grouped according to our place in line, and each group was brought in every few minutes to create distance.

Here’s what you will be able to see:

The library
The study
Lady Grantham’s bedroom
Lady Sybil’s bedroom
Mr. Pamuk’s guest bedroom
A few other bedrooms not used in filming
The main stairway
The saloon (where the Christmas tree stands during the holidays)

There are some signs to explain more about the rooms and if/how they were used in filming. There are also several employees around the house able to answer any questions.

There are 300 rooms in Highclere Castle, but as you can see, you will only tour a section of the house.

Aside from its ties to the popular TV show, Highclere Castle has some interesting history in its own right. The oldest written record of the estate dates to AD 749. It was first a medieval palace, then it was rebuilt in 1679 as Highclere Place House before being rebuilt again in 1842 to its present day iteration. The architect and designer of the Houses of Parliament also transformed and designed Highclere Castle. Artifacts and remnants of the Iron Age and Bronze Age have even been uncovered on the estate.

Visit the Egyptian Exhibit

There is an optional Egyptian exhibit in the basement, which you must pay extra to see. The 5th Earl of Carnarvon traveled to Egypt numerous times, fascinated with the country’s history and culture, and amassed an impressive collection of ancient Egyptian relics.

There are two types of tickets you can buy — one including the Egyptian exhibit and one excluding it.

When we bought our tickets, the only ones left were including the exhibit, so we had to purchase it.

The exhibit is not something that I think you need to see unless you also have a fascination with ancient Egypt. I would have been fine to skip it and save the money. But you may have to see it if you wait too long to get your tickets like we did.

Explore the Gardens

Highclere Castle sits on 5,000 acres of parkland, woodlands, and more. There are several themed gardens you can explore, including:

Rose arbour
Secret garden
Monk’s garden
Walled garden
Wildflower meadow
Herb garden

We loved wandering around the gardens and seeing Highclere Castle from all sorts of different angles.

Be sure to look out for Lady Mary’s Bench and the Dowager’s Bench. Characters from Downton Abbey famously sat on these benches during key scenes in the show.

author's mom in the gardens at Highclere Castle

author's mom in a tunnel of greenery in the gardens at Highclere Castle

Have a Cup of Tea in the Tea Room

There is a tea room and cafe at Highclere Castle in the former stables, which serves tea, coffee, scones, pastries, sandwiches, and other light lunch fare.

We ordered a scone and Victoria sponge cake along with tea after touring the house, and we thought it was lovely.

Purchase a Picnic Afternoon Tea Box

You can order a picnic afternoon tea box for two at the time you purchase your tickets.

Aside from the picnic boxes you order from Highclere Castle, you cannot picnic on the grounds of the estate. If you do bring your own food, you’ll have to eat it in your car or in the parking lot. Be sure to pack out all litter.

A field of wildflowers with Highclere Castle in the background — The wildflower meadow at Highclere Castle

Browse the Gift Shop

Don’t forget to browse the gift shop before you go to purchase your Highclere Castle magnet or other Downton Abbey-themed souvenir.

Tips for Visiting Highclere Castle

Highclere Castle is privately owned and is NOT open year-round. It’s usually only open during the spring and summer and on special occasions in other seasons. It’s not just a tourist destination but a family home. And the family only has it open for visitors certain times during the year.

Photography is not allowed inside the house. It’s a bit unfortunate, but, in the end, I thought this enhanced our tour as we were able to be more present and really soak in everything we were seeing. You will, however, be able to take as many pictures as you’d like outside of the house!

Buy your tickets ASAP. I’d suggest purchasing your tickets as soon as possible as dates sell out fast! There are limited tickets available, so don’t wait once you know the time/date you’d like to visit Highclere Castle.

Keep your house entry time in mind. There are three timed entries — morning, midday, and afternoon — and you’ll be able to enter the house within the range given when you reserve your tickets.

Look around the house at your own pace. There are special guided tours of Highclere Castle on various days throughout the year, but for regular opening times, tours of Highclere Castle are self guided.

Tour the gardens any time on your day of entry. If you arrive early, you CAN tour the gardens before your allotted house entry time (as long as it’s open). However, you DO need a ticket to tour the gardens as you won’t be able to enter the gates without one.

You might be able to snag walk-in tickets. If you didn’t get tickets (they sell out quickly!), there are limited walk-in tickets, available only from 9 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. However, these are extremely limited, so I wouldn’t advise going out of your way to visit Highclere Castle if you do not have pre-booked tickets already. If you have any questions about walk-up tickets, email [email protected].

No picnicking is allowed on the lawn. If you do bring a lunch with you, you’ll have to eat it in your car. Otherwise, you can grab a bite to eat at the cafe in Highclere Castle or a nearby pub or restaurant.

How to Get to Highclere Castle from London

A day trip from London to Highclere Castle is definitely possible if you are staying in London and not interested in spending the night in or around Newbury. We did this during our trip to the United Kingdom, and everything worked out really well.

The travel time to Highclere Castle is about an hour, and you only need about 3 hours at the estate. You can be back in London early with lots of time to spare.

Highclere Castle, the real Downton Abbey, is about 65 miles from London.

Step 1: Take the Train from London Paddington to Newbury Station

Taking the train to Highclere Castle is a great option if you don’t have a car. We booked a train from London Paddington Station to Newbury Station, and it took around 45 minutes.

How to book your train tickets: You can purchase your tickets on Trainline.com. Select the open day return option if you’re not sure what time you’ll be done visiting Highclere Castle.

We used Trainline to purchase all our train tickets in the UK. I loved how easy it was to search train tickets from various train companies and to pull up our tickets in the app when needed to scan or show them to employees. Everything was all in one place, making it very convenient.

How to save money on train tickets: If you will be doing a lot of train travel in the UK, consider getting a railcard for 33% off. I was traveling with my mom so we got the Two Together Railcard and saved quite a bit.

Step 2: Take a Taxi from Newbury Station to Highclere Castle

You’ll then need to take about a 15-minute taxi ride to Highclere Castle. Luckily, there are plenty of taxi cabs lined up and ready to go at Newbury Station.

Our taxi driver was so kind and friendly, she offered to book a return cab for us when we were done touring the house. We agreed on a time and our return taxi was there and waiting when we finished.

I can’t remember how much we paid for each taxi ride (there and back from the station), but it wasn’t more than £20.

The author and her mom in front of Highclere Castle — Highclere Castle

Other Nearby Downton Abbey Filming Locations You Can Visit

Cogges Manor Farm in Witney, UK (Yew Tree Farm in Downton Abbey)
Village of Bampton in the Cotswolds, UK (Downton village in Downton Abbey)
- Church Close (The Grantham Arms in Downton Abbey)
- Old Grammar School building (Downton hospital in Downton Abbey)
- St. Mary’s Church (The Church of St. Michael and All Angels in Downton Abbey)
- Churchgate House (The Crawley House in Downton Abbey)
- Church View (The Dog & Duck in Downton Abbey)

You can pick up a map of Downton Abbey filming locations in the library in Bampton village. Most locations are centered around St. Mary’s Church in Bampton, so start there for your Downton Abbey journey.

Take a Group Tour to Visit Downton Abbey Filming Locations

Some guided group tours will take you from London to Bampton village and Highclere Castle, all in a day.

How Long to Spend at Highclere Castle

You should expect to spend at least 3 hours at Highclere Castle, exploring the inside of the house and the gardens.

We arrived a little before noon as our entry time into Highclere Castle was at 12:30 p.m. and then our taxi cab picked us up at 3 p.m. We could have stayed another hour, walking around and taking pictures. It was a really lovely day.

sign that says "the secret garden" in a bunch of flowers

author's mom sitting on a bench in the gardens at Highclere Castle

Where to Stay in London While Visiting Highclere Castle

If you’re doing a day trip from London to Highclere Castle, I would stay somewhere near Paddington Train Station or near a tube station that goes to Paddington. You’ll depart from Paddington Train Station to get to Newbury Station by train.

Recommended Hotels in London:

The Caesar Hotel (where we stayed, close to Paddington Train Station)
Hilton London Paddington
London Marriott Hotel County Hall (close to Waterloo Train Station, with views of Big Ben and London eye)
Park Plaza Westminster Bridge London (close to Waterloo Train Station, with views of Big Ben and London eye)

Is Highclere Castle Worth Visiting?

For all Downton Abbey fans, yes! Highclere Castle is definitely worth visiting.

It didn’t have the best gardens we saw in the UK (the gardens at Chatsworth House were much grander), but it was a beautiful estate.

What to Pack for Your Trip to England

Favorite travel essentials

I really recommend these compression packing cubes. They’re very thick and durable and allow you to pack more than you expect.
I also love this travel backpack that opens like a suitcase, fits almost as much as a carry-on, and has tons of pockets as well as a strap to attach to your luggage handle. It makes traveling so much easier and more organized. It also fits nicely under the airplane seats.
I bring this AirFly receiver for AirPods with me on long-haul flights, so I can connect to the plane’s video screen with my own AirPods.
I no longer hop on a flight without wearing my Sockwell compression socks because they really do help relieve/prevent leg cramps from sitting so long in one place. I have the lotus pattern, but there are other patterns to choose from, such as this cat pattern or this flower pattern. See all sock patterns in the Sockwell storefront.