My wife and I visited Alnwick Castle on a cold blustery day in September 2024. It was one stop of many in a tour around Roman, Saxon, Viking and Norman historical sites across the country. I'm a sucker for castles me. What boy isn't. Alnwick is so well preserved its a real treat. In fact its a living working home to the Earl of Northumberland.  The history encapsulated in this venue is vast. Built by the Normans, owned by the Percy family and the site of battles and sieges during the Wars Of The Roses, captured by Yorkists, recaptured by Lancaster. The walls have many tales to tell. There are lots of activities outside of historical studies. DragonQuesting, Harry Potter themed events (having been filmed here), knights quest, archery. It's great for kids. But thats not why we were there. We were here for the history. And there are lots of small museum displays around the site. There was a great tour around the State House that went into some good detail of the lives of the Percy family through the years. Its a magnificent building. Stately and opulent. Whereas the outside has the battlements and the armouries. And the grounds are beautiful, alongside the River Aln. We parked on The Peth, luckily found a spot right next to the castle, avoiding the walk from paid parking lots. Spent an hour or two at the end of a long day here, but wish we had more time to leisurely enjoy all Alnwick Castle has to offer. read more

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I especially wanted to visit Alnwick castle as some of the scenes from Harry Potter had been filmed there. Me and my friend travelled from Edinburgh for the day and it took us 90 minutes each way, but it was so worth it. When we arrived it cost £3 for parking. The car parks are a good 15 minute walk from the castle, so if anyone has walking issues then be prepared. The first bit you reach is the gardens which are beautiful. You pay for the gardens separately to the castle. You could spend a day in both as there is so much to do. You can get your castle tickets validated for a year, meaning you can visit as often as you want for the next year. This is brilliant as your ticket is only £14 per adult. We had been warned that broomstick training tickets sell out quickly so we headed straight there. The tickets are free but are very popular. We arrived at 12pm and the next tickets we could get were for 3pm. To be honest we went to do it, but it was more for kids. So we gave our tickets away and headed for the movie tour, I'll come back to this. We headed to the gardens to have lunch. We got some fish and chips which were reasonably priced and went and sat on the lawn to eat them. We were lucky as we had a lovely sunny day. We then investigated the gardens which included a fairy trail, where you had to find the clues to save the princess, a maze, a beautiful water feature, a maze made from bamboo and a Poisen garden. We never managed the Poisen garden but heard good things. Back to the castle, it is a beautiful castle with stunning views. we wandered about, there was lots of entertainment for all ages. As I said earlier we left the broomstick training to join the movie tour. This was fascinating and we were shown the different places that things had been filmed. I knew about Harry Potter but not about Robin Hood prince of thieves, Black Adder and more recently Downton Abbey. As they say, time passes when you're having fun and the day flew past. We'd didn't even manage to go into the castle or visit the tree house. I will defo be taking advantage of my years free entry. Definitely worth a visit whatever age you are. Oh and all the staff members where lovely and friendly. All me and my friend kept saying was this has just been a perfect day, and it really was.. read more

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So much fun! So beautiful! We traveled from Newcastle on the x15 bus, which costs £7.10 return instead of taking the train and the bus which is at minimum £22 return. Showing your Arriva bus ticket gets you 15 and 20% off the garden and castle admission (cheaper than the 10% online discount code) The gardens are beautiful, the entire place smells like the most fragrant roses in the world. The whole place! The guided tour of the poison garden is informative and interesting, our guide was funny. The castle, breathtaking. The most fun part? Broomstick training! I haven't smiled and laughed so much for a long time. The cellar, Knights quest and dragon quest ride the line of kitschy perfectly. read more

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Visited April 2015: "Castle/Theme park Attraction" I wanted to go see this castle due to being a Harry Potter Fan. We were able to see the grounds, and the state room. Unfortunately, you are not able to take pictures in the state rooms. I enjoyed seeing all the art and history of the family, along with the information about Downton Abbey's 2014 Christmas episode being filmed there. They had videos, costumes, and pictures showing the sections of the castle used in the episode. read more

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It is an interesting day out but the gardens are too new for my liking. Nevertheless there is a lot to see. The Poison Garden is really interesting and the guide informative & amusing - some you knew, some you guessed and others a bit of shock ! The Grand Cascade is contemporary and very Alton Towers. You can spend quite a time trying to video the full sequence ! The Bamboo Labyrinth is great fun and we took many weird & wonderful photos. Our favourite was the massive tree house with it's little shops, walkways and rope bridges, it is very clever. The restaurant is housed in the tree house and has an Austrian feel about it, maybe the Open Fire and imaginative decor. The food is good & reasonable. There is something here for all ages. Can be quite a walk from the car park. Admittance fee about £8. read more

Alnwick Castle & Gardens - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Alnwick, NBL

Harry Potter, Black Adder (I) and all that - but it's just a very fine castle to visit. Personally, I don't care one little bit about Harry Potter - not the novels for children(!), not the movies. So the fact that this castle provided the facade for Hogwarts (the interiors were filmed in Oxford, AFAIR) is no skin of my rosy nose. I do care about the first Black Adder a bit more, but not enough that the fact alone that it was filmed in the castle would make me come. But: It's a very fine example of a medieval fortress in and of itself, and it's in excellent shape. If the perpetual presence of wizards with broom sticks and all kinds of kids-centered "activities" doesn't make you want to get your shotgun out and mow the whole bloody lot down, then this is a must-see castle for all fans of, well, castles. Lots of photo opportunities in among the castle grounds, including a show of falcons. Sadly, not in the state rooms, because you're forbidden to take pictures there. Which loses the place one brownie point. You can either go for a castle-only or for a combined castle+gardens ticket, the latter of which will cost you 8 quid more. Since I'm not generally interested in plants that I'm not allowed to tear out, cook and eat, I did the castle-only visit. Reports from other group members (I went to Alnwick as part of a 1-day coach tour from Edinburgh, courtesy of Highland Experience Tours) indicate that the gardens are *not* worth the extra UKP 8. See my photos to get some impressions of what to expect at Alnwick Castle. The castle is very close to the town centre, such as it is. Alnwick is not terribly exciting on its own, but if you have enough time after you've explored the grounds or you simply want to get out because you are feeling the irresistible urge to strangle some noisy children, then it's worth the 5-10 minute walk to go for lunch there. I particularly recommend The Plough Inn, which serves excellent food at moderate prices. read more

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We visited the gardens, thinking it was a little more than what we got. It's quite expensive per person for what you get. Don't get me wrong the grounds are nice, and I'm sure there are more plans to introduce new things, but I was expecting more bang for my buck! There is a gift shop and an option to buy plants (which I did) as I have a soft touch for heleniums and Japanese amenomes. There are a couple of cafes and restaurant, which isn't including the magnificent tree house! You'll see the treehouse and instantly want it! Yes, you will! Also, the bamboo maze is cool. read more

Having driven past Alnwick & seen the castle from the A1 we decided to visit. Firstly we booked our tickets online to get 5% discount, it's a bit pricey at £24 each but the castle & gardens have started the scheme of one entry fee & visit as many times as you like for a year. On arrival on a motorcycle we found it was free for this, no mention on web site but got this refunded when we registered our e-tickets, Having pre-purchased parking ticket at £3.50. We found the whole attraction well organised & staff eager to give information on events & history. We ate in the cafe at lunch time & found the quality of food & drink Good. Prices comparable with subway as we had a freshly made sandwich & Latte. A fair bit of walking is done between the castle, gardens & tree house/woodland walk but all very enjoyable. So what's to see & do In the castle you can visit the State Rooms, The Lost Callars (scarey), castle museum, Percy Tenantry museum, rampart walk, Gun terrace, Northumberland fusiliers museum & knights quest. Also daily tours of castle grounds, archery (£3 for 8 arrows) & 2 events to do with Harry Potter as it was filmed in the castle. Battle axe to broomsticks & broomstick training. In the Gardens is the grand cascade, poison garden, bamboo maze, rose garden, ornamental garden, cherry orchard, serpent garden all forever changeing as the seasons do. The tree house is huge with rope bridges but didn't venture there so can't comment. Looking forward to revisiting & seeing some of the things I didn't see this time. Apparently closes between 30 September & end of march so the duke & dutchess can move back in to their home over the winter, I think I would prefere a modern home than a drafty old castle in winter. read more

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We had the deal tokens for the castle, and on the way in i was like wow then I saw the price for the gardens which put me off a bit. My boyfriend insisted we went in and he paid. Very expensive but really nice, walking around the gardens and I learned some things that day. I took some great pictures,it was a lovely day so it was nice to walk around. They have tree house which is scary for me as I hate heights, it has a cafe/restaurant up there. Didn't see the prices though, image their not cheap. read more

We spent a nice day out here with my sister and her friends. The poison garden was very interesting. There are lots of English roses in the rose garden including several queens whom Henry the VIII dead-headed! Surprisingly mature for gardens so young. I'd image the cherry blossom is gorgeous when in bloom but the water falling feature takes center stage. Architects and engineers alike will appreciate the design. It's not cheap so I'd encourage you to plan to spend a few hours there. read more

This and the castle make a great day out for all the family. As well as the amazing gardens which by the way look beautiful there is also a great trail for the kids todo to. If you have kids and they enjoy dressing up and rescuing princesses there is will be right up their street. Follow the clues and trail around the garden and answer the questions as you go, if you're feeling a bit daring then the poison garden tour is a must, I will never look at by back garden the same way again. Overall the Alnwick garden is a must for anyone in the area and or visiting the castle, the kids will love it and so will the adults. Oh and yes there is a cafe for that all important cup of tea. read more

Sorry but only interested in the castle gardens do nothing for me . For many the castle is synonymous with Harry Potter , others with the first Blackadder , but for me its the home of one of historys most famous characters Hotspur . Its the aincient home of the Percy family and a glorious intricate medieval restored border fortress . read more

The best way if you live in the area is to become a friend of the garden It is £10 to visit normally or £25 to be a friend all year round I have a blue friendship which is £50 but allows you to bring someone else You get a photo pass for yourself and you just ask for a friend ticket at the entrace to save you waiting They have changed the car park again and it is now pay with people taking money and you dont get a voucher now to get it back if you are a friend The outside when you walk up you can choose the treehouse first which has a lovely resteraount very romatic weaving in between the tables and rock cancfles and shop - they are going to be doing something with one of the rooms but nothing is in it yet The walkways are fun to run up and down There is a little cafe and two shops outside the garden one does food and drink to take away the other is more gifts and toys they have a also some gardening stuff Inside the garden check the time for the poison tour which is well worth it esp when things are in flower The water casecades are great If you go around the willow maze there are five wate scultpures you can tell the most popular by the children waiting underneath you watch the water coming up the tubes then it casecades out over you My fav is to metal swirls which you walk between while trying not to get wet There is a nice rose gardens and if you walk up to the top there are several hedge gardens with water featiures and seats The pavillons has a lovely restreaunts There are lots of things to do for the children during the year and lots of night time music events for the adults Its best to check the website before you go to see if there is anything going on that weekend so you dont miss it read more

A delightful day out though quite a walk from the car park which is extra to the entry fee. The tree house is magnificent but I expected it to be much more accessible and not a commercial outlet. The Water garden and cascades are exceptional but I would advice a change of clothes or swimwear for the more adventurous children. There is a nice if not to taxing maze. The Rose Garden is a pleasure full of colour and scents.The herbaceous garden was disappointing but no doubt it will mature in the future. The picnic area is fun with some nice free events. If you forego a picnic the Catering is adventurous and reasonably priced. read more

We had a lovely day at the Alnwick gardens with my young cousins. The gardens themselves are very beautiful and will be appreciated by the young and old. But when the children do get bored, there are some lovely water features ideal for children and they will love playing in them. Just watch out for them getting soaked. The water fall at the gardens is lovely too. The tree houses are a lot of fun but not so good if you're scared of heights. The rope bridges are brilliant for running around on, and the little gift shop has a lot of fun little toys and games. read more

This is a fabulous day out if you have young children. There is no snootiness. Children are encouraged to play in the waither fountains and in the Poison Gardens you can hear grisly tales of the plants. There are mini tractors that you can drive, wobbly walkways and a fabulous tree house restaurant. All this and more make it hard to have to leave! read more

Expensive that's the first thing about the gardens. Secondly, they're not that big. Once you get over that, they're quite fascinating to visit. One thing they don't really flag up is that you can visit a large part of the land around the gardens without having to pay a penny. read more

This is a lovely garden with a cascade and numerous water features. The gardens are well designed with themed areas and an especially poisonous garden which you have to have a guide to show you round. If you have children take a change of clothes as they will probably get wet. They have got toy tractors for them to play on and zoom about the grass. A kitchen garden at the top which is beautifully laid out, with its own water feature. Staff are friendly. They have a huge treehouse with wooden ropewalks to scare everybody over. read more

My other half took my for a trip away to Northumberland for my birthday. We planned to come here. First we found parking just up the road, around £3 and a nice short walk to the castle. We came to visit Alnwick castle, knowing of course that they had filmed scenes from Harry Potter. We went all around the grands, inside (what is open to the public of course) and around the gardens. We saw the areas that were filmed in the movies and got to explore around. They had school trips there with it being in the middle of the week, but it was a joy to watch them all having fun, playing games and the best part is watching them doing the Broomstick training, just like in the first Harry Potter film. So this is a perfect place to take kids. We spent a good few hours looking around, enjoying nice long walks and the gardens are stunning. It was a lovely warm day, so perfect place to go in the summer. So much is on offer to see, I know I'll be going back again to see things I didn't. The gift shop is a really nice welcoming place and has a great range of books, clothing, and so much more. This is just a stunning, must see place to go and enjoy. Great fun, and I'll be going back there for sure. read more

love the gardens here, there was a wedding going on when we went but everything was still open and people were walking around as normal. the fountains are super impressive and on a hot day like the one we visited on, it's lovely to walk past the fountains and get a cool spray! the deadly garden is also very cool and worth the guided tour, and the treehouse is also very cool - they do intimate weddings in there too. never been to the castle as i think it is a bit too pricey, but will one day. in love with the gardens. read more

Lots of people have covered the basics for Alnwick Garden and I would be happy to award the place 5 stars: it's a great place and we have been going there for years now. BUT I am deducting two stars for out last visit this week (April 2012) because of the very rude manageress in the Pura juice and coffee bar. She had one of the girls scrubbing the floor in one corner of the place (hard to convey just how noisy and distracting it was, when my wife and I had gone in for a quiet drink before going round the Gardens). After it had been going on at least 5 minutes (seemed longer!) I went over and asked if she might consider leaving it until there were no customers in there. She refused and was very dismissive about it ~ right up until the point where I said I would consider complaining about her attitude, when she very begrudgingly said she would stop just this once. I would like to stress that this was the only time we have had a bad experience at the Garden, but if left a really sour taste in the mouth and took the edge off what was otherwise a great afternoon. read more

This place is a bit over commercialised. It felt more like a theme park than a historical site. There was an Italian ice cream stand. Perhaps a traditional English tearoom might have been more appropriate. I know it is a business, but it seemed the focus was extract as much money as possible from the visitor. I've been to far better castles in the area. read more