The gardens here are SPECTACULAR! I've been in late spring, summer, and early fall... each opportunity providing an entirely different experience. I don't think there's a wrong time to visit! Though, to be honest, I think late spring is my favorite. There's already so much in bloom, and the cherry blossom trees are absolutely breathtaking! Their orchard has the largest collection of 'Taihaku' in the world comprising of 329 trees. Give yourself plenty of time here, so you can sit on the swings amongst the trees and just take it all in! Other highlights include: - The Poison Garden! Home to around "100 species of dangerous, toxic and harmful plants, each of which has the potential to severely injure you!" Tours here occur every thirty minutes, and a very educated (and humorous) guide will tell you all about the plants! - The Grand Cascade! "​One of the largest water features of its kind, the three-tiered Cascade occupies the main north-south axis and forms the spine of The Garden. The half-hourly water display uses 120 water jets and 250,000 gallons of water circulate through the system." - The Ornamental garden! "This walled space was the original kitchen garden to Alnwick Castle. It is now designed as a series of rooms, each one framed with shrubs and trees. It houses over 16,000 plants and the entrance is through 16th century Venetian gates." - The Bamboo Labyrinth! "The Bamboo Labyrinth sways and rustles above the brick paths that wander between its green walls, confusing the visitor." And so, so, so much more. (Including a full schedule of events that take place within the gardens!) Yes, absolutely, you should visit the castle itself too. There's so much history (the origins of the castle date back to the Normal period; it's the second largest inhabited castle in the UK and has served as a military outpost, a teaching college, a refuge for evacuees, a film set, and a private family home). You can take a tour with a docent, take a self-guided tour, practice your broomstick riding or archery skills, visit the artisan's courtyard, try on some medieval costumes or crafts, and take a side quest involving dragons (so much fun even as an adult with no children, let me just say!). read more

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The TOWN IS A BUNCH OF CROOKS!!!!! The castle was great. The town and their parking lots ridiculous!!! There are no instructions as to what is required to park your car. I had to tell 4 people in the parking lot where to get a ticket. Down the road to the right in a movie theater. Oh yeah. Right where I would expect to get a parking disc. ALSO, what the town fails to tell you is how to use the parking disc when you purchase it. I put it in the window. The time ON the disc was 8a, (this was handed to us upon purchase with this time on the dial, which is something they probably do deliberately) N0BODY SAID A WORD ABOUT PUTTING A TIME IN. It was 11:30a when the "disc" was purchased. We left a little over an hour and got a fine and fee being over our time. I brought it to someone who had some kind of official jacket on who shrugged and said, "I don't know." I even had proof of our time there and the head of the castle called to prove we were at Chillingham at 11a. Of course, nobody picked up the phone. Doesn't matter. I argued these allegations, and still got fined. FIVE MONTHS LATER. THE TOWN OF ALNWICK IS A BUNCH OF CROOKS AND TOURISTS SHOULD BE AWARE OF IT! Ruined the entire experience. read more

This castle is BREATHTAKING!! One of my favorite places on earth... and I cannot wait to go back. It is truly awe-inspiring. It was amazing to see the dining room, after seeing it in Downton Abbey... it is STUNNING. The gardens are beautiful, too... but nothing compares to the castle itself! I'm so very grateful that they allow the public to visit... we do not have anything even remotely close to this in America, of course. read more

If you're visiting Newcastle and you have a day to spare, I really recommend taking a day trip here. This is one of the most scenic castles I have been to so far. So what did I like about Alnwick castle? We got to see most of the rooms inside the castle. The Harry Potter films were shot here. There was a knight school, so we were able to dress up as knights, kings, queens, etc. We actually made a mini movie w/ our camera in our costumes, so that was a lot of fun. So to recap, it's a great family trip. They even have a botanical garden if you want to explore. And the city of Alnwick is quite charming as well. read more

Alnwick Castle - Three muskateers or the three stooges? - Castles Near Me - Northumberland, NBL

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Our last big stop of the day was at Alnwick Castle, one of Britain's most iconic castles. Yes, it's the seat of the Duke of Northumberland, but more importantly, it took the starring role of Hogwarts in the first two Harry Potter films. ;-) Surprisingly, I didn't see much mention of its role in Harry Potter around the grounds - although they do offer broomstick training. read more

Alnwick Castle - Castles Near Me - Northumberland, NBL

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What a day out we all had at this amazing place. Apparently a favourite of Queen Elizabeth I (or so my High School teacher told me!) and a wonderfully preserved piece of history it is too. The lady who runs it clearly has an independent mind and has created a little bit of heaven for history buffs such as me. My wife Anna and our grandchildren all enjoyed it. "Peter Drake" Hexham Northumberland read more

My boys (13 and 11) are huge Harry Potter fans, so a visit to Alnwick was a must for us! We had an excellent day in beautiful surroundings. The tour guides were funny, engaging and informative the gift shop very reasonable and the hands-on exhibits wonderful. We went in peak season and there was loads of entertainment options - highly, highly recommended. read more

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This is an absolute attraction. It was used in the Harry Potter movies as Hogwarts. It doesn't cost much for a day out here. It is very good if you are a A-level history student and would like to find out a little bit more about the roots of castles. I would strongly recommend it for a day out. The interior is awesome, and the view from the castle is brilliant. read more

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We had a fantastic day when we visited Alnwick castle. We were a group of 4 adults and 4 children and we all enjoyed the activities particularly the broomstick training. The grounds and state rooms are spectacular. We took our own lunch and drinks so can't comment on catering and costs but we were able to get seats everywhere we stopped. We had been given great advice to get there early and book your activities before you do anything else. I notice people are complaining about the distance from the car park but I thought it was a pleasant walk and only about 5 or 10 minutes from the main entrance. You did have to pay extra for archery and mini golf but that is the same in most places you visit these days. Lots of people experts to tell you about the history and culture. Overall a brilliant day out and we will be back read more

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Not my first visit to Alnwick castle & gardens but would recommend if you are coming to Alnwick. Dedicated car park for visitors. Beautiful gardens & fountains. The poison garden is a must, got some good ideas. read more

Alnwick Castle - Alnwick Castle - Castles Near Me - Northumberland, NBL

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Where Harry potter was filmed, there are cut outs of the characters around the castle and grounds and my children loved having their photo taken standing alongside. The grounds are very pleasant for picnics or just to walk around. It is situated in a very beautiful part of the country and makes a good day out.There is a restaurant at the castle. It is quite expensive but we enjoyed a day out as much as the children did. It is not far from the centre of Alnwick which is pleasant to walk round with its old buildings. A sense of time gone by. read more

Harry Potter's own domain and so much more......! Alnwick Castle is a huge complex and is devided into two main parts: The Castle and The Gardens. The Castle: You can join tours and hear about Harry Potter and Robin Hood, King of Thieves. Both movies were partially filmed there outside the studios. First, I thought to skip the tour, but the guide appeared very funny and full with knowledge. It was not only the stories about the recent times, but also the past. The castle was build in the 11th century and the barony of Alnwick was bought by the Percy family around 1309, which later became the Earl's of Northumberland. A famous Percy member was Henry Hotspur (the statue can be admired in one of the courtyards), who fought against the Scots and was killed in the Battle of Shrewsbury rebelling against..... The Gardens: Normally I avoid gardens and prefer the woodlands, but this time, I was kind of fascinated by its grand presentation of new modern art, an amazing water display (centre piece) and the Poison Garden, which by the way is amazing and a must for people of all ages. Just be careful that the little ones are not touching anything, as it is indeed a garden with poisonous plants. You learn about Poison Ivy (don't touch), Wolfsbane and much more....... In the gardens you will find a winter garden restaurant which offers some on the go food and is convenient for a stop over. A more expensive option is the Restaurant in the Harry Potter Tree House, which is an awesome build and one of the biggest tree house's in the world, if not the biggest! The Castle is enjoyable for old and young with plenty of activities to undertake and it's only about 2 hours from Edinburgh. read more

Great castle, but the entrance fee is way too much. There are loads and loads of castles in North of England and Scotland and none as expensive as this one. The only extra thing this castle has is the fact that Harry Potter was shot here. But that does not mean the castle charges the high entrance fee that it does. If I am a traveller through North of England, I would not mind giving this one a miss for the high price. I could do many better castles for lot lesser price. read more

This placed is closed now until April but it is nicer in spring and summer, there is a lot to see here the earliset part of the castle was 1096 though a lot of it was built in the 1300s It is a free walk around castle where you dont have to go on a guided tour The guides in the rooms are great though and are easy to talk to if you have any questions There is now a part where the kids can dress up as knights and have fun learning to do sword fighting There are two musuems one on the history of the castle and one on remains found near the castle The place does lovely food I wish that there was a joint ticket with the garden as at £12 for adults it is quite costly read more

Sadly now not open until March, so put it in your Diary for a must see place to go next year! Wonderful for those with children or just for thse who are children at heart. A quite magical place, made more so now with the Harry Potter assocation. (they have also added Harry Potter cut outs etc in certain areas where it was filmed which is great for the kids.) I could spend days looking around there is so much to see and do. Love the interactive areas. The guides are friendly and knowledgeable and the guided tour is worth doing as there are loads of personal details added that you don't always get from the guide books. Food is available, the usual gift shopsand of course the gardens. Although the price for the gardens is seperate and I felt a little expensive. A truly wonderful experience and I for one will be returning. read more

Great castle with loads of history. Also the Fusilier museum has loads of information on the distinguished history of the regiment

This was the most fantastic introduction to castles for our 6 year old twin boys. Alnwick has many fun activities for kids. They got to dress up in medieval outfits, play with pretend swords, play a sort of medieval bowling game, see a class field trip of kids roll clay to make dishes, and pound herbs like an olden days apothecary (a heady fragrance of chamomile and lavender and sage...). They were able to see sword collections, take their picture in front of very real-looking dragons and a cool mirror they imagined to be the mirror of Erised. And they went on a Dragon Quest that involved solving riddles, learning about dragon tales from Beowulf to St. George, and going through a mirror maze... And THEN they got "broom training" from some young men who were dressed in Hogwarts attire and had sort of a Monty Python attitude with a lot of Harry Potter knowledge, who kept a crowd of maybe 100 youngsters giggling and engaged and pretending to fly. They got to take pictures of themselves with their brooms, with tips on how to make it look like they were actually flying or levitating their brooms. Archery lessons are also available to people over 14 years of age. Our kids were too young, so we watched from a safe distance. The castle itself is fascinating, and some genius, understanding that young visitors may not find museums interesting but are always attracted to toys, hid a Beanie Baby stuffed owl and/or dragon in each room of the castle, so parents can actually enjoy the tour while their children are busy seeking the hidden creatures. All the staff were polite, funny, and helpful with us, and everything we saw, from the staterooms to the ramparts to the grounds was historical, well-kept-up, and simply fascinating. The glass windowed carriages look like something right out of Cinderella. The gift shop was one of the best we saw. The food was varied and good: husband ate a hamburger, kids got their ice cream, and I had tea and scones (with clotted cream and jam). This was absolutely the highlight of our trip to Europe. I would recommend if you get a sunny weekend to take 2 days to explore. There is a pull off area just south of the castle with a great view of it where we had a picnic with foods from nearby Sainsbury's grocery store. read more

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I've visted this Castle once in 1978 and again in 1989 (long before it was in Harry Potter movies) and it was wonderful, even for a snotty teenager! I remember the gorgeous grounds and the huge, ornately decorated rooms, suits of armor, etc. It's cool to see it being used as back drops and settings in movies now. This is a great stop for the whole family, any age. read more

A good day out, especially for families with kids, I think. There are special sections that I think kids would really like, like the Dragon Quest section, the broomstick riding lessons (a la Harry Potter), and even in the rooms for touring there are little stuffed owls for kids to look for. For adults this castle is less exciting. It's a lovely castle but as others have said the entrance fee is quite high (£12 for student concession ticket), although this ticket is good for a year, so if you think you might go back a couple times, it's not a bad deal. We got free tickets to the "Lost Cellars" which is this 20-minute walk-through-the-cellars kind of performance where they try to scare you with ghost stories. If I had paid for this I would have been pretty put out, but for free it was good for a laugh. Parts of the castle were closed due to a recent wedding in the family,so perhaps there are more interesting parts open normally, but I would have liked to see more of the castle and learn more about its history. read more

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This is a beautiful castle,you wont find any ruins here.It's so well preserved and has been the set for many a film.Some lovely rooms and very informative friendly guides to offer help should you need it.They were very knowledgable and made the visit very interesting.Families can spend a very happy day both in the castle and the grounds as there realy is a lot to do and see,so school holidays can get realy busy. read more

The price of entry can be a bit high, but its well worth a visit. The castle goes out of its way to play up the Harry Potter angle, but there are a variety of activities for kids to get up to such as jousting and dressing up. It's worth checking the website prior to a visit to see if there are any other activities going on near your visit. The castle itself is fascinating. It's a family home and you can really see the history of the castle as well as see how its occupants have used it oer the centuries. Although not a lot of the items are labelled, the guides are fabulous and really know their stuff. An easily overlooked part is the regimental museum of the Northumberland Fusiliers and yet, this is one of the most thought-provoking and fascinating parts of the castle. read more

This is a very magical place and if you have ever watched any of the Harry Potter movies you will know that this is the set for Hogwarts. Not only does this castle look beautiful close up, but if you go past the Giant Treehouse and over a stone bridge you get a fantastic photo shot of the castle in the distance. You don't have to be a kid to enjoy Alnwick Castle as it appeals to all ages with its simplicity and stunning location. I would say it was a little on the expensive side, but for all the fame it has achieved its to be expected. Your average spend for a family of 4 would be around £50 for entry and snack or souvenir to take away, saying that though its well worth it when you come away feeling like you have been to a completely different continent. Definitely a must see attraction if your ever up the Northumbrian coast. read more

A very beautiful venue and fantastic place for a day out , However if you are planning a wedding here the venue is very commercialised and not at all forward thinking in this respect. If like most people you want to get married in the summer you will be ushered through the grounds and kept to a courtyard so as not to disturb the public whilst later in the day you will find the castle grounds are locked so you dont get too noisy and disturb the family who live there, So if like most you are choosing it for your wedding for its stunning surroundings and looks be warned , you can get some great shots like we did if you travel out of the castle and take pics with it as a backdrop. Really dissapointed in them as organisers and we cover all the major castles and venues in the north east so we know how these things work. read more

Alnwick Castle is not just a castle but an experience for the whole family. When you first see the castle its massive and any Harry Potter or Downton Abbey fans will recognise the castle straight away, upon going in to the castle there are plenty of things to see and do, from tours to the dragon quest for the young knights among us. We headed over to the state rooms in the centre of the castle first and it was amazing to see all the history mixed in with the modern items of the family living their today, plus in some of the rooms you can see Downton Abbey references whether this be a plague explaining how the room was used during filming to actual costumes wore by characters, plus there are plenty of staff around to answer any questions you may have. From this we headed though the arch to the main cafe area which also includes a well stocked shop, carrying on we headed over to the knights quest which is where children can dress up and engage is some middle ages games and also which is where the dragons quest is, the dragons quest is a very dark and scary set of games which include moving tunnels and a small hall of mirrors great for the kids who like a thrill!!!! From this we headed to the broom stick training area which you will recognise from the film, this was great fun and great for kids and adults alike very funny and well worth joining in, finally we headed over to the brids of prey area which was basically people showing off some amazing birds and how they hunt and fly. Overall the castle was an awesome experience for both kids and Adults alike, we went with a 4 year old and he really enjoyed himself. 5/5 all the way!!!! read more

Me and hubby had such a great time here. It was summer holidays so there was loads going on. We had a tour by a very enthusiastic american exchange student (who was so amazed to be living in a castle!). The place is fantastic. Im not a poet but I was really inspired by this place and started writing, and then did loads more afterwards. I found the constrats of the history and today really powerful. read more

hope i have a chance go to there...............

We were sadly disappointed after visiting the castle. While beautiful inside and out, we were underwhelmed by the lack of connection to the Harry Potter movies. There were very limited talking points about where and how they filmed the movies there. We visited other sites during our holiday that were used to film movies or TV shows, and the amount of information they provide is 10 times as much. If we were going simply to see a wonderful piece of architecture, it would have been great. But we were there to better understand and see it from a Harry Potter perspective. And we didn't get that. read more