Richmond upon Thames · Richmond · United Kingdom

Hampton Court Palace

palacetudorgardensgoogle verified

easy

9/10

best: morning

historic, grand, royal

A local would say...

Wolsey built it to impress the king, then the king took it — the most expensive lesson about outshining your employer.

England's largest and grandest Tudor structure, built by Cardinal Wolsey in 1514 and appropriated by Henry VIII, with the famous hedge maze, baroque King's Apartments and the Great Kitchen. Reached by riverboat from Westminster in about 3 hours or by train from Waterloo in 35 minutes. The juxtaposition of Tudor and baroque wings — one built for a Cardinal, the other for William III — creates an architectural timeline of English royal ambition.