Highclere Castle Tour From London: Is It Worth It?

From London: Downton Abbey and Village Coach Tour
📍London, England
🇬🇧 Part of our London Travel Guide: Best Food, Wine, and Things to Do
➡️ Book this tour: From London: Downton Abbey and Village Coach Tour

We took a day trip to Highclere Castle, the set of Downton Abbey! Our tour guide, Richard, worked on Season 6 and gave us an entertaining tour with behind-the scenes tidbits plus the history of the town and castle.

We started out in London, and took a bus to Bampton, which is a beautiful, old village with a dramatic church and graveyard which was the set of the Downton village. Then, we visited Highclere Castle, the giant, historic home of the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon which served as the set of Downton Abbey. First, we had a lovely lunch in the picnic area. They have a great wine selection too, but I did not sip wine on this day.

Photos are not allowed in the home because it’s still their home – but the series was filmed in it and you can see all the original artwork and furniture that is part of the home and the show! I did not realize that the set of the Downton Abbey show is actually someone’s home.

I wish I’d spent a little more time in the gardens – I did a quick walk through one section, and they are stunning.

Why go: Even if you haven’t seen the show, the castle is stunning and has been in the family for centuries. The artwork, furniture, and decor is beautiful. The history of the real family is fascinating as well! The 5th Earl of Carnarvon financed the dig for King Tut’s tomb and some of the objects are on display in the house (but we did not go to this section as it’s a separate ticket and we ran out of time!)

Book the tour: GetYourGuide.com is our favorite way to book tours and experiences like this. Here’s the tour we loved, and Richard was our guide – From London: Downton Abbey and Village Coach Tour

DOWNTON ABBEY TOUR

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