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its our 20th wedding anniversary in a couple of weeks, and after just watching the channel 4 show on the lights at warwick castle, and my wife saying how lovely they were, i think itd be good to book an overnight stay in the town and visit the castle and then the lights in the evening (looks like we could get tickets for both at present).
never been to warwick tho, so not sure how the logistics would pan out. is the castle right in the town? walking distance from the centre?
im thinking the perfect plan would be castle in the daytime, meal in the evening either before or after the lights, and accommodation somewhere befitting a wedding anniversary rather than a travelodge or the like.
so...... any recommendations on places to stay? other things to see or do there? is one night enough or does it warrant two?
thanks for your expert advice as ever 🙂
Dunno but fun fact.
I designed a fishpass at Warwick castle. It will probably be the only project I will ever type trebuchet into a risk assessment.
Everywhere in Warwick is waking distance it's tiny. Castle is literally 2 minutes walk from the town centre. Lots of independent shops, bars and cafes in the main town and Smith Street. Definitely be worth staying over night.
Kenilworth castle is a 10 minute car journey and a lot less commercial the Warwick but no less interesting and is worth a look.
If you want bigger shops Royal Leamington Spa is almost joined to Warwick these days so also worth a trip
Not done the lights but have been to Warwick Castle and to be honest I was bitterly disappointed. It is basically just a theme park now with theme park pricing and theme park gimmicks. It is not a castle any more, rather just another Madame Tussauds money machine in a fancy shell.
Check out somewhere like Peckforton Castle - properly nice place to stay with a really good restaurant and then do the Christmas lights in Chester instead would get my vote.
Yeah, Warwick castle is awful.
Sorry.
I live in Leamington, work in Warwick.
Well, the castle itself is just the same as it ever was. You just have to look past the merchandising opportunities and the 'entertainment'.
As for accommodation there are chain hotels, Holiday Inn Express, Premier Inn, Delta (a Hilton brand, I think) but they are out of the town centre although not much more than a mile out. The only hotel left in the centre is The Warwick Arms. The Globe and The Rose and Crown would probably be the most 'anniversary' type of places. There are quite a few B&Bs, and this is quite an unusual Airbnb
If you want bigger shops Royal Leamington Spa is almost joined to Warwick these days so also worth a trip
no, smaller more 'boutique' shops can be interesting, no interest at all in bigger shops thanks.
Not done the lights but have been to Warwick Castle and to be honest I was bitterly disappointed.
Yeah, Warwick castle is awful.
hmmmm.....not much love for the castle here is there 😀 tbh we're not really into castles that much anyway, its the lights we'd be going for....
any better suggestions for christmas lights? we're in lincoln so warwick was pushing it for distance, wouldnt want to go much further.....
thanks
Well, the castle itself is just the same as it ever was. You just have to look past the merchandising opportunities and the ‘entertainment’.
Definitely agree with this - the castle itself is fascinating but the venue has become some kind of quasi theme park. I did quite enjoy the dungeons tour though (quite amusing to go around with young kids with all the inter-activity) although the dungeons aren't actually IN the castle dungeons.
Hah - just found my Trip Adviser review from when I went in 2019...
My family went on Saturday with friends and did the castle + dungeon package. We bought the tickets online beforehand which saved a considerable amount of money and it was probably good value for that. If we had paid full rate I think I would have considered it overpriced. And to charge £6 on top of the admission cost to park your car was insulting - especially given the long walk from the car park. When we got to the castle I was very impressed with the imposing nature of it and I really enjoyed seeing some of the historical items in the Grand Hall. We also enjoyed the dungeon experience which was well put together but the jousting and falconry events were bordering on painful with the scripted storylines (although the horsemanship was impressive as was the finale to the falconry). But the one thing I particularly disliked were the rows of 'chuck wagons' everywhere - it felt more like a music festival than a castle. By far a better balance was achieved at Alnwick Castle in Northumberland - plenty of things for children to do but with a much more convincing historical feel.
Hmmmm. We went to Warwick castle earlier this year & loved it.
We got a good deal with ticket & hotel at a place down the road - a pretty bland chain hotel, which was fine without being amazing.
My daughter loved it, the sun was out, we watched the falconry (twice) walked all over the place, my daughter did all the Zog stuff & won a golden star.
Brilliant day out.
just looked on Google Maps. We stayed at the hotel just off the M40 junction 15 right by the roundabout. Sounds terrible, but was actually fine as far as chain hotels go.
If you are in Lincoln - how far away is Belton House near Grantham for you?Less than an hour I reckon, although not sure there's much to do around there once you've been there if you want to make an overnight of it.
They've got a really good light show on at the moment, although it works out quite pricey for a family.
I went with my wife earlier in the year and stayed in one of the 'glamping' tents in the grounds, it was great. Yes it's a tourist attraction and bits of it are a bit cheesy but still well worth a visit.
Being relatively local and being disappointed with our last castle visit, i would suggest a more fitting over nighter anniversary visit would be an evening in neighbouring Stratford on Avon. Loads of bistro type bars and other noce eateries and the theater on the river for a start
Just come to Edinburgh.
It's got a castle (also shit as it goes).
Train/bus to southqueensferry to see all three bridges lit up like they are every night of the year if you are feeling peckish eat at the restaurant I forget the name of make sure to book and request a window seat.
Back to the hotel to fit your budget via one of the many cocktail bars.
I've never been given my ticket from a pub, but I have from Warwick Castle.
Some years ago I went for a Christmas do there with the degenerate alcoholics from my local. Our entire party achieved a lifetime ban.
If you are in Lincoln – how far away is Belton House near Grantham for you?Less than an hour I reckon, although not sure there’s much to do around there once you’ve been there if you want to make an overnight of it.
They’ve got a really good light show on at the moment, although it works out quite pricey for a family.
yep, beltons not too far away, id considered that but as you rightly say, not a lot to do around there, warwick would be more of a 'destination break'.
i would suggest a more fitting over nighter anniversary visit would be an evening in neighbouring Stratford on Avon. Loads of bistro type bars and other noce eateries and the theater on the river for a start
visited stratford last year and enjoyed the place. we were told tho that 'if you like stratford you really should visit warwick' 😀
Just come to Edinburgh.
its definitely on our list of places we want to visit, but a loooooong way for just one night.
still not booked anything yet so open to more suggestions?
thanks