Castle Howard

Great castle and surrounding gardens! BUT: DON‘T GO THERE AROUND CHRISTMAS! This historic place was turned into a Disneyland-like Xmas show, we really disliked. Happy to pay the steep £39/person entrance, but not for this! We left disappointed…

My family visited Howard Castle 2 times during Xmas in 2023 and 2025. Highly recommended, especially for family with children. They decorated the main house with different themes in different years. Magical world! Your kids will meet Santa, lovely! Foods and drinks are good, especially the Afternoon tea. Clean and spacious! A good place to take a stroll and immerse yourself in nature!

Beautiful gardens and forest. The walled garden is one of the best around. The audio house tour is highly recommended. One can easily spend a day wandering the grounds and forest trails. Excellent farm and garden shop, and a children's play area that makes adults want to join. Excellent cafe. All in all, a wonderful place to wander alone, or for a day out with the entire family.

Came here on a coach excursion to see the Christmas displays in the house, and had a really fabulous time! The long drive along a narrow lane through the snowy Castle Howard estate was a wonderful introduction to our visit. There was ample parking, and a very helpful lady to greet us, point us in the right direction and hand us all a map and leaflet about this year's Christmas events. There was also a land train to take us up to the house and the stable courtyard, where we found a café, toilets, farm shop and garden centre. Had a lovely festive lunch in the marquee café - a creamy turkey and bacon pie with mash, roast carrots and parsnips, followed by a large mince pie and a cup of tea. Quick service and attentive staff despite it being very busy, and a lovely festive atmosphere too. There was a Christmas shop next to the café with lots of pricey but high quality gifts, toys and decorations. Entrance to the house is up a long flight of stairs, but there's a stairlift for anyone with mobility issues. Spectacular all year round with its vast Great Hall, painted dome, and state rooms filled with beautiful furniture and art, Castle Howard had been transformed into a Christmas wonderland. This year's theme is "Wonderful Wizard of Oz", and our immersive self guided tour took us on a fantastic journey through rooms filled with animated installations, music and sound effects, and beautiful trees and decorations, meeting Dorothy and all the amazing characters she encounters in the land of Oz. There was a warm log fire in the Great Hall, and friendly, enthusiastic guides all along our route who chatted to us and shared their knowledge. The tour ended in the peaceful (and very ornate) chapel. Afterwards I enjoyed a lovely cake and a hot chocolate with Baileys, followed by a stroll in the garden with its impressive (and frozen) Atlas Fountain. I've been to a few Christmas displays at Castle Howard over the years, and I'd say this one is the best so far! A magical experience and a great day out for children and adults alike!

A truly wonderful place, worth paying for both the house and gardens ticket if it’s a sunny day and the little boat trip was fun too. Stunning architecture and inside the house is visually impressive too. The gardens are also worth a walk around too, especially with the flowers in bloom. Delicious salad and cakes at the cafe too.