Kingston is a very historical town, and one of the best places to visit nearby is Hampton Court Palace. Most famously, King Henry VIII lived here with his 6 wives during the 16th Century.

The palace has beautiful red brick architecture- look out for the 241 chimneys because each one has a different design!

Photo credit: Cristian Bortes/Wikimedia

You will need to buy a ticket to look inside the palace but there is also a lot you can see for free! There are many different gardens open to the public. It is best to visit the rose garden in summer when many types of roses are in bloom. And plan to visit the meadow garden in spring to see thousands of daffodils and crocuses. In the kitchen garden there are many varieties of traditional British fruit and vegetables growing all year round, which you can taste if you go to the Tiltyard café for lunch. Or enjoy a traditional British cream tea instead!

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There is also a maze, which is exciting for children to explore… but try not to get lost!

Between 9-10am every morning, it is free to visit the large formal gardens too. There are fountains, parks and the biggest grape vine in the world. On one side is the river Thames and on the other side is Home Park where you may spot some deer in the distance.

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If you buy a ticket to go inside the palace you will see amazing art collections and discover fascinating historical stories. You can spend a whole day looking at everything!

You can get to Hampton Court Palace from Kingston town centre in 10 minutes by bus (216, 111 or 411). Why not visit it soon? Don’t forget to take your camera!