The gates are 35 metres wide and 15 metres high and they open exactly at 10.45am. The guards march in step, the bearskin hats tilted slightly to the right, the red tunics pressed and precise. The Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace has happened nearly every day since 1660 and it draws 4,000 spectators […]
Categories: Castles and Palaces, Cities, Sights, Sights, United Kingdom, Virtual Travel
Nine hundred years of history is a long time for a building to stay relevant. The Tower of London has managed it by being everything at once: a fortress, a prison, a palace, a mint, a zoo, an armoury, and a tourist attraction. The White Tower, the central keep, was built by William the Conqueror […]
Categories: Castles and Palaces, Cities, Sights, Sights, United Kingdom, Virtual Travel
Swans glide across the moat in perfect formation, their reflections rippling against the honey-coloured stone of the gatehouse. Leeds Castle rises from its island like a watercolour brought to life, its twin towers framing a causeway that has welcomed visitors for nearly a thousand years. Inside, the rooms tell stories of queens and kings, of […]
Categories: Castles and Palaces, Sights, Sights, United Kingdom
The heavy iron gate groans as it swings open, echoing through centuries of English history within Carisbrooke Castle’s walls. This formidable Norman fortress on the Isle of Wight holds a singular distinction: it served as the prison of King Charles I during the final months before his execution. Walking the battlements where a king once […]
Categories: Castles and Palaces, Sights, Sights, United Kingdom, Virtual Travel
The scent of stone aged by centuries hits you first as you step onto Edinburgh Castle Rock, a volcanic plug that has witnessed siege after siege. Wind whips across the Esplanade, carrying echoes of military tattoos and royal proclamations. Inside, the Crown Jewels of Scotland gleam behind bulletproof glass, while Mons Meg, a medieval cannon, […]
Categories: Castles and Palaces, Cities, Sights, Sights, United Kingdom
Beaumaris Castle was never finished, and that is what makes it so fascinating. Construction began in 1295 under King Edward I, a massive project designed to crush Welsh resistance once and for all. But the money ran out, the wars shifted, and the builders walked away leaving walls that stop at shoulder height and towers […]
Categories: Castles and Palaces, Sights, Sights, United Kingdom
For tourists around the world, Gatwick airport is the first taste of England you may encounter. Fortunately, it’s centrally located to provide access
Categories: Castles and Palaces, Sights, United Kingdom
If there’s one thing that England isn’t short of, it’s castles. Many of this country’s finest castles were built in medieval times and, in some cases,
Categories: Castles and Palaces, Sights, United Kingdom
Often called the Land of Castles, the beautiful countryside of Wales abounds with castles in varying conditions from ruins to well preserved. With so
Categories: Castles and Palaces, Sights, United Kingdom
Brodick Castle is one of the most important historic fortresses in Scotland, a magnificent red sandstone castle on the Isle of Arran whose strategic position commanding the Firth of Clyde has made it a seat of power for over 800 years, from Viking stronghold to royal Stewart residence to the ancestral home of the Dukes […]
Categories: Castles and Palaces, Sights, Sights, United Kingdom