THE UK · PRIVATE PALACE TOURS IN THE UK
The 15 best private palace tours in the UK you can book today, with what each entry covers, what it costs and how long it takes. Number one is top for a reason; start there.
A private Hampton Court Palace tour with Sheila Dunsmore brings Tudor stories, royal rooms, ghosts, gardens, and personal interests to life.
“Our guide, Sheila Dunsmore, was expert in her knowledge of Hampton Court Palace, and held our attention throughout the entire tour! She asked what we wanted out of the tour, and 100% delivered on what we requested. Sheila was a pleasure to have as our guide!”
Review of Hampton Court Palace with historian Siobhan Clarke, including Tudor highlights, pricing, tickets, access, and booking advice.
“Easy walk from train. History and architecture are amazing , Tudor history and seeing the kitchens were my favorite”
Review of Sarah Slater’s private Hampton Court Palace tour, with Tudor rooms, royal kitchens, gardens, pricing, timing, and practical advice.
“Sarah was an excellent tour guide for Hampton Court Palace. She ‘met me where I was’ in my knowledge of the palace and the history of the monarchy. She also spent time on the things I was interested in (the history, the architecture) and avoided the things I was less interested in (the art). She is very easygoing and accommodating. Would highly recommend Sarah for anyone wanting a more tailored visit.”
Review of a private Edinburgh tour to Stirling Castle, Wallace Monument, Linlithgow Palace, and the Forth Bridges, with practical planning tips.
“Great tour guides! We rented 2 vans for our large group of 11. They we were able to cater to our needs. Highly recommend!”
Review of Hampton Court Palace’s private guided tour with Jo Cooper, covering Tudor drama, Baroque rooms, pricing, timing, and practical tips.
“We all absolutely loved this tour. Jo, our guide was fantastic. She was so knowledgeable and enthusiastic about teaching us everything. After the tour we walked around the gardens. We really could have stayed all day, there is so much to see and do here.”
Tour Kensington Gardens with a private guide, then enjoy palace Orangery tea, sandwiches, scones, cakes, and a drink.
“Our guide, Barbara Ann, was a real delight. Was so kind to bring us both water and took the time to learn a bit about us before the tour. She was very informative and felt more walking with a friend than a tour guide. Oh, the tea was a delight too. The Orangery was very pretty.”
Review of Sarah Slater’s private Hampton Court Tudor tour, with Henry VIII stories, practical costs, transport tips, and honest advice.
“Book This Tour Now!!! We were so lucky to find this tour and to have Sarah Slater as our tour guide. Sarah really makes history come alive and made our tour of Hampton Court so much more enjoyable. She was easy to talk to and was able to answer all our questions. We saw Sarah on YouTube doing a talk about Hampton Court and quickly realized she would be a great pick for a tour guide and we weren’t disappointed. Highly recommend!!!”
Walk royal London from Green Park to Buckingham Palace, then enjoy Moët champagne and food bites at Harrods with a private guide.
“Great guide David, beautiful walking tour and champagne at Harrods was a great finish, worth every penny”
Explore Hampton Court Palace with architectural historian James on a private, tailored tour for up to 15 people, with palace tickets separate.
“James knew that I was super excited to see Hampton Court again! He gave me time and information above and beyond my expectations. He is a very smart gentleman and the value of his experience is beyond compare. Thank you, James!”
Review of a private London day trip to Oxford, Blenheim Palace, and the Cotswolds, with practical advice on timing, value, guides, and traffic.
“Kesh (Mukesh) our driver was great at adapting to the day. Its 84 miles from central London to the Cotswold's. Imagine trying to get from Midtown NYC to way out in the Hamptons, visit three or four towns, and back in one day. If traffic is perfect, no problem. We didn't have perfect traffic but Kesh, adapted. Unfortunately, there was a tragic accident on the highway and we sat for quite a while then we were directed off onto country roads which is what was eventually going to happen anyway. We saw a few quaint towns. We didn't see any of Oxford. We didn't see the palace. We didn't get…”
Review of Blenheim Palace private tour from Oxford, with guided state rooms, taxi transfer, free time, costs, tips, and honest drawbacks.
“Thoughtful and knowledgeable guide. Thank you Peter! Blenheim and Oxford history came alive. Thank you also for all the pictures!”
Review of a private Oxford tour combining Burford, Bourton, Lower Slaughter, Stow-on-the-Wold, and Blenheim Palace.
“Flexible collection & drop-off points was greatly appreciated. Our tour guide Ian is very and knowledgeable, we personalised our tour by spending some time in Oxford after Blenheim Palace. Amazing history and breathtaking scenery, will definitely visit Cotswolds again to visit other villages that we missed out. Highly recommend tour as you won’t be disappointed.”
Review of a private Blenheim Palace and Cotswolds tour from London, with guide Beth, Burford, Bibury, costs, timing, and practical advice.
“Great experience, my guide told me a lot about the destinations I was visiting and had the visit times well managed.”
Review of a private London tour to Oxford, Blenheim Palace, and the Cotswolds, with practical advice on timing, guides, tickets, and value.
“There is no guide on this trip. Our driver, while a very nice man, did not know where to take us. He wanted us to tell him where to drive!”
Review of a private Hampton Court Palace tour from London, with guide, prepaid entry, train or car travel, maze, gardens, and Thames views.
“Dennis was wonderful! So knowledgable, we learned a ton. He gave us so many tips for next trip. Will definitely look him up again!”
Pick a dynasty, a capital or a garden.
