Hampton Court Palace Private Tour - discovering the excesses of Henry VIII | La Vacanza Travel

Hampton Court Palace Private Tour - discovering the excesses of Henry VIII

Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Destination: United Kingdom, England, London
from
250.63

Check Availability

  • 1 hour 30 minutes
  • London
  • E-Voucher
  • Lowest Price
  • Not-Cancellable

Overview

Henry VIII was a man of excess and he certainly did not do things by halves! On this tour with me (Sandy) you will wander through the enormous kitchens where feasts of nine courses were prepared for him and his noble guests to enjoy; you will be amazed at the exquisiteness of his tapestries which cost double the price of his favourite war ship to make. You might also be horrified by the story of Henry's expanding collection of wives and how, as desperation set in to find a son and heir, Henry took drastic measures! This tour will fill you in on Henry's life of excess: the size of his kitchens, the glamour of his furnishings, why he became so large, who his wives were and what happened to them all. But most of all, this is a chance to enjoy imagining the unimaginable: wealth and excess that knew no bounds resulting in one of the most magnificent courts in Europe!

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: Hampton Court Palace, A308, East Molesey KT8 9AU England

Henry VIII's palace is the Tudor equivalent of a 5* hotel. We start the tour in Base Court, where Henry welcomed his noble guests, and move from there to the kitchens. These were a vast complex of rooms and employed an incredible 200 staff. Imagining the type of dinners created in these kitchens is fun as is the first sight of Henry's Great Hall, richly decorated with tapestries which cost the same as his favorite warship. Having marveled at the stained glass windows and the beautiful hammer beam ceiling we wander through an arch into the Great Watching Chamber. Here the nobles, closely guarded by the Yeomen, waited to chat with Henry. The ceiling of this room celebrates Henry's marriage to Jane Seymour, the woman who gave him the longed for son. We move on to the Haunted Gallery, where I tell the story of Henry's tragic fifth queen, before taking a peek at his replica crown in the Chapel Royal. The final stop is to admire the colorful work of art, the astronomical clock in Clock Court

Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

Inclusions
  • Sandy is a fun and professional local guide, accredited by the I.T.Guides and Hampton Court Palace

Exclusions
  • Gratuities
  • Food and drinks
  • Cost of entry tickets to Hampton Court Palace
  • Private transportation
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • When your booking is confirmed, you will receive contact details for me (Sandy), your guide for this tour. My aim is to give you the best experience you could possibly have so if you have any special requests, be sure to let me know! If you need to go at a slower pace, or stop for a break midway through the tour, that will be fine with me. There are plenty of opportunities to sit down during the tour and I will tell you where they are. I will contact you once your booking is confirmed to finalise the details of your tour.
  • The tour will last up to 1.5 hours and is flexible.
  • The tour will cover roughly 1 mile.
  • Near public transportation
  • The tour will go ahead come rain or shine so please don't be put off by the weather. Do wear comfortable shoes and clothing and, if needs be, bring waterproofs and an umbrella.
  • Due to uneven surfaces, and an unreliable lift used to take wheelchair or disabled clients to the first floor, this tour is not recommended for those with walking disabilities or using a wheelchair. Visitors must be able to cope with stairs and so this tour is not suitable for anyone with serious medical conditions and back problems.
  • No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
  • Most travelers can participate
  • When you turn into the palace grounds from the main road, follow the driveway with grassy stretches on either side and I will meet you at the end of the drive in front of the West Front Gatehouse.
  • The tour starts at 10.00 a.m. but once a firm booking has been made, the start time of the tour can be adjusted to fit with your arrival at the palace.
  • If you need directions to travel to Hampton Court from your hotel, do contact me on [email protected]
  • 100% of my Trip Advisor/Viator reviews are graded as 'excellent' and as I now have over 100 reviews, I must be doing something right!
  • I prefer to guide small groups of up to five family or friends so everyone can hear what I am saying in the often narrow corridors of Henry's haunted palace. Also, everyone can feel relaxed enough to ask whatever questions they like!
  • I ALWAYS contact my customers in advance of a tour so if you have not heard from me one week before the tour date, please contact me instead.
  • I only accept bookings directly from customers. Any bookings made by a travel agent on behalf of a customer will be cancelled.
  • This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Departure Point

Hampton Court Palace, Hampton Ct Way, Molesey, East Molesey KT8 9AU, UK


Departure Time

10:00 AM


Return Details

Returns to original departure point

Voucher info

You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.

Duration

1 hour 30 minutes


User's Reviews

847alfredz

29 Nov, 2023

Sandy our tour host was exceptional! First, coordinating and making sure we meet at the right place was really easy. Her patience, knowledge and pace set up for a great day for the three of us. The information provided was detailed enough to make you strive for more. It even gave us a lot of valuable information for the other places that we visited. Overall, Sandy was amazing and she really make our tour the best.

Q9837REnancyr

11 Jun, 2023

The tour was fun and informative. I learned great tidbits of information I never heard anywhere else. Sandy is a considerate guide and includes everyone. We would definitely choose Hopnob tours again!

G4906FUkriss

11 Jun, 2023

Sandy gave an excellent tour that brought the palace to life. Her knowledge and delivery were captivating and made the nuance of life at court tangible. Henry the VIII and those around him became very human and real. I thoroughly loved the experience.

helenbamberazim

08 Jan, 2019

Our team were looking to expand their knowledge of the local area and introduce new employees as well. Sandy's tour was the perfect opportunity for everyone to learn some very interesting local information whilst also having fun. Sandy is a great host and is clearly passionate about the route she has planned. Everything has been thought out with care, including a stop at the famous cheese shop Paxton and Whitfield and Fortnum and Mason. Fantastic way to spend the morning and we are all full of Mayfair knowledge which will only enhance our jobs even more!

travelingtolearn

06 Jan, 2019

My husband and I landed at Heathrow at 7:00am and had the rest of the day in London as we were heading to our final destination. I found Hobnob Tours by Sandy Rhodes on the Tripadvisor website. The other reviewers were so right! Sandy is a delightful, knowledgeable, and such a personable expert on the history of the London area. It was a blustery but dry mid-December day and we were staying in the Mayfair area. Sandy met us at our hotel and off we went for wonderfully entertaining and educational three hours. We would highly recommend her to be your guide. We will work with her again the next time we are in London.

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