I love a day trip, and I love castles. So, a day trip to a place with a stunning castle is right up my street! On the last weekend of April, I went to Warwick. I spent most of the day in Warwick Castle, which is wonderful, but I also managed to see a couple of other landmarks in town: St Mary’s Church with a viewing tower and a beautiful chapel, and local museum. If you’re looking for inspiration for day trips from London, this post is for you. It was a perfect day – here is how it went.
Getting to Warwick
My journey began at London Marylebone train station. I took a Chiltern Railways service to Warwick. The journey took around 90 minutes.
From Warwick train station, I walked towards Warwick Castle, grabbing a takeaway coffee on the way. The walk was about 15 minutes long. It was a Saturday morning, and I got to the castle entrance around 15 minutes before it opened. There was already a decent queue lined up!
Warwick Castle
I booked my ticket online the day before. For a Saturday adult ticket in April 2026, I paid £31. Tickets purchased at the door are more expensive, so make sure to book in advance! You can book the tickets and find all important information on the official website: https://www.warwick-castle.com/.
The history of Warwick Castle goes 1000 years back, but it survived in pretty good condition. It overlooks River Avon, and it’s located in a picturesque location.
Peacock Garden
Once I entered the castle, I decided to explore the area outside of the castle walls first. I headed to a place that intrigued me the most, after seeing the castle map – the Peacock Garden. It turned out to be a great idea!
The garden itself is really pretty, with hedges trimmed to the shape of birds. There’s a tearoom next to the garden, where you can grab a snack or a drink. But the most important thing about the Peacock Garden was… well, the peacocks themselves. There were 6 or so birds walking around the garden, with all male peacocks proudly displaying their fanned out tails. They were beautiful! When I visited the Peacock Garden again in the afternoon, when it was crowded, some of the birds disappeared and none of them were showing their tails.
The Mighty Trebuchet
One of the main things attracting visitors to Warwick Castle are the live shows taking place at the castle every day (except for winter). The castle opened at 10am and the first show – named the Mighty Trebuchet – was at 10:30.
So, right after visiting the Peacock Garden, I headed straight to the live show viewing area. The show lasted about 20 minutes and combined a lighthearted history lesson about an attack on the castle with pyrotechnics and a bit of theatre. It was really entertaining, appropriate for all ages.
The mill and engine room
After the Mighty Trebuchet show, I walked along the river towards the mill. Apart from offering a picturesque photo spot, there’s also an engine room in which you can see the machinery that was used at the mill.
Great Hall, state rooms and royal weekend party
Next, I went to explore the main indoor exhibition at Warwick Castle. I love seeing the intricate detail of state rooms in castles and palaces! The interiors were brought to life by realistic figures, dressed in majestic clothes worthy of a state event. I was really impressed by those figures, actually. It may sound controversial, but I genuinely thought they were better than many figures at Madame Tussaud’s museum in London!
I particularly liked the library and the extravagant dining room. There was also a room featuring figures of Henry VIII and his 6 wives, sat next to each other.
Falconry show at Warwick Castle
Next, I headed back to the live show arena, to grab a good seat for the display I was looking forward to the most: a birds of prey show. I was there early, yet a lot of seats were already taken! I managed to find one in the front row, and had a mini picnic whilst waiting for the show to start.
The falconry show lasted around 30 minutes, and it was spectacular! Various species of owls, falcons and eagles flew right above our heads, almost brushing the spectators’ foreheads with their wings. I don’t know how they managed to train those birds to safely get so close to the audience, but it was spectacular.
At the very end of the show, dozens of birds – I presume falcons – were released all at the same time. They flew up and down, making circles around the arena. It was truly unforgettable! I loved the falconry show at Warwick Castle, it was 11/10. I’d travel all the way from London just for that.
The mound
After the show, it was time to explore the remaining areas of the castle. I started with the mound – the oldest part of Warwick Castle. It’s essentially a small hill, with parts of castle walls and a tower, with a lovely view of the castle itself, and the green pastures just outside. It was a day with blue skies and great visibility.
Towers & Ramparts
Then, I went to climb the walls on the other side of the castle. This route involved climbing up and down narrow spiral staircases, so good physical shape is advised. The views were worth the physical effort!
This part of the castle was built in the 14th century by the Beauchamp family. The medieval towers and walls survived really well. You get to see the whole castle grounds, the centre of Warwick town, and even some larger cities farther on the horizon.
Kingmaker exhibition
Next, I visited the Kingmaker exhibition, which focused on the life and death of Richard Neville, known as the Kingmaker. The exhibition takes us all the way back to 1471. It felt almost like an immersive experience, even though there weren’t any actors involved. Educational, but in an entertaining way.
Time Tower
Finally, I went to check out the Time Tower. It’s a semi-guided tour through the history of Warwick Castle. You enter via turnstiles, and a multimedia show starts on a timer. There’s a limit of about 30 people per group, but there wasn’t a queue at all – I’m pretty sure that the shows start every 5 or so minutes.
The mini tour took us through three rooms. I particularly enjoyed the final part, where we met the different owners of Warwick Castle talking to us from framed screens. It felt very much like the moving portraits in Harry Potter!
The whole Time Tower tour took about 15 minutes, and it was really entertaining.
The maze
Before I left Warwick Castle, I went to quickly check out one of the attractions aimed primarily at children – the maze. Even though it was clearly designed for the little ones, a lot of adults – including myself – enjoyed it too. The maze, made of trimmed hedges, was pretty big and the walls were tall – small children could get lost there, easily!
The best part of the mate was the activity passport. You could grab it at the entrance of the maze, to then fill it with embossed stamps. I found all 7 stamps, duh.
Other activities at Warwick Castle
There is plenty to do at Warwick Castle, especially for children. Zog – a friendly dragon – is the children’s companion at the castle. There’s a Zog-themed playground, a meet and greet, and a theatre play. There’s also Princess Tower, an indoor attraction aimed at kids around the age of 8.
For older children and adults, there’s an immersive theatre-like dungeon activity. I’m not a fan of scary-spooky stuff, so I passed. Also, it required an additional ticket.
Facilities at Warwick Castle
There’s an indoor cafe in the castle and another one next to the Peacock Garden. There are also many food and drink vendors outdoors, as well as toilets and a couple of small souvenir shops. I collect fridge magnets from my trips, and Warwick Castle had a really good selection!
St Mary’s Church
I left Warwick Castle early enough to visit two more places in town. First, I headed to St Mary’s church, located just a short walk away from the castle. First, I climbed the church’s tower. 160 steps in a narrow staircase later, I was greeted with a great panoramic view of Warwick and beyond. I took some photos, and descended via the same staircase. I have to say, going up was way easier than walking down the stone steps!
Then, I went to explore the church itself. I’m a big fan of the architecture of medieval English churches and cathedrals in general, and it was no exception. Tall ceilings and stained glass, arched windows are always an eye candy! I also visited the Beauchamp chapel, which was stunning. Apparently, some of the most significant gilded tombs in England are in that chapel. There was also a 17th century painting on the wall, the Last Judgement, in the style of Michaelangelo. It’s in really good condition, considering its age.
Admission to the church is free, but I paid £5 to climb the tower, and another £5 to visit the Beauchamp chapel.
Market Hall Museum
When I visit a new town for the first time, I like to pay a visit to the local museum. Luckily, I had just enough time to pop into the Market Hall Museum – a 17th century building in the centre of Warwick, home to collections reflecting the history of Warwickshire, from prehistoric times to the present day. The museum wasn’t too big – it consisted of three rooms. There’s also a gift shop and a cafe at the Market Hall Museum. I would have loved a coffee, but unfortunately, the cafe closed an hour earlier than the museum itself.
Mill Garden
On my way to the train station, I saw a sign for a Mill Garden. Intrigued, I followed the arrows – I love a garden! Turns out, there’s a cute little flower garden, right next to Warwick Castle. You can take great pictures of the castle from there, or just sit down by the river and enjoy the tranquil surroundings. Entrance to the Mill Garden was £3. I didn’t have much time to spare, but I enjoyed a quick walk around the garden.
Another successful day trip!
I returned to Warwick train station and took a train back to London Marylebone. I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to Warwick. I think it was one of my favourite day trips from London to date! The highlight of the trip was definitely the falconry show at Warwick Castle – I would travel for that alone. Overall, I highly recommend visiting Warwick. It has plenty to offer for people of all ages!
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