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Blenheim Palace

Woodstock, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom (UK)

The palace from above with a lake on the side

Last updated: 09 July, 2024

Birthplace of Winston Churchill, UNESCO World Heritage Site, 2,000 acres of Capability Brown-designed gardens, a gargantuan palace dating back to the early 18th-century – Blenheim is almost bewilderingly rich in heritage.

This Baroque beauty was built as a gift to John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, from Queen Anne and a grateful nation in thanks for his victory at the Battle of Blenheim on 13th August 1704. Passed on down through the generations, it’s now home to the 12th Duke of Marlborough and his family.

The Palace holds spectacular collections of art, furniture and porcelain, housed in ornate, grand state rooms. Alongside, there’s a new, interactive exhibition dedicated to Winston Churchill – and you can also see the tiny room where he was born.

There are several themed tours on offer – of the Marlborough’s private apartments, of the ‘downstairs’ where the servants worked (ala Downtown Abbey), buggy tours of the formal gardens, and of the stables – offering a deeper insight into life here in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Don't miss

In the Walled Garden you’ll find the ‘Marlborough Maze’ – two miles of hundreds of yew trees to get lost in. When (if?) you find your way to the centre and out again, pop next door to the tropical Butterfly House to see butterflies from all around the world (and a few zebra finches).

Logistics

Price from: £32

Minimum age: 0

Age suitable: 13+

When: All year around

Getting there & doing it

Blenheim is just outside Oxford, about a 1.5-hour drive from London, up the M40. Trains leave from London Paddington and Marylebone for Bicester, which is a short taxi ride from Blenheim (taxi rank at the station).

Pre-booking tickets is advisable but not essential. Themed tours must be booked in advance via the website.

You can download an app on site containing an audio tour, for fascinating insights into the history of the grandest rooms and must-see artefacts, told by expert historians (but don’t forget to take your own headphones).

When to do it

The Palace is open daily from mid-February until early November, then only on Wednesday to Sunday until mid-December. It closes in January.

On many Sundays during the year they hold live organ recitals on the famous on the famous Henry Willis organ. The website doesn’t show dates, so contact them for more details. There’s also a wonderfully atmospheric Christmas Market here, from mid-November through mid-December, with over 70 art and craft stalls.

Who to go with: organised tours

Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity

Downton Abbey Village, Blenheim Palace and Cotswolds Day Trip from London

London

Viator

Discover the resplendent English county of Oxfordshire, an area renowned for its rolling green hills, spectacular stately homes and quintessentially English market towns. See beautiful Blenheim Palace, where Sir Winston Churchill was born and raised, plus visit some iconic filming locations from the popular BBC TV series 'Downton Abbey'. - Explore the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill* (if you selected this option) - Enjoy a scenic drive through the Cotswolds - Visit two traditional English villages - See 'Downton Abbey' film locations

Price £79

Min age 0

Rating 4.23 / 5 [536 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Blenheim Palace Tour and The Cotswolds Day Trip from London

London

Viator

Price £79

Min age 0

Rating 4.30 / 5 [326 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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The Cotswolds and Blenheim Palace

London

Viator

Discover some of the most picturesque areas of the United Kingdom on this fantastic day trip to the English countryside. For one day, you can swap the hustle and bustle of London for the fresh air and tranquillity of the Cotswolds – what’s not to love? Step into the beautiful Blenheim Palace, catch stunning views of some of the prettiest villages within the Cotswolds and have a delicious two-course lunch at a quintessentially British pub.

Price £142

Min age 3

Rating 4.25 / 5 [78 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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'Downton Abbey' TV Locations and Blenheim Palace Tour from London

London

Viator

Learn about the lives and love interests of the fictional Crawley family on a full-day 'Downton Abbey' filming location tour! Depart from London and travel to the county of Oxfordshire to explore villages such as Cogges, Bampton and Swinbrook where the British period TV drama has been filmed. In the afternoon, tour Blenheim Palace — a UNESCO site not used in the series but magnificent nonetheless — for an insight into the daily lives of upper-crust English aristocracy.

Price £174

Min age 0

Rating 4.46 / 5 [47 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Cotswolds and Blenheim Palace Private Day Tour from Oxford

Oxford

Viator

On this tour we will explore key highlights of the Cotswolds, as well as some small hidden villages. We then finish off by taking a nice relaxing stroll around Blenheim Palace, before we drive you home. You have complete flexibility so that you get to see the sights which interest you the most. We have a recommended route but the itinerary is totally flexible so if you would prefer to spend longer in a place you like or add an attraction which interests you then we can accommodate you. This tour is run by locals who are very passionate about what the area has to offer.

Price £295

Min age 5

Rating 4.92 / 5 [14 ratings]

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