See & Do

Blenheim Palace

Attraction Heritage

Hightlight

Cafe
Car Parking
Events
Family Friendly

Discover Blenheim Palace, just outside Oxford, it’s a great day out for all the family away from the city centre. This Oxford attraction is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and boasts a long and diverse history, including the home to the 12th Duke of Marlborough and his family and the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill.

Whether you’re interested in finding out the history and want to enjoy a fun-packed family adventure, or simply want to have a picture perfect day out with your loved ones, we have something for everyone to have an amazing time at Blenheim Palace. To help with this, they have created a series of itineraries to suit your preferences, in the hope that your day is special and centred around the things you enjoy the most.

Blenheim Palace 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.

Along with all the outdoor areas, perfect for picnics and nature walks, the palace offer tours around the house.

‘Upstairs’ Tour, offers a unique look at 21st-century life in an 18th-century palace, in the main rooms used by the Marlborough family, from the 1st Duke to today. See the Nursery where Nanny lived and cared for the young Lords and Ladies right up until the 1990s, and beautiful paintings by artists such as Reynolds, Kneller, Sargent and Stubbs.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a guest at Blenheim Palace? From after dinner etiquette to secret corridors, gain an insight into the routine of visitors both past and present, including Charlie Chaplin, Bill Clinton and Sylvester Stallone. (This tour involves many stairs and so may not be suitable for everyone).

The ‘Downstairs’ Tour gives visitors a glimpse into the lives of Palace staff over the centuries.

Household staff were essential to the aristocratic way of life. Visitors can wander through the network of corridors, see the iconic bell system as well as some areas which are still in use by Palace staff today, including the kitchen. Along the way, hear about the gossip and perks of the job from the staff’s point of view.

Show more Hide all

Opening Hours

Monday: 9:30 - 17:00

Tuesday: 9:30 - 17:00

Wednesday: 9:30 - 17:00

Thursday: 9:30 - 17:00

Friday: 9:30 - 17:00

Saturday: 9:30 - 17:00

Closed

Sunday: 9:30 - 17:00

Google Reviews

Blenheim Palace

4.618325 reviews

Add Review

Graces random page

a week ago

Absolutely massive property! The Palace is beautiful. The conservation work they are taking on are of epic proportions. Myself and my daughter loved the trip to the rooftop, you will never be able to do that again, to see the workers doing intricate and traditional work on the roof area was so interesting and to see the stone work that you usually see from the ground was so good. The Dukes apartment tour was so interesting and we got to see a very large silver table piece close up as it was down in the old butlers area while work was being completed upstairs. The rooms were so nicely and traditionally decorated that you almost forgot they are still in use by the family (the mod cons soon remind you, but not in a bad way!) The garden buggy tour was fab and full of interesting tales, very knowledgeable guide. Sorry I'm bad at remembering names! The lady doing the buggy transfer was lovely, the man who did the 1st garden tour of the day was great, the Dukes tour guides were great, all staff we meant were fab and seemed to love thier jobs! Need to come back a few more times as we couldn't do it all and take it all in in a day! My only small gripe is that it's cashless, it's nice to spend cash sometimes especially when travelling from outside the UK.

Amy Rutkowske Coon

2 weeks ago

Beautiful estate with fantastic amenities. Your ticket is valid for an entire year! I'm so looking forward to seeing the gardens in May and the outdoor play areas for children. The staff are incredibly knowledgeable and friendly. Their hospitality is second to none. Woodstock is also worth your time to drop into a shop or pub for a pint.

Mark C

3 months ago

We had an amazing day here. The staff were very friendly and were quick to let us know that the palace was not in its usual appearance due to the Christmas trails and Palace of Oz. There were amusement rides and also Christmas Markets. But it was still amazing. We almost didn't go however as the website didn't give us the option to purchase any tickets saying there were no spots available. We rang and the information line said show up and there may be tickets. There were, the Palace was not busy at all. So there maybe a website issue. We got here easily on the bus from Oxford. An easy walk from the bus stop. No need to bring a car if you can walk. We loved the special event and walking the grounds. A great day.

Sam

a month ago

Just beautiful! It’s well worth the charge to get into the grounds and for Harry Potter fans, there are some places on the grounds where filming took place. It’s quite pricey here but a beautiful place to walk around.

Daniel AM

4 months ago

The palace is very nice. If you're passing through Woodstock and have the time go in and visit the place. Beside visiting the inside of the palace you can have a nice walk around the place. For Harry Potter fans if you cross the Vanbrugh's Grand Bridge and turn left you'll come across The Harry Potter Tree from the 1st movie in the series. In the park you'll find The Column of Victory. The staff are nice and can answer your questions. Best is to buy tickets in advanced. In the summer be prepared for large groups. The parking lot is big, coaches can also park inside. The inside is very nicely decorated, you'll find many paintings, sculptures. Beside seeing how the upper folks lived, the palace is also very famous for beeing the birthplace of the 1st Duke's famous descendat, Winston Churchill. The back grounds offer a nice view over River Glyme. The cafeteria looks nice but the prices are too high.