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Dover Castle

Dover Castle

Dover Castle
4.5
Historic SitesPoints of Interest & LandmarksCastles
Saturday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
About
The most iconic of all English fortresses commanding the gateway to the realm for nine centuries. Climb the Great Tower, meet the characters and immerse yourself in vivid medieval interiors. Then delve deep within Dover's White Cliffs to witness the drama in the Secret Wartime Tunnels. Roam through centuries of history at Dover Castle, from the Romans to the 20th century, in an action-packed day out.
Duration: More than 3 hours
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  • wwhughesjr
    Spartanburg, South Carolina304 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great visit for the history
    We spent nearly 5 hours at Dover Castle and enjoyed the entire time. The staff greeted us warmly, had lots of information, and answered any questions we had with ease. We started with the tour of the WWII tunnels; fascinating to see the equipment and layout of the place, and our guide was very knowledgeable and interesting. We then walked uphill to a quick lunch and then further uphill to the upper castle and apartments of the royals. I especially liked the Princess of Wales Royal Regiment and Queen's Regiment Museum which was filled with military history displays. This was well-worth the time, energy, and money spent. On a clear day, you get a great view of the harbor and town below. Highly recommend a visit.
    Visited May 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 17 October 2023
  • Clive D
    Ipswich, United Kingdom120 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Amazing day out
    We were told it could take a day to look around the castle, and they weren't wrong. What an amazing day out. The staff were very helpful and knowledgeable. The Naffi coffee shop was lovely and fairly priced. The castle itself is well worth the money as car parking is included. The additional tours offered were brilliant.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 17 October 2023
  • Mike S
    Witham, United Kingdom1,918 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Well worth a visit
    Very expensive - so spend the day seeing all its attractions to get your moniesworth. The views are amazing, so bring a camers. The highlights of the castle are the two tunnels. No photography allowed, but it is a brilliant experience - but you do have to queue up sometimes for over half hour. The inside of the tower is interesting; there are lots of steps to negotiate, and there is not a great deal to see. They also have a small museum there - but I did not have time to visit.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 18 October 2023
  • Barbara S
    Reading, United Kingdom20 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A full day out for history lovers
    For anyone with an interest in history, this is a whole day occupation - and even then you may not see it all! If your interest is purely Second World War, there is a good half day with plenty of authentic artifacts and reconstructions, plus the Napoleonic era tunnels resued for WWII. Though there is a good map, the site as a whole is not as self explantory as I had expected, so I wish I'd bought the guide book.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 18 October 2023
  • Carol C
    United Kingdom5 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Wonderful experience, so much to see
    So interesting. Second World War tunnels to medieval towers. Take a picnic because there’s enough to see and do for a whole day! Well worth the entrance fee. Avoid cafe at busy. Times though, extremely slow
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written 26 October 2023
  • Stephney W
    London, United Kingdom8 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Well worth a visit
    Very interesting castle with a lot to see and do. I found the hospital tunnel and secret wartime tunnel particularly interesting but unfortunately, it's guided so it feels very rushed with limited information from the guides. Much better if you could do it on your own and read the information provided and linger over things that you find interesting. The chapel and Roman lighthouse are delightful.
    Visited August 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 8 November 2023
  • Jen M
    Montclair, Virginia47 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fantastic Great Tower and views from the top!
    I loved it! One downside. I only had 2 hours. I needed 4. The Great Tower was amazing. I took so many amazing pictures, even in darker places. I used my cell phone and its options to brighten them up. The grounds were well kept and just beautiful. I learned so much from my walk about. Wish I could have gone in a few more buildings. But? I’m still impressed. The views of Dover and the English Channel were great! I wish I’d had more time.
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written 12 November 2023
  • Bargeegirl
    West Sussex, United Kingdom692 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Huge area but need the weather.
    This castle is so huge. The tunnel experience is worth booking and also ensured you do the hospital tour too. The castle itself is dressed really well, and adds value to the rooms. Staff/volunteers are all friendly and helpful. Our only issue was the very low cloud, so much we couldn't see anything. Even the castle was shrouded in cloud. We really appreciated the exhibition in the church, which was very thought provoking. This is a Brilliant place to go for all the family , but involves a lot of walking and a lot of steps.
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 19 November 2023
  • fluffievelluto
    Henlow, United Kingdom1,181 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Need to return to see the rest
    Thought we'd given ourselves enough time - but this site is huge with so much to see. Looks like we'll be coming back, as didn't managed to visit the hospital tunnels and we even had to rush the castle. What we did see was really interesting, and on a weekday it wasn't busy. Just plan to stay all day - not just an afternoon!
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 29 November 2023
  • explorermum13
    Durham, United Kingdom37 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Wonderful exhibits!
    Dover Castle was a treat. There is so much to do. Our favourite was our 10 year old noting the tower was similar to the tower in London. We definitely plan to go back and see the underground attractions.
    Visited August 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 19 December 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles6,473 reviews
Excellent
4,622
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1,388
Average
295
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102
Terrible
66

Jack B
Berkhamsted, UK31 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020 • Couples
At historic sites one expects to find three things; information boards about the site and it's rooms, genuine artefacts from different parts of the sites history and a tour guide to help you through the highlights. On all three accounts the castle utterly failed. The rooms are filled with cheap uninteresting, shoddy replicas that take you out out of the historic feel. The information about each building and the rooms is scattered and at times non-existent.

All in all, when one considers the price and the fact we only spend an hour there,
it can only be judged as nothing short of robbery. Very sad.
Written 25 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

MyIronLung
Whitstable, UK60 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021 • Family
Been to Dover Castle many many times as we are local and have passes, but this was the first time in many years that we ate in the on site cafe (usually bring a picnic but the weather was too awful to sit outside) - I cannot believe the cost of the food! £5.95 for a wrap? £4.95 for a small gluten free roll! It cost £30 for 2 adults and 2 children to have lunch IN A CAFE. And the food wasn’t even particularly outstanding - just sandwiches and a couple of slices of cake. Absolutely barmy. It turned a ‘free’ day out into a very expensive day for us and it has completely turned us off ever returning.

Absolutely love the castle but the cafe was an absolute rip off.
Written 1 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

RobDouglas1
65 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Family
Dover castle was a fantastic day out with English Heritage. The castle history has a wonder variety from the tower, Roman lighthouse to the tunnels. There was something for everyone. We will definitely visit again.

The staff are great and in some cases have an unenviable job. The tunnel tours are every 30 minutes and are first come first served basis and can only be for 30 people at once.
Written 7 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Kinga K
Acton, UK266 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
June 2022 • Friends
I really enjoyed getting here and the train journey was just over an hour. The Castle is big and there’s lots of experiences and activities happening. The guided tours are worth it but make sure you get there first thing in the morning otherwise there’s no chance of getting in and instead of visiting the castle you will end up in a queue. The entry price for the day is a bit expensive and if you don’t get to do the Dunkirk and underground hospital guided tours it’s not really worth it. There are a few re-enactments happening throughout the day with performers dressed in medieval clothing. Definitely visit the tower as the views are amazing from the top. The underground medieval tunnels are worth a look as well and also the church is beautiful. Wonderful experience
Written 8 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Travellingisthebest
England, UK58 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
July 2020 • Couples
We really enjoyed exploring the castle grounds, however it was a shame the tunnels were closed due to Covid which I understand is out of their hands. I also think it’s quite pricey especially when not everything is open. Visited once but wouldn’t rush back
Written 19 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

crakajaxx
Maidstone, UK95 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2022 • Family
Over priced anticlimax.
The tunnel tours are much shorter than in previous years. Considering the tunnels are 3.8 miles long in total, you are down there 10/15 minutes & hardly see any of it compared to my last visit the tour was more involved, we got much more info from the guide.
The castle looks more impressive from the outside. You haven't got a clue where you are going inside, there are no staff giving information, or any information boards. So you walk into a room & haven't got s clue what you are looking at. You just wonder about aimlessly. So not sure what we saw in the castle.
The two cafés on site are very limited with food. So not rely on them for lunch! Pack lunch is a must! If the weather is bad there is no sheltered area to eat your picnic, & I can imagine them not letting you eat it in the cafés. We went to the cafe for hot drinks as we were freezing. They told me that the cafe was closed at 3.20pm! The site closes at 5pm & the cafe closes at 4pm. I told her the rest of my group were already seated in the cafe & she finally relented & let me sit out the rain to drink my drink. If she had told me I couldn't drink my hot drink in the dry out the rain before my purchase I would of changed my mind.
Considering they were open for another 40 minutes I found their unwelcoming presence off putting.
The cleaner was spraying tables near us & others eating. A man was putting chairs on tables & another lady was mopping the floor around us! OK we get the hint!!!!! They need information boards around the site so you know more about what you are looking at & where you are. I think this place could be so much more! For the price I was thoroughly disappointed.
Written 25 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

DJ9944
Suffolk, UK26 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021 • Family
At the moment the medieval tunnels and the hospital tunnels are shut. The WW2 secret tunnels are also closed and only accessible to a limited number of daily tours, which you book on arrival. We arrived at 11:30am and were told there were still tours available, but we were disappointed to find that this information was incorrect and all the tours had been booked up. So with the tunnels closed, there wasn’t a lot to do apart from wander round the battlements and go into the tower.
The good thing is the price (£12.50) reflects the closure of the underground attractions. Coffee and cakes were nice!
So if you are planning on going to Dover Castle, pre-book your tickets for when it opens (10am) and head to the ticket office ASAP and book a tunnels tours.
We came pre-children and the tunnels are great, so will turn with the kids when the tunnels are open again.
Written 21 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

NichaUk
UK1,259 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2020 • Family
I've never been to Dover Castle, but my kids love a castle so we decided to visit despite some parts still being closed (clearly outlined on the website). After visiting I realise more the significance of the parts that are closed. It would have been great to visit the WW tunnels and hospital. The church and also lower levels of the medieval tunnels also remain closed. At a cost of £44 for a family ticket I do not think this is currently good value.

That aside the castle is still definitely worth a visit and walking around the battlements. You also get some amazing views.
Written 2 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Donk1
Birmingham, UK448 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2021 • Couples
Having been to Dover a number of times to catch a ferry we decided to visit the castle. If you follow the brown signs from the town these will take you to where you need to be. There is plenty of parking on site. You need to go to the middle car park which is where the visitor centre is to buy tickets. There seems to be limited access to the main tower for wheelchair users. There are plenty of things to see in the grounds and you can walk around the perimeter and see the views. Unfortunately at the time of our visit some things were closed and there is renovation work going on. The weather can turn with fog rolling in off the sea during our visit which limited the view from the top but can imagine this being spectacular on a clear day. The stairs to the roof are spiral but there is a one way system in place and the stairs wide so not enclosed. The rooms are set up as they would have been but they are not OTT. There is a cafe on site which got very busy around lunch time. We were able to socially distance in the grounds and rooms but did visit in September and also mid week.
Written 10 September 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Allimacn
Cumbria50 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2020
The site is huge. But a lot of it remains closed. We knew this before we went, but it does impact on the visit. The one way system through the great tower is ludicrous. You leave the king's bedroom and have no alternative but to go up the steps to the top of the tower. I gave up halfway up (my own fault as I'm unfit), but there should have been an alternative - three other people were doing the same as me. The indoor cafe seating was closed and the woman manning the door letting people in to order was not pleasant or charming in any way! We're members of English Heritage so got in for free, but I'd have been very disappointed if we'd paid to get in.
Written 6 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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