Hampton Court Palace
Hampton Court Palace ♥♥♥ is a fantastic place to visit, even though it does not evoke as much splendor as Versailles or Peterhof.
Located in Southwest London, the palace consists of several “apartments”, built in different styles for different kings and queens. While furnishings are sparse, the rooms themselves are quite resplendent. The Great Hall of Henry VIII’s wing is utterly majestic with superb carved ceiling.
Tudor Kitchens wing is a fascinating insight into cooking and eating customs of the English court, accompanied by requisite smells and sounds.
Costumed guides provide free tours and commentary throughout the palace. Musical performances on medieval instruments occur at various places. Several times a day, in the main kitchen hall, costumed musicians play music with the help of kitchen utensils.
The audio guide, which provides narration for four different parts of the palace, is very well composed. The only drawback is that listening to the entire narration would take well over three hours.
Palace grounds are very nice, with several sculpted gardens, as well as less formal park. The famous Maze is a curious diversion, although hardly a must.