Hampton Court Palace

Built in 1525 by Thomas Wolsey, who presented it to King Henry VIII, Hampton Court Palace is a mixture of Tudor and English baroque architecture. It is set in extensive, hugely impressive grounds which include informal, pretty gardens as well as spectacular vistas and the famous maze. Free audio guides are available for the King's Apartments and for the Tudor Kitchens, which are particularly atmospheric, with their great bowls of fresh herbs, dishes laid out ready for the royal household and a vast kitchen fire. Planted in 1690 for William of Orange, the Hampton Court Palace maze is the oldest surviving hedge maze in the world. It usually takes around 20 minutes to solve.