Mike D.
Google
Amazing country house and well worth a day out. We drove just under two hours each way to get there and the schlep was totally justified. We spent about and hour and a half each in the gardens and house.
The entrance price was £22 each on the door. There are a few options for food, including the Orangery restaurant and Garden Café. Food and drink is reasonably priced, good quality and offers plenty of choice. Souvenirs also cheaper than I have come to expect in such places. Parking is ample and located not too far from the house and gardens.
The house is stunning. You don't see too much of it as the family is still living there, but what you do so - the State Rooms - are steeped in history and full of incredible treasures including the largest collection of Chinese and Japanese porcelain outside Asia, stunning examples of marquetry and some incredible murals and celling scenes by Antonio Verrio. The Hell Staircase was a highlight for us. There are lots of friendly volunteers and a fantastic audio guide (priced at £3) to help you along.
The gardens are expanisive. We wandered the Floral Tapestry, Garden of Surprises and Sculpture Gardens before running off to see the nearby town of Stamford. The gardens were in full bloom in late August and despite this being a summer Saturday, were not brimming with kids. The Garden of Surprises was quirky but not gimmicky, and the other parkland areas were beautiful.
All in all, including a lunch stop, we spent a good 4 hours exploring Burghley House and felt this was an exceptional day out. Plenty of things for kids to do too. You should allow time to visit Stamford too; this is a lovely town. All in all, this is a lovely part of the UK!