Dover Castle

Fabulous day out at this historic English heritage site. Plenty to do. Good value. Had nice lunch , not overpriced. Visited war tunnels and walk round and in castle and grounds. Great views over countryside and out towards france.

Travelled from Folkestone to visit the Castle on my way home to London and could have kicked myself as id left my bank card at the hotel so didn't manage to get inside the castle which was a disappointment. The grounds are stunning and the views over the harbour are exceptional.

There is so much to see here - definitely plan enough time! I would recommend buying tickets online, if you can. If not, you can drive up and park, then walk inside and purchase tickets in the gift shop in the main castle area at the top of the hill. The grounds are really well maintained and the staff is so friendly and helpful! The various tours close early, so be sure to hit them first, then tour the rest at your leisure. We started at the top, toured the tunnels, then went and did the two tours at the bottom before making the trek back up. (I would recommend this route) There is a lot of walking, so wear comfortable shoes! The views are incredible and there is so much to see. The only thing we weren’t a big fan of was the gaudy colors of the decorations in the main castle - they reminded us of a children’s play set - but that’s just our opinion. It definitely didn’t dampen the experience! There are ample restroom facilities located all around the property. It seemed like the kind of place that might be difficult to maneuver in a manual wheelchair, but we don’t use a wheelchair so there might be accommodations we didn’t see. Overall, it was a wonderful experience!

Fantastic experience!! So much to explore and beautiful views. We took one of the secret tunnel tours and would highly recommend. It rained the entire time we were there but we still had a great time.

We visited on a Sunday. The castle grounds are huge. There are 3 different sets of tunnels you can explore, two of them with a guide and the medieval tunnels to explore on your own. We spent the whole day there. Very interesting. Lots to see and explore. Good cafe for lunch. Highly recommend.

Opening hours are 10-5pm. Please don't think you can just pop in for a couple of hours to explore this marvel. You will seriously need all of that time to get the full appreciation of what Dover castle has to offer. All stewards/assistants are friendly, approachable and knowledgeable to a fault. The grounds are immaculately tidy. We visited Aug 11 2025, one of the very warmest days to date. There were plenty of shaded areas and many groups and families took advantage to sit and have lunch. Any way you look out from the grounds, you will enjoy spectacular views. I could go on and on about how extraordinary Dover castle is to visit. Spend the coin to educate yourself more, and to be enlightened. To have your breath snatched at the beauty of a coastline and be appreciative of those that went before you, so you can.

An excellent day out, we were there for five hours and probably could have done with longer. First let me broach the thorny issue of cost, the prices are a bit eye-watering but believe me its well worth it. We went on three tunnel tours, visited the great tower, the church and Roman light house, and several displays. There were guided tours in the tower by costumed actors in character, or if you just wanted to wander about there were very knowledgeable guides in the main rooms. We were so busy that we didn't get round to visiting the tea rooms so I can't comment on them. The secret WW2 tunnels and Infirmary tunnels are really not to be missed. They are part guided tour and part video displayed on the walls. The build up to war is covered well and then the use of the tunnels as a command and control center and Infirmary during the war. We also went in the spur tunnels which were different again and related to the earlier defence of the castle. If you have children there seemed to be plenty of things dotted around to keep the kids entertained. And lastly if you are fit and healthy there is plenty of walking and climbing to be done, I think we did about 11,000 steps that day. But if you are not as mobile there is still a lot to see and a mobility bus is in operation.

Dover Castle is the kind of place that takes your breath away the moment you see it, rising above the White Cliffs like something out of a film. It’s huge, dramatic, and full of stories. The main tower was built in the 1180s under Henry II, though the site had already been fortified right after the Norman Conquest of 1066. Walking through its gates feels like stepping back into a world of kings, knights, and sieges, with the Great Tower restored to show what royal life might have looked like. Then there are the underground tunnels, which are just as fascinating — first dug in medieval times and later used in World War II as command posts and even a hospital. Moving from the bright open walls with views across to France down into those dimly lit tunnels really makes you feel the weight of history in a way that few places can. It’s not just old stones and stories either; Dover Castle is one of the most visited English Heritage sites, drawing around 270,000 people each year, with numbers once closer to 360,000 before the pandemic. An adult ticket costs about thirty pounds, and it’s worth every bit because you can easily spend hours exploring — climbing towers, wandering the ramparts, or losing yourself in the exhibitions. There are few places where you can experience so many different chapters of history in one day, and that’s why it’s my favourite castle. It feels alive, full of energy, and every time you look out across the Channel you understand exactly why it has been so important for so long.