Hampton or Windsor Castle
 

Going to London over Thanksgiving with 2 teanage boys who enjoyed Castel De Angelo in Rome last year. Can I have som input on which of these 2 castles should be our pick this vacation. It seems to me that I read that one goes into furnishings more than the other. Can they both be done in one day?

By far the choice is Windsor! So much my grand!

This is funny, because I offer the oposite opinion: take them to Hampton Court. Or, I would take them to Hampton Court.

Windsor is much more controlled, and somewhat sterile, IMO. The maze at Hampton, the gardens, boats on the river, the costumed reenactors, these were all very entertaining to us at HC Palace. The sense of history was, I think, more palpable to me there, also.

I don't think both places can be done justice in one day. They are in opposite directions, and both are somewhat costly to visit, so it seems worthless to pay for both and rush through each.

I would add that either is a good day out, but the teenage boys would probably enjoy Hampton Court more. The early tennis court is very interesting.

The choice is simple: Windsor is a castle; Hampton Court Palace is not.

Another vote for Hamtpon COurt Palace. It is big, great to walk around, not controlled like Windsor. Staff in period costumes, freedom to browse without walking in lines to view things. It is only a short train ride away and IMO more to offer.

IMHO, both are fabulous. I don't think you can go wrong with either one. They are both different, but each is fascinating in it's own right.

I teach middle schoolers and am sure they would very much enjoy Hampton Court and the re-creations.Enjoyment of Windsor would depend on their knowledge of English history, I believe. It would be pretty hard to do both using train travel.

Yeah but they are both different. windsor is truely a palace, Hampton is more of a castle. Windsor is a lot more opulent and breathtaking.

If it s the military aspect of Castel St Angelo your sons liked, you should think twice about either Windsor Castle or Hampton Court, though the Castle would be the better bet of the two.

"Hampton", by the way, used by itself, is a vulgar English term for penis - which is why the palace is always known in English as Hampton Court It isn't, and never has been, a castle.

Windsor Castle looks like a castle outside, but inside is mostly reasonably sumptuous apartments and the like. At a pinch, your sons could indulge a few military fantasies. But to the best of my knowledge, it's never really been used in anger - unlike the place in Rome, whose history is really all about fighting. I've always found the Castle a bit girly: it is, after all, where Her Maj prefers to live, and is a working royal palace.

Hampton Court is a relatively recent (mostly 16th century) self-indulgence by the monarchs. It's all about how kings had fun: Victoria and the Elizabeths didn't use it much,and I think it's been pretty much a museum for the past 200 years. It doesn't look remotely like a castle, and feels like a sprawling resort hotel - though utterly fascinating, and IMHO a great deal more interesting to middle-aged history buffs for what it shows about how the other 0.1% lived than the Castle. It's great if your sons might be interested in Tudor kitchens, Real Tennis courts and all the other practicalities of being a regal show-off.It's also good for smaller children. But my teenage nephews used to stifle their yawns rather.

If it's fighting and real stuff having happened there is what got to them in Rome, the Tower of London would be much more up their street than either Hampton Court or the Castle.

There are more rooms to see at Hampton Court and of course the maze which teenagers should get a kick out of.

The best part of Windsor Castle are the views of it from the town, I didn't really enjoy the inside. But the town is a great place to wander about, shop, go down by the river and see the swans and even walk across to Eton.

I think it depends on whether you want to make a day at Hampton Court or a day seeing some of Windsor Castle and exploring the town.