Hever Castle in Kent is just 45 minutes away from south east London just off of the M23.
The gardens have appeared as a backdrop for documentaries, TV shows and films like The Great, Inkheart, Anne of a Thousand Days and The Princess Bride, to name a few.
It was famously the childhood and family home of Anne Boleyn and was later the home of the wealthy William Waldorf Astor, who restored and expanded the property.
It was famously the childhood and family home of Anne Boleyn. (Image: Hever Castle)
Featuring 125 acres of gardens with a lake, giant topiaries and 5,000 roses, it’s no wonder Hever Castle is one of TripAdvisor’s top rated Kent Castles to visit in the county.
No matter what season you visit, Hever Castle and its gardens always has something to offer visitors, from its Snowdrop walk in the winter to its striking Boston Ivy in the Autumn months.
This year, Hever Castle is also set to play host to a brand new musical depicting the life of its former royal resident and Henry VIII’s second wife – Anne Boleyn: The Musical – running over the month of August.
No matter what season you visit, Hever Castle and its gardens always has something to offer visitors, (Image: Hever Castle)
If you haven’t visited Hever Castle, here are five reasons to visit in 2025:
It’s a prime spot to see the Snowdrops
If you’re planning a visit to Hever Castle this winter, Snowdrop season is the prime time to visit over the colder months.
From early February until early March you can walk around Hever’s Snowdrop trail, where 15,000 bulbs have been planted in the Winter Garden, so you can find a variety of types of Snowdrops alongside a mixture of other later winter and early spring bulbs.
If you’re planning a visit to Hever Castle this winter, Snowdrop season is the prime time to visit over the colder months. (Image: Hever Castle)
There’s plenty to do in the spring
The springtime at Hever is always packed with things to do, starting with its Daffodils on display from March 17, with 80,000 Daffodils planted around the gardens.
The castle’s Daffodils will be on display from March 17, with 80,000 Daffodils planted around the gardens. (Image: Hever Castle)
But as well as Daffodils, the gardens are also home to plenty of other spring blooms like Bluebells, Tulips, Cherry Blossom and Magnolias.
If you fancy buying some plants to add to your own garden, on March 23 you can shop at Hever’s Plant Fair, which is new for 2025, where this one-day event brings together a range of plant sellers in the grounds of the castle.
The gardens are also home to plenty of other spring blooms like Bluebells, Tulips, Cherry Blossom and Magnolias (Image: Hever Castle)
You can relive the past by watching a jousting tournament
If you fancy catching a glimpse into what Hever would have once been like during the times when Anne Boleyn lived there, Hever regularly hosts jousting matches, bookable on certain days over the year.
Hever regularly hosts jousting matches, bookable on certain days over the year. (Image: Ollie Dixon)
Put on by Knights of Royal England, these authentic recreations of a Tudor jousting match showcase the pomp of this once common sport used to show the prowess of the competing knights.
These authentic recreations of a Tudor jousting match showcase the pomp of this once common sport. (Image: Ollie Dixon)
It’s a great place to see autumn colour
If you plan on making a visit during the autumn, Hever Castle is a prime location in Kent to catch a glimpse of the highly photographed Boston Ivy (otherwise known as Virginia Creeper).
This climbing plant turns a vibrant red during the November period, during which time the Boston Ivy growing on Hever Castle turns this historic building into a dazzling sight to take photographs of.
The Boston Ivy growing on Hever Castle turns this historic building into a dazzling sight to take photographs of. (Image: Ollie Dixon)
It has a stunning light show and Christmas display
It might be a little too early to start thinking about Christmas already, but if you’re not sure when to visit Hever in 2025, Christmas might be one of the best times to see it.
From late November to early January, the inside of Hever Castle is decorated in festive lights, decorations and trees, turning it into a winter wonderland.
From late November to early January, the inside of Hever Castle is decorated in festive lights, decorations and trees. (Image: Ollie Dixon)
Whilst outside you can explore Hever’s festive light trail, which is also dog-friendly, where you’ll find a host of light displays dotted around the garden from the lake to the Italian Garden.
Outside you can explore Hever’s festive light trail, which is also dog-friendly, (Image: Ollie Dixon)
The Castle is set to reopen for 2025 on February 12, beginning with the annual Snowdrop display.