Now the weather is improving and sunny days are ahead, many of us are turning our attention to days out in the UK to make the most of it. In the UK we are fortunate enough to be home to over 4,000 castles and palaces. The north of England boasts some of the most beautiful and popular castles to visit for 2024.
British heritage brand Fairfax & Favor wanted to list the top UK landmarks for castles and palaces that were open to the public, so conducted a research piece which ranked days of rainfall per location, average temperature year-round, Google visitor star ratings (out of five) and average monthly online searches to visit each place.
They used this information to create an index and score each place out of 100, take a look at the 10 ten destinations across the north of England below:
| # | Place | County | Region | UK avg. searches | Google star rating | Days of low rainfall | Avg. temp (°C) | Total points (/100) |
| 1 | Bamburgh Castle | Northumberland | North East | 61000 | 4.7 | 125.19 | 9.5 | 67 |
| 2 | Alnwick Castle | Northumberland | North East | 59000 | 4.5 | 125.19 | 9.5 | 64 |
| 3 | Harewood House | Leeds | Yorkshire & the Humber | 19000 | 4.5 | 115.89 | 10 | 61 |
| 4 | Goldsborough Hall | Knaresborough | Yorkshire & the Humber | 3100 | 4.7 | 120.16 | 10 | 60 |
| 5 | Barnard Castle | County Durham | North East | 24000 | 4.6 | 124.14 | 9.5 | 59 |
| 6 | Raby Castle | County Durham | North East | 16000 | 4.6 | 124.14 | 9.5 | 58 |
| 7 | Ripley Castle | Harrogate | Yorkshire & the Humber | 5500 | 4.5 | 123.55 | 10 | 57 |
| 8 | Warkworth Castle | Northumberland | North East | 8200 | 4.6 | 125.19 | 9.5 | 56 |
| 9 | Dunstanburgh Castle | Northumberland | North East | 8700 | 4.6 | 125.19 | 9.5 | 56 |
| 10 | Sizergh Castle | Cumbria | North West | 9200 | 4.6 | 124.14 | 9.5 | 56 |
- Bamburgh Castle, Northumberland (67/100)
Bamburgh Castle ranks as the top castle to visit in the north of England. Listed online as the North East’s ‘Large Visitor Attraction of the Year’, it’s easy to see why this castleattracts so much interest. Spanning an impressive nine acres and over 1,400 years old, Bamburgh Castle makes for a great day out to take in some local history. The castle, which is one of the largest inhabited castles in the country, offers visitors informational tours to learn history of The Last Kingdom, Vikings and Knights.
Admission costs start at £17.00 for adults and children’s tickets are free for under 4s
- Alnwick Castle, Northumberland (64/100)
Dating back to the Norman period, Alnwick Castle is a popular destination for tourists in 2024. Not only known for its history, the castle was the filming location for the first two Harry Potter movies, adding to its popularity as an attraction in the north east. The castle hosts regular event days tying into its history, as well as fun activities like learning to ride a broom in the same spot as Harry Potter.
Adult tickets are around £20.50 and children’s tickets start at free for under 4s
- Harewood House, West Yorkshire (61/100)
Harewood House was once home to Princess Mary and the 6th Earl in the 1930s. The building is renowned for its impressive collection of artwork and is listed as a charity and museum open to the public for 2024. Harewood House is also a filming destination for the Downton Abbey movie and was the setting for part of ITV’s series Victoria.
Adult tickets start from £15.40 and children’s tickets start at free for under 4s
- Goldsborough Hall, North Yorkshire (60/100)
Goldsborough Hall became the residence of HRH Princess Mary, King Charles’s great aunt, in the 1920s after her marriage to Viscount Lascelles, the son and heir of the 5th Earl of Harewood. In 2024, Goldsborough Hall is open to visitors for overnight stays or days out to admire the venue’s beautiful gardens and historic architecture.
The venue is free to visit and hosts bespoke events throughout the year, prices vary for the restaurant and overnight stays
- Barnard Castle, County Durham (59/100)
Barnard Castle, perched dramatically above the River Tees, was built around 1093. Its purpose was to control a river crossing between the Bishop of Durham’s territory and the Honour of Richmond. The Balliol family significantly expanded the castle during the 12th and early 13th centuries. The castle offers picturesque views over Tees Gorge and is near a small market town to make a full day out for visitors.
Adult tickets start from £9.50 and children’s tickets start at free for under 4s
