Dover Castle — Attraction in Dover

A Timeless Fortress of Majesty and Memory – A Deeply Rewarding Visit

My recent visit to Dover Castle was one of the most profound and awe-inspiring historical experiences I’ve had in the UK. Towering high above the iconic White Cliffs, this ancient stronghold offers more than just postcard-perfect views — it delivers a full immersion into over 2,000 years of British history.

The journey begins even before entering the castle itself. As you approach, the outer defensive walls rise with staggering grandeur — majestic, tall, and fortified — giving you a sense of the sheer power and authority this site has commanded through the centuries. Each gateway, stairwell, and rampart you pass builds anticipation, layering the journey with wonder as you ascend toward the castle keep.

Inside the castle, I explored the massive medieval keep, where the hand-dug well plunges deep into the chalk, showcasing the remarkable ingenuity of the time. This wasn’t just a fortress — it was a self-sustaining stronghold, engineered for survival.

Inside the Great Tower’s upper rooms, I came across something truly remarkable: hand-carved graffiti etched into the stone walls, some dating as far back as the early 1700s. Knowing that soldiers and inhabitants from over 300 years ago left these personal marks behind in the throne room area was incredibly moving — a real human connection across the centuries.

But it didn’t end there. Deep within the chalky passageways and tunnels of the castle — some dating to Napoleonic times and extended during WWII — I found hundreds more initials, dates, and carvings, left behind by those who walked these same paths in wartime. These tunnels once served as command posts during Operation Dynamo and provide a vivid, cinematic glimpse into Britain’s wartime nerve centre.

A standout moment was walking to the command deck, where you can climb to the rooftop and gaze across the English Channel. On a clear day, the view stretches all the way to France, a powerful reminder of Dover’s historic strategic importance. Standing there, I could understand exactly why this site has been called the Key to England.

Beside the castle stands the Saxon-era St Mary in Castro church, with its adjacent Roman lighthouse — one of the oldest in all of Europe. The stained-glass windows inside the church throw beautiful coloured light across the floor, adding a touch of quiet reverence to the visit.

Finally, after hours of exploration, I relaxed in one of the many grassy spots with a picnic, overlooking the Bay of Dover and its turquoise waters. The view is absolutely picturesque, a peaceful contrast to the layers of defence and war-torn history held within the walls.

Dover Castle isn’t just a tourist attraction — it’s a living monument to British resilience, craftsmanship, and the evolving art of warfare and defence. English Heritage has done a phenomenal job preserving and presenting it. Allow at least 4–5 hours to take it all in — it’s worth every minute.

Truly unforgettable. Highly recommended for families, history lovers, and anyone who wants to walk through the story of Britain...

Finally managed to visit Dover Castle mid week with my wife. A long held ambition and we weren't disappointed.

We stayed the night before at Dover East Premier Inn which is very easy to find, out of central Dover which is quite grotty and is close to the castle. Separately reviewed.

This enabled us to get to the castle just after it opened at 10am as we were told it would take a full day to go round.

You can drive right in to the centre of the site and park close to the ticket shop and from there go around the site in a circular path so that, if needs be, you can easily nip back to the car to drop something off or pick it up. The parking is free, double bonus. Everything within the site is well labelled however for our return visit we will buy the guide book. (The Medieval Tunnels were undergoing some work and there's plenty to revisit and study more carefully.)

We were lucky that what started as a rainy day dried up and by mid afternoon was sunny with white clouds. We didn't dawdle but only just made it round before the site started to close.

We nearly didn't make the Wartime Tunnels tours. Fortunately the gent running the Wartime Hospital tour explained that we could join the penultimate Hospital Tour that lasted about 20 minutes and then run from the exit, down the hill to the start of the Wartime Planning and Communication tunnels and join the final tour of the day that takes about 45 minutes. Both entrances are next to each other but they exit some 100 yards away over a large raised bank area. When I explained that I wouldn't be able to run due to a recent knee operation he, very kindly, said that we could stay with him at the end and he would take us back to the entrance via a short cut and be in time for the other tour that was only 10 yards away.

The plan worked perfectly and we got to see both tours which were the key aim of the tour for me.

My advice would be, get to the castle as it opens, park up, get your ticket and go and do the tours at the start before the site gets busy.They have limited numbers per tour and although they run through the day they get full even at relatively quiet periods. Once you've done the tours you can take your time to visit the rest of the site which isn't timing...

We got an Overseas visitor pass for English Heritage sites for about $100 USD and this was one of the sites included in that pass. We arrived at Dover Castle at 1:30pm on Sunday 6/24/24. I don’t think that Dover Castle was advertised well. I did not have any expectations, except that we would be in an empty castle. Before entering the castle we went into an old Saxon church and a Roman lighthouse, which was incredible. The castle itself had rooms set up the way they may have been in the time of King Edward I. Sheilds, & bows hung up, bowls & utensils on the table, a throne room, and a well. When we got to the chapel in addition to the stone walls, stained glass windows and alter, you can hear the whispers of prayer. We walked through the bed chambers and scribal rooms, climbed to the top of the tower and took in the incredible view. We passed through the grand dining hall with the high table & banners hung ceremoniously throughout the hall. We walked through the armories and kitchens and overhead sounds of food cooking, pans clanking, fires crackling and a woman shouting to a boy to fetch some salt. Everything on display is able to be touched. This was a castle that engaged all of your senses. Once we exited the castle we entered the museum and saw various displays and wax figures depicting various battles & time periods. There was also a section where children ( or very petite adults) could try on various English military uniforms throughout the ages. This was a definite highlight of our trip, an absolute must see!and a woman shouting to a boy to fetch some salt. Everything on display is able to be touched. This was a castle that engaged all of your senses. Once we exited the castle we entered the museum and saw various displays and wax figures depicting various battles & time periods. There was also a section where children ( or very petite adults) could try on various English military uniforms throughout the ages. This was a definite highlight of our trip, an...