Have you ever wondered what it feel like to live in a palace or a castle? British Airways combs through its destinations and selects the top royal palaces in the UK and Europe for travellers from Australia to visit.
For the UK, visitors can visit Buckingham Palace, its longest reigning monarch’s official London residence, and Windsor Castle, the Queen’s royal home in the English countryside.
With British Airways’ vast network in Europe through the award-winning London Heathrow Airport, travellers can also tour other royal palaces on the European continent to soak up more glorious history and admire the grand architecture.
Nicole Backo, British Airways’ Regional Commercial Manager South West Pacific, said “The UK and Europe house some of the world’s famous palaces and castles. British Airways would like to invite travellers from Australia to take advantage of our extensive network to visit some of these majestic monumental sites in the UK, or one of the equally stunning palaces in nearby Spain, Monaco or France.”
The top palaces and castles on the British Airways must-see list include:
1. Buckingham Palace
To signal that the sovereign is in residence at Buckingham Palace—the location of the famous ‘Changing of the Guard’ ceremony in London—the Union Jack flag is replaced by The Royal Standard.
From 23 July to 2 October 2016, visitors can tour a special exhibition “Fashioning a Reign: 90 Years of Style from The Queen’s Wardrobe” which charts significant events in the Queen’s life and the nation’s history through an unprecedented collection of her majesty’s clothing and accessories.
2. Windsor Castle
windsor castle
The Queen’s country residence in Windsor, just 40 minutes outside of London, represents over 900 years of royal history and is the world’s oldest and largest occupied castle.
Her majesty sometimes spends her private weekends at the Windsor Castle. You might even time your visit when she is in residence. Private group tours of the State Apartments can be pre-booked for a behind-the-scenes look at this historic stone fortress.
If you miss the “Fashioning a Reign: 90 Years of Style from The Queen’s Wardrobe” exhibition at the Buckingham Palace, you will have the opportunity to view it at the Windsor Castle from 17 September 2016 to 8 January 2017.
3. Palacio Real
Madrid’s Royal Palace was constructed in the mid-1700s on the site of a castle built in the 9th century.
The impressive Palacio Real is the largest royal palace in Europe by floor area and contains almost 3,500 rooms. These days, the Spanish Royal Family lives in a smaller palace on the outskirts of the city and the Palacio Real is mainly used for state functions.
4. Prince’s Palace of Monaco
The official residence of the Prince of Monaco was built on a rocky outcrop in 1191 as a Genoese fortress and has been the continuous home of the Grimaldi family for over seven centuries.
The fortified palace enjoys views over both the Port of Fontvieille and the Mediterranean Sea and looks spectacular when it is lit up at night.
5. Palace of Versailles, Paris
Ile de France, golden gate of Versailles palace in Les Yvelines
The Château de Versailles, 20 kilometres southwest of Paris, was the centre of political power in France from 1682 until the monarchy was deposed by the French Revolution in 1789. The palace’s most famous gallery—the Hall of Mirrors—was the setting for many of the ceremonies of the French Court during the Ancien Régime. It contains 17 mirror-clad arches that reflect 17 arcaded windows that overlook the chateau’s beautiful gardens.
On their way to these marvellous destinations, customers from Australia have the opportunity to travel in ultimate style and comfort, thanks to British Airways’ superjumbo. All flights from Australia arrive at the airline’s home at London Heathrow Terminal 5 and customers can enjoy stress-free onward connections to cities in the UK and Europe from Heathrow. Exclusive to customers of British Airways and Iberia Airlines, Terminal 5 was named by Skytrax as the Best Airport Terminal for the fourth year running; it also won the Best Airport Shopping award.
For further information on British Airways, please visit ba.com.
