Sandringham Estate

Where to begin? This is a must-see if you are going to Norfolk. Sandringham is the loved country home of Her Majesty the Queen, who visits more than twice a year and spends her Christmas there. The country house has been the private home of the British monarchs for four generations.

There is no admission charge for the Visitor Centre, it’s open all year. This makes it an ideal stopping-off point if you are on holiday in the area, however I would recommend paying to go around the gardens and house if you can.

It is a stunning place to visit and I would really recommend it, the house viewings have to be booked in advance, as you can imagine at the moment. Fortunately, we were able to explore a few rooms within Sandringham, with an audio-guided tour which was very beneficial.

We got to learn about how the house was built, who lived there and how often the Queen visits each year. you can see various collected items, gifts, portraits and even oriental arms brought back from the far east in 1876.

Sandringham House was first opened to the public at Her Majesty The Queen’s wish in her Silver Jubilee year of 1977. Phones must be turned off during the house tours, however, if you saw photos before entering it would ruin the experience.

Every room has amazing wow-factors, especially the Ballroom – sprung floors and chandeliers, what more could you want?

You can also walk around the outside of the entire house and even explore the gardens as well as acres and acres of woodland. St Mary Magdalene Church is also nestled within the Country Park, however, for the 2020 season remains closed.

The Sandringham gardens were first opened to the public in 1908 and since then we have been able to enjoy Royal’s woodland walks, carrstone rockeries, statues, lime avenues and a lovely stream walk.

All of these features of the garden have been created by various generations of the Royal family. The gardens were so peaceful to walk around, the plants that they grow are stunning, especially when they are all in bloom.

Within the cafe and gift shop at Sandringham, you’ll find local Norfolk produce such as Gin (which my mum loves and would recommend), Jams, Honey, Biscuits and Teas, etc.

I was so amazed at Sandringham, it was nothing like I expected. After visiting lots of National Trust houses, seeing a magnificent house like this that is actually lived in was so refreshing.

Everything in the house wasn’t on ‘too much’ of a show, it was how the Queen likes it. You can just imagine her and her family sharing many Christmas’s together over the years.

10 out of 10, honestly if you get a chance to visit Norfolk I would stop off at Sandringham, you’ll be fascinated by what you find.