Visiting Eltham Palace and Gardens

Getting there

The palace is 15 kilometres east of central London, on the border of the Greenwich and Bromley boroughs. By train, the two nearest stations are Mottingham (900 metres, roughly 15 minutes on foot up a gentle hill) and Eltham (1.4 kilometres, roughly 25 minutes). Both are served by frequent Southeastern services from London Bridge, Charing Cross and Cannon Street; typical journey times are 20 to 30 minutes.

By bus, routes 126, 161, 162, 314 and B16 all stop within a five-minute walk of the entrance. If driving from central London, expect around 45 minutes outside of rush hour via the A2 and A20; postcode SE9 5QE will route sat-navs to the visitor car park. There is no on-street parking on Court Yard itself.

On arrival

Tickets are checked at the visitor centre next to the car park. Bags larger than a small day pack must be left in the free lockers; there is no cloakroom for coats. Push-chairs can be taken into the ground floor of the Art Deco house and into the Great Hall, but must be folded on the upper floor. Photography for personal use is allowed throughout, without flash and without tripods.

Accessibility

The ground floor of the Courtauld house, the Great Hall, the visitor centre, café and shop are step-free. The upper floor of the house, which includes Virginia Courtauld's bedroom and bathroom and the guest bedrooms, is only reached by a staircase; a full video tour of those rooms is available on tablets at the ticket desk. Manual wheelchairs can be borrowed free of charge on a first-come basis. Assistance dogs are welcome throughout. A quiet-hours calendar is published each season for visitors with sensory sensitivities.

Food and facilities

The café in the visitor centre serves hot lunches until about 3pm and cakes, ice-cream and drinks until closing. Picnicking is welcomed on the south lawn and around the sunken garden. Baby-change and accessible toilets are available in the visitor centre and near the rose garden. The shop stocks the English Heritage guidebook to Eltham (recommended) alongside gifts and children's activity packs.

When to visit

For quiet, come on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday morning outside school holidays. Late spring (May, when the wisteria on the loggia is out) and early autumn (October, for the rose garden's second flush) are the most rewarding times for the gardens. December opening includes a "Christmas Past" event with the house dressed for a Courtauld family holiday.

Suggested itinerary

1. Walk the gardens for 30–45 minutes to orient yourself.
2. Enter the Great Hall for around 20 minutes.
3. Move into the Art Deco house — allow 60–75 minutes with the audio guide.
4. Finish with the moat and rock garden, then lunch or tea at the café.

For price detail see our tickets and opening times page, and for a room-by-room reading list our highlights guide.