Soaring cost of the UK’s historic attractions
A ticket to visit Westminster Abbey is now £30 for adults.
For comparison the cheapest tickets to theme parks such as Alton Towers, Thorpe Park or Chessington World of Adventure are all £29.
The cost of visiting some cathedrals has increased hugely - with York Minster having gone up from £13 just three years ago to £20 now - a rise of 54%.
Other attractions, such as the Tower of London, have also increased by £5 in the last few years, while a standard adult ticket to the privately owned Blenheim Palace is a startling £41.
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The cost of cathedrals
Westminster Abbey is not the only church where the entrance fee has soared. St Pauls has increased from £21 to £26, Winchester Cathedral from £10 to £14 and York Minster from £13 to £20.
However, there are still some cathedrals where there’s no fee to enter - of the 10 biggest cathedrals in the UK, four of them are still voluntary contribution only.
Westminster Abbey told us that, unlike most other English cathedrals or churches, it receives no funding from the Church of England, the UK government or the Crown.
It also said that it remains free for those who are visiting to pray.
Historic attractions compared
2022 price | 2025 price | Percentage increase | |
Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire | £32 | £41 | 28 |
Westminster Abbey, London | £25 | £30 | 20 |
Hampton Court Palace, London | £26 | £27 | 4 |
St Pauls Cathedral, London | £21 | £26 | 24 |
Titanic Belfast, Northern Ireland | £22 | £25 | 14 |
Royal Yacht Britannia, Edinburgh | £18 | £20 | 11 |
Shakespeare's Birthplace, Stratford-upon-Avon | £20 | £20 | 0 |
The UK's best days out
If you're looking for a cheaper day out - some of the UK's greatest historic attractions are free.
Our survey rated 63 of them on entertainment, facilities, food and drink and more.
How to save on historic attractions
You can often save money by using public transport. Visitors to Blenheim Palace get 20% off by travelling by train, bus or bike.
For many other attractions you can buy two tickets for the price of one if you travel by train. Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral, Shakespeare’s Birthplace, Conwy Castle, Cardiff Castle, Winchester Cathedral and Tower Bridge 2-for-1 tickets are all available through National Rail’s daysoutguide.co.uk.
