Osborne House

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On a visit to , you get to explore the former summer home of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.



Designed by Prince Albert and built between 1845 and 1851 in the Italian Renaissance Palazzo style. A walk through the house shows the vast wealth of the royals at this time, with the opulence of the rooms on display and the use of gold all over the building.

Before our visit, we were told that it gets busy and it certainly felt busy to us, though the staff told us that it was a quiet day.

As we went into the house, there was a steady stream of people going through, and at times we were a little packed in, so I'd recommend getting there as early as possible to help avoid the crowds and get a proper look at the rooms.

Outside the house, you can take a stroll through the garden terraces and the vast gardens. After a ten-minute walk, you will see their private beach with a view of the Solent that is said to have reminded Prince Albert of the Bay of Naples.



The royal children had their playhouse known as Swiss cottage that was built between 1853 and 1854 in the style of an Alpine chalet. It was designed as a place where all nine of the children were able to play and gain an insight into the world around them, many of the items in the building were built in a reduced size to suit the children.

There is also a garden area beside the cottage where the children would learn how to grow produce, all of which has been kept as it would have looked when they lived there.

In the walled garden, there are a large variety of seasonal plants, with changing colours throughout the year, there is always something different to see.



We didn't get much of a view of the Solent on the day we visited, but it was a lovely walk and an excellent place to relax by the beach and have a picnic.



We enjoyed our time here, though the crowds at the house were a bit off-putting for the kids, so we didn't spend long inside but would recommend a visit here to see how past Royals once lived.

When out in the garden, the estate is so vast that it is easy to get away from the crowds and enjoy the estate.

Parking is free but fills up fast, so best to visit early in the day.

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