If your holiday is short in Victoria, a half-day excursion will provide you with enough time for sightseeing and relaxation. One of the most popular historic locations to visit is Hatley Castle, the home of Royal Roads University. On the grounds, visitors can enjoy three different styles of gardens in addition to the beautiful architecture of the castle and ocean view location.
Hatley Castle was built in 1910 and designed as the retirement home for James and Laura Dunsmuir. Every aspect of the design was intended to cater to James and Laura’s needs. James designed the exterior of the castle to look medieval, where he could fish, hunt, and farm. The interior of the castle belonged to Laura and was designed similar to the government house for entertaining and housing her large family, staff, and friends.
At that time, Hatley Castle was the largest private domicile on the west coast. For the detailed story: https://hatleypark.ca/our-rich-history/hatley-castle
Today, it has become one of the most famous tourist attractions in Victoria. It is also popular as a wedding venue, and film location. 22 movies have been filmed at Hatley Castle since 1980 including X-Men and Deadpool.
Apart from the Castle itself, there are beautiful gardens to be explored, including the following:
1. Italian Garden
2. Japanese Garden
3. Rose Garden
As you walk through the gardens, you may encounter one of the resident peacocks.
Hatley Park reopened for limited public visitation on July 1st, 2020
Free access is available via the Garden Booth between 10 am to 4 pm daily.
Well written Darryl!