The historic Tovrea Castle at Carraro Heights opened for public tours by Tovrea Carraro Society on March 10, 2012.
The Regular Tour explores the historic Castle’s main floor and basement, extensive grounds and cactus gardens surrounding the Castle, as well as an opportunity to pick up mementos in the Treasures at the Castle Gift Shop. Special Event Tours vary in length.
Tour size is limited and tours must be booked in advance due to occupancy limits and the historic nature of the site. Tour tickets are limited for each type of tour; please check the information on the tour you are interested in before purchasing. Regular Tours are held on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and distributed through a lottery system (see below); Group Tours on Thursdays and Special Events on Wednesdays. The Castle and Grounds are ‘dark’ on Mondays and Tuesdays for maintenance, repairs and ongoing upkeep.
ABOUT THE TOVREA CASTLE at CARRARO HEIGHTS REGULAR TOUR
Guests are greeted by Tovrea Carraro Society at the Visitor Center and taken through the Carraro Cactus Gardens by tram with a certified docent. The tour winds through the beautiful 44 acres, viewing the outer buildings, before arriving at Tovrea Castle.
The tour is ADA accessible; please let us know that you or your Guest will be using a wheelchair or walker. We cannot accommodate MOTORIZED assistive devices (wheelchairs, scooters, etc). Other Special Arrangements should be made at least 2 weeks prior to your tour date and time, particularly for interpreters and assistive devices for hearing and sight impairments.
Please be aware that there are no tour refunds within 72 hours of your selected tour date; exchanges are not available. There is not a wait list for cancellations. RESELLING of tickets is not allowed under any circumstances and is strictly enforced.
Tours are a ‘go’ rain or shine, hot or cold; we advise our guests to wear appropriate clothing for the weather conditions. If it does become necessary to cancel a tour, we will contact the primary ticket purchaser as soon as possible! If the tour is canceled by Tovrea Carraro Society, a refund for all tickets will be made; exchanges are not available.
Tour Prices |
| General Admission for Regular Tours $22 / Person Last-Minute Regular Tour Tickets $25 / Person Children 2 and Under FREE Group Tours, Special Events and Evening Tours Varying Admission Fees depending on the Tour |
| 1 Adult Must Accompany every 2 children under the age of 12 |
Regular Tour Times
|
| January – March 8:30 AM & 10:00 AM |
| April – May 7:30 AM & 9:00 AM |
| June Special Twilight Evening Tours Only |
| July – August CLOSED FOR TOURS |
| September 7:30 AM & 9:00 AM |
| October – December 8:30 AM & 10:00 AM |
Regular Tour Tickets by Lottery
Due to an overwhelming demand for Tovrea Castle at Carraro Heights Regular Tour Tickets, Tovrea Carraro Society has determined that a Lottery Ticket System is the only fair mechanism for distribution of tickets to our Guests. When you enter the Ticket Lottery you are entering for the opportunity to purchase Regular Tour Tickets.
LOTTERY STATUS
Lottery for Fall 2023 Regular Tour Tickets Is OPEN June 1 – 15, 2023.
See More Information Below.
(Lottery for Spring 2024 Regular Tour Tickets is from October 1 – 15, 2023)
The Ticket/Admission Price is $22 per person; age 2 and under are free with a paid adult admission.
QUICK STEPS TO ENTERING THE TOUR TICKET LOTTERY WHEN IT OPENS
1. Read through the information on the ticketing process found below;
2. Click on the lottery graphic above when it says ‘OPEN’ and is within the entry period of time (if it says ‘UPCOMING’, Lottery is not yet open to enter). We suggest using a computer rather than a mobile device to enter;
3. Enter the Information required (including name, email, phone number);
4. Choose the Date(s) and Time(s) on a Fri/Sat/Sun You are Interested in Touring (up to 3) along with the number of tickets you wish to purchase (limited to 1, 2, 3, or 4 tickets)
5. Submit your Entry; you will receive a confirmation email once submitted. Be sure to add Tours@TovreaCastleTours.com to your contact list so that your emails go to your inbox and not junk or spam. At this point you have NOT WON the opportunity to purchase tickets – you have ONLY entered the Lottery.
6. Entrants who do NOT win the chance to purchase tickets through the Lottery process will NOT be notified. Email notifications to Winners are sent 2 – 3 weeks after the Lottery Entry period ends. It sometimes takes several rounds for all tickets to be claimed and purchased, so be sure to watch your in-box.
7. If you Win:
a. You will receive an email with the date and time of the tour, a link for payment of the tickets and further tour information;
b. You have 72 hours (3 days) in which to pay for the tour tickets from the date the winning email is sent to you; if you do not pay within this time period, the next ‘winner’ will be chosen for the tickets.
c. Once paid, you will receive a confirmation email and your name will be on the Guest list for that day’s tour; no hard copy tickets are sent.
d. If you must cancel after purchasing and prior to your tour, you may receive a refund for all the tickets purchased. You must request your refund from Tovrea Carraro Society up to 72 hours (3 days) before your tour start time. No partial refunds or exchanges can be made.
e. Tour Guests are sent an email reminder about 1 week prior to the Tour.
Be advised that tours for commercial touring companies and photography sessions for professional photographers, using photos for commercial purposes, are priced at a higher rate and are very limited and not available through regular tours. If you are interested in booking a tour through your tour management company or for a photography session, please contact us for special pricing and dates at Tours@TovreaCastleTours.com
If you are a commercial touring company or professional photographer and enter the lottery anyway, we will automatically cancel your entry.
Important Information about the Tovrea Castle at Carraro Heights Ticket Lottery:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Occasionally last-minute tour tickets become available for Regular Tours (September through May). Check here:
Group Tours
Have a Group that would like to tour? Find out more here.
Coronavirus COVID-19 Update as of December 4, 2022: We are taking every precaution to ensure the health and safety of our Guests and Staff. We will continue to follow City, County and State Guidelines for the coronavirus COVID-19, as well as those of the CDC and the policies of Tovrea Carraro Society.
Effective Friday, March 11, 2022, face masks are not required and are a personal choice for Staff, Volunteers and Guests of Tovrea Castle at Carraro Heights. This will remain in effect while Phoenix is at a low or medium status or unless more stringent rules requiring face masks and other protocols are instituted.
Guests with Tour Tickets will be contacted via the Ticket Purchaser’s email, with updates on the tours prior to their tour date. If you have questions, please contact us at Tours@TovreaCastleTours.com.
Tovrea Castle at Carraro Heights 