The Northern Belle - Castles, Stately Homes, Gardens and Museums 2022

The magnificence of Britain's heritage is ever present with a wealth of sights to stir the imagination. Fortified strongholds speak, with a power that endures over the centuries, of more turbulent times when they formed the settings of strategy and siege. Travel in aristocratic style to some of our most noble houses and marvel at breathtaking interiors filled with irreplaceable antiques, glorious artworks and ancestral treasures.

Alnwick Castle

from £375 per person
£45 per person supplement for a table for 2
Insurance with Covid-19 cover from £3.38 per person

Beautiful Alnwick Castle is a castle and stately home in the town of Alnwick in the English county of Northumberland. There has been a castle on the site for nearly a thousand years. It is the seat of the Duke of Northumberland, built following the Norman conquest, and renovated and remodelled a number of times. Harry Potter fans will recognise it as Hogwarts School and it has also featured in the acclaimed Downton Abbey series. Explore the magnificent state rooms, library and Renaissance drawing room. Admire the furniture and fine art, including works by Canaletto and Van Dyck.

(Smart day wear is appropriate. You are asked not to wear jeans or trainers. Please remember you will be outdoors for part of your time at Alnwick castle).

Blenheim Palace

from £375 per person
£45 per person supplement for a table for 2
Insurance with Covid-19 cover from £3.38 per person

A masterpiece of Baroque architecture, Blenheim Palace provides an awe-inspiring experience for visitors. Home to the 12th Duke of Marlborough and his family, Blenheim Palace is a UNESCO World Heritage Site boasting a long and diverse history. Blenheim Palace was built as a gift to John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, from Queen Anne and a grateful nation in thanks for his victory at the Battle of Blenheim on 13th August 1704. The house and gardens are simply magnificent and you will tour independently to discover its rich history, fine interior and beautifully landscaped gardens.

(Smart day wear is appropriate. You are asked not to wear jeans or trainers. Please remember you will be outdoors for part of your time at Blenheim Palace).

Cardiff Castle - Marquess of Bute's Gothic Mansion

from £375 per person
£45 per person supplement for a table for 2
Insurance with Covid-19 cover from £3.38 per person

Discover a fantasy Gothic Mansion built by the richest family in the World in the Victoria era. Set within the grounds of the Medieval Cardiff Castle lies the Mansion built by the 3rd Marquess. Step back in time as you discover the many layers of history, dating back over 2000 years from the Romans, the Norman keep built by William the Conqueror up to the Marquess of Bute in the Victorian era who converted the castle to incorporate a Gothic Mansion built with his enormous wealth.

(Smart day wear is appropriate. You are asked not to wear jeans. Please remember you will be outdoors for part of your time at Cardiff).

Conwy Castle & Bodnant Gardens, North Wales

from £385 per person
£45 per person supplement for a table for 2
Insurance with Covid-19 cover from £3.38 per person

Nestled into the valley is one of the best preserved castles in Britain just waiting to be explored. Built for Edward I, by Master James of St George, the castle is amongst the finest surviving medieval fortifications in Britain. In a word, exceptional. You can't fault it, from the grandeur of its high towers and curtain walls to its excellent state of preservation. After your trip to the past we bring things right up to date with a visit to the vibrant and beautiful Bodnant Gardens. Spanning eighty acres and looking out towards the range of Snowdonia this garden is designed to flourish throughout the year with a variety of plants and flowers that represent each glorious season.

(Smart day wear is appropriate. You are asked not to wear jeans or trainers. Please remember you will be outdoors for part of your time in North Wales).

Dumfries House

from £405 per person
£45 per person supplement for a table for 2
Insurance with Covid-19 cover from £3.38 per person

Dumfries House is one of Britain's most beautiful stately homes with an outstanding collection of 18th-century furniture including fine examples of the work of Thomas Chippendale. The house and original contents, which include nearly 10% of Chippendale's surviving work, represent one of the most important documents of the Scottish Enlightenment. Recently having been fastidiously restored to its original splendour, you can take a guided tour around the stunning interiors and savour the delights of this now resplendent 18th century stately home.

(Smart day wear is appropriate. You are asked not to wear jeans or trainers. Please remember you will be outdoors for part of your time at Dumfries House).

Glamis Castle

from £375 per person
£45 per person supplement for a table for 2
Insurance with Covid-19 cover from £3.38 per person

Situated beside the village of Glamis in Angus, Scotland, Glamis Castle has been the ancestral seat to the Earls of Strathmore and Kinghorne since 1372, inspiration for Shakespeare's Macbeth, the childhood home of HM Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. Take a fascinating tour of the turreted, fairytale château, with its priceless works of art, tapestries and furnishings, which is brought to life with intriguing tales and ghostly legends. The childhood pranks of the young Lady Elizabeth (later to become the Queen Mother) may also be revealed, such as her penchant for pouring freezing water from the ramparts onto arriving guests. Outside there is much to explore, including magnificent Italian and Walled Gardens, a Nature Trail where you may spot red squirrels and herons, and a Pinetum.

(Smart day wear is appropriate. You are asked not to wear jeans or trainers. Please remember you will be outdoors for part of your time at Glamis Castle).

Inveraray Castle

from £375 per person
£45 per person supplement for a table for 2
Insurance with Covid-19 cover from £3.38 per person

Inveraray Castle is a country house near Inveraray in the county of Argyll, in western Scotland, on the shore of Loch Fyne, Scotland's longest sea loch. It has been the seat of the Dukes of Argyll, chiefs of Clan Campbell, since the 18th century and the iconic, must-see visitor attraction on the West Coast of Scotland. An Inveraray Castle has been standing on the shores of Loch Fyne since the 1400s, although the impressive castle that presently stands here was inspired by a sketch by Vanbrugh, the architect of Blenheim Palace and Castle Howard in the 1700s. Inveraray Castle boasts an abundance of lavishly-decorated rooms and acres of stunning gardens. It is no surprise that this was chosen as a filming location for the BBC hit drama Downton Abbey.

(Smart day wear is appropriate. You are asked not to wear jeans or trainers. Please remember you will be outdoors for part of your time at Inveraray Castle).

Scone Palace

from £375 per person
£45 per person supplement for a table for 2
Insurance with Covid-19 cover from £3.38 per person

Home to the Earls of Mansfield for the last 400 years, Scone Palace has an exciting and colourful history as one of Scotland's most important stately homes. The site was the capital of the Picts 1,500 years ago and later the crowning place of the Kings of Scots: a visit here is a walk in the footsteps of Scotland's ancient founding fathers. The Palace houses an outstanding collection of antiques, paintings, superb embroidered silks, sculpted oak fireplaces and breath-taking porcelain collections. Take time to enjoy the remarkable gardens, with their giant redwoods, Noble firs and striking star-shaped maze.

(Smart day wear is appropriate. You are asked not to wear jeans or trainers. Please remember you will be outdoors for part of your time at Scone Palace).

Windsor Castle

from £375 per person
£45 per person supplement for a table for 2
Insurance with Covid-19 cover from £3.38 per person

Windsor Castle is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world. Founded by William the Conqueror in the 11th century, it has since been the home of 39 monarchs and is the longest occupied castle in Europe. The castle's lavish early 19th-century State Apartments were described as the finest and most complete expression of later Georgian taste. Inside the castle walls is the 15th-century St Georges Chapel, a chapel built in high-medieval Gothic style. It is both a Royal Peculiar, a church under the direct jurisdiction of the monarch, and the Chapel of the Order of the Garter. Today The Queen spends most of her private weekends at the Castle.

(Smart day wear is appropriate. You are asked not to wear jeans or trainers. Please remember you will be outdoors for part of your time at Windsor Castle).

Please note: All timings shown are for guidance only. Confirmed timings will be supplied with your travel documents which will be sent to you 5 - 7 days before departure.