Availability Key
Open: Tours that have availability and are open to the general public
Limited Availability: Tours with 5 or fewer places still available
Wait List Only: Tours that are at capacity and only have wait list availability
A Catalogue of Dreams: The Americans who revived the English country house
September 2 - 10, 2024| Maximum Group Size: 10 Participants | Availability: Open
From Consuelo Vanderbilt to Gordon Selfridge, those Americans who were devoted Anglophiles or married into aristocracy gave a much-needed boost to Britain in the 19th and early 20th centuries and some continue to this day. At the most obvious level, the wealthy gave a financial infusion which saved many country houses or at the very least kept them going in comfort and much better decorated than would have otherwise been the case. What became known as the ‘country house look’ was codified by an American. The greatest of early 20thC gardens was created by an American. The first female Member of Parliament was an American. It was an American romance that caused Edward VIII to abdicate. Here we examine a selection of houses and estates which were supported and sometimes transformed by fortunes hailing from the United States, together with a brief look at those who are continuing to forge those ties today.
At the time of curating this programme, a new television series entitled ‘The Buccaneers’ is about to hit our screens! This will showcase the 1870’s London social scene where young Americans were sent to find a partner!
September 9 - 18, 2024 | Maximum Group Size: 15 Participants | Availability: Open
Join garden blogger Michael Gordon for a stroll through England’s best gardens. Experience the expression of Britain’s top garden designers, who have set the standard for the rest of the world in horticulture for centuries.
Our tour will show that a well-designed garden continues to delight through various seasons. From William Kent’s masterpiece landscape garden, Rousham, to Christopher Lloyd’s innovative garden at Great Dixter, to the contemporary private garden at Pettifers, we will see English garden design from the traditional to the cutting edge. This trip is designed for the passionate gardener with first-class hotels and wonderful meals.
Follow Michael on Instagram: @thegardenerseye
September 13 - 23, 2024 | Maximum Group Size: 15 Participants | Availability: Open
Join Discover Europe for an exploration of vacation spot, Cornwall. Starting in Windsor, we’ll make our way through the counties of Devon and Cornwall. Highlights include Tintagel Castle, Stourhead Garden, Castle Drogo, Highclere Castle (subject to availability), Montacute House, Stonehenge, and much more!
*Back to back with: Wales & the Welsh Borders, September 4 - 13, 2024
September 27 - October 6, 2024 | Maximum Group Size: 15 Participants | Availability: Open
From the ancient city walls of York to the Lake District, here is an adventure in Northern England that takes you behind the usual tourist facade. We meander past ruined abbeys, country mansions, and breathtaking scenery, traversing from one side of the country to the other.
We will take in several literary locales, including Wordsworth’s Dove Cottage and Beatrix Potter’s charming cottage, and understand why other Lakeland poets (Coleridge, Southey, et al.) decided to make this area their home. From Castle Howard, immediately recognizable from the BBC television series, Brideshead Revisited, to Fountains Abbey, Britain’s largest and most beautiful monastic ruin, this trip promises to take you back in time to explore the wonderful Treasure Houses of Northern England.
*Back to back with Treasure Houses of Southern England, October 5 - 14, 2024
October 5th - 14th 2024 | Maximum Group Size: 15 Participants | Availability: Open
Join Discover Europe and like-minded friends for a look at the history of English aristocracy in the 20th century. Spanning from the Norman invasion to the Victorian era, we will try to understand how the English class system came about and still exists in the legacy that it has bequeathed the nation.
With visits to Hever Castle, the childhood home of Anne Boleyn; Oxford, with its treasured buildings dating back to the 13th and 14th centuries; Waddesdon Manor, the home of Lord Rothschild; Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill; and other stately homes of historical significance, we will gain a deeper understanding of Royalty and its history. With time to stop for a pint in a cozy pub and picturesque landscapes along the way, we will journey into the tales and traditions housed in the stately homes of England.
*Back to back with: Treasure Houses of Northern England, September 27- October 6, 2024
Enjoying a wave of popularity in recent years, thanks largely to the various film adaptations of her novels, Jane Austen’s work spans the Regency period. Her view of English society is a matchless mix of irony, humor, and honesty. Jane Austen fans will love her quiet home in Chawton. The door to the dining room, which she would not allow the servant to oil, still squeaks. The tiny Hampshire village is the epitome of the country setting Jane Austen loved for her novels, while our stay in Bath will shed light on the more cosmopolitan world of which she was such a keen observer.
Join us this spring on an adventure through the picture book countryside of southwest England, where the scenes and characters of this great novelist will rise off the page and come to life before your eyes.