Chenies Manor House is an enchanting Tudor manor house with fortified tower and stepped gables. Originally the home of the Russell family, the manor was bought in the 1950s by the present owners, the MacLeod Matthews family, who take us on a guided tour of their enchanting property. Winner of the HHA/Christie's Garden of the Year Award 2009, the gardens are divided into a series of compartments, including a sunken garden, a parterre with a yew maze and a Victorian kitchen garden.

From here, we travel to Waddesdon Manor. Built by the wealthy Rothschild family, Waddesdon is a renaissance-style chateau that looks as though it’s been transported to the gentle Buckinghamshire countryside from France’s Loire Valley. Along with a guided tour of the sumptuous interiors, we also enjoy lunch here, followed by a guided tour of the cellars and a wine tasting session.

The evening is left free to make your own dinner arrangements.

We travel first to Hampton Court Palace, former royal residence of Henry VIII. Our guided tour brings the tales of the palace to life as we discover the State Rooms, the Great Hall (England’s last and greatest medieval hall), the vast Tudor kitchens and the Chapel Royal with its sumptuous ceiling decoration. Our tour continues into the formal gardens which cover over 60 acres. Highlights here include the Great Vine planted by ‘Capability’ Brown in 1768, and the Hampton Court Palace Maze which consists of half a mile of winding paths surrounded by towering yew tree walls.

Afterwards we visit Richmond Park, the largest of London’s eight Royal parks and the biggest enclosed space in London. Designated a National Nature Reserve, the park has a varied landscape of hills, woodland gardens and grasslands set among ancient trees plus plenty of wildlife including herds of red and fallow deer.

Back at the hotel we enjoy dinner together.

We start the day at Wakehurst Place, the country estate of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. Not only is it famed for its beautiful botanic gardens, tree collections, and its science-based plant conservation and research, but the unrestored mansion is a fine example of Elizabethan style.

Next stop is Polesden Lacey. Described as a ‘delicious house’ by the Queen Mother on her honeymoon there, the magnificent estate boasts wonderful views across the rolling Surrey Hills. This peaceful countryside retreat is most closely connected to Dame Margaret Greville who entertained royalty and the celebrities of her time with lavish parties at the manor, which remains home to her extensive collection of art and ceramics. We also have time to wander the beautiful gardens that are a delight to explore all year round.

Back at the hotel this evening, we enjoy a farewell dinner together. 

A private transfer will take you back to Heathrow airport for your return flight home.

Please note: Three of the seven nights on this tour are on a bed and breakfast basis. This allows you to make your own evening meal arrangements and explore Windsor.

Windsor Castle may close at short notice and the itinerary may be subject to change.

Why not combine this tour with the Chelsea Flower Show & Hidden London tour on 23rd May