After breakfast, we journey to the world-famous Highclere Castle, residence of the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon and filming location for the much-loved Downton Abbey television series and movie. Entrance includes access to the Egyptian Exhibition in the cellars of the castle, which explores the achievements of the 5th Earl of Carnarvon who discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun in 1922.

From here, we travel to Leicestershire and the Stapleford Park Country House Hotel where we stay for the next two nights.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

We start the day at Chatsworth House where we enjoy a house tour followed by afternoon tea. This magnificent estate is home to the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire and has witnessed sixteen generations of the powerful Cavendish family and boasts grandiose interiors, wonderful grounds and a superlative art collection. Chatsworth also appeared as Pemberley in the 2005 movie adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.

En-route back to our hotel, we make a short stop in Nottingham. One-time lace capital of the world, Nottingham is renowned for its landmark buildings, each of which tells its own chapter in Nottingham’s history, including the Lace Market with its stunning architecture.

Meals: Breakfast, Afternoon Tea, Dinner

Our first visit is to the National Trust’s Hardwick Hall. Ordered in the 16th century by Bess of Hardwick, England’s richest woman after her Queen, Elizabeth I, Hardwick is a striking Elizabethan treasure. The lavish number of windows (at a time when glass was a luxury) inspired the neat phrase, ‘Hardwick Hall, more glass than wall’.

We then travel north to the historic city of York. Here we visit Fairfax House, a stunning Georgian town house that has been restored to its former glory, providing a perfect time capsule of life in Georgian times with a richly-decorated interior and a fine collection of English 18th-century furniture. We enjoy refreshments here after our guided house tour.

This evening we enjoy dinner together at a local restaurant in York. Afterwards, we make our way to our hotel for the next two nights, the Bridge Hotel & Spa.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

This morning we visit the largest monastic ruin in Britain, Fountains Abbey, where we enjoy a guided tour. Nestling in the Skell Valley, the ruin is surrounded by some 800 acres of gorgeous countryside, including the Georgian Studley Royal Water Garden with its wonderful views, cascades, follies and statues, and a medieval deer park.

Our next stop is the elegant Victorian spa town of Harrogate, located in the heart of scenic Yorkshire. Notable sights include the Royal Pump Room and the Grade II listed Royal Hall, and don’t miss the attractive Montpellier Quarter with its pedestrianized streets lined with 19th-century buildings.

After dinner at the hotel this evening, we enjoy a fascinating talk by a guest speaker.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Our first visit of the day is to Castle Howard, home to the Howard family for over 300 years, where we enjoy a private guided tour and refreshments. Designed by Sir John Vanbrugh, Castle Howard has twice appeared as Brideshead in film and television adaptations of Evelyn Waugh’s classic novel, as well as providing the backdrop for various scenes in the hit Netflix series, Bridgerton. This magnificent 18th-century residence, surmounted with its iconic gilded dome, offers world-renowned collections and stunning architecture, all set within 1,000 acres of breathtaking scenery.

We then make a short stop in the beautiful city of Durham, where we find an abundance of impressive historic buildings and sights. Highlights include the 11th-century Durham Castle, and the magnificent Norman cathedral which sits on a rocky promontory high above the River Wear, affording an imposing feature of Durham’s skyline.

Later, we check in to the Lumley Castle Hotel, our base for the next two nights.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner