On arrival at Manchester airport, a private transfer will take you to our overnight hotel, the Radisson Blu Edwardian Hotel, Manchester. In the evening join the group for a welcome drink, followed by dinner.

Meals: Dinner

This morning we enjoy a guided tour at Wentworth Woodhouse, built by the 1st Marquess of Rockingham between 1725 and 1750 and one of South Yorkshire’s hidden gems. The Baroque west front and the Palladian east front combine to create an intriguing house of two completely different architectural styles. Having been closed to the public for over 25 years, the house is now in the process of being restored to its former glory and boasts magnificent State Rooms, acknowledged to be some of the finest of the Georgian era.

Next we visit Brodsworth Hall and Gardens. Built in the 1860s in the Italianate style for the wealthy Thellusson family, the house has survived with remarkably few changes. Brodsworth tells the story of the changing fortunes of the people who lived and worked here, while the beautiful pleasure gardens have been restored to their full Victorian splendor.

Later, we check in to the Middlethorpe Hall Hotel, where we spend the next three nights.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Designed by Sir John Vanbrugh, Castle Howard has twice appeared as Brideshead in film and television adaptations of Evelyn Waugh’s classic novel and has also appeared in the popular series Bridgerton. Home to the Howard family for over 300 years, this magnificent 18th-century residence offers world-renowned collections and stunning architecture, all set within 1,000 acres of breathtaking scenery with idyllic gardens, woodland and lakeside walks. We are treated to lunch and a guided tour here.

We continue York, where we enjoy a guided walking tour. The city is steeped in history, from its founding by the Romans in 71AD to its wealth as a medieval wool trading centre and there is plenty of evidence of this fascinating past left to admire, from the Roman city walls to the surviving medieval streets known as the Shambles.

After our tour, we enjoy dinner together at a local restaurant in York.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Built in the 18th century, Harewood House is one of the greatest Treasure Houses in England, with interiors designed by Robert Adam, furniture by Thomas Chippendale and an outstanding art collection ranging from Renaissance masterpieces to 20th-century art. Set in a magnificent ‘Capability’ Brown landscape, Harewood is still home to the Lascelles family and reflects the changing tastes and styles of the past 250 years. We enjoy a guided tour here and discover the house’s highlights.

We then have the opportunity to explore the iconic York Minster, the largest Gothic cathedral in northern Europe and home to some of the most stunning stained glass windows that have led to the Minster being described as ‘the Sistine Chapel of England’.

Afterwards, we visit Treasurer’s House in the heart of York. The property has a 2,000-year-old history and was the first house given complete with its contents to the National Trust in 1930. This is thanks to Frank Green, a wealthy industrialist who not only restored this magnificent architectural gem but used it to stage his remarkable collection of antique furniture, art and textiles.

After dinner back at the hotel, we are treated to a fascinating talk by a guest speaker.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Leaving our hotel, we travel to the largest monastic ruin in Britain, Fountains Abbey. Nestled 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.

We continue on to Bowness-on-Windermere, where we embark on a picturesque boat cruise across Lake Windermere, the largest natural lake in England, with magnificent views of mountain scenery, secluded bays and wooded islands.

We disembark in Lakeside and travel the short distance to the Lakeside Newby Bridge Hotel, our base for the next three nights.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner