1. Private Full-Day Tour: Leeds Castle & Chartwell from London
Ah, England! Full of beautiful castles, palaces and stately homes. There are so many to choose from, it is hard to know where to start. Especially if you are basing your vacation in London. This full day tour will help you out by taking you to one of the country’s most romantic castles and combining that with a visit to the former home of Winston Churchill, or the birthplace of Vita Sackville West. You will be picked up from your central London hotel and driven in style through lovely English countryside to Leeds Castle. Located in Kent - sometimes referred to as the “Garden of England” – the castle is a former royal residence and was once home to Catherine of Aragon. Surrounded by a peaceful lake, most of the property today dates from the 19th-Century, but it has its origins in the 12th-Century. Whatever its age, it is one of the most loved castles in England and includes a charming maze in its tranquil gardens. Next you can visit Chartwell, former home of Sir Winston Churchill. The Victorian property nestles in peaceful countryside on the outskirts of Westerham. Alternatively, go to Chartwell Knole, one of the largest private houses in England. The childhood home of Vita Sackville West, and providing inspiration for Virginia Woolf’s novel “Orlando,” it has a famous collection of 17th and 18th-Century furniture and an exquisite 1,000 acre deer park. If you wish to book the services of a Blue Badge Guide, you may. Otherwise, explore at your leisure before your return to central London.