Day 1: Following your home taxi collection, we join our luxury tour coach and make our way to Melton Mowbray, where we have free time to explore and maybe enjoy one of the famous pork pies from ‘Ye Olde Pork Pie Shoppe, as well as the local cheeses. Later we continue to Northampton and our hotel for the next four nights, the 4 star Marriott on a dinner bed and breakfast basis.
Day 2: This morning we depart our hotel to visit Waddesdon Manor. This splendid mansion, built by Ferdinand de Rothschild in the style of Louis XIV, boasts an extensive art collection and immaculate furnishings. The collection, built by successive members of the Rothschild dynasty, includes Dutch Masters, works by Reynolds, Gainsborough and others, and outstanding furniture.
The house was created over a century ago to entertain Baron Ferdinand’s circle of friends. Today it is home to exceptional architecture, art collections and gardens. Some of the house’s magnificent bedroom suites have been converted into exhibition spaces, which host an annual rotation of displays highlighting various aspects of the Waddesdon collection.
The gardens are extensive, ranging from woodland walks to formally laid beds and remain in keeping with those originally set out by the Rothschild family, whom many considered at the time to be at the forefront of Victorian gardening.
Day 3: After breakfast we head to Stoke Bruerne for a short canal boat trip. The Grand Union Canal runs through the heart of the village and offers a combination of locks and a tunnel as examples of the technology of the early Industrial Revolution. Afterwards there will be free time to maybe enjoy a walk along the canal side or pay a visit to the Stoke Bruerne Canal Museum (entrance to museum not included). This afternoon we then make our way to Castle Ashby Gardens. Wander through its gardens and you are taking a walk through history. Set in the heart of a 10,000-acre estate, the 35 acres of extensive gardens are a combination of several styles including the romantic Italian Gardens, the unique Orangery and impressive Arboretum. You can also enjoy the lovely walled garden tea shop.
Day 4: A leisurely start this morning for a visit to the remarkable Rockingham Castle. Built on the instruction of William the Conqueror and frequented by Charles Dickens, the castle has been in the current owners family for 450 years. You will start their self-guided tour 'below stairs' and work your way through the Panel Room, Long Gallery and the Great Hall.
There are very few homes that have been owned by just one family since being relinquished as a royal Castle. Whether it is images of Knights in shining armour, a Tudor house, a Victorian home staffed with servants, or contemporary art, Rockingham has it all.
This afternoon we pay a visit the lovely market town of Stamford for some free time.
Described by Sir Walter Scott (of Ivanhoe fame) as ‘the finest stone town in England’, we guarantee that you will be as charmed by Stamford as he was! In 1967, the town became the very first designated conservation area in England and Wales. It is therefore no wonder, that Stamford is a popular location for filming period dramas. George Elliot’s Middlemarch, the 2004 film version of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, (with Kiera Knightley and Dame Judi Dench) and The Da Vinci Code were filmed in and around the town. Stamford is a wonderful place to visit and there is plenty to do and see. You can relax and enjoy a delicious meal in one of the town’s many delightful tea shops and cafes, or indulge in a bit of retail therapy in one of its many independent shops.
Day 5: This morning after a leisurely breakfast we depart our hotel and head to Cambridge for some free time. You may wish to enjoy a punting trip on the river Cam, visit one of the free museums, or explore the huge amount of independent shops and cafes. We then make our way back to Norfolk, where upon our arrival we re-join our door to door taxi service who will return you safely home.
Holiday Information:
4 Nights Dinner, Bed & Breakfast
Price: £642pp
Single Supplement: £nil (Limited Availability)
Additional Singles Beyond Allocation From: £113 (Will be allocated a twin or double room for sole occupancy, depending on availability)
Insurance: £POA Due to crossover renewal dates over the festive period, new insurance policies cannot currently be purchased online. Please contact our office in the new year for further details.
Tour Reference: AWE4903
Deposit Required: £50pp
Balance Due: 8 weeks prior to departure