Day 1: From your local joining point we head to St Albans for some free time before continuing to Tring and our hotel for the next 3 nights, the 4 star Pendley Manor Hotel, on a dinner bed and breakfast basis.
Day 2: This morning we head to Waddesdon Manor for its annual Christmas fair. On our arrival, you will have the chance to explore the house and grounds, as well as the spectacular fair at the front of the house. It is a Christmas shopping experience not to be missed as you soak up the sights, smells and sounds of Christmas with an exciting variety of high quality, unique gifts, decorations, crafts and delicious festive foods all housed in charming wooden chalets and surrounded by twinkling trees.
This splendid mansion itself, 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 a leisurely breakfast we head to the magnificent Blenheim Palace. Set in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds, Blenheim Palace is considered to be one of the finest baroque houses in the country. It was a gift from Queen Anne and a grateful nation to John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, in recognition of his famous victory over the French at the Battle of Blenheim in 1704. Inside the Palace you will find a superb collection of tapestries, paintings, porcelain and furniture in the magnificent State Rooms. Sir Winston Churchill was born in the Palace in 1874 and a permanent exhibition about him is located next to his birth room.
As dark falls, we enter the famous Blenheim Palace Christmas light trail. Firmly positioned as one of the highlights of the festive calendar, wander in the picture-perfect gardens of Blenheim Palace, filled with Christmas cheer as over a million lights and seasonal sounds fill the air. This after-dark trail has everything you need for some unforgettable time, including a glimpse of Father Christmas and trees drenched in jewel-like colour. Discover heart-shaped arches glittering in the moonlight, glowing tunnels filled with stars and an 8-metre sphere filled with over 20,000 moving LEDs, just some of the new displays to see this year. You will also see the return of the ever-popular dancing reflections in the colourful Cascades and magical Lakeside walk.
Day 4: Sadly this morning we depart our hotel and head to Oxford for some free time. As you wander the streets, you will see some of the oldest colleges, wander beneath the Bridge of Sighs, maybe recognise some filming locations from the likes of Morse and Lewis, or maybe enjoy a spot of shopping. We then head back to Norfolk and your chosen local joining points.
Holiday Information:
3 Nights Dinner, Bed & Breakfast (Evening meals will be table service)
Price: £649pp
Single Supplement: £186 (Will be allocated a double room for sole occupancy)
Insurance: TBC (Insurance not currently available)
Tour Reference: AWE4988
Deposit Required: £50pp (Non refundable/transferable unless cancelled by Eastons)
Balance Due: 15 weeks prior to departure