Discover Europe Tours
The Great American Revival
A Catalogue of Dreams: The Americans who revived the English country house
September 2 - 10, 2024| Maximum Group Size: 10 Participants | Availability: Open
From Consuelo Vanderbilt to Gordon Selfridge, those Americans who were devoted Anglophiles or married into aristocracy gave a much-needed boost to Britain in the 19th and early 20th centuries and some continue to this day. At the most obvious level, the wealthy gave a financial infusion which saved many country houses or at the very least kept them going in comfort and much better decorated than would have otherwise been the case. What became known as the ‘country house look’ was codified by an American. The greatest of early 20thC gardens was created by an American. The first female Member of Parliament was an American. It was an American romance that caused Edward VIII to abdicate. Here we examine a selection of houses and estates which were supported and sometimes transformed by fortunes hailing from the United States, together with a brief look at those who are continuing to forge those ties today.
At the time of curating this programme, a new television series entitled ‘The Buccaneers’ is about to hit our screens! This will showcase the 1870’s London social scene where young Americans were sent to find a partner!
The Passionate Gardener
September 9 - 18, 2024 | Maximum Group Size: 20 Participants | Availability: LIMITED
Join garden blogger Michael Gordon for a stroll through England’s best gardens. Experience the expression of Britain’s top garden designers, who have set the standard for the rest of the world in horticulture for centuries.
Our tour will show that a well-designed garden continues to delight through various seasons. From William Kent’s masterpiece landscape garden, Rousham, to Christopher Lloyd’s innovative garden at Great Dixter, to the contemporary private garden at Pettifers, we will see English garden design from the traditional to the cutting edge. This trip is designed for the passionate gardener with first-class hotels and wonderful meals.
Follow Michael on Instagram: @thegardenerseye
Adventures in the West Country
September 13 - 23, 2024 | Maximum Group Size: 15 Participants | Availability: Open
Join Discover Europe for an exploration of vacation spot, Cornwall. Starting in Windsor, we’ll make our way through the counties of Devon and Cornwall. Highlights include Tintagel Castle, Stourhead Garden, Castle Drogo, Highclere Castle (subject to availability), Montacute House, Stonehenge, and much more!
*Back to back with: Wales & the Welsh Borders, September 4 - 13, 2024
Treasure Houses of Northern England
September 27 - October 6, 2024 | Maximum Group Size: 15 Participants | Availability: Open
From the ancient city walls of York to the Lake District, here is an adventure in Northern England that takes you behind the usual tourist facade. We meander past ruined abbeys, country mansions, and breathtaking scenery, traversing from one side of the country to the other.
We will take in several literary locales, including Wordsworth’s Dove Cottage and Beatrix Potter’s charming cottage, and understand why other Lakeland poets (Coleridge, Southey, et al.) decided to make this area their home. From Castle Howard, immediately recognizable from the BBC television series, Brideshead Revisited, to Fountains Abbey, Britain’s largest and most beautiful monastic ruin, this trip promises to take you back in time to explore the wonderful Treasure Houses of Northern England.
*Back to back with Treasure Houses of Southern England, October 5 - 14, 2024
Treasure Houses of Southern England
October 5th - 14th 2024 | Maximum Group Size: 15 Participants | Availability: Open
Join Discover Europe and like-minded friends for a look at the history of English aristocracy in the 20th century. Spanning from the Norman invasion to the Victorian era, we will try to understand how the English class system came about and still exists in the legacy that it has bequeathed the nation.
With visits to Hever Castle, the childhood home of Anne Boleyn; Oxford, with its treasured buildings dating back to the 13th and 14th centuries; Waddesdon Manor, the home of Lord Rothschild; Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill; and other stately homes of historical significance, we will gain a deeper understanding of Royalty and its history. With time to stop for a pint in a cozy pub and picturesque landscapes along the way, we will journey into the tales and traditions housed in the stately homes of England.
*Back to back with: Treasure Houses of Northern England, September 27- October 6, 2024
The World of Jane Austen
April 25 - May 3, 2025 | Maximum Group Size: 20 Participants | Availability: Open
Enjoying a wave of popularity in recent years, thanks largely to the various film adaptations of her novels, Jane Austen’s work spans the Regency period. Her view of English society is a matchless mix of irony, humor, and honesty. Jane Austen fans will love her quiet home in Chawton. The door to the dining room, which she would not allow the servant to oil, still squeaks. The tiny Hampshire village is the epitome of the country setting Jane Austen loved for her novels, while our stay in Bath will shed light on the more cosmopolitan world of which she was such a keen observer.
Join us this spring on an adventure through the picture book countryside of southwest England, where the scenes and characters of this great novelist will rise off the page and come to life before your eyes.
Kent: The Garden of England
October 5 - 14, 2023 | Maximum Group Size: 15 Participants | Availability: Open
The County of Kent takes up most of the southeastern tip of England, the closest point to the continental mainland. The gentle slopes of its chalk hills and the rich clay soils of its central valleys, combined with the mild climate of the south of England have provided such a fertile environment that the area has been known for centuries as the Garden of England.
From the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, Hever Castle; to Chartwell, the home of Sir Winston Churchill; with stays in ancient Canterbury and Battle, named for the Battle of Hastings, we have opted for a mixture of sites, ranging from the historic to the scenic, from the literary to the whimsical, that we hope will give an accurate flavor of the region.
Yorkshire and the Lake District
September 14 - 23, 2023 | Maximum Group Size: 15 Participants | Availability: Open
Join us in a celebration of the finest English landscapes of the Peaks, Lakes and Yorkshire; inspiration for poets, artists and writers as well as gardeners and aristocratic collectors through the centuries.
Queen Elizabeth II - An Emblem of our Time
September 4 - 14, 2023 | Maximum Group Size: 15 Participants | Availability: Open
Celebrate the life and legacy of Queen Elizabeth II on the first anniversary of her passing.
Curated by Alexandra Messervy, a former member of The Royal Household of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, we have put together a programme which celebrates the history and traditions of the British Monarchy and will commemorate the events to come.
Guided by our superb experts throughout, visits include hosting by a cousin of The Prince of Wales, our own Alexandra Messervy who gives insight into Royal service, and some of London’s finest history and art guides.
Across the Channel
August 24 - September 3, 2023 | Maximum Group Size: 15 Participants | Availability: Open
Medieval cities, charming small towns, gothic cathedrals—we’ll experience all this and more, in a journey that crosses the English Channel, taking us from London to the islands of Jersey and Guernsey, across the beaches of Normandy, to the beauty of Monet’s gardens and the elegance of Parisian boulevards.
It’s a visit that spans a spectrum of experiences—from the drama of medieval villages to the broad vistas of seaside towns to the cosmopolitan beauty of city life, with all of their attendant architectural, artistic, and gastronomic masterpieces—truly a feast for the senses!
All of the Creatures: Great & Small
August 2 - 13, 2023 | Maximum Group Size: 6 Participants | Availability: WAITLIST ONLY
The recently released second season of the wonderful TV series, All Creatures Great and Small, was a co-production between Channel 5 in the UK and America’s PBS and has been a huge success on both sides of the Atlantic. The title, of course, comes from the hymn by Mrs. Cecil Alexander, which begins “All things bright and beautiful, . . .” Here is your opportunity to visit some of the locations at which the series was filmed.
But there is so much more . . .We begin our adventure in Edinburgh in time to attend the opening of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, which, in turn, heralds the beginning of the annual Edinburgh Festival of Arts.
This summer, join tour guide Thomas Randall and explore the north of England from Edinburgh, through the “border country” to the beautiful Yorkshire Dales, immortalized in James Herriott’s novels.
Discovering East Anglia
July 14 - 22, 2023 | Maximum Group Size: 15 Participants | Availability: Open
Windmills and waterfowl, tiny stone churches, rambling country mansions, and vast gentle fens stretching to the sky.
East Anglia is an area of England often overlooked by visitors and it is truly worth discovering. Our guide, Gavin Miller, has designed this itinerary to showcase the hidden treasures of the region where he grew up.
Along the way, we’ll explore the cities of Norwich with its beautiful cathedrals (possibly in time for Evensong); and Cambridge for a walking tour of the ancient university with 800 years of architecture and tradition. For the duration of the visit, Gavin has chosen a wonderful, four-star country house hotel that is also recognized locally for its excellent restaurant.
This summer, come join Gavin, in this special place and share his love of what he once called home.
The Passionate Gardener
July 3 - 12, 2023 | Maximum Group Size: 15 Participants | Availability: Open
This Summer, join garden blogger Michael Gordon for a stroll through England’s best gardens. Experience the expression of Britain’s top garden designers, who have set the standard for the rest of the world in horticulture for centuries.
Our tour will show that a well-designed garden continues to delight through various seasons. From William Kent’s masterpiece landscape garden, Rousham, to Christopher Lloyd’s innovative garden at Great Dixter, to the contemporary private garden at Pettifers, plus a day at the Hampton Court Flower Show, we will see English garden design from the traditional to the cutting edge. This trip is designed for the passionate gardener with first-class hotels and wonderful meals.
Follow Michael on Instagram: @thegardenerseye
*Optional Ireland Extension: July 12 - July 16
Treasure Houses of Southern England
June 17 - 26, 2023 | Maximum Group Size: 15 Participants | Availability: Late Registration*
This Summer, join Discover Europe and like-minded friends for a look at the history of English aristocracy in the 20th century. Spanning from the Norman invasion to the Victorian era, we will try to understand how the English class system came about and still exists in the legacy that it has bequeathed the nation.
With visits to Hever Castle, the childhood home of Anne Boleyn; Oxford, with its treasured buildings dating back to the 13th and 14th centuries; Waddesdon Manor, the home of Lord Rothschild; Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill; and other stately homes of historical significance, we will gain a deeper understanding of Royalty and its history. With time to stop for a pint in a cozy pub and picturesque landscapes along the way, we will journey into the tales and traditions housed in the stately homes of England.
*Back to back with: Treasure Houses of Southern England, June 9 - 18, 2023
* Late registrations (received within 60 days of departure) may also incur extra fees as discounted rates for hotels and airfares may no longer be available so close to departure. Participants will be made aware of any such charges before their registration is accepted.
Treasure Houses of Northern England
June 9 - 18, 2023 | Maximum Group Size: 15 Participants | Availability: Late Registration*
From the ancient city walls of York to the Lake District, here is an adventure in Northern England that takes you behind the usual tourist facade. We meander past ruined abbeys, country mansions, and breathtaking scenery, traversing from one side of the country to the other.
We will take in several literary locales, including Wordsworth’s Dove Cottage and Beatrix Potter’s charming cottage, and understand why other Lakeland poets (Coleridge, Southey, et al.) decided to make this area their home. From Castle Howard, immediately recognizable from the BBC television series, Brideshead Revisited, to Fountains Abbey, Britain’s largest and most beautiful monastic ruin, this trip promises to take you back in time to explore the wonderful Treasure Houses of Northern England.
*Back to back with: Treasure Houses of Southern England, June 17 - 26, 2023
* Late registrations (received within 60 days of departure) may also incur extra fees as discounted rates for hotels and airfares may no longer be available so close to departure. Participants will be made aware of any such charges before their registration is accepted.
The Cotswold Hills
May 25th - June 3rd 2023 | Maximum Group Size: 15 Participants | Availability: Open
Dreamy spires and picturesque villages capture the romance and gentle beauty of the Cotswolds, a corner of England where lush, rolling hillsides meet the horizon.
From the soaring towers of Oxford University, where we will take a walking tour, to the quaint, tumbling thatched-roofed cottages, along the riverside, to the gorgeous Georgian architecture of ancient Bath, we will slow down, stay a while, and dream. We begin and end our tour in Royal Windsor, which is convenient for meeting the various arriving flights of our group members. From here, we will wend our way with stops at Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of Shakespeare, to the beautiful gardens of Sudeley Castle and the romantic ruins of Kenilworth.
Experience the gentle scenery in the full glory of an English summer and be transfixed by the stunning Cotswolds Hills.
The Best Of English Gardens
May 16 - 25, 2023 | Maximum Group Size: 15 Participants | Availability: Open
This spring, join fellow garden lovers for a stroll through The Best of English Gardens.
At a relaxed pace, with wonderful meals, first-class hotels, and a panorama of magnificent blooms unfolding before us, we will explore England’s most famous gardens, from Vita Sackville-West’s crowning achievement at Sissinghurst Castle to magnificent Stourhead Gardens. We’ll tour the Royal Horticultural Society’s flagship gardens at Wisley, Kiftsgate, and Hidcote Manor, along with visits to the Georgian city of Bath, and conclude with a full-day visit to the Chelsea Flower Show on the members-only day.
A quintessential springtime celebration, this tour will plant colorful memories for years to come.
Artistry In The English Countryside
May 6 - 14, 2023 | Maximum Group Size: 15 Participants | Availability: Late Registration*
History comes to life as we embark on this exploration of the Artistry in the English Countryside—A collection of magnificent stately homes, private houses, and breathtaking scenery.
Contained within the homes visited are some of the most important art collections in the world, with works from such artists as Van Dyck and Gainsborough. Connoisseurs of fine furniture, porcelain, and china will find priceless examples of Chippendale, Wedgwood, and Meissen.
Together our small group will explore the hills and dales, villages, and towns at a relaxed pace that will allow you to appreciate the full glory of some of Britain’s Stately Homes, set against the backdrop of a glorious full-blown English spring.
Why not join us in discovering the Artistry in the English Countryside?
* Late registrations (received within 60 days of departure) may also incur extra fees as discounted rates for hotels and airfares may no longer be available so close to departure. Participants will be made aware of any such charges before their registration is accepted
In Search of the Corn Wall
April 28 - May 8, 2023 | Maximum Group Size: 15 Participants | Availability: Late Registration*
Join Discover Europe for an exploration of tour guide Gavin Miller’s childhood vacation spot, Cornwall. Starting in Windsor, we’ll make our way through the counties of Devon and Cornwall. Highlights include Tintagel Castle, Stourhead Garden, Castle Drogo, Highclere Castle (subject to availability), Montacute House, Stonehenge, and much more!
*Back to back with: Wales & the Welsh Borders, April 20 - 29, 2023
* Late registrations (received within 60 days of departure) may also incur extra fees as discounted rates for hotels and airfares may no longer be available so close to departure. Participants will be made aware of any such charges before their registration is accepted