TOP 15 REASONS TO JOIN US

15. Take advantage of hassle free travel to some of England’s top tourist destinations. Upon arrival at the Grosvenor Hotel, our base in London, you can leave the rest of the trip to us: private coach transportation is provided for the entire length of the tour, as are baggage handling, hotels, site entrance fees and most meals.

14. Soak up the English atmosphere.  With an unhurried itinerary that includes country homes, museums, castles and more, you’ll have plenty of time to tour each site, have a meal or a cuppa and, of course, visit the gift shops at your own pace.

13. Travel with a group who share your interests and passion for British history and enjoy a convivial dinner most nights with your travel companions as you discuss the days’ sights and events.

12. Walk the White Cliffs of Dover. Follow the windswept trail and gaze out to sea as we experience the grandeur and wild beauty of the Cliffs. Julius Caesar wrote about them in the Commentarii De Bello Gallico, Shakespeare used them as a setting in King Lear, and the Duke of Wellington himself gazed upon the Cliffs when returning home from his numerous military victories.   So romantic are the White Cliffs of Dover that they were chosen as the backdrop for the final scene in the 2009 BBC version of Jane Austen’s “Emma,” which you can watch here.

11. Participate in exclusive events arranged especially for our group, including dinner at the historic Grenadier Pub in London, lunch at the Duke of Wellington’s country home, Stratfield Saye, and a boat cruise down the River Thames in Windsor.

10. Become swept up in military pageantry by visiting Horse Guards, the Wellington Arch, the Guards Parade in Windsor and the Household Cavalry Museum.

9. Visit Castles. Three of England’s grandest castles are included on our itinerary – Walmer Castle, the Tower of London, and Windsor Castle. Between them, these sites include portions that date from the 11^th to the 21^st centuries, allowing you to imagine life as it was from the Norman Conquest, through the Tudor and Georgian periods, and into the present day.  We’ll be visiting the Waterloo Chamber at Windsor Castle and the special exhibition at the Tower featuring the Duke of Wellington’s influence during his time as Constable of the Tower. In addition, we’ll be viewing the Duke’s private rooms, which have been preserved at Walmer Castle, used by Wellington during his tenure as Lord of the Cinque Ports.

8.  Join a day-long walking tour through the fabled streets of St. James’s, London, with your guides, Victoria and Kristine. Take a leisurely stroll as you listen to tales about gentlemen’s clubs and famed personalities who frequented the area. Hear tales of bawdy houses, royal chapels, and courtesans. Explore hidden alleys and tucked away streets. Discover their connections to duels, downfalls, and dandies before we quench our thirst at some of London’s most historic and atmospheric pubs. The day also includes time to stop for snacks,  lunch, and a bit of shopping.

7. Gain entrance to properties that are rarely open to the public. Stratfield Saye, the Duke’s home in Hampshire, is only open to the general public for two months of the year; Frogmore House in Windsor (above), a royal residence since 1709, is again open for just two months annually, whilst tickets to Highclere Castle cannot be secured for love or money until 2016. Fortunately, the Duke of Wellington Tour has taken advantage of a very narrow window during which these sites are open concurrently - and we’ve booked reserved tickets for all.

6. Explore Stately Homes.  Here’s your chance to get up close and personal with the interiors and grounds of stately homes from various periods of English history. We’ll be seeing furnishings, works of art and personal collections at Apsley House, the Duke of Wellington’s London home; Basildon Park in Hampshire (used as Netherfield Park in the Keira Knightley version of Pride and Prejudice); the Regency Town House in Hove; and what is perhaps the most fantastic and fabulous stately home of them all, George IV’s Royal Pavilion at Brighton, pictured above.

5. Enjoy a private, guided tour of Downton Abbey, also known as Highclere Castle, home to Lord and Lady Carnarvon. We’ll be given access to the State Rooms, the bedrooms, and various spaces in the Castle that comprise both Upstairs and Downstairs life, many of which have been used as sets for Downton Abbey. We’ll hear tales about the real life history of the Castle, as well as many anecdotes about the filming of DA and the fictional Grantham Family before visiting the Egyptian Exhibition, comprised of artifacts connected to the 5th Earl of Carnarvon, who famously discovered the Tomb of the Egyptian Boy Pharaoh, Tutankhamun, in 1922 with his archaeological colleague, Howard Carter.

4.  Immerse yourself in the rich and varied history of the Georgian, Regency and Victorian eras whilst exploring the life and times of the Duke of Wellington.

3.  Visit the places and objects that have become the stuff of legends - the grave of Copenhagen, the stallion who carried Wellington over the battlefield at Waterloo - and had the temerity to take a nip at him when the Duke finally dismounted; the grounds of Frogmore House, where Queen Victoria and Prince Albert are buried; the site of Anne Boleyn’s execution; White’s Club, Lock’s Hatters, Hatchard’s, Berkeley Square, and other London landmarks; the Crooked House in Windsor; the playing fields of Eton and many more historic “must sees.”

2. Travel with your escorts Victoria Hinshaw and Kristine Hughes, writers, researchers,  Wellington aficionados and bloggers ( Number One London - one million page views!). England is a second home to both Victoria and Kristine and they look forward to sharing their next trip across the pond, as well as their knowledge of British history, with you. Travel through the English countryside and be regaled with tales from history and anecdotes of historic personalities. Did you know that the Duke of Wellington and his contemporaries ran blanket races down the hallways of the Brighton Pavilion?

1.  Celebrate this once in a lifetime opportunity to travel in comfort as you take advantage of a most unique itinerary in the company of friends. 

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