Southern England Explorer: 10-Day Countryside and Coastline

Kent County is also known as the Garden of England, a region of rich natural beauty composed of medieval gothic castles, flourishing fruit orchards, luxuriant olive-green parklands, and quiet downs dotted with oast houses and windmills. You will pass through the landscaped countryside to the Shepherd Neame Brewery, where you will wallow in the picturesque scenery while you unravel the brewery’s 850-year-old legacy. Cross the Kent county border to West Sussex to arrive at a gorgeous historic country house set within 1,000 acres of illustrious parkland in East Grinstead.

You may peruse East Grinstead this morning on your way out of town to explore more of the Garden of England. An insider guide will chaperone you through the countryside to the fortified Roman walls of Canterbury, a Middle Age cathedral city boasting quiet cobbled streets and distinct timber-framed homes. Pilgrim steps will lead you down shadowed aisles to the city’s iconic cathedral, an immaculate UNESCO World Heritage Site. Stroll through Rye and Battle as you listen to the tales of conquerors who strode on horses and confronted the early Saxons.

The fairytale fortress of Arundel, former home of the Duke of Norfolk, is a stunning English castle towering over the sweeping chalk hills and bucolic pastures of South Downs. You will cruise along the roads that weave across the range to the distinguished champagne grape vineyards cascading slopes of Nyetimber. Indulge in a selection of world-class English bubblies before you continue to walking trails dissecting viridian valleys and archaic forests. Your travels will direct you across South Downs to Fishbourne, Chichester, and the bustling historic harbor of Portsmouth Naval Port.

Over 900 years of history is yours to discover as you transfer from Amberley to Winchester, the archaic capital of Saxon kings. Stroll along the banks of its shimmering river, past exquisite pieces of classical architecture to the gorgeous grounds of the town’s Catholic cathedral. Outside of Winchester, wildlife roams freely, and you will wander the lush woodlands of New Forest, an old-world hunting ground. Your final stop and resting place for the next two nights is an accommodation tucked behind the charming abbeys of Beaulieu.

Saunter around the neighborhoods of Beaulieu after breakfast to an exceptional vintage car museum showing off the intricate details and powerful engines of timeless auto-mechanical design. You will head over to the 18th-century shipbuilding village of Buckler’s Hard for lunch and then enjoy a breathtaking view of the sparkling Solent strait during a short ferry journey from Lymington to the Isle of Wight. Visit Queen Victoria’s regal Osborne House and the arresting Norman fortress of Carisbrooke before you sail along the Solent strait and absorb the spellbinding panoramas.

Boasting immense moorland parks and a bewitching rocky coastline, Devon County is a postcard-perfect destination with many stunning towns sprinkled across its seaboard. Effortlessly thread your way along Devon’s coast with a knowledgeable driver and guide, who will show you to Georgian coastal towns peppering the English Riviera. You will arrive in the bustling town of Dartmouth, relish a traditional Devonshire tea, and enter the wooded Dartmoor National Park for a day of wilderness adventure. Your tour will conclude at Plymouth’s quiet waterfront, where you may access historic pilgrimage trails winding through the countryside.

In Cornwall, soft white-sand beaches hug a wind-grazed coastline, and yachts anchor in the sapphire sea a little distance from shore. Wildflowers grow like a blanket across the low-lying clifftops, and swells beat against the beaches of hideaway coves. Luxuriate on Cornwall’s delightful beaches, digging your toes into the soft sand and swimming in the clear sea. In the evening, you will sit on the granite, grass-covered steps of the Minack Theatre in Porthcurno and admire the majestic 360-degree seascape spectacles before you tuck into a sensational gourmet dinner.

Cornwall brags a culinary culture with plenty of treasures to tuck into during your mornings wandering the neighborhoods. The pungent aromas of Yarg cheese, mouth-watering flavors of meat-stuffed pasties, and decadent textures of Cornish ice cream are staple gastronomic highlights you will enjoy during your stay. In the afternoon, you will discover the history of Cornwall at the St Mawes Castle and the 13th-century St Just Church in Roseland. Finally, amble through the romantic Lost Gardens of Heligan and let the sights and sounds of nature seduce your senses.

The ruined abbey of Glastonbury is shrouded in mystery, and you will embrace Arthurian legends as you potter around its 7th-century monastery. You will step back in time as you stand alongside the decorated covering of the Chalice Well, the supposed burial place of the chalice of the Last Supper. You may climb the slopes of the Tor for sensational sweeping views or continue to the historic Roman spa town of Bath for a dip in the vitalizing warm waters of contemporary and ancient spa baths.

Wake up in your decadent suite in a palatial castle-like English accommodation set on its private landscaped grounds. You will hear the chirping of birds as you step out onto your balcony and enjoy a traditional cup of English tea. After breakfast, you may wander around Chippenham in search of commemorative curiosities at boutique stores before you return to your hotel to collect your things. Your private transfer will meet you in the lobby, and you will make your way to the airport, where you will begin your journey home.