Upon arrival at Heathrow Airport, a private transfer will take you to our hotel, the Audleys Wood Hotel, where we stay for the next two nights. In the evening, we join the group for a welcome drink and canapés, followed by dinner.

Meals: Dinner

This morning, we visit The Vyne, a splendid Tudor red-brick mansion set in 13 acres of attractive gardens. It was built for King Henry VIII’s Lord Chamberlain before becoming the Chute family home for over 300 years. The Tudor chapel is still largely in its original condition while the richly decorated Oak Gallery is another wonderful survival from this era.

Following lunch, we travel to Chawton House, an Elizabethan manor house that once belonged to Jane Austen’s brother, Edward Austen Knight. It now accommodates a unique library of titles focusing on women’s writing in English from 1600 to 1830. We enjoy a guided tour here, followed by lunch.

Continuing our Jane Austen theme, we take a private visit the nearby Jane Austen’s House Museum, the charming house in Chawton, where she spent the last eight years of her life. This is where she completed most of her mature writing and now tells the story of the author and her family.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today we head to the Grange, a grade II listed building, originally a farmhouse in 1820 expanded into a Gothicized villa, with stone oriel windows and bargeboard gabled wood porch. This National Trust property was home to the Watney-Combe family in the 19th century, who established the Watney Combe & Reid Brewery. We tour the vineyard before lunch and some delicious fine wine.

Later, we catch the ferry to the Isle of Wight and check into the Royal Hotel, where we stay for the next four nights.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Mottistone Manor, cared for by the National Trust, is an Elizabethan manor house surrounded by beautiful gardens overflowing with Mediterranean plant life, colorful flower borders and shrub-filled banks. We explore special features of the gardens, including an olive grove and organic kitchen garden as well as ‘The Shack’, a cabin retreat used as an architects’ summer drawing office.

We then visit Farringford House, the home of the famous poet Alfred Lord Tennyson. Tennyson lived here from 1853 until his death, in 1892, and the house remained in the family until 1945. More than half a century later, this dramatic Gothic house has been meticulously restored to its 19th-century splendor to reflect Tennyson’s tastes and lifestyle. We enjoy a guided tour of the house and explore its exciting treasures, from Tennyson’s desk to his toy soldiers! Outside, the walled kitchen garden has been lovingly recreated.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

The beautiful village of Godshill awaits, with its charming combination of thatched-roofed cottages and quaint tea rooms dotted along the winding streets. Discover the medieval church standing high on the ‘the Hill of the Gods’ and plenty of lovely gift shops – perfect for souvenir shopping.

Following this, we head to Carisbrooke Castle, an Elizabethan artillery fortress, a prison for a king and a royal summer residence over the years. Take the chance to explore the museum, walk around the award-winning Edwardian-style garden and admire the panoramic views from the castle walls. The museum was founded by Princess Beatrice, Queen Victoria’s youngest daughter, as a memorial to her husband, Prince Henry of Battenburg, and cares for over 30,000 items connected to the Isle of Wight’s history.

Our next stop is the island’s award-winning Garlic Farm, in the picturesque Arreton Valley. Explore the rustic farm shop, filled with speciality condiments and all things garlic, before we are treated to a show. We then enjoy a delicious lunch at the restaurant here.

Then we climb aboard the award-winning Isle of Wight Steam Railway, wonderfully preserved with a history dating back to the 19th century, with restored Victorian and Edwardian carriages. Enjoy the charm of the quiet rural stations and the island's scenic beauty during our wonderful day out. The heritage railway was recognized as one of the UK’s leading museum experiences by Arts Council England in 2019 and has been awarded Full Accreditation Status. We then visit the Engine House to learn more, with a guided tour.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner