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Downton Abbey

  • England
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  • OVERVIEW
  • ITINERARY
  • HIGHLIGHTS


itinerary Map

Downton Abbey

10 Days

Since it first graced our televisions in 2010, Downton Abbey has captured the imagination of audiences around the world. On this trip, Dream Escape will transport you to the world of the Crawley family and let you experience a slice of life of the British aristocracy in the early 20th century.

Explore real locations from the show and spend your nights relaxing in luxury accommodation. From private tours, fine dining, chauffeur-driven transportation and, of course, a tour of Downton Abbey itself, your trip will be one to remember for years to come.

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ITINERARY HIGHLIGHTS



Dream Escape’s Downton Abbey inspired programme could include the following experiences:

  • Visits to real filming locations from both the show and the upcoming film:

 

  • Highclere Castle – instantly recognisable as the centrepiece of Downton, the abbey itself. This magnificent stately home was used for both exterior and interior shots, making a visit to Highclere a truly immersive experience for fans.
  • Alnwick Castle – this medieval castle doubled as Brancaster Castle and featured in two of the Christmas episodes of Downton.
  • Inveraray Castle – nestled in the Scottish Highlands, it may be more familiar to fans as ‘Duneagle Castle’, the home of Lady Rose’s bickering parents.
  • Basildon Park – also known as ‘Grantham House’, this Palladian-style mansion was used as the Crawley family’s London residence.
  • Cogges Farm – this collection of Cotswold stone buildings was transformed into Yew Tree Farm for series four and five of Downton, also known as the home of the Drewe family.

 

  • Afternoon Tea at The Ritz, which is not only a chance to see an iconic London landmark, but also the location of the last scene ever filmed for the show.

 

  • Privately guided tours of London landmarks, including the Houses of Parliament and the Royal Hospital Chelsea for a taste of real British history.

 

 

 

  • A privately chauffeured tour around London in a Rolls Royce, seeing some of the classic London sights while also seeing some more locations from the show:

 

  • St Pancras Station – this imposing red brick building stood in for ‘Kings Cross’ in the show when Lady Edith caught the train to London.
  • The Royal Automobile Club – Henry Talbot takes Lady Mary to visit this ‘temple for car lovers’ in the final series of the show.
  • The Criterion Restaurant – now closed, this restaurant opened almost 150 years ago and features on the show as a meeting place for Lady Edith and Michael Gregson.
  • Lancaster House – used as Buckingham Palace in the show.
  • 35 Belgrave Square – the exterior of Lady Rosamund’s London home.
  • Sutton’s Hospital – where the courtyard was the scene of the riot Sybil found herself trapped in with her then-chauffeur Tom Branson.

 

 

We suggest a mix of luxury city hideaways and historic country properties during your stay.

In London get a taste of the high life in the city, while in the English and Scottish countryside enjoy nights in more peaceful accommodations reminiscent of the homes of the Crawley family.

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HIGHLIGHTS

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HIGHLIGHTS

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THINGS TO DO

ALNWICK CASTLE

Alnwick Castle is proudly known as “the Windsor of the North”. It is the home to the 12th Duke and Duchess of Northumberland and has been in the Percy family since 1309 when the duke’s ancestors virtually ruled the north of England.

AFTERNOON TEA AT THE RITZ

Enjoy a quintessentially English experience served in the beautiful Palm Court. Choose from an extensive selection of 18 varieties of loose-leaf tea, finely cut sandwiches, freshly baked scones with Cornish clotted cream and strawberry preserve and a range of delicate pastries. Be entertained by The Ritz London resident pianist. harpist or string quintet playing classic and contemporary tunes whilst you enjoy your delectable Afternoon Tea

INVERARAY CASTLE

Enjoys a glorious setting, situated on the shores of Loch Fyne.

HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT

The Houses of Parliament, officially called the Palace of Westminster is home to the British government; it is here that political debates take place and history is made. Highlights include the magnificent Westminster Hall which dates from 1097, and the instantly recognisable Commons Chamber.

 

HIGHCLERE CASTLE

Set amidst 1,000 acres of spectacular parkland is Highclere Castle.  It has been home to the Carnarvon family since 1679 however more recently it has risen in recognition due to the award-winning drama series Downton Abbey.

ROLLS ROYCE CHAUFFERED TOUR OF LONDON

Enjoy a privately chauffeured tour around London in a Rolls Royce, seeing some of the classic London sights

PLACES VISITED

LONDON

London, with its unique blend of history and culture, is constantly changing, with new landmarks, stylish restaurants and clubs opening up all the time. Recently voted as the gourmet capital of the world, London is the European capital to stay in touch with all that’s new and exciting, while enjoying its wealth of historic buildings and eclectic mix of museums and art galleries. With its unique blend of history and culture, the bustling metropolis of London has long been considered a must-see destination. The city is constantly changing, offering a wealth of historic buildings and monuments, as well as an eclectic mix of museums, art galleries and world famous attractions.

THE HIGHLANDS

The Highlands very much embody the romance of Scotland; they really are the Scotland of your imagination, a beautiful and inspiring region of ancient landscapes with a fascinating history. Spend the day exploring with your chauffeur-guide. There is a wealth of places to visit

  • "Incredible service ! The BEST tour guides, tour options and always available to help smooth over any "snafus" that we ran across during our vacation. 5-star, A+ rating from us."

    Clients of Jessica Thompson, Fairway Travel, Virtuoso

  • "....their time in the U.K. was PERFECT – loved everything you guys did for them, and sang praises for everyone! Thank you!! "

    Connie Hanes, Herff Travel

  • "Everyone, from the Tour Guides to our excellent driver, were amazing. All aspects of the trip were beyond expectations. Even changing our day schedule for outside reasons (like the airline sending my bag to a city 120miles away) they were always happy to help and move the schedule around so we could keep enjoying our trip. Everyone made us feel at home and like family."

    Client of Leah Molinari, Molinari Travel, Gifted Travel Network

  • "Dream Escape was the trip of a lifetime. Excellent choice of hotels, tour guide was awesome, the planned tours were wonderful and very informative."

    Client of Trisha Rathke, VIP Travel Designs, Gifted Travel Network

  • "Dreamscape designed an itinerary that combined an exploration of Scottish history and culture and a visit to some of the filming locations for the hit TV show Outlander. The tour guides provided were personable and knowledgeable and responsive to our interests. Our driver who was with us for the entire trip was professional and pleasant and again, flexible and sensitive to our interests. The hotels were magnificent and the pacing of the trip, spending at least two nights in each hotel was perfect. The itinerary was everything we wanted!"

    Client of Susan Morley, Journeys around the World, Cadence

  • "Sally Strange was wonderful so knowledgable, friendly and fun. 100% would use her services again. We feel like we have a friend for life! We LOVED our tours, where we ate lunch, and spending the days with Sally......Thanks (once again!) for looking after our clients so well. We so appreciate you. "

    Lauren Ainsley, Black Tomato

  • "Rosie...thank you for giving us such a world-class experience in Scotland. Everyone had such a wonderful time and your presence was a large part of that. Your warmth and generosity in taking care of us on our little excursion is so beyond appreciated and I can’t wait to work with you again soon."

    Alex Martinetti

  • "Thank you so very much for the amazing trip to Scotland that you planned for us!! It was truly a once in a lifetime fabulous family trip!! Not only were the accommodations perfect, the activities were above expectations, given the people involved with so much knowledge and compassion for what they do....Many, many heartfelt thanks for making this trip so very special for our family. "

    Clients of Kristen Meckem, Kristen Meckem Travel, An Affiliate of Brownell

  • "I work regularly with Michael Davies, who I can not praise enough! Michael is a gem to work with and always delivers extraordinary client itineraries. "

    Jennifer McCrea, Boutique Travel Advisors

  • "We cannot thank you enough for all you did for us during our stay in Scotland! We loved every minute of it....and we loved you teaching us the history of each town and visit. "

    The Pogue Family - Clients of Amy Spence, Strong Travel

  • "We are so grateful for professionalism, expertise, and purely fun personality to entertain and educate our clients in all things royal! I do believe it was a smashing success. 😊"

    Pat Bowden, Red Letter Travel, an independent affiliate of Brownell

  • "Michael does such an outstanding job with making sure every itinerary he works on with me is well thought out. He is attentive to detail and always allows for the clients interest to be reflected in their tours. He makes sure that the perfect tour operator and chauffeur is paired with each client. I wanted you to know what a pleasure it is working with Michael and knowing my clients will always be well cared for when traveling with Dream Escape! "

    Jennifer McCrea, Boutique Travel Advisors

  • "Without a doubt, what made all of it so special and unforgettable was having the true pleasure of having Sally Strange as our guide. She was truly incredible..so full of life, energy, amazing historical knowledge anywhere we visited was extraordinary. Her sense of humor and fun personality made her extra special. Sally was a winner in every way."

    Clients of Betsy Talbot, Travel by Talbot (Brownell)

  • "Your team excelled on all levels! The execution of the itinerary was flawless!!! Well done. The clients LOVED Sally and this was just the second note from them about how exceptional she was. "

    Cathy Major, Cerulean World Travel

  • "I just wanted to send an e-mail to compliment the excellent service I have received with Susie Little. She has been absolutely wonderful to work with. She is quick to respond, easily answers all of our questions, and has had to be patient with my clients as we have made many changes and updates to the itinerary. I really appreciate all of her hard work and the beautiful itinerary she put together for my clients. They said they were in AWE and everything looked fabulous! Thank you for providing such excellent service and I look forward to working with you in the near future! Thank you so much!"

    Krista Boyles, Unique Romance Travel

  • "I want to extend my deepest gratitude for your incredible work on this project, we really could not have gotten it across the finish line without you and your team 😊"

    Marieta Carrrero, Boost Journeys

  • "I just wanted to take a moment to thank everyone at Dream Escape who helped in making the Gialamas' visit to London special. I know Dream Escape has many people behind the scenes that work on making an itinerary such as this flow seamlessly and I just wanted to say thank you for all of your hard work! "

    Jennifer McCrea, Boutique Travel Advisors

  • "Activities & Tours - All the events and guides were outstanding.- Guides - Simply the best. All of them. All outstanding! "

    Black Tomato Clients

  • "Thank you for everything you did to make the entire trip, special presentations and events so special. It has added a sparkle in my life!"

    Gretchen Ashworth Stewart, Client

  • "Dream Escape, to no one’s surprise, is the best in the business. I cannot begin to thank you for crafting a perfect vacation for these clients. They had nothing but fabulous things to say about each and every event."

    Nancy Ebel, Virtuoso Travel Advisor

  • "Couldn’t have asked for a better 1st trip to London!......The sites we saw were the best & Sally, you went above & beyond to make it memorable"

    Shannon Marie Long - Reed and Mackay

  • "Delightful to spend time and see the incredible city of London with you all. Dream Escape for a flawless job in seeing the best bespoke sites, Sally you are amazing. Thank you again as this was amazing"

    Josh Whitaker - Owner, Rudi Steele Travel

  • "Probably the best of the best in the UK and Ireland for organising amazing trips. They know their stuff, have fantastic relationships with suppliers and always go the extra mile."

    Rob Arrow, Al Tayyar Group

  • "Lovely suite. Fabulous private tours. Everything has exceeded our expectations. "

    William A Heim, Client

  • "I had the most wonderful time with you and learned so much...What you offer is rare and much needed in the truly exclusive travel world. "

    Jean Newman-Glock, Signature Travel Network

  • "You were the heart and soul of the trip….I truly admired your sunny personality, sense of humor, organization and professionalism.  You also demonstrated  that a guide’s work is never done as you were constantly researching….. Did you ever rest??? "

    Sharon Delano, Frosch

  • "We want to thank you and the team from Dream Escape.  All six of us in our group had a wonderful time, and we all agreed we owed that in large measure to the work of Dream Escape. From the onset of working with you, you demonstrated a tremendous knowledge about all the activities we wished to pursue —from playing golf to dining at excellent restaurants to seeing historical sites and the Tattoo and Fringe Festival.  And, then you executed "

    Thomas Cohen, Client

  • "THANK YOU a zillion times over for choosing/assigning Rosie to be with this family.  She MADE the trip for them – there’s no other way to put it! "

    Jill Jergel, Frontiers International Travel

  • "Our holiday in Scotland now tops their lists of best trips…… To their growing list of amazing and memorable first-time experiences, our sons may add fishing for trout and salmon on the River Tay; steering a motor boat on Loch Ness; and taking private guided tours on Culloden Moor Of the eight full days we were in Scotland, Alex and Mattie thought each and every day was the best"

    Michael Guadarrama & Trammi Nguyen, clients of Peter Carideo. CRC Travel

  • "All six of us were deeply moved by the whole experience. Bravo Dream Escape "

    Max Levy, Direct client

  • "Thank you Karen and all of the staff and guides affiliated with Dream Escape…..the Flemings are having an awesome tour of Scotland. You all have made me look like a star! "

    Joni Gerace, The Travel Society, LLC

  • "Thanks for all your help and we can chalk this one up as a big success!   Our anniversary celebration was all we could have hoped for "

    Clients of Courtney Regan, Affiliate of Brownell Travel

  • "Rosie was MORE than outstanding – she went out of her way to help us in every regard...She was so knowledgeable – we all loved her"

    Jill A. Jergel, Frontiers International Travel

  • "I cannot thank you, Nicola and all the Dream Escape “clan” for the wonderful care & attention you have provided, and are providing for my clients"

    Cindy Evans, Travel Consultant

  • "I hope I have another opportunity to work with Dream Escape in the near future. The company is so professional, yet approachable and easy to work with. It has been a pleasure!"

    Carole McFarland, Universal Travel

  • "Dream Escape is delivering in a superb manner. Jim Johnston is a great driver and one of the best guides we've had - I wish to very much thank the Dream Escape Team for fulfilling a Dream…"

    Donald M. Davis, President, Luxury Travel, Inc.

  • "Thank you all so much it's great to have trusted friends on the ground to take care of our clients!"

    Peter Carideo, CRC Travel

  • "The trip was great.... Dream Escape is the name of the game"

    Ann Lipschitz, Worldview Travel

  • "Your level of service is just outstanding"

    Debra Fini, VWTI

  • "Dream Escape don’t just organise trips – they create adventures"

    Financial Times, How to Spend it

  • "It was, without doubt, one of the most spectacular weekends I have ever had"

    Country Life

  • "David Tobin’s an ace at getting inside private castles and estates and he’s well connected.... "

    Conde Nast Traveller Magazine

  • "The level of service they provide is outstanding. They truly care about every aspect of the trip to ensure you have a fantastic stay. Rosie is a hidden gem of a tour guide. Just fabulous."

    Yvonne Malka, Signature Travel Network, April 2018

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