Day 1 – Hampton Court Palace

Board our private executive coach at the designated pick up points – the elegance and romance of Hampton Court Palace, famously associated with the flamboyant Henry VIII who extended and developed the property in grand style after he acquired it from Cardinal Wolsey in the 1520’s, owes much to the Baroque buildings commissioned by William III and Mary II at the end of the 17th century – check in at the 4* Four Pillars Hotel in Witney.

Day 2 – Kingston Bagpuize House & The Vyne

Guided tour of Kingston Bagpuize House taking in the Entrance Hall with its impressive cantilevered staircase, the Drawing Room furnished with English and French furniture and the impressive gardens – the interiors, garden and landscaping at the National Trust’s The Vyne, an enchanting house originally built by a courtier of King Henry VIII, reflect the changing style, fashions and tastes of its owners over the last five hundred years.

Day 3 – Oxford guided tour & Hughenden Manor

Guided tour of Oxford, the City of Dreaming Spires, exploring the architecture and traditions of the university and the city’s other famous buildings and institutions – the National Trust’s Hughenden Manor was the home of Benjamin Disraeli from 1848 until his death in 1881 and most of his furniture, books and pictures remain in this, his private retreat from the rigours of parliamentary life in London.

Day 4 – Windsor Castle & Cliveden

Windsor Castle is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world and the official residence of Her Majesty The Queen – the National Trust’s Cliveden property, whose magnificent formal gardens overlook the River Thames, was once the exclusive haunt of the rich and famous.

Day 5 – Blenheim Palace

The imposing scale of Blenheim Palace, home of the 11th Duke of Marlborough and birth place of Sir Winston Churchill, is beautifully balanced within by the intricate detail and delicacy of the carvings, the hand painted ceilings and the amazing porcelain collections, tapestries and paintings displayed in each room and all set in beautiful parkland landscaped by ‘Capability’ Brown in the 1760’s.

Four nights on half board basis at the 4* Four Pillars Hotel at Witney. Located ten miles from the famous university city of Oxford, the hotel reflects the charming architectural style of the nearby Cotswolds. Facilities include a restaurant, lounge, bar and swimming pool and all rooms are en suite.

Single room supplement £69

Insurance

Entrance fees to places of interest (NT properties free to NT members)

Remember this itinerary is just our suggestion. Tailor make this tour exclusively for your group to suit your members’ budget or preferences. You could:

• stay at a 3* hotel
• with fewer or different excursions
• for more (or fewer) days
• bring your own specialist lecturer
• include all entrance fees and gratuities