The Historic Houses & Gardens of Beautiful Devon

Suggested Itinerary

Day 1 – Montacute House

Board our private executive coach at your preferred pick up points – stop at a convenient property en route such as the National Trust’s Montacute House, a glittering Elizabethan house, adorned with Renaissance features, including contemporary plasterwork and heraldic glass – continue to the 3* Best Western Livermead Cliff Hotel in Torquay.

Day 2 – Exeter Cathedral & Knightshayes Court

Guided tour of Exeter Cathedral, founded in 1050 and an imposing structure of beauty and antiquity in the heart of the city – the National Trust’s Knightshayes Court is a Victorian country house with rich interiors, giving an atmospheric insight into grand country life.

Day 3 – Buckland Abbey & Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery

After a scenic drive across Dartmoor, our guided tour of the National Trust’s 700 year old Buckland Abbey explores the rich associations with Elizabethan seafarers Sir Francis Drake and Sir Richard Grenville – return to Exeter for a guided tour of the newly refurbished Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery containing a collection of British artists dating from the 16th to 20th century including Gainsborough and Thomas Patch.

Day 4 – Dartmouth, Dart Estuary cruise & Greenway House

Time at leisure in Dartmouth this morning – cruise from Dartmouth along the Dart Estuary to the National Trust’s Greenway House and Garden which was bought by Agatha Christie in 1938 and boasts an atmosphere of wildness and timelessness and wonderful views of the Dart Estuary – return to Dartmouth by boat.

Day 5 – Killerton

Guided tour of the National Trust’s Killerton property, a fine 18th century house containing a fascinating collection of 18th to 20th century costumes – return to our original departure points with comfort stops en route.

Tour Features

Half board accommodation

All excursions & guided tours included

Executive coach throughout

One free place per 10 paying passengers

Montacute House, Somerset

Exeter Cathedral - guided tour

Knightshayes Court

Buckland Abbey - guided tour

Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery - guided tour

Dartmouth

Dart Estuary cruise

Greenway House & Garden

Killerton - guided tour

Hotel

Four nights on half board basis at the 3* Best Western Livermead Cliff Hotel, Torquay's only waterside hotel. The hotel has a restaurant and bar. All rooms are en suite.

Tailor-make this tour

Your tailor made tour

Here are some more suggested places of interest you might like to include:

  • Powderham Castle - set alongside the Exe Estuary and dating back to 1391, it is home to the 18th Earl of Devon and one of the oldest family houses in England
  • Coleton Fishacre - an Arts and Crafts house built in the 1920s in a spectacular coastal setting as the holiday hideaway of the D’Oyly Carte family with an elegant Art Deco influenced interior
  • Cadhay - a Tudor house, mostly built in the 1540’s, which retains its Great Hall with the later addition of an Elizabethan Long Gallery, and still in private ownership
  • Britannia Royal Naval College,Dartmouth - a guided tour of this iconic building explores its considerable history and its role within the Royal Navy today, the training of naval officers    
  • Cotehele, near Saltash - a Tudor house containing a fine collection of textiles, armour and furniture set in an extensive riverside estate
  • Brunel’s SS Great Britain at Bristol - explore the world’s first great ocean liner including the beautifully recreated First Class Dining Saloon, steerage quarters and new Engine Room 

Tour Reviews

Reviews for The Historic Houses & Gardens of Beautiful Devon

Date of tour: May 2024
I am writing to thank you for arranging the holiday to Devon. It was most enjoyable. I particularly enjoyed the cruise up the River Dart to Greenway and the visit to Coleton Fishacre. The weather was superb too. Particular thanks to our tour manager. He looked after all our needs and was kind and helpful.
JD, Canterbury 
 
Date of tour: May 2024
It really was an excellent holiday in Devon but I must mention specifically, the driver of our coach who was courteous and efficient and a very good driver! Also our Travel  Manager who was absolutely on the ball all the time, nothing was too much trouble and he looked after those people with physical problems in a very kind and caring way. He was also very knowledgeable and fed us nuggets of information along the way and kept us safe! The hotel was very good too. We had a very nice room and the staff were absolutely delightful. The food was excellent, and really swiftly served. Everything was done to ensure we were happy. So thank you to Tailored Travel for a really efficient and trouble free holiday, we hope to be part of another Friends Trip in the future 
G & AL, Canterbury 
 
Date of tour: May 2023
Just to let you know that we did indeed have a lovely time in Devon and the warmer weather was just the icing on the cake.  Thanks to your expertise everything went smoothly with no panics. The Driver was wonderful and took over all the announcements and suchlike being very knowledgeable about that part of the country. His driving was without fault, especially when negotiating very narrow drives and country lanes. The hotel was good, clean and friendly and the food was appreciated by all the group who seemed well satisfied with the tour. Thank you, but I might be forced to do another one!
KM-D, Maldon 
 
Date of tour: July 2017
I just wanted to thank you for arranging such a successful trip to Devon for us. We have had a really enjoyable time and have had very good feedback. Our tour manager made a lot of difference to the smooth running of things. Everyone thought he was polite, considerate and very professional.
KD, Welwyn Garden City
 
Date of tour: May 2017
Thank you so much for all your help in organising the holiday. The Cathedral was quiet so the group were disappointed not to have a guided tour. The visit to Buckland Abbey was enjoyed with a return to the friendly hotel over the moor. Rosemoor Garden, Greenway House & Gardens and Tyntesfield all worked well too. Our driver was Wayne who was excellent very chatty. The food was good and nobody complained about anything to me.
EB, Chippenham
 
Date of tour: September 2015
Everyone who has reported to me about the holiday in Devon have been incredibly complementary. They found the Driver and the Tour Manager extremely friendly and efficient. They enjoyed every aspect of the hotel. The visits to the various houses etc they also enjoyed very much. All reports have been excellent! Thank you very much for all your efforts to make this such a successful holiday.
JM, Upminster
 
Date of tour: September 2015
Everything went very well. We had some rain on the first morning, at the start of our boat trip in Plymouth but once that dried out, we had a lovely day. The houses we visited were all different and from a personal perspective, my return visit to Cotehele has confirmed it to be one of my all-time favourites. The Eden Project tour was very interesting and we had an excellent. Thank you again for re-arranging the ferry for Greenway. The earlier arrival and departure times worked very well and we had a beautiful cruise up the Dart, in some glorious weather. The hotel was, in the main, very good. I had no complaints and in fact several people were most complimentary about it. Overall, we had a great time and I just want to thank you and the team at Tailored Travel for all your help.
AB, Newbury
 
Date of tour: September 2015
I want to thank you for an excellent Devon trip. I thoroughly enjoyed all our visits and I thought the hotel was fine, particularly its food, with friendly service and a good location. I had visited one or two of the houses before, a long time ago, but enjoyed revisiting them very much. I also think that Tailored Travel should be congratulated on its contributions to the trip. In particular I think Andrew, our coach driver, should be complimented on his driving. He was very professional and friendly. With many thanks and best wishes.
ME, London
 
Date of tour: May 2015
Well, we have had a marvellous weekend in Devon, and I want to thank you very much for the attention to detail in the paperwork that you sent me beforehand, which made my job as tour leader so much easier. It was also very comforting to know that Tailored Travel were accessible should we have any problems, which fortunately we did not. It was very nice to hear from Michael in your office, welcoming us home, etc and please pass my thanks to Damian for his efficiency at my first enquiry last September, producing an draft itinerary within 24 hours! I was impressed! I have already had many enquiries as to where we are going next year! We shall be having a committee meeting in June and I am sure you will be hearing from us again. Overall, the support and efficiency of Tailored Travel has been very much appreciated. Thank you again.
VA, Esher
 
Date of tour: June 2014
We had a very good time on the Society trip and I thought I would send you a quick report while it is fresh in my mind. The hotel was excellent and they were attentive and quick to respond even though they had an extremely busy weekend. The coach driver Simon was excellent too, intelligent careful driver and he joined in everything in a quiet way which the group loved. SS Great Britain was a hit and a good start to the trip and Barrington Court was a very good finish especially as we had a sunny day for exploring the gardens. All venues were interesting and up to National Trust standard. Thanks for all your work and our members really enjoyed themselves.
JV, Claverdon
 
Date of tour: May 2014
Just a short note to say that everybody in the group enjoyed the trip to Devon and Cornwall. Everything went smoothly and there were no unexpected events. The hotel was also excellent with good food and very helpful staff. We spent a bit too much time on the coach since distances were long but Dave as usual was an excellent driver. Thanks and regards
TC, Italy
 
Date of tour: May 2012
Just a quick note to say thank you for organising the Exeter trip. The hotel was very comfortable. The coach driver was excellent and very friendly. The rest went off very well and all the places we visited were excellent choices.
SM, Ashridge
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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 4* hotel
  • with fewer or different excursions
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  • include different excursions – see ‘Tailor-make this tour’ tab for suggestions
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