Join your comfortable coach this morning and head towards the amazing experience that is Bowood House & Gardens. Enjoy free time to explore 300 years of family history in this grand home and the beautifully manicured grounds. Also enjoy a visit to the unique Woodland Gardens with their splendid array of colour and rare plants. These spectacular gardens are only open for 6 weeks in the Spring, offering vibrant colours from over 30 acres of bluebells, azaleas and rhododendrons.

Rejoin your coach this afternoon and travel to your modern overnight hotel in central Reading, with time this evening to relax and make your own choice for dinner.

Image credit Anna Stowe Photography

After a hearty breakfast, leave your hotel this morning and travel to beautiful Hampton Court Palace. The oldest Tudor palace in England, Hampton has many attractions including the vast Tudor kitchens, designed to feed the 600 court members twice a day! Don’t miss the Great Hall, the tennis courts, world famous maze, State Apartments or King's Apartments. The stunning gardens are laid out over 60 acres and run down to the River Thames, featuring sparkling fountains and surrounded by 750 acres of tranquil royal parkland. And for our visit, the gardens and courtyards become a kaleidoscope of colours as thousands of tulips bloom, set against the palace's majestic backdrop! A special trail guides visitors around the stunning displays, revealing the history of the tulips, believed to date back to Mary II (1662-1694). An expert gardening team are also be on hand to provide tips and information to keen gardeners during their visit. You will have ample time to explore this iconic royal palace and also enjoy the Tulip Festival with the thousands of tulips engulfing the palace and gardens in spectacular floral fashion.

Rejoin your coach later this afternoon with time to relax as you travel home.

Discover the rich and fascinating history of Bowood House and the Lansdowne family, set within 100 acres of beautifully landscaped ‘Capability’ Brown Parkland. Surrounding the Georgian House is the Italian-inspired Terrace Garden, the Private Walled Gardens, and the herbaceous border, all radiating colour throughout the seasons.

Bowood House itself hosts a wealth of unique art and antiques with 300 years of historical treasures. Explore the family Library and Chapel, the room where Joseph Priestley discovered Oxygen in 1774, the Sculpture Gallery, the Orangery and a range of exhibition rooms.

The stunning Estate also features a separate special attraction in late spring with the beautiful Woodland Gardens, only open for 6 weeks during the flowering season between mid April and early June. Covering over 30 acres, this garden is an oasis of bluebells, azaleas, magnolias, and rhododendrons. Considered to be one of the most exciting gardens of its type in the country with over 30 hardy hybrids, which were thought to be extinct.

Experience the public dramas and private lives of Henry VIII, his wives and children in the world of the Tudor court. Admire Henry’s Great Hall and Tudor kitchens. Discover the spectacular baroque palace built for William III and Mary II and explore Hampton Court Palace’s outdoor spaces and 60 acres of magnificent gardens set alongside the majestic River Thames upstream from London. Discover the magnificence of Henry VIII's favourite royal residence. Immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of the bustling Base Court and marvel at the breath-taking grandeur of Henry's State Rooms. Tickle your taste buds in the vast Tudor kitchens, lose yourself in the famous maze and appreciate the beauty of one of the greatest palaces on earth. Creep along the Haunted Gallery and discover another palace, the Baroque Palace, full of intrigue and gossip from the Stuart and Georgian eras. Audio guides are included in the palace ticket and costumed tours and talks happen daily. Enjoy!

Please note - there is an approximate 10-minute flat walk to the palace from the coach drop off point