Five Places to Visit if you are a Downton Abbey Fan!

With the recent movie premiere of Crawley family’s continuing saga – ‘Downton Abbey’ – here at adeo Travel, we wanted to recommend spectacular places, where the series and movie were set and filmed, and which you should consider visiting during your next journey across the pond to the UK!

HIGHCLERE CASTLE, HAMPSHIRE, ENGLAND

Our recommendations wouldn’t be complete without starting at Highclere Castle, where majority of the interior and exterior scenes were filmed. Located in Hampshire, between Bath and London, England, Highclere Castle is a remarkable building surrounded by beautiful gardens, farmlands and woods. Inside, there’s antiquated and traditional furniture, a plethora of portraits and fireplaces, and most importantly, unique and historic atmosphere embracing you from the very entrance. Moreover, Highclere Castle offers a rich variety of products and goods available to purchase in their gift shop. Perfectly English souvenirs available include ornate porcelain, decorative frames, calendars, confectionery, and for fans – Downton Abbey themed items!

To make the most of that wonderful venue, we would recommend Downton Abbey film set and behind the scenes tours & talks. The castle, located only 30 miles from famous Stonehenge, is still privately owned and inhabited, therefore, it is only open to the public at limited times. Due to this and the expected high demand, booking your visit well in advance is crucial to assure your place to fully enjoy the rooms and secrets of Highclere. Tours from London or standalone visits from other British cities, can be booked by your adeo Travel agent.

BAMPTON, OXFORDSHIRE, ENGLAND

Moving further north, closer to the Heart of England, we can find the village of Bampton. As a fan of ‘Downton Abbey’, you will probably know that St. Mary’s Church is situated there. Known in series as St Michael and All Angels, the place was used for many weddings, funerals and christenings in series. This tall building with characteristic interior, stained glass windows and many artefacts will surely remind you of an important for ‘Downton Abbey’ drama set.

Another recognisable building is the Bampton Library and Community Archive – used in series as Downton Cottage Hospital. Just an ordinary library you might say, however as a fan you will definitely appreciate the exhibition with many collectables and souvenirs, such as mugs, pictures or maps (also available to purchase), and many photos from behind the scenes!

Besides, belonging to a beautiful area of the Cotswolds, the parish of Bampton is full of pretty, brick houses naturally decorated by ivy such as Churchgate House (another picturesque stone building from the series). There are many local, small businesses, such as coffee shops, village shops and of course some excellent pubs! So why not spending couple of hours in that noteworthy village on your way through the Cotswolds to Bath, Oxford or Salisbury?

INVERARAY CASTLE, ARGYLL, SCOTLAND

Changing the location to breath-taking Argyll peninsula in Scotland, you’ll find the stunning Inveraray Castle belonging to the Campbell family for centuries. You may know it from the 2012 Christmas special as a ‘Duneagle Castle’.

Surrounded by hills, lochs and glens this venue is full of history and heritage. Exhibitions in different rooms recall past centuries thanks to regal, original and magnificent items – paintings, portraits, furniture, tapestries, chandeliers, porcelain, crockery, armoury and much more, can be admired by you during your visit to the Scottish Highlands.

To feel the ‘Downton Abbey’ atmosphere even more, enter the Castle like a member of Grantham family, visit the Armoury Hall and the State Dining Room where the dinner from series was held, and have a walk in the Gardens and by the river reminiscing scenes of target practice for stalking. Worth visiting any time of the year, why not adding it to your itinerary when visiting Scotland next time?

RULES RESTAURANT, LONDON, ENGLAND

Coming back to London, Rules Restaurant is no ordinary eatery – not only appearing in ‘Downton Abbey’ episodes, the restaurant is also one of the oldest one in the English capital city. Founded in 1798, the restaurant offers a variety of meat, fish and seafood accompanied by well paired vegetables, and delicious cocktails made of finest alcohol.

The exclusive atmosphere of the place is created by a unique décor; blood red seats and carpet, gold ornaments, elegant fireplaces, bright yet intimate lighting, and beautiful sculptures, portraits and paintings, will make your dining experience unforgettable.

Ask our agents to reserve a table for you and your travel companions during the next visit in London, and enjoy the dining in truly British, royal style! Stay a bit longer than Edith and Bertie though…!

KENSINGTON GARDENS, LONDON, ENGLAND

As admirers of nature, our recommendations wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the wonderful Kensington Gardens in London. Busy as the city may get, it is good to relax and enjoy a bit of tranquillity in this peaceful spot – especially, when some scenes of ‘Downton Abbey’ were filmed there!

Located by Hyde Park, Kensington Garden has many spots to make your walk even more pleasant. From beautiful flowers, topiaries and trees, to statues (the Queen Victoria, King William III or Peter Pan statues), fountains, Kensington Palace and, of course, The Albert Memorial – known from the picnic scene with Levinsons and Allsopps. To feel like you’re on a movie set, you can purchase food and drinks from local cafeterias and kiosks or bring your own picnic and enjoy it Downton style!

We understand, you may not want to spend your whole time in Britain chasing the Crawley family. However, if you are nearby one of these sites on your driving tour of Britain then they are definitely worth a visit!

Please contact one of our Britain travel experts for further information or to help you plan your of Britain!