A few miles south of Osborne House is the island’s capital, Newport, and 11th-century Carisbrooke Castle. The best-preserved Norman castle in the country, it provides spectacular views for those who climb to the top of the keep. A less enthusiastic visitor, Charles I, was held hostage here by Oliver Cromwell in 1647 pending execution: His attempt to escape was foiled when he got stuck between the iron window bars.
The island is crisscrossed with hiking trails, including the 67-mile Coastal Path, which encircles the island. A favorite section crosses Tennyson Down, past a monument celebrating the poet, then continues to the western tip of the island for outstanding views of the Needles, three offshore rock pinnacles battered by the waves of the English Channel.
If you cross to the island from the New Forest (see p. 30) via the Lymington ferry, stop at the George Hotel in the historic town of Yarmouth. Dating from 1764, it is known for its traditional ambience, waterfront location, and the fine Brasserie restaurant, making this old inn a popular choice.
WHERE: 90 miles/145 km southwest of London. VISITOR INFO: www.islandbreaks.co.uk. OSBORNE HOUSE: Tel 44/1983-200-022; www.english-heritage.org.uk. GEORGE HOTEL: Tel 44/1983-533-814; www.thegeorge.co.uk. Cost: from $285; dinner $60. BEST TIME: early Aug for the yachting festival Cowes Week.
The Mother Church of the Anglican World
CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL
Canterbury, Kent, England
The seat of the Anglican Church, Canterbury Cathedral is one of the most beautiful in all of England, and also among the country’s holiest pilgrimage sites, thanks to a seminal incident in British history that took place here in 1170: Archbishop Thomas Becket was cruelly murdered in the cathedral by four knights allegedly following the orders of King Henry II. Becket was canonized 3 years later, while a repentant Henry established the cathedral as the center of English Christianity.
The surrounding city of Canterbury, located on the main route from London to the English Channel port of Dover, was already an important town in ancient Roman times. It gained further favor when, in A.D. 597, St. Augustine was sent by Pope Gregory the Great to convert the heathen Anglo-Saxons to Christianity; St. Augustine established Canterbury as his base, and became first Archbishop of Canterbury. Canterbury’s importance as a religious center was then immortalized by the great 14th-century English poet Geoffrey Chaucer in his epic poem The Canterbury Tales, told by a group of pilgrims traveling from London to St. Thomas Becket’s shrine.
Much of Canterbury was destroyed during a 1942 World War II air raid, but the cathedral remained largely unscathed, including its outstanding 12th- and 13th-century stained-glass windows, which locals temporarily removed for safekeeping. The most important are considered to be the Great West Window, the Bible Windows, and the suitably named Miracle Windows, while the spot where Becket died is now marked by a solitary candle.
Many modern-day pilgrims come to Canterbury by train as a day trip from London. Others spend the night at the Abode Canterbury, a boutique hotel very near the cathedral, offering contemporary luxury in a building that dates back to the 16th century. Day-trippers should at least linger for a meal at the excellent hotel restaurant under the supervision of the acclaimed chef Michael Caines before catching the last train back to London.
Stained-glass paneh depict biblical figures.
WHERE: 56 miles/90 km southeast of London. www.canterbury-cathedral.org. ABODE CANTERBURY: Tel 44/1227-766-266. www.abodehotels.co.uk/canterbury. Cost: from $180; dinner $60. BEST TIMES: Sat–Sun, 2:30 P.M. and Mon–Fri, 4:30 P.M. for Evensong.
A Magnificent Pile of Medieval Origin
LEEDS CASTLE
Maidstone, Kent, England
Like a lady of the lake, Leeds Castle appears as if a mirage, its buff-colored stone and crenellated towers reflected in the distinctive waters of the ornamental pond and moat. Described by historian Lord Conway as the loveliest castle in the world, it is historically noteworthy as well as visually striking. Construction began in the 12th century (replacing a wooden structure built in the 9th century), when the site was known as Esledes. It was much loved as a royal residence, not unlike Balmoral today (see p. 40), from 1278, when it was given to Edward I by a wealthy courtier seeking favor. Henry VIII enjoyed spending time here, and he invested much effort and money in expanding and redecorating it to look more like a royal palace and less like a military fortress. For many years it was a dower castle: six queens called it their favorite residence. Its lake-like moat is unlike any other castle setting in England.
The castle stands at the heart of 500 acres of gardens and parkland that are perfect for country walks; it includes an aviary opened in 1988 that is considered one of the best in the country. Then there is the unlikely Dog Collar Museum (dogs once played an important role in guarding the grounds): It sounds like an oddity but winds up being a highlight for many visitors. The collection spans a period of 400 years, and some of the collars are veritable works of art.
WHERE: 40 miles/64 km southeast of London (not to be confused with the city of Leeds in Yorkshire, in northern England). Tel 44/1622-765-400; www.leeds-castle.com. BEST TIME: Apr–Jun for the gardens.
Eden on London’s Doorstep
SISSINGHURST CASTLE GARDEN
Sissinghurst, Kent, England
Situated southeast of London, the wealthy and fertile county of Kent lives up to its affectionate nickname of “The Garden of England.” The most renowned gardens in this “Garden”—and some of the most beloved in a nation besotted with them—are found at Sissinghurst. Vita Sackville-West—Bloomsbury writer and famed eccentric—added “inspired gardener” to her list of talents in the 1930s when she spectacularly transformed the grounds around the house where she lived with her diplomat husband Harold Nicolson with a series of gardens within gardens, each one based on a family of plants or a single color.
Most famous, and imitated around the globe to this day, is her White Garden, which reaches its zenith in June. Nearby, the Rose Garden, whose old Bourbon, centifolia, and moss varieties are world renowned, bursts forth in June and July, while the Cottage Garden, a riot of red, yellow, and orange flowers, is at its best in the fall. Despite the many visitors who take advantage of Sissinghurst’s relative proximity to London, the gardens are still an oasis of serenity and beauty. Little remains of the original “castle,” in reality an Elizabethan manor house, but the standing ruins—including a gateway flanked by a pair of towers—add a touch of atmosphere, while the parkland surrounding the gardens is perfect for sylvan strolls.
If time allows for a detour within Kent, head 10 miles south to Knole House, a castellated stately home dating from 1456. For much of the 18th and 19th century, a small part of the 365-room house served as the residence of the Sackville family, and the remaining chambers—containing decorations, furniture, and works of art little changed over 300 years—are the highlight of a visit today.
Sissinghurst’s Elizabethan tower rises above the flora.
WHERE: near Cranbrook, which is 53 miles/85 km southeast of London. Tel 44/1580-710-700; www.nationaltrust.org.uk. When: estate year-round; garden mid–Mar—Oct. KNOLE HOUSE: Tel 44/1732-450-608; www.nationaltrust.org.uk. When: house Mar–Oct; garden Apr–Sep. BEST TIME: Jun–Jul for most gardens, though every month holds its beauty.
Glorious Walking and Delicious Repasts
THE LAKE DISTRICT
Lancashire and Cumbria, England
The poet William Wordsworth described England’s Lake District as “the loveliest spot that man has ever known.” It is at once pastoral and wild, graced with some 15 principal lakes and dozens of lesser ones, with high mountains (including England’s highest summit, the 3,210-foot Scafell Pike), steep-sided “fells” (hills), and grazing sheep everywhere in between. The 880-square-mile region is protected as a national park and is a favorite with hikers. The 70-mile Cumbria Way unfurls across the heart of the district, and there are countless shorter options, from lakeside strolls to hardy hilltop hikes. Immortalized on canvas and in lite
rature, the land was the birthplace of English Romanticism.
The best-known lake in the region, as well as the largest in the country and the southern gateway to the area, is Windermere, a glistening sliver of water some 10 miles long nestled between the hills and mountains. Its shores, especially around the town of Bowness-on-Windermere, have been a popular holiday destination since the arrival of the railway in Victorian times.
The village of Grasmere is where Wordsworth lived with his wife and sister at Dove Cottage, built in the 17th century and now a museum. The poet laureate was buried here in 1850 in the graveyard of the village church. To enjoy Grasmere’s romantic atmosphere in the late afternoon or evening, stay at the Harwood Hotel, a grand Victorian house in the center of the village, with just six modern and well-appointed rooms.
Further on is Ullswater, which Wordsworth described as “perhaps . . . the happiest combination of beauty and grandeur, which any of the lakes affords,” and where he beheld his famous “host of golden daffodils.” In summer, a restored 19th-century steamer plies the 9-mile length of the lake, the second largest in the district and one of the less developed.
On Ullswater’s relatively secluded eastern shore is Sharrow Bay Country House Hotel, renowned for its exceptional views. Grand and historic, this 24-bedroom hotel has classic waterfront gardens, along with sumptuous teas and inspired dinners (desserts are a favorite tradition here), the finest service, and a welcoming ambience.
Long and narrow, Windermere is a ribbon lake.
WHERE: Grasmere is 280 miles/451 km northwest of London. VISITOR INFO: www.golakes.co.uk. DOVE COTTAGE & THE WORDSWORTH MUSEUM: Tel 44/15394-35544; www.wordsworth.org.uk. HARWOOD HOTEL: Tel 44/15394-35248; www.harwoodhotel.co.uk. Cost: from $165. SHARROW BAY COUNTRY HOUSE HOTEL: Tel 44/17684-86301; www.sharrowbay.com. Cost: from $440. BEST TIMES: Mar–Apr for Ullswater’s blooming daffodils; Apr–Jun for biggest variety of flowers; Jun–Aug for least rainfall; Aug for Lake District Music Festival; Sep–Oct for fall colors.
“London is the epitome of our times and the Rome of today.”—RALPH WALDO EMERSON
LONDON
England
London claims to be the capital of 21st-century Europe, and most will agree; at times it feels like anything of any importance in art, music, and fashion starts, finishes, or is taking place here. But today’s London is not just a mecca for modernity: It remains very much a city of pomp and pageantry, where history and tradition are not only prized, they are integrated into daily life.
TOP ATTRACTIONS
BRITISH MUSEUM—Unless you have a week to walk the 2 miles of corridors leading to many of the 7 million objects on display, head for the Elgin Marbles (which once decorated the Parthenon in Athens; see p. 156), the Rosetta Stone, the Egyptian mummies, the Samurai armor, and the Portland Vase. Or join one of the free eyeOpener tours, which focus on different areas of the museum’s collection: They last about 30 minutes and depart throughout the day. INFO: Tel 44/20-7323-8000; www.britishmuseum.org.
BUCKINGHAM PALACE—When the queen is away from her London residence and workplace from late July to September, parts of the 775-room landmark—including the Throne Room, the 155-foot-long Picture Gallery, and the magnificent Grand Staircase designed by architect John Nash for George IV—are open to the public. The Changing of the Guard takes place at 11:30 A.M. daily or on alternate days depending on the month. INFO: Tel 44/20-7766-7300; www.royalcollection.org.uk.
At Buckingham Palace, the Queen’s Guard, wearing red tunics and bearskin hats, is responsible for protecting the sovereign.
HAMPTON COURT PALACE—A royal palace for more than two centuries, Hampton Court was home to Henry VIII and five of his six wives. Christopher Wren added extensions in the late 17th century, and the result is a delightful blend of Tudor and English Baroque architecture. The palace is surrounded by some 60 landscaped acres of gardens and a centuries-old maze of tall hedges—it takes 20 minutes on average to reach the center. WHERE: 13 miles/22 km southwest of London, in East Molesey, Surrey. Tel 44/20-3166-6000; www.hrp.org.uk.
HYDE PARK AND KENSINGTON GARDENS—At 350 acres, Hyde Park is London’s largest royal park and was once the favorite hunting ground of Henry VIII. Today it hosts open-air concerts, royal events, and, in summer, sunbathers and picnickers. The Serpentine, an L-shaped lake, separates it from well-manicured Kensington Gardens, with its necklacelike Princess Diana Memorial Fountain and nearby Kensington Palace. INFO: Tel 44/20-7298-2000; www.royalparks.org.uk.
LONDON EYE—The world’s tallest Ferris wheel, offering views on a clear day some 25 miles in every direction, the Eye is London’s newest and most visible landmark. Ride in one of its 32 glass-enclosed gondolas that take a graceful half hour to complete a revolution. INFO: Tel 44/871-781-3000; www.londoneye.com.
NATIONAL GALLERY—One of the world’s largest and best art collections, the National Gallery exhibits more than 2,000 works representing every major European school from the mid-13th through the 19th centuries. Free, centrally located, and on everyone’s short list, the gallery can be overwhelmingly crowded; the savvy visit on weekday mornings and on Friday evenings, when it stays open late. INFO: Tel 44/20-7747-2885; www.nationalgallery.org.uk.
ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL—This 17th-century masterpiece of Sir Christopher Wren (who, along with a host of other notables, is buried in its crypt) is located in the heart of the historic financial district known as the City. The great dome offers a wonderful 360-degree view of London; encircling its interior is the Whispering Gallery—watch what you say! INFO: Tel 44/20-7236-4128; www.stpauls.co.uk.
Prince Charles married Lady Diana Spencer at St. Paul’s Cathedral in 1981.
TATE MODERN AND TATE BRITAIN—The Tate Modern, London’s largest repository of modern art, houses British and foreign works from 1900 to the present in a converted power station. It is especially known for its (often participatory) special exhibits in the enormous Turbine Hall. Its sister gallery, the Tate Britain, displays British classics dating back to the 16th century and hosts the annual (and usually controversial) Turner Prize in visual art. INFO: Tel 44/20-7887-8000; www.tate.org.uk.
TOWER OF LONDON—Begun in the 11th century by William the Conqueror, the Tower of London is actually a castle with assorted towers. It contains the Crown Jewels (including the 530-carat Star of Africa diamond, aka Cullinan I, and Queen Victoria’s Imperial State Crown, studded with more than 3,000 jewels), the macabre Scaffold Site (where Anne Boleyn was beheaded), and many other exhibits watched over by the colorful Beefeater Guards. INFO: Tel 44/20-3166-6000; www.hrp.org.uk.
VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM—Opened in 1852, the largest decorative arts museum in the world exhibits objects from all corners of the globe. Among its treasures is the largest collection of Italian sculpture outside Italy and the superbly renovated Medieval and Renaissance Galleries as well as 15 galleries that pay tribute to 16th–19th century Britain. INFO: Tel 44/20-7942-2000; www.vam.ac.uk.
WESTMINSTER ABBEY—This English Gothic house of worship, administered directly by the Crown, has been the site of all but two British coronations since 1066. The Henry VII Lady Chapel, completed in 1509, is one of the loveliest in Europe. The world caught a glimpse of its beauty during the 2011 wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. Poets’ Corner has monuments to, and/or the tombs of, Chaucer, Tennyson, Browning, and Dickens, among many others. A lovely way of visiting the abbey is to attend a service, in particular evensong at 5 P.M. on weekdays and 3 P.M. on the weekend. INFO: Tel 44/20-7222-5152; www.westminster-abbey.org.
OTHER MUST-DOS
A NIGHT AT THE THEATER—In the West End, 50-plus theaters promise some of the best and most varied theatergoing in the English-speaking world, be it serious drama or a rafter-rising musical. Shakespeare’s Globe is a faithful re-creation of the original 1599 Elizabethan theater, complete with thatched roof and productions staged as they were in the Bard’s lifetime. The Royal Shakespeare Company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon also performs at various theaters in London,
while some of the city’s best contemporary theater is staged in a trio of modern auditoriums that make up the National Theatre. INFO: www.londontheatre.co.uk. SHAKESPEARE’S GLOBE: Tel 44/20-7902-1400; www.shakespeares-globe.org. ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY: Tel 0844/800-1110; www.rsc.org.uk. NATIONAL THEATRE: Tel 44/20-7452-3000; www.nationaltheatre.org.uk.
AN EVENING OF MUSIC—The church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields hosts classical music concerts, jazz sessions, and evensong in its elegant early-18th-century setting. From mid-July to mid-September, the beautiful Royal Albert Hall serves as the setting for the Promenade Concerts, aka the “Proms,” featuring orchestras from around the world: The Last Night of the Proms is a high note. A top venue for chamber music, Wigmore Hall is celebrated for its near-perfect acoustics, beautiful Art Nouveau décor, and great variety of concerts and recitals. ST. MARTIN-IN-THE-FIELDS: Tel 44/20-7766-1100; www.stmartin-in-the-fields.org. ROYAL ALBERT HALL: Tel 44/20-7589-8212; www.royalalberthall.com. WIGMORE HALL: Tel 44/20-7935-2141; www.wigmore-hall.org.uk.
BRITISH LIBRARY—Visit its treasure-laden John Ritblat Gallery for a close-up look at the original Magna Carta, Beowulf, Shakespeare’s First Folio, and lyrics to Beatles songs written on the back of a Lufthansa envelope. There is more than just writing: Lift one of the headsets in the gallery to hear such notables as James Joyce reading from Ulysses or Thomas Edison recording sound for the first time. INFO: Tel 44/20-7412-7000; www.bl.uk.
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