Castles, country houses, Canterbury Cathedral and the orchards of the Kent and Sussex, also known as the Garden of England This two night, three day tour of the south east of England combines stunning gardens, ancient towns and stately homes.
The route will take you along winding country lanes and offer wonderful views overlooking the rolling countryside of England.
Accommodation
Classic Accommodation: Wonderfully comfortable accommodation in private B&Bs and guesthouses. Welcoming hosts mean it’s more like staying with friends, and you will often dine with the hosts or other guests.
Select Accommodation: Select tours use high-quality, small, individual hotels and guesthouses. The focus is on service and comfort in beautiful surroundings.
Itinerary
Day One
The tour begins in Sevenoaks. Take the small, country roads into Kent and towards Rochester. Visit Chatham Dockyard, Leeds Castle and then Canterbury and its cathedral. Take a trip to Cranbrook and Sissinghurst Castle and Gardens. Stay in a peaceful guesthouse nearby for the Classic Tour or in Royal Tunbridge Wells in a stylish hotel for the Select Tour.
Day Two
Visit Chartwell House, home of Sir Winston Churchill and then drive on to see a number of historic castles and houses and their grounds - Chiddingstone, Hever, Penshurst and Groombridge Place near Royal Tunbridge Wells. Drive to Rudyard Kipling’s house at Burwash and then on towards West Sussex. Your overnight stay will be in some wonderful railway carriages near Petworth for the Classic Tour (not available on Saturday nights), or a charming guesthouse nearby.For the Select accommodation you can choose between a wonderful old coaching inn in Midhurst or a glorious ‘medieval’ manor house hotel just 200 yards from the sea.
Day Three
For your last day see Arundel Castle, the town and maybe the beach, and then drive on to visit Goodwood House and the nearby Weald & Downland Outdoor Museum, or the Fishbourne Roman Museum.
Wind your way back via Petworth House, one of the great houses of England.
Details
Dates
Duration: 3 days - this trip can be taken at any time.
Classic Accommodation: £149 per person
Select Accommodation: from £199 (from £225 with the coastal manor house) per person
This tour is unfortunately not available with a Saturday night stay
This price is per person sharing a twin or double room. Requests for single room accommodation will be extra. Please ask for the supplementary price at the time of booking. Some establishments do offer dinner and this option, along with restaurant bookings, is available up to a week before departure.
What’s included
- Two nights accommodation in a twin or double room
- Full breakfast each morning
- A complete route map showing our suggested route and a tour book detailing places to visit and things to do in the areas you will pass through
What’s not included
- Lunches or dinner
- Fuel
- Drinks
- Travel or medical insurance





Classic Travelling was established in 2003 and offers motoring holidays for classic, vintage and sports cars. The founder of the business, Sarah Dowding, has extensive experience of touring and motoring, having driven well in excess of 250,000 miles over the finest roads in Europe, North America, and southern Africa.