The Best of Acorn TV Tour of England (2024)

For the fifth year, Transcendent Travel is proud to be exclusively partnering with Acorn TV to present this very special tour taking you behind-the-scenes of the programs you know so well, Midsomer Murders & Doc Martin as well as stops used for filming in Downton Abbey , the home of Agatha Christie, Oxfordshire, Windsor, Bath, Devon and beautiful Cornwall.

TOUR DATES (2024)

July 8-14;  July 15-21;  July 22-28; July 29-August 4

Acorn TV is pleased to be partnering again in 2024 with Transcendent Travel to present “The Best of Acorn TV: A 7-Day Tour of England” for you, our loyal Acorn TV fans & subscribers. You’ll have a chance to visit the beautiful and historical production locations for our most popular series—Doc Martin, Midsomer Murders, Agatha Christie’s Poirot, Agatha Raisin and more!

In partnership with Transcendent: Experience Based Travel, Acorn TV will be hosting as we travel between Windsor, Bath, Cornwall, Torquay, Oxfordshire and Dorchester while making stops at Windsor Castle, Highclere Castle (Downton Abbey©), Port Isaac (Doc Martin), Biddestone (Agatha Raisin) and the Greenway Estate (Agatha Christie’s home).

The Acorn TV and Transcendent team will be with you every step of the way to help make connections between our tour stops and the great British programs you’ve become fans of on Acorn TV. We’ll have a couple of special “behind-the-scenes” moments planned, including a visit with a cast member(s) of some of your favorite Acorn programs. We’ll also have a special surprise guest meet us at Agatha Christie’s summer home, The Greenway Estate.

In addition, guests will be staying at some sumptuous hotels, exploring lavish homes and gardens and enjoying fine dining along the way.

In our book, traveling is about creating a blend of unique experiences, paired with delicious meals and superior accommodations. In this tour you can be assured of all three – alongside our personal touches and attention to detail which will ensure your enjoyment of the experience.

We do hope you’ll join us for one of these remarkable England tours in 2024!

Tour highlights:

  • Highclere Castle of Downton Abbey©

  • Doc Martin’s Port Isaac

  • Agatha Raisin’s Biddestone

  • Greenway Estate, home of Agatha Christie

Day 1 - Monday

  • Arrivals to Windsor - Located near London’s Heathrow Airport
  • Afternoon tour of the State Apartments at Windsor Castle
    Windsor is the world’s longest inhabited castle and weekend home of the Royal Family
  • Early evening "Welcome to Windsor Dinner"
  • Lecture and meet-and-greet with Sophie Hannah, internationally best-selling author and Agatha Christie expert
  • Overnight accommodations at the Castle Hotel, Windsor

This morning as you arrive to Windsor you will be greeted by your knowledgeable tour director for the week, Andrew Lannerd, who will get you settled into your lovely hotel – located directly across from Windsor Castle and right in the heart of all that lovely
Windsor has to offer including quaint shops and cafes.

This afternoon, guests will enjoy a tour around the magnificent State Apartments at Windsor Castle – one of the official residences of King Charles III. Guests will marvel at the castle, which has been the home of the Royal Family and a fortress for over 1,000 years. From the beauty of St. George’s Hall to the gold-encrusted ceiling of the Grand Reception Room – a visit to Windsor Castle is unforgettable.

Following your afternoon at Windsor Castle, you will enjoy an early evening “Welcome to Windsor” dinner as we toast an enjoyable week ahead going behind-the-scenes of many of your favorite Acorn TV programs. Overnight accommodations will be at Windsor’s Castle Hotel.

Day 2 - Tuesday

  • Delicious Breakfast at our Windsor hotel
  • Tour of Highclere Castle - The renowned setting for Downton Abbey©
  • Travel to Bath - One of England’s picturesque cities
  • Expert-led tour of Bath
  • Free evening in Bath for exploration
  • Overnight accommodations at Bath’s top-rated No. 15 Great Pulteney Hotel

Today after a wonderful breakfast, we will travel in our luxury coach to Highclere Castle, the famous “character” you know so well from Downton Abbey©. Guests will enjoy the chance to take a photograph outside as well as a full look inside the castle at the rooms you know so well from this popular television series. Picture yourself in the library next to the fireplace, just like Lord & Lady Grantham, or perhaps in the Dining Room beneath the famous Van Dyck portrait of King Charles I.

After your tour inside Highclere, relax with a cup of tea in the tearoom—all the makings of a perfect day.

After a few hours at Highclere, we will continue onto Bath, one of the prettiest towns in England. Guests will have some free time in Bath to explore all the city has to offer, including the Roman Baths, Bath Abbey, as well as numerous quaint shops and restaurants—all within a short walking distance to our hotel.

You will end your day in the relaxation of the No. 15 Great Pulteney Hotel in the heart of historical Bath.

Day 3 - Wednesday

  • Full English Breakfast at No. 15 Great Pulteney Hotel
  • Morning at your leisure for further exploration of Bath
  • Visit to Biddestone, a beautiful Cotswolds village
    A filming site for the popular Acorn TV series Agatha Raisin
  • Travel to Boringdon Hall near Plymouth
  • Interactive falconry demonstration
    Guests will have the opportunity to get up close and personal with magnificent birds of prey
  • Superior 3-course group dinner at Boringdon Hall
    Prepared by the top-rated culinary team at Boringdon, a site used in the filming of the series Delicious
  • Overnight accommodations at Boringdon Hall, Plymouth

Today after another delicious breakfast, take a few moments of leisure time for shopping in Bath or perhaps a look in the Jane Austen Centre – located a short walk from our hotel. Then we’re off to visit Biddestone, known as a shooting location for the Acorn TV series Agatha Raisin – the popular series is based on the Agatha Raisin series of crime & mystery books.

Later in the day, we are off to beautiful Devon and our wonderful home for the next two nights, Boringdon Hall. Boringdon is a luxurious Elizabethan manor hotel, steeped in history. Amid the glories of the past, you’ll also find the modern-day comforts of this 5-star hotel with one of Britain’s top-rated spa facilities. In addition, you’ll enjoy two sumptuous dinners and two breakfasts at Boringdon – meals which will be long-remembered as they are expertly prepared by their top-rated culinary team.

Day 4 - Thursday

  • Morning leisurely breakfast at Boringdon Hall
  • Travel to Port Isaac
    The gorgeous Cornwall fishing village made famous by the Doc Martin series
  • Expert-led tour of Port Isaac and behind-the-scenes look at the Doc Martin Series
  • Afternoon tea in Port Isaac at the Old School House
    Louisa’s school in Doc Martin
  • Travel back to Boringdon Hall
  • Overnight accommodations at Boringdon Hall

Today is a day you will long remember. After your breakfast, we will journey to Cornwall and the picturesque fishing village of Port Isaac, known as Port Wenn in the series, Doc Martin. You’ll quickly fall in love with the town as we take an in-depth, behind-the-scenes tour of the town focusing on the sites you know so well from the popular series.

For lunch, perhaps you’ll enjoy some of the famous local seafood or even a Cornish Pasty. Perhaps your favorite cast member will pop-in to say hello! Then we’re headed back to Boringdon Hall, with a little vino enroute – a day to remember!

Day 5 - Friday

  • Breakfast at Boringdon Hall
  • A visit to The Greenway Estate
    The beloved home of Agatha Christie
  • Afternoon visit to the seaside town of Torquay
    The birthplace of Agatha Christie
  • A delicious 3-course dinner at The Queens Hotel, Cheltenham
  • Overnight accommodations at The Queens Hotel, Cheltenham

Today, we will journey to The Greenway Estate, the much-loved home and gardens of Agatha Christie. After our time at Greenway, we will stop at the quintessential seaside town of Torquay to hear about Agatha’s life there. Torquay is famous for seaside fun as well as delicious ice cream.

After Torquay, we are off to our accommodations for the evening at The Queens Hotel, Cheltenham where we will enjoy another lovely group dinner amid the majestic surroundings of this historic hotel named in honor of Queen Victoria.

Day 6 - Saturday

  • Full English Breakfast at The Queens Hotel, Cheltenham
  • Visit to Burford, a beautiful village in the Cotswolds
  • Visit Dorchester-on-Thames in beautiful Oxfordshire
    The village is often called the "star" of Midsomer Murders
  • Walking tour of Midsomer Murders sites in the village
  • Delicious group lunch at the White Hart Hotel, and pint at the famous Six Bells Pub
  • Travel to Windsor
  • Farewell group dinner in a very special Windsor location
  • Overnight accommodations at the Castle Hotel, Windsor

If you are a fan of Midsomer Murders, today is the perfect day for you. After leaving Cheltenham we will head thru the Cotswolds to the South Oxfordshire village of Dorchester-on-Thames, where so many episodes of Midsomer Murders have been filmed.

In Dorchester-on-Thames, we will enjoy a walking tour of all of the Midsomer Murders sites. Then we’re off to Windsor where we will toast our week together in fine-style with a farewell dinner.

Day 7 - Sunday

  • A delicious breakfast in Windsor
  • Morning departures from Windsor

Today, we say goodbye after an unforgettable week together. Our hotel in Windsor is close to Heathrow—or perhaps you’ll continue on to enjoy a few days in London?

Tour Price

$5,395 per person, double occupancy
$6,395 per person, single occupancy (limited availability)

This is a land-only package. Airfare to and from the United Kingdom is NOT included.

Returning travelers with transcendent℠ receive a 5% discount on the tour cost.

Call us at 1.866.654.7508 to speak to a Transcendent Travel representative

Castle Hotel, Windsor

“THE BEST OF ACORN TV WAS MORE THAN JUST A TOUR, IT WAS A SNEAK PEAK INTO AGATHA CHRISTIE’S DRESSING ROOM, CHATTING WITH TV PERSONALITIES, HOISTING A BEER AT THE BLACK SWAN AND EATING SCONES WITH A WELL KNOWN AUTHOR, OR TWO. ALWAYS ACCESSIBLE AND RESPONSIVE, ANDREW [LANNERD] KNOWS THE LANDSCAPE AND SHARED HIS PASSION, WHILE HANDLING ALL THE DETAILS. ACORN TV PROVIDED TREMENDOUS SUPPORT, LINING UP TALENT THE REST OF THE WORLD ONLY SEES ON THEIR TV. SO MUCH TO SEE AND DO WITH A CONGENIAL GROUP THAT HELD SIMILAR INTERESTS. MY HUSBAND AND I SAY “JOLLY GOOD” AND THANK YOU!
— BARBARA LOHR”

No. 15 Great Pulteney Hotel, Bath

Andrew Lannerd