Hever Castle & The Garden of England

Description

The romantic county of Kent offers a multitude of historic treasures, from enchanting castles and imaginative gardens to charming towns and glorious old fashioned train lines. We delve into Kent's heritage on this captivating five-day break with a visit to the beautiful Hever Castle & Gardens and a journey on the quaint Kent & East Sussex Railway. We also explore the historic town of Rye in East Sussex and have the chance to visit the delightful city of Canterbury for a holiday to remember in Britain's oldest county.Included Excursions

Hever Castle & Gardens (full day)

We pay a visit to the magnificent Hever Castle. This double-moated historic gem was the childhood home of Anne Boleyn and what an incredible place to grow up; it’s a veritable fairytale setting comprising of 125 acres of award-winning gardens. Highlights include the Loggia terrace that looks out across the lake, a myriad of meandering walkways; don’t miss the Sunday Walk, the Rhododendron Walk and the Church Gill Walk, along with the formal Italian Garden, the Tudor Garden and the English Rose Garden. There are also secret grottoes to discover along with the famous water maze. Inside offers plenty of atmospheric panelled rooms packed with antiques and Tudor portraits.



Kent & East Sussex Railway & Rye (full day)

We begin the day with a journey on the Kent & East Sussex Railway, which happens to be England’s original light railway that tootles its way through the flower-crested Kent countryside from Tenterden to Bodiam. Fans of The Darling Buds of May TV series may recognise Tenterden Railway Station as the place Charley first arrives when visiting the Larkin family.

After a relaxing 50-minute journey we travel by coach to Rye for a couple of hours to explore at our own pace. This medieval citadel is a tangle of pretty cobbled streets studded with cosy pubs, historic buildings and museums dedicated to its shipbuilding heritage.



Optional Excursion

Canterbury – £14pp (full day)

Join us on our optional excursion to the beautiful city of Canterbury, with its famous timber-framed buildings and medieval city walls. It is also home to the oldest cathedral in England, dating back to Norman times. It features awe-inspiring architecture and contains one of England’s largest collections of early medieval stained glass.

JG2+
JG2+ rated hotels offer a slightly higher standard of hospitality, often with good home cooking plus enhanced décor, facilities and services, which is recognised and welcomed by our customers. Food may be buffet style in some of the larger hotels. They may also enjoy an enviable location and/or higher levels of satisfaction on online hotel rating sites and our own customer feedback surveys.

Search Bullets
- 4 nights at the King Charles Hotel, Gillingham (JG2+ rating) with dinner & breakfast- Excursions to Rye & Hever Castle & Gardens- Heritage train journey on the Kent & East Sussex Railway

Coach Bullets
- Return coach travelon a JG Explorer Coach (seeHelpful Informationbelow)- 4 nights at the King Charles Hotel, Gillingham (JG2+ rating) with dinner & breakfast- Excursions to Rye & Hever Castle & Gardens- Heritage train journey on the Kent & East Sussex RailwayOptional excursion to Canterbury (£14pp)

Helpful info
JG Explorer Coaches

We are pleased to introduce JG Explorer - a brand-new deluxe coach, thoughtfully designed to provide an elevated coach experience and ensure your journey is special and memorable.Exclusive to the JG Travel Group, the design of these coaches has been meticulously thought through with your comfort in mind - with only 44 seats meaning more room on board and padded seats. There's improved legroom and a footrest, making certain that wherever you sit, you'll be able to relax and enjoy your journey. We know it's the small things that make a big difference in terms of ease and added convenience, so our Explorer coaches feature a floor-level, rear-mounted toilet, accessible to all customers.On-board entertainment throughout your journey is easy to find on the JG Explorer, with access to Azimut, our wireless media system, providing films and quizzes. Simply bring along your smartphone or iPad and enjoy this entertainment interruption-free, with the use of our extra reliable Wi-Fi, free to all passengers and a handy USB port at each seat.

The layout of the JG Explorer includes a floor-level, rear-mounted kitchen with a sink, an espresso machine to purchase delicious Nespresso coffee, dispensed by your driver during comfort breaks, and a fridge stocked with cold drinks and milk. Customers are welcome to help themselves to complimentary JG bottles, that can be used for refill at the built-in cold-water filter, cutting down on the need for disposable plastic bottles and doing our part for the environment.King Charles Hotel King Charles Hotel
The King Charles Hotel is a friendly, family-run hotel situated in the heart of the Medway, within easy reach of Gillingham town centre. The hotel offers a restaurant and lounge bar while all the comfortable, en-suite rooms have Freeview TV and tea and coffee-making facilities.