Private Downton Abbey and Highclere Castle Tour from London
The real Downton Abbey, in Hampshire
For anyone who has followed Downton Abbey, seeing the real house in person is the point of the day, and the real house is Highclere Castle in Hampshire. It is a private, still-occupied family seat rather than a film set, which is part of what makes a visit feel authentic. A private chauffeur-driven tour takes the logistics off your hands: Highclere sits in open countryside with no easy public transport, so having your own car and driver for the day is the natural way to go.
Book your private Highclere Castle day at a fixed price, agreed in advance.
- Your own car and driver to a house with no easy public transport
- Around an hour and a half from central London by road
- The day planned around a confirmed Highclere open date
- A fixed price agreed in advance, collected and returned to your door
The House
Highclere Castle
Highclere is a grand Victorian house rebuilt in the 1840s by Sir Charles Barry, the architect of the Houses of Parliament, and its silhouette is instantly recognisable to anyone who knows the series. The state rooms, the saloon and the bedrooms used in filming are open on selected dates, and the Egyptian Exhibition in the cellars tells the separate, real-life story of the fifth Earl's part in the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb. The grounds, laid out by Capability Brown, are worth time in their own right.
The Day
Making a day of it
Highclere's opening dates are limited, so the castle is best treated as the centre of the day rather than a quick stop. When it is open, afternoon tea at the castle is a popular addition and needs booking well ahead. On dates when the house itself is closed, the surrounding Hampshire and Berkshire countryside, the market town of Newbury and nearby villages give an easy reason to still make the trip, and your chauffeur can shape the route accordingly.
Your Vehicle
Travelling in comfort
The tour is yours alone for the day. Most parties travel in a Mercedes V-Class, which seats up to seven and remains comfortable for five once luggage is on board for a full day; a sixteen-seater covers larger groups, and two travelling together can ask for an S-Class or Range Rover. The day is a fixed price agreed in advance, collected and returned to your door, with no meter.
Good to know
Highclere is around an hour and a half from central London by road. Because the house opens only on selected dates through the year, and afternoon tea books up early, it is worth deciding your date before anything else; we will help you line the visit up with an open day.
Ready When You Are
Ready to plan your Highclere day?
Tell us your preferred date and party size for a fixed quote.
Looking at a different day out? See all our private tours from London.
Good to Know
Frequently asked questions
Yes. The house filmed as Downton Abbey is Highclere Castle in Hampshire, a private family home that opens to visitors on selected dates. A private chauffeur-driven trip is the simplest way to reach it, as it is not well served by public transport.
Highclere opens on limited dates across the year rather than daily, and those dates sell out, so we plan the trip around a confirmed open day. Tell us your preferred window and we will help you find a date that works.
When the castle is open, afternoon tea is often available and is a lovely way to round off the visit, but it books up well in advance. Arrange it early and we will time the day around your sitting.
It is roughly an hour and a half by road from central London. With a private chauffeur you travel door to door, which matters here because the castle sits in open countryside.
The chauffeur service and castle admission, including afternoon tea, are booked separately. We will advise on open dates and timings when you request your quote.
Rated Excellent