Has the release of the new Downton Abbey film left you wanting to experience the quintessentially British aristocratic lifestyle? Well, we asked some of our expert Driver Guides here at Black Taxi Tour London for their tips on some of the city’s top class Downtonesque locations and places of interest…
Dress the part
Pick out your favourite historic fashion pieces as you browse the permanent fashion collection at the V&A Museum in South Kensington.
Enjoy afternoon tea like an aristocrat
Indulge in a slice of one of Britain’s finest traditions and take Afternoon Tea at one of London’s famous hotels, The Ritz or Claridges are popular choices.
Dine in style
Dine like Lady Edith at London’s oldest and most celebrated restaurant, Rules in Covent Garden. You will feel like you have been instantly transported back 100 years. In fact, it’s become a popular filming location, appearing in the Downton Abbey TV series three times. In over 200 years, spanning the reigns of nine monarchs, Rules has been owned by only three families and throughout its impressive history has been frequented by writers, artists, actors as well as great literary talents such as Charles Dickens, John Galsworthy and HG Wells.
Source: Rules Restaurant
For something a little more low key, Granaio restaurant in Piccadilly (formerly The Criterion restaurant) serves wonderful, rustic Italian cuisine. What’s Downtonesque about it? Well, in its Criterion days it was where they filmed Lady Edith meeting Michael Gregson for dinner (season 4, episode 1 for the die-hard Downton fans among you!)
Party the night away
Get dressed up to the nines and visit one of the oldest jazz clubs in the world, Ronnie Scotts or if you want to be more casual then head to Brasserie Zedel, a Parisian brasserie boasting wonderful, authentic Art Deco interior that became very fashionable in Europe and America during the 1930s.
Sleep like a king
A stay at The Savoy on the River Thames or the Dorchester Hotel in London’s Park Lane will not disappoint you.
Visit Highclere Castle (Downton Abbey), the home of the Crawley’s
The joy of the castle being used in the popular TV series means we’ve already had a glimpse inside the property, but now you can see the state rooms and the grounds in all their finery and glimpse the respective lives of those upstairs and downstairs up close and personal. Many of our customers request that a visit to Highclere is included as part of their out of town day trips with us, typically when booking for our Cotswolds and Stonehenge & The West Country day tours. They are a great choice if you are looking to have a break from the hustle and bustle of city life.
To find out more about our out of town day trips enquire with us today. We’d love to hear from you.
