Shared Group Downton Abbey and Highclere Castle Tour from London
4.9

Shared Group Downton Abbey and Highclere Castle Tour from London

By International Friends
Recommended by 98% of travelers
98% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
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Ages 3-99, max of 18 per group
Duration: 11h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
More

Highlights

  • Transport by air-conditioned minivan
  • Professional guide
  • Entry to Cogges Manor Farm
  • Guided tour of Bampton
  • Entry to Highclere Castle
  • Entry to Bampton Library
  • Entry/Admission - Cogges Manor Farm
  • Entry/Admission - Bampton Library
  • Entry/Admission - Highclere Castle
What's not included
  • Food and drinks
  • Gratuities


Start:
  • The Cumberland Hotel, The Cumberland, Great Cumberland Pl, Marble Arch, London W1H 7DL, UK
    Please ensure you arrive at the meeting point at least 10 minutes prior to the pick up time. This tour will depart at 07.30am. Please wait outside the Cumberland Hotel main entrance, Marble Arch (formerly the Hard Rock Hotel), Nearest tube station is Marble Arch
End:
  • Victoria station, London SW1W 9LN, UK
    Return point: Returns to Victoria Train Station at approximately 7pm

  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Stroller accessible
  • Service animals allowed
  • Near public transportation
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 5528IFHIGHCLERE

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Most travelers can participate
  • Please note: Once the booking is submitted all sales are final, non-changeable, non-transferable and incur 100% cancellation penalties
  • British weather can be variable and so guests are advised to check the weather forecast and dress appropriately. It is recommended to bring some warm clothes with you especially in the winter months and layers are good for adapting to the ever-changing weather conditions. It is a good idea to wear appropriate footwear as there is walking involved on our tours. England is known for its rain so it is advisable to bring a waterproof jacket or umbrella with you.
  • Please note that the dates 10th May 2025 to 16th May 2025 are part of a special event; Living with a Film Crew. Your ticket includes a talk, guided tour of the Castle, admission to the Egyptian Exhibition and a signed copy of Lady Carnarvon’s book ‘Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey’.
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 18 travelers

  • All sales are final and incur 100% cancellation penalties.

If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 5528IFHIGHCLERE

From
$267.97
per adult
Select date and travelers

Similar experiences

Itinerary
  • The Cumberland, Great Cumberland Pl, Marble Arch, London W1H 7DL, UK
    Please ensure you arrive at the meeting point at least 10 minutes prior to the pick up time. This tour will depart at 07.30am. Please wait outside the Cumberland Hotel main entrance, Marble Arch (formerly the Hard Rock Hotel), Nearest tube station is Marble Arch
  • 1
    Pass by
    Shilton
    The Swan Inn
  • 2
  • 3
  • London SW1W 9LN, UK
    Return point: Returns to Victoria Train Station at approximately 7pm
About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
  • International Friends
    4.6 of 5 bubbles2,038
    London, England
    Joined in October 2009
  • Alexe' W
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Day trip to Windsor, Stonehenge, and Bath
    Our tour guide - Richard (today with Evan and Evans) was fantastic. He had a wealth of knowledge that he infused in fun and fascinating stories throughout the day. He was very practical as well, giving us good food recommendations along the way. Our driver Alex was so smooth that many people snoozed in between stops throughout the day. It was such a relaxing ride.
    Written March 15, 2025
  • 807marissac
    0 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Not very family friendly but was nice locations
    My husband and I are big fans of Harry Potter and decided to take this tour while visiting from the states. Loved the added bonus of being able to see Oxford. We have a one year old also that attended this tour. She did great, she never fussed. Slept most the time! Loved both locations that we visited. Huge fan of Chris who guided us in Oxford. Not as big of a fan of Amber, the main guide. Not only was she “unaware” of our infant that we did have marked that we booked but she also almost left us! We had to run and chase the bus down because she didn’t take a headcount before leaving! Never been on a tour before where they didn’t do a headcount before driving off before, a bit unprofessional and lazy. I wouldn’t say this tour was very family friendly but we did like seeing Oxford and the Harry Potter Studios.
    Written March 10, 2025
  • Bette M
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Highly Recommend
    I absolutely loved my tour of Oxford and Harry Potter Studios. Richard was an amazing driver, so friendly and extremely competent. I had the pleasure of having a great conversation with him when I came back to the bus early. Ginny (I'm probably spelling that wrong) was a font of information and eloquent in her speeches. I would 1000 percent recommend this company and tour for lovers of history and Harry Potter!
    Written February 20, 2025
  • 405BrianC
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fun filled day!
    Covered a lot of ground in one day. The guide was excellent (Tony) - friendly and knowledgeable! Just an enough time at each stop.
    Written January 31, 2025
  • GaryTheriault
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Southampton to London via Stonehenge,Windsor Castle to London with International Friends .with great driver/ guide Kalan
    Jan 2025 • Friends Good morning We are back home in Canada after a wonderful Cross Atlantic Cruise and Eastern European country visits organised by Voyages Mario Tours, NB Canada. One of the best experiences we had was the group pick up from Southampton to London your company provided. We were a small group of 14 and we all agree that Kalen , the driver INTERNATIONAL FRIENDS provided, went above and beyond his duties to explain the sites and historical details all along the way. Always professionnal he managed to create a friendly atmosphere throughout the entire day. Upon arriving in London he took the extra time to show us around the main sites of the City. With a small group of fourteen, he obviously did not do all this extra work expecting a large tip. We thank you again INTERNATIONAL FRIENDS and highly recommend you Gary Theriault ( Group Escort) Voyages Mario Tours Sent from my iPad
    Written January 30, 2025
  • 674lindsayu
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Non-Stop Laughter and Learning with Tony
    What an incredible experience with Tony! His sense of humor made the day so much more enjoyable, and it felt like we were exploring with an old friend rather than just a guide. Tony didn’t just make us laugh—he also impressed us with his deep knowledge of Stonehenge, Bath, Avebury, and UK. The way he blended humor with fascinating facts kept us entertained and engaged throughout the tour. If you’re looking for a guide who knows how to keep the group smiling while delivering an unforgettable experience, Tony is the one! Highly recommend!
    Written January 15, 2025
  • 276sharonw
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great (and safely driven) Tours, with amazing back ground info.
    We had Mike as a tour guide and Silvius as our driver. We were impressed with both. Mike gives a lot of back story on a lot of the aspects that make the Harry Potter stories, I learned a lot! We went to Oxford first, we choose to wander about on our own and got to the "Main Hall" from the movies. Oxford is a wonderful place, well worth the visit! After that, the studio's. Mike is very good in preparing you what to expect. And we had a blast. The studio's as really massive and you get a real feel on the work that goes into making those movies. I would recommend them to anybody at any time. Our admiration for Silvius is also on a platinum level. How this man gets this big bus through London traffic and the smaller roads in Oxford is beyond us, we suspect he is very good in playing Tetris.
    Written December 31, 2024
  • chriswK649JO
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fun Day Trip While Visiting London
    After a slight delay(our guide fell ill), we were able to get going on the trip. Winds castle was incredible. The doll house a state apartments were incredible, we were a bit rushed due to the delay at the beginning of the day. For those from the US, it reminded me a lot of the Biltmore Estates. Next stop, Stonehenge. Quite breathtaking. In spite of the crowd, it moved pretty efficiently. Last stop was Bath. Bath was OK and provided an opportunity to shop (we didn't go in the Roman Baths. Personally, I'd probably opt for just Windsor and Stonehenge and save the time of the going to Bath. Tobey (our guide) was exceptional. Witty and knowledgeable.
    Written December 30, 2024
  • Larisawilliams
    0 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Mediocre at best
    Expected a luxury coach, meaning full sized coach or a sprinter van, but what we got was a very mediocre mini van. Very. Our guide and driver were both excellent. Definitely would recommend not choosing this tour. Below average accommodations.
    Written December 28, 2024
  • Brad P
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A Wonderful Day
    A really wonderful day exploring Oxford and then onto Harry Potter World. Guide was informative and funny and tried valiantly to keep everybody to time. Oxford was an unexpected delight. Happily recommend this as a great way to see and learn more than just the studio.
    Written December 27, 2024
  • adainty
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great family day out
    This experience was incredible. It was a dream come true. The company was very organised and friendly. I felt the Harry Potter studio was a very special experience.
    Written December 19, 2024
  • 749devendrag
    0 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Good tour
    This is a one day tour for Oxford and Warner Bros studios. We reached Oxford at 9:30 am were we had an one hour walking tour. Then we were given one tour to explore the city. We left Oxford around 12 and reached warner bros at 1:00 pm. We left the studio at 5:00 pm. The guide on the tour provided very useful guidance on the tour. It is a nice trip. Would recommend.
    Written December 10, 2024
  • Diana S
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Harry potter tour
    The tour was very nice but the operators were not that organised. The cafe there was nice and the gifts store. There are lots of interactions to be done there
    Written December 4, 2024
  • _gilpa5
    0 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Disappointed
    Our tour guide was great but I would not recommend this tour if you don’t want to be rushed. It’s a lot to see on one day. We only had time to get a quick bite to eat in Bath. There was not enough time to go in and see the baths. We had to rush thru Windsor Castle and did not get to see all of it.
    Written December 4, 2024
  • lisacC6345NQ
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Comfortable professional tour of Windsor, Bath and Stonehenge
    Our driver and guide, Mike and Dexter, were EXCELLENT. Enjoyed hearing the history of these places in UK. Tour van was extremely comfortable, much better than trying to take the train if you may not have lots of time. Like the small group setting.
    Written November 28, 2024
See all 2,038 reviews
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.9
4.9 of 5 bubbles51 reviews
Excellent
47
Very good
3
Average
1
Poor
0
Terrible
0

Cynthia1067
california91 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023 • Friends
Mike our guide and John our driver made this day perfect!! Mike has so much insight into the history of the times around Downtown Abbey and leading up to it, it made it all so interesting. Just an amazing body of knowledge and delivered in such an engaging way.

They took us thru other villages on the way so we went the most scenic route expertly navigated by John our driver.

We had great weather which punctuated the day. I opted to cut short the Egyptian museum in lieu of sitting on the lawn eating Victoria sponge cake with tea and admiring the surroundings.

Timing at each spot was great. Appreciated the tips to see both amazing gardens at Highclere and Cogges Farm which could have been missed.

Wish bus had a little more leg room for my tall husband but was comfortable otherwise

Highly recommend this tour, guide and company. Who made us whole after covid delayed our trip 3 years. Integrity is important to me!! Thank you for everything.
Written July 19, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Drifter1956
Jacksonville, FL28 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2023 • Couples
Our tour guide was Amber. She probably knows more about Downton Abbey than even the writers. She taught us a great deal of the actual history of Highclere castle, including the unexpected connection to the tomb of King Tutankhamun. She knew every character and the actors in those roles, She talked about their careers before and after the show. She's not just a tour guide, but, a genuine fan of the show. Roaming Highclere Castle was a blast. We had so much fun pointing out specific rooms and remembering scenes filmed in the Castle. Since it is still a private residence we weren't able to explore the entire building, but that would have taken days. The stops in Bampton and and Cogges Farm were fun as Amber pointed out where certain scenes were filmized in each location as well as the best place to get a bite to eat.
Written September 25, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Paul S
Truckee, CA9 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2022
Absolutely fantastic day with tour guide Amber from Texas on International Friends small group tour to Downton Abbey film locations and Highclere Castle. Our tour was Amber's first Downton tour in 2 years and her passion shows. While in Bampton, the local antique store owner drove to the church to find Amber (the store was closed that day). Lots of hugs and tears followed. That says a lot about a tour guide and her connections to community members. We had no issues getting to the Hard Rock Hotel (5 star bathrooms) and finding the tour van. Our first stop was charming Cogges Manor Farm in Witney, followed by a short detour into Swinbrook with a brief stop at The Swan Inn. Then it was onward to Shilton for another quick stop before arriving at St. Mary's Church of England in Bampton. All fairytale locations in the Cotswolds. We picked up snacks at the local Co-operative grocery store. After about an hour drive, we arrived at Highclere Castle. Look for the new tree sculpture by Simon O'Rourke along the drive up to the castle. The green man face was carved into the remains of a cedar tree planted in 1780. What a breathtaking location. The countryside, history, filming insights, and Amber's enthusiasm and knowledge are brilliant. The day was worth every penny.
Written April 29, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Heather B
Lakeland, FL4 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2024 • Family
Highly recommend!
This was a spectacular tour for Downton Abbey fans and “very interesting” to those who were lovingly sacrificing a day for the fans they love. Our guide Michelle was very knowledgeable, and funny. Our driver kept us safe and on time. All the stops were filled with trivia and the Abbey of course exceeded all expectations. We even got to see Lady Carnarvon!

We love small group tours and we always meet sweet people which makes the experience that much more special.
Written May 28, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Joanne M
Cleveland, OH15 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2024 • Solo
It was a long day but worth every minute. Beautiful sights and scenery. Comfortable bus. Great tour guide.
Our first stop was to a lovely farmhouse where lots of scenes were filmed, and then to Oxford where the church, post office, Lady Crawley's house, etc. Final stop was Highcliere. The furnishings inside were actually the same ones as you see on the show. Absolutely brilliant!
Written September 12, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Trail34487311778
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2024 • Family
The tour we took to Cobbes Farm, Bampton and Highclere Castle was amazing, our tour guide, Catherine, made it such a fun and interesting day. Her knowledge and snippets of information about Downton Abbey/Highclere as well as other related subjects really set the scene for each of the locations.
The tour was very well organised, picked up on time and we were given lots of time and information to explore the farm, village and the castle.
The whole day was a delight and we had a most enjoyable time!
Written April 13, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

suzanne a
5 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2022
Our guide was very good. The locations were spot on. The only negative was that we were booked for the special 'Living in a Castle" with Lord and Lady Carnarvon. Unfortunately, we could only hear Lady Carnarvon occasionally as she did not project into the microphone, and we could not hear Lord Carnarvon at all. It was a bit of a waste of time for us. I would have rather used it to explore the grounds which unfortunately we were not able to do as we ran out of time.
Written June 3, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Michael B
2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Family
The prime reason for our England visit was to see Highclere Castle so the choice of a tour was critical, and this tour did not disappoint. Toby, our guide, and John, our driver, collected us right on time and we were off. It was obvious Toby not only knew Downton, but just as importantly, the ins-and-outs of guiding that let us maximize our time time at all the locations on our itinerary. These 2 gents were 6-star all the way.
Written August 30, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

sandtravel
Chicago86 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Couples
The best thing about this tour, is the small coach (18 person van max, as opposed to huge coach bus tours) Also enjoyed seeing a few villages where Downton scenes were filmed. Our tour guide (Toby-nice fellow) was not very well versed in history/information, I overheard several other tour guides who provided much more info than we got. Tour of Highclere was excellent. But I saw if you drove there yourself, tickets were only 39 euro. That is considerably less than the $475 we paid for 2 people. Maybe look into hiring private transportation?
Written August 28, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Carla M
Pittsburgh, PA9 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2024 • Couples
We joined the "Downton Abbey Filming locations, Cotswolds and Highclere Castle - Small Group Tour" and truly had a wonderful day. Our guide Michelle was knowledgeable and fun to tour with. Driver Moses kept us safe. We really got to see the highlights from the show, with Highclere Castle being the show-stopper. I highly recommend!
Written July 9, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.

Shared Group Downton Abbey and Highclere Castle Tour from London provided by International Friends

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