DAYS 1-3:
Arrive in Manchester and transfer to the Chester Grosvenor & Spa in Chester, one of the best-preserved walled cities in England. See the site of the Roman amphitheater, the colorful sandstone cathedral and half-timbered shopping arcades known as "The Rows." Travel through the unspoiled countryside at Snowdonia National Park in North Wales and visit the delightful Italianate village of Portmeirion, known for its pottery. Drive through breathtaking scenery to Edward I's castle, which dominates the town of Caernarfon.

DAYS 4-5:
Travel to the Peak District, Britain's first national park. Visit Chatsworth House, one of Britain's most impressive stately homes. Spend two nights in York at Middlethorpe Hall, a 17th-century country house, and explore York Minster, the largest medieval cathedral north of the Alps. At Castle Howard, view the breathtaking gardens of this 18th-century house.

DAYS 6-7:
Amble through the Yorkshire Dales' villages of Wensleydale, Middleham and Hawes, into the Lake District National Park. Visit Middleham Castle, favorite home of the infamous King Richard III. Spend two nights at Sharrow Bay Country House Hotel, nestled in 12 acres of private gardens and woodland on the shore of Lake Ullswater. Drive through spectacular scenery to Hawkshead to visit William Wordsworth's grammar school or the Beatrix Potter Gallery. Continue north to Grasmere to see Dove Cottage, Wordsworth's home.