In reality Highclere Castle belongs to the Carnavaron family but in the hearts of most television viewers it belongs to the elite cast of “Downton Abbey”, a fantastic show I began watching shortly before moving to England myself. I made it a point to visit the castle as soon as I possibly could but it turned out, however, that one cannot simply stroll onto private property unless it’s during the public viewing periods. So it was that I booked a ticket in the middle of July to both the castle, Egyptian exhibit, and the gardens- and had to wait impatiently for months.
Nonetheless, the experience was as great as I’d hoped and I strongly recommend a visit to anyone who steps foot in this country especially since it’s not terribly far from London. The gardens were beyond spectacular and I even managed to meet Don, a caretaker who has been happily working there for over 40 years with no plans to retire. Hats off to this extraordinary family for allowing the public access to their home for a reasonable price. Season five of Downton Abbey is about to begin and I cannot be more excited to watch this fantastic show!
englandia 