Thames Palaces & Gardens

Henry VIII's riverside palace — Tudor kitchens, Baroque state apartments, 60 acres of formal gardens and the world's oldest surviving hedge maze.

Start early — the palace opens at 10am. Do the Tudor kitchens and Henry VIII's state apartments first, then the gardens and maze.

A rare, almost-untouched 17th-century Stuart mansion on the Thames, with restored formal gardens, a Cherry Garden and elegant riverside walks.

Drive via Teddington. Smaller and quieter than Hampton Court — perfect mid-day stop. Lunch at the Orangery Café.

300 acres of extraordinary botanical collections, Victorian glasshouses (Palm House, Temperate House), the Treetop Walkway and the Great Pagoda — a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Enter by Victoria Gate. Don't miss the Palm House, Treetop Walkway and the Great Pagoda. Allow at least three hours.