A Very English Escape

The British capital is an overflowing antiques cabinet on the River Thames, the cosmopolitan home of royalty and rascals, red double-deckers and black cabs. Catch a show in Shakespeare’s Globe theater, roam the hallowed aisles of Westminster Abbey, or delve into the gripping history of the Tower of London. Years could be spent idling between museums and markets, parks and pubs here, but even a day’s exploration promises an unforgettable first taste.

Whether from the Hollywood screen or a period drama, you will instantly recognize the Cotswolds’ pretty, honey-hued stone cottages as a timeless symbol of the English countryside. This vast, rolling swathe of chalk hills between Oxford, Cheltenham and Bath promises beauty down every winding, hedge-lined lane: medieval churches and tiny time-warp villages, grand manors set in acres of deer-grazed parkland, and old country inns putting gourmet spins on traditional pub fare.