Home Counties

Dominating this region is Europes most visited city, London. With very little left to be said about it, the capital offers the same captivating mix of history and modernism, high art and pop-culture and spectacular and humdrum that it ever did. You could be here a month, and barely touch the surface.

Feeling the ripple effect, the outlying areas are packed places of interest: Windsor, Richmond-upon-Thames, Oxford and St. Albans are all within an hour of London. The Home Counties are worth the exploration. Surrey, West London and Chilterns, Essex, Oxfordshire, and Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire each have their own historic significance and county towns that are quintessentially English.

Surrey County is often referred to as the 'stockbroker belt'. It is home to well-heeled towns such as the county town of Guildford and historic Dorking. Surrounded by an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Surrey borders Greater London and is linked to the sea by the River Wey. It is possible to walk the North Downs Way from the Surrey hills to the Kent coast. Kingston-upon-Thames is a beautiful riverside town where Henry VIIIs palace, Hampton Court, with its gardens and Maze is a stunning and tranquil break from the capital. The beautiful, well-loved gardens of the RHS are to be found at Wisley.

West London and Chilterns is still on main transport links to the capital, Richmond-upon-Thames boasts the largest open space in London, where deer still roam free. Stop for tea or browse the upmarket shops. Nearby the world famous Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew are a must see destination for all visitors to West London. Windsor Castle is another major attraction of West London. Inhabited by the royal family for over 900 years, Winsor and Eton, just give an insight into life in the upper echelons of society. High Wycombe, still largely unspoilt, is a good base for exploring the Chilterns and nearby villages.

Essex County is a vibrant area with many places to visit. Chelmsford, Essexs County Town, Epping Forest and the rural countryside around London Stansted Airport are some such destinations, among many other . Attractions include Lakeside and Bluewater shopping centres, ancient towns & villages like Old Harlow and Hornchurch or Romford, Chigwell and the Herts and Essex borders.

Oxford is the world famous home of Britains oldest university, dating from the 12th century. Explore the colleges, river and Ashmolean Museum. Oxfordshire itself is a gentle, rural landscape of warm honey stoned villages. With the Thames flowing through, the Chilterns to the South and the Cotswolds in the West around Burford it is great rambling country. Ancient sites include the Rollright Stones, Ridgeway and White Horse. Apart from the rich history, Oxford is a modern hub with a bustling nightlife and great cultural diversity.

Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire is prime commuter belt territory and a blend of rolling farmland and top dollar real estate. New towns such as Stevengage and Milton Keynes are popular areas to live near London. St Albans is a pretty market town dating back to Roman times, Hatfield and Knebworth Houses, both important stately homes are worth visiting, as are Stowe Gardens, Bletchley Park, site of the Enigma code breaking of the Second World War and George Bernard Shaws house at Shaw Corner.