Osborne House-A driver guided tour of Victoria's Island Paradise
Description
Osborne ranks as a hidden gem among the Royal residences. It is at once both intimate and grand, it speaks to both Victoria's passion for Albert and her family, but also to the grief she suffered when losing him so unexpectedly in 1861 a full 40 years before she followed him. Being a hidden gem Osborne is also frequently less crowded then other major attractions and one has the time to fully relax and enjoy the experience. Also a sea crossing always adds the excitement of any journey and arriving at an Island adds to one's sense of adventure!
Tour Options
Itinerary
Visit the secret island paradise that Queen Victoria called home. We reach the Isle of Wight sailing from historic Portsmouth, home to the Royal Navy, and enjoy a short but pleasant country drive before arriving at this magnificent yet intimate home. Filled with the finest treasures the world's largest empire could provide, this opulent Italianate house provides views across the Solent that Prince Albert compared to the Bay of Naples. Take the garden walks, past beautiful ancient trees to her private beach, where Albert built their children a magical Swiss style chalet. Here we can rest, have lunch by Victoria's bathing machine while we watch the yachts cutting across the Solent, home to England's sailing community. Filled with some of her favourite artworks, the house is a treasure trove of the finest Royal possessions. See her private chambers including the Queen's bathroom and the bed in which she finally died in 1901, having been Britain's longest serving monarch.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
I will meet you at the steps of your hotel in my comfortable Mercedes.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(9)
This was an enjoyable, personalized day trip, with Mark, a very friendly and knowledgeable driver/guide.
A relaxing drive, social interaction of the guide and ability to be comfortable in a 'couple's trip'. Thank you, Mark,
I will admit I was nervous about booking a tour online. Afraid it was all a scam. But all my fears went away the moment Mark Cairns pulled up at exactly the arranged time with a big smile. He put us into a comfortable Mercedes and we made the drive to the ferry and across to the Isle of Wight. He accompanied us through Osbourne House, letting us set the pace and not feel rushed. Though a windy, rainy day, it was a wonderful and interesting day to step back in time and imagine Victoria and Albert walking with the children and enjoying the seaside diversion from London. Mark got us back to our hotel at the appointed time. A great day and a great guide. I’d seek him out again.
Jonathan I have to say I enjoyed the day with you both every bit as much. Your gentle good humour, enthusiasm for the subject and knowledge made the day a delight despite the challenging weather conditions. By all means seek me out again!
The entire day was wonderful. Mark was our tour guide and ended up becoming a friend. He had great knowledge of so many things throughout the day. Osbourne House itself was fascinating and we are so glad we went. Thumbs up to Mark and a wonderful day!!
Thanks Linda, It was a pleasure showing such appreciative guests around such an amazing place :)
Osborne House was on my bucket list. Thanks to our tour and guide, I can check it off. We did not have much time on our vacation so we had to limit it to one day for Osborne House. Thank goodness we got this opportunity. We are also grateful for our guide’s photos and London tips.
Thank you for this. I love taking photos for my guests and indeed I used to be a professional photographer in the music industry. Also the modern camera phones take such great pictures and Osborne is one big photo opportunity after all!
Fascinating insight into Queen Victoria’s life greatly enhanced by the enthusiasm & expert knowledge of the house team. Incredibly welcoming and generous with their insights.
Hi Ninjaree. I'm glad you enjoyed Osborne, I have always found the staff very knowledgeable and helpful. Your review has ended up on my tour though it was I that took you. Maybe next time!
A must visit , while you are in holiday on the Isle of Wight, involves a lot of walking but worth it , recommend visiting here 😊
What I expected and a bit more from a formal royal residence. Very grand. Much grander than the other stately homes we've been to. Seemed to be in good condition. Lots of rooms to see with lots of things in them. I especially liked the paintings, particularly ones that showed Victoria and Albert as younger parents with their families. Made a change from the austere later portraits that I'd only known before. Good extensive gardens. Good beach. Nice atmosphere and large shop. We enjoyed our visit.
We travelled from London to the Osborne House with Mark as our tour guide to visit this premier estate. My wife is an avId Queen Victoria fan and this tour was a highlight of our vacation to the UK from the US. The Osborne house is spectacular and the estate and the private beach area was beautiful. As part of the travel, we boarded a ferry for a short boat ride, along with the tour vehicle, to the island. This was an added treat! We found Mark to be a very knowledgeable and entertaining tour guide, and enjoyed the conversations along the way. Would definitely recommend Mark for your next tour
