Discover Regency England: Jane Austen and Bridgerton Tour

The Netflix phenomenon of Bridgerton has done something remarkable: it has made Regency England feel immediate, glamorous, and utterly irresistible to a new generation. Not to mention adding steamy bedroom antics that Regency romance authors would not dare to hint at.

But long before the Bridgertons waltzed through ballrooms and scandalized the ton, Jane Austen was chronicling the same era with far more wit. What is extraordinary is how much of their shared world still exists, beautifully preserved across the English countryside, waiting for those who want to step into the frame of a perfectly composed period drama.

This is a journey for the Anglophile who appreciates the finer things: country house hotels with Michelin-starred restaurants, private tours of stately homes, and the kind of unhurried elegance that defines the best of British luxury travel. Whether you are Team Austen or Team Bridgerton (or sensibly, both), England’s Regency heritage offers one of the most refined and romantic itineraries you will find anywhere.

There is simply no avoiding Bath, and why would you want to? The honey-coloured Georgian city serves as the backdrop for both Austen’s Northanger Abbey and Persuasion, and doubles as Bridgerton’s London in countless sweeping shots.

The Royal Crescent, that perfect curve of 30 terraced houses overlooking manicured lawns, appears in Bridgerton as the exterior of the Featherington house. In Austen’s time, it represented the absolute pinnacle of fashionable society.

Stay at the Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa, occupying two of those iconic townhouses. The rooms blend period details with contemporary luxury, and the Dower House Restaurant holds a Michelin star.

After checking in, follow in Austen’s footsteps to the Assembly Rooms, where she attended balls and undoubtedly gathered material for her most cutting social observations. The rooms have been meticulously restored and frequently appear in period dramas, Bridgerton included.

The Jane Austen Centre on Gay Street offers a more scholarly deep dive into the author’s complex relationship with Bath. She lived here from 1801 to 1806, and while she found the social scene exhausting, the city clearly inspired some of her finest work. Book the Regency Tea experience in the Regency Tea Room upstairs, complete with period costumes if you are feeling theatrical.

For Bridgerton fans, Abbey Green and the surrounding streets served as various London locations. The Holburne Museum’s neoclassical facade appears as the exterior of Lady Danbury’s house. Bath’s architectural consistency means that around almost every corner, you will recognize something from the show, even if you cannot quite place it.

Bridgerton’s opulent interiors were filmed at some of England’s most spectacular stately homes, and several welcome visitors who want to walk through the very rooms where the Bridgertons, Featheringtons, and Queen Charlotte held court.

Wilton House in Wiltshire serves as the Duke of Hastings’ family seat, and it is genuinely breathtaking. The Double Cube Room, designed by Inigo Jones and considered one of the finest rooms in England, appears throughout the first season. But Wilton would be worth visiting even without its screen credentials. The art collection includes Van Dycks and Rembrandts, and the Palladian bridge in the grounds is an 18th-century masterpiece.

Castle Howard in Yorkshire stands in for both Bridgerton’s Clyvedon Castle and has appeared in countless other productions. The baroque architecture, the grounds designed by Capability Brown, and that iconic dome create possibly the most photogenic country house in Britain. Stay nearby at Grantley Hall, a five-star country house hotel with three restaurants, a world-class spa, and the kind of service that makes you feel like minor royalty.

Hatfield House in Hertfordshire doubled as the exterior of Simon Basset’s London home. The Jacobean mansion has been in the Cecil family for over 400 years, and the Long Gallery and Grand Staircase are spectacular examples of early 17th-century grandeur. The gardens, originally laid out in 1611, provide the kind of formal backdrop where you half expect to see couples taking chaperoned strolls.

While Bath gets the attention, Hampshire is where Austen actually lived most of her life and wrote her greatest novels. Chawton Cottage, where she spent her final eight years and revised or wrote Emma, Mansfield Park, and Persuasion, is now the Jane Austen’s House Museum. It is remarkably intimate and unpretentious, exactly the kind of modest gentility that Austen herself would have appreciated.

The cottage displays her writing table (tiny and tucked in the dining room where she could be interrupted by family), first editions, jewelry, and letters. The garden has been restored to its Regency appearance. It is only about an hour from London, making it an easy day trip, though the village of Chawton and nearby Alton reward a slower pace.

Winchester Cathedral holds Austen’s grave, marked by a simple stone that originally made no mention of her novels. The city has embraced its Austen connection more enthusiastically in recent years, and you can take walking tours that cover her final residence at 8 College Street (now private) and the places she frequented during her last months.

For accommodation in the area, Lainston House Hotel near Winchester offers country house elegance with 63 acres of grounds, while Lime Wood in the New Forest provides five-star contemporary luxury in a Regency manor house setting. The latter’s Hartnett Holder & Co restaurant showcases Angela Hartnett’s Italian-influenced British cuisine.

Modern London has largely erased its Regency past, but pockets remain, particularly in Mayfair and Bloomsbury. Bridgerton’s London street scenes were mostly filmed in Bath and York, but certain London locations carry genuine period authenticity.

Somerset House, with its magnificent courtyard, appears in multiple Bridgerton scenes and hosted actual society balls during Austen’s lifetime. The building now houses galleries and restaurants, and in winter, the courtyard becomes an ice rink with a distinctly romantic atmosphere.

Syon House in west London served as the interior of the Duke of Hastings’ London residence. The Robert Adam interiors are sumptuous examples of neoclassical design, and the Great Conservatory in the grounds influenced the design of both Kew Gardens and the Crystal Palace.

For the full London experience, base yourself at Claridge’s in Mayfair, where art deco glamour gets a distinctly British twist. The afternoon tea rivals any in the city, and the location puts you within walking distance of the Georgian squares and townhouses that survived the Blitz and modern development.

Several lesser-known locations offer rewarding detours for dedicated fans. Lacock in Wiltshire, a village so well preserved that the National Trust owns most of it, appears as Meryton in the 2005 Pride and Prejudice film. The entire village looks like a film set even when there is no filming happening.

Stourhead in Wiltshire, with its Palladian mansion and landscaped gardens featuring classical temples, provided the backdrop for several key scenes in the 2005 Pride and Prejudice, including Darcy’s first proposal. The garden circuit walk around the lake takes about an hour and ranks among England’s finest examples of the picturesque landscape movement.

Box Hill in Surrey appears in Emma as the location of the famous picnic where Emma insults Miss Bates. You can still walk the same paths, though you will need to imagine the Regency picnic blankets and ignore the mountain bikers. The views across the Surrey Hills have not changed.

Several experiences let you engage with Regency culture beyond just visiting locations. The annual Jane Austen Festival in Bath each September brings together Austen enthusiasts for lectures, balls, and a Grand Regency Promenade through the city in period costume. It is surprisingly sophisticated rather than cosplay kitsch.

Private dance instructors offer lessons in Regency-era dances, the kind Elizabeth Bennet and the Bridgertons would have performed. It is harder than it looks and gives genuine appreciation for the physical demands of a Regency ball.

Several luxury hotels and historic houses host Regency-themed afternoon teas, murder mystery evenings, and Jane Austen weekends. Chewton Glen in Hampshire offers Austen-inspired spa treatments and literary lunches. Cliveden House in Berkshire hosts regular historical-themed events in its spectacular Italianate setting.

Period-appropriate dining (updated for modern palates) enhances the experience. Several restaurants and hotels offer Regency-inspired menus using recipes from the era.

The Pump Room in Bath, where Austen’s characters took the waters and saw and were seen, now operates as an elegant restaurant serving morning coffee, lunch, and afternoon tea to the accompaniment of live classical music. The Georgian architecture and neoclassical details remain intact.

Rules in London, established in 1798, is older than any Austen novel. The traditional British menu, the Victorian-era interior (close enough to Regency), and the theatrical clientele create an atmosphere where you can easily imagine dining alongside Beau Brummell or one of Austen’s more fashionable characters.

In the countryside, numerous country house hotels offer the kind of refined dining that would have impressed even the most demanding Regency hostess. Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in Oxfordshire, Raymond Blanc’s two-Michelin-starred restaurant with rooms, provides the ultimate in English fine dining.

An ideal Austen and Bridgerton tour spans 7–10 days, allowing for a relaxed pace that matches the era you are celebrating. Start with 2–3 nights in Bath as your introduction to Regency England. Move to Hampshire for 2 nights covering Chawton and Winchester.

Dedicate 2–3 days to visiting the great houses (Wilton, Castle Howard, Hatfield), basing yourself in appropriate luxury accommodation near whichever you prioritize. End with 2–3 nights in London for Somerset House, Syon House, and urban elegance.

Spring (April–May) and early fall (September–October) offer the best weather and fewer crowds. Summer brings longer days but more visitors to popular sites. Winter has its own charm, particularly for Bath and London, with Christmas markets and festive atmosphere.

A private driver makes the journey significantly more comfortable, especially when visiting multiple country houses. Several UK tour operators specialize in literary and film location tours with expert guides who can provide context and behind-the-scenes stories.

What makes this journey so satisfying is the layering of fiction, history, and contemporary experience. You are walking where real Regency society gathered, where Austen observed and wrote, and where modern filmmakers recreated that world for a new audience. The landscapes, architecture, and social rituals that shaped both Austen’s novels and Bridgerton’s drama remain remarkably accessible.

England has perfected the art of preserving its past while making it relevant and luxurious for modern travellers. The country houses are museums but also venues for concerts and weddings. The Georgian terraces are heritage sites but also contain some of Britain’s finest hotels and restaurants. Bath is a UNESCO World Heritage site that feels lived in rather than embalmed.

For American travellers who grew up on Austen adaptations or binge-watched Bridgerton, this is not just tourism. It is a pilgrimage to the places where romance, social comedy, and stunning visual beauty converged to create some of our most beloved stories. And unlike so much of what we love about film and television, these places are real, they are beautiful, and they are waiting for you to write your own chapter in their long history.

At Do Not Disturb, we design Regency-inspired journeys that let you step straight into Austen’s world and Bridgerton’s ballrooms. From stays in grand country houses and Michelin-starred dining to private tours of stately homes and curated experiences in Bath, Hampshire, and London, we will craft your perfect itinerary with every elegant detail in place. All you need to do is dress the part.