TOUR WITH US
THE RISE AND FALL OF ANNE BOLEYN
TOUR DATES:
8-14 SEPTEMBER 2025
Du
WHO WAS ANNE BOLEYN?
LOVER? RELIGIOUS REFORMER? ICON? TRAITOR?
‘On 19 May 1536, a French sword stilled the beating heart of an English queen. Her name was Anne Boleyn, and she would become one of the most controversial and iconic queens in English history. In her lifetime, Anne was a force of nature; she captivated the heart and soul of a king, divided a court and ignited the Reformation on English soil, beginning a process that would transform the religious and social landscape of the country.’
Extract from In the Footsteps of Anne Boleyn,
by Sarah Morris and Natalie Grueninger.
Over the centuries, countless people have had their say about Anne Boleyn; some have loved her, others hated her. Now it’s time for you to follow in her footsteps and make up your own mind…
ARE YOU READY?
For more details of the itinerary and pricing, or to book your place, click the button below:
MEET YOUR HOSTS
YOUR TOUR CO-HOSTS
Natalie
Grueninger
Founder of ‘On the Tudor Trail’ and ‘Talking Tudors’ podcast. Co-author of In the Footsteps of Anne Boleyn’, ‘In the Footsteps of the Six Wives’ and ‘The Final Year of Anne Boleyn’.
Sarah
Morris
Founder of ‘The Tudor Travel Guide’ and ‘The Ultimate Guide to Exploring Tudor England’. Co-author of ‘In the Footsteps of Anne Boleyn’ and ‘In the Footsteps of the Six Wives of Henry VIII’.
Adam
Pennington
Founder of ‘The Tudor Chest’ blog and podcast, historian and author of ‘Henry VIII and the Plantagenet Poles – The Rise and Fall of a Dynasty’, coming Autumn 2024.
YOUR ITINERARY
HERE IS WHAT YOU CAN LOOK FORWARD TO DURING THE TOUR…
DAY ONE: The Courting Years
Pick up in Central London and Transfer to Windsor
Early pick up from a central London location and transfer to Windsor. After dropping our luggage off at the Castle Hotel, we will head across the road to tour St George’s Chapel and see the burial sites of Henry VIII, Jane Seymour and Charles Brandon.
In the afternoon, there will be a couple of free hours to explore Windsor or to rest as we settle into our four-star boutique hotel.
The Castle Hotel is situated directly across the street from the castle’s entrance. Steeped in history, with regal connections and more than a touch of luxury and elegance, it is the perfect base to explore Anne Boleyn’s early relationship with Henry and her rise to power at the Tudor court.
In the late afternoon, we will gather for afternoon tea while your hosts set the scene for the rest of the week ahead, including a talk from author and historian Sarah Morris on ‘Anne Boleyn at Windsor Castle’.
In the evening, we will enjoy a private tour of Windsor Castle, with a complimentary glass of Prosecco on hand, before returning to the hotel for our evening meal in the celebrated local restaurant: ‘The Ivy‘
Day Two: Anne the Queen
Anne Boleyn at Hampton Court Palace
On day two, we visit the only surviving Tudor palace: Hampton Court. Built by Wolsey in 1515, in its day, Hampton Court was one of the most splendid Renaissance residences in England, and its courtyards, corridors and chambers echo with the ghostly voices of its Tudor past.
While you may have visited Hampton Court before, you will see the palace afresh on this tour as your hosts recreate the layout of the lost State and Privy Apartments of Henry VIII, exploring behind the scenes with our expert guide. We will see parts of the palace generally off the usual visitor route.
Along the way, we will hear stories of triumph and tragedy, including the rarely discussed and heart-breaking loss of Anne’s second pregnancy in the summer of 1534.
At the end of the afternoon, we will transfer into central London to check into our second hotel, The Dixon near the iconic Tower Bridge.
Day Three: The Fall of Anne Boleyn
The Tower of London
There are few places more foreboding than the Tower of London. It is here that Anne was held for 17 days following her dramatic arrest at Greenwich Palace on May 2, 1536.
Led by our onsite expert guide, we will first visit the site of Anne Boleyn’s burial in the Chapel of St Peter ad Vincula before exploring some of the hidden nooks and crannies of this most historic of buildings.
We will retrace the route taken by Anne as she was escorted to the royal lodgings following her arrival at the Tower, as well as seeing all the key sites associated with her imprisonment and execution.
Later in the afternoon, you will have the option to continue to explore the Tower at your leisure or accompany your tour hosts to the site of Tower Hill, where the men condemned alongside Anne met their deaths.
In the late afternoon, we will return to our hotel before heading out to enjoy an evening at Dishoom! a popular restaurant with Londoners and visitors alike.
Day Four: The Falcon Takes Flight
Westminster Abbey
Twenty-five years would pass before Anne’s white falcon would once more take flight. This time, it was in the shape of her daughter, Elizabeth.
We spend the day celebrating Anne’s life and possibly her most outstanding legacy, her daughter, who, against all odds, survived to be crowned Elizabeth I at Westminster Abbey on 15 January 1559.
Your tour guides will recreate the splendour of coronation by taking you to all the key places associated with this most ancient of ceremonies. Along the way, you will hear how Elizabeth incorporated the memory of her mother into her coronation, and you can stand agog in front of the chair in which both Anne and Elizabeth were crowned.
Of course, no visit to Westminster Abbey would be complete without a tour of the Lady Chapel, constructed by Henry VII in 1502 as a majestic mausoleum to the Tudor dynasty, where your guides will recount the extraordinary tale of the rediscovery of Elizabeth I’s tomb during the 1800s.
We will round off our adventure by climbing to the heights of the abbey’s triforium to visit the Jubilee Galleries, celebrated for its spectacular views over the world-famous Cosmati pavement and Edward the Confessor’s tomb.
After visiting the Abbey, we will end our tour of London by taking a stroll up to The National Portrait Gallery to view the finest collection of Tudor portraits in the world!
Once the day’s sightseeing is done, we return to our hotel before heading into the city to enjoy dinner at the The Ned.
Day Five: A Slice of Tudor Life
Hever Castle & Penshurst Place
After breakfast, we will head out of central London and into Kent, the so-called ‘Garden of England’ to check in at our final hotel, the much-beloved Hever Castle, childhood home of Anne Boleyn. The entire Astor Wing will be reserved exclusively for our group to enjoy.
Following our arrival, there will be free time to explore the castle and grounds at your leisure, soaking up the vibe of a place held so dear by many fans of Anne Boleyn.
In the afternoon, we will travel to Penshurst Place, where we will enjoy a guided tour of the house before experiencing a slice of everyday life at the Tudor Court. After the tour, Sarah will lead a demonstration of some Tudor dancing in the fabulous surroundings of Penshurst’s Great Hall. For those who wish to, there will be the opportunity to have a go at learning a couple of the dances for yourself.
With the dancing complete, we head back to Hever for an informal BBQ on the lawns surrounding the Astor Suite (Weather permitting).
Day Six: The Downfall of the Boleyns
Hever Castle
After breakfast, we begin the day with talks from two popular Tudor historians.
The first of these is Natalie Gruneninger, our co-host on this tour, who will talk to us about the final year of Anne Boleyn’s life, who were the key players and why did Anne have to die. Our second speaker will be confirmed in due course.
We will round off the morning with Sarah and Adam leading a guided walk to explore St Peter’s Church and the burial place of Anne’s father, Thomas Boleyn and her infant sibling, Henry.
There will be free time around lunch and in the early afternoon to explore the castle grounds at your leisure before reconvening in the evening for a private, out-of-hours tour of the castle. Saved from likely ruin in the early twentieth century by the powerful Lord Astor, the Hever we see today has evolved from the house the Boleyns would have known. However, the first floor apartments have been recently redeveloped to showcase the rooms as the family would have known them in the sixteenth century.
After the tour, enjoy an aperitif before settling in for a memorable evening as we dine together in Hever’s fabulous Great Hall. Perhaps some VIP Tudor visitors will join us, so prepare to polish your Tudor manners as we raise a glass to the woman who changed English history and still holds us in her thrall over 500 years later!
Day Seven: Final Farewells
Hever Castle, Kent.
After a leisurely breakfast at Hever, there will be final farewells as we say goodbye for now, taking fabulous memories of an incredible week with us.
Until next time!
For more details of the itinerary and pricing, or to book your place, click the button below: