Blenheim Palace, in Woodstock

A huge Baroque palace 13 km from Oxford, a World Heritage Site and the birthplace of Winston Churchill. The full ticket includes the palace rooms, the formal gardens, the maze, the butterfly house and a park of more than 800 hectares with a lake; with children, add the adventure playground. Online it is £3 cheaper and the ticket is valid for free return visits for a year.

It is easy without a car: Stagecoach buses S3 and S7 leave from Oxford station and Magdalen Street four times an hour, every day, and stop at the Woodstock gate; from there it is a 10–15 minute walk through the park. If you arrive by public transport, the code GREEN20 gives 20% off when you buy online. Allow half a day.