Blenheim Palace

Just outside of Oxford, England lies the imposingly grand palace of the Duke of Marlborough. I have been here twice. Once on my study abroad tour in 1995, and once with my husband on 2012. There are no words to convey the vastness or the grandeur of this place. The grounds go on farther than the eye can see and the house almost does too. The formal gardens are beautiful and the park is lush and inviting.

An interesting thing about this place is that Winston Churchill was born here. His mother was related to the family. There is a neat little display in the room where the great Prime Minister was born. It has wonderful memorabilia, including his “siren suit,” a red jumpsuit he used to don in midnight bombing raids. He must have been quite fetching in it.

Statue in the gardens.

The formal gardens at the back of the house.