DUMFRIES HOUSE

A Palladian villa dating from the 1750s, Dumfries House was built by the unmissable John and Robert Adam, with interiors decorated by Thomas Chippendale. Some rooms have been estimated at £4 million! Originally commissioned for William Dalrymple, Earl of Dumfries, it passed into the hands of the Marquesses of Bute in 1814. When the ^7th Marquess decided to sell the house in 2007, its fate and that of its remarkable furnishings was more than uncertain. Prince Charles himself, Duke of Rothesay, campaigned for its preservation and opening to the public. Some of his watercolors can be seen in one of the salons. Since 2008, four different tours (all in English) have been organized in this symbolic building of the Scottish Enlightenment, which also includes 200 hectares of the original park, with promenades and a walled garden.

Special tip: a snack is a must in the Dumfries House café, as it is served in the former stables, with tables set up in the stalls where the horses once stood. Their names can still be read.

Park side: You can spend a whole day here, between the house and the huge park. Families will enjoy the children's adventure park and the educational farm. Garden lovers will enjoy the Chinese-inspired garden (with its bridge), the arboretum, the Rothesay gardens and the Queen Elisabeth Walled Garden.

Staying at Dumfries House: 22 magnificent guest rooms are now available for overnight stays (B&B from £170/night).