Alton to Chawton Walking Tour in the Footsteps of Jane Austen
Description
This tour is not only a 'full immersion' into the world of Jane Austen in two of her favourite DA spots in East Hampshire, but also a perfect day trip from London to discover the true English countryside. It's the only tour of Chawton and Alton DA DA dato by an Italian who has lived in Chawton for years and tells the wonderful world of the English countryside through her blogs and videos followed DA thousands of people around the world. In addition to immersing yourself in the magical world of Jane Austen, by joining the tour you will also discover how to live in an authentic English village together with those who live there. It's really a tour suitable for everyone that perfectly combines history, culture and lifestyle.
Tour Options
Itinerary
During this two and a half hour tour I will take you to discover the places that marked the life and inspired the works of Jane Austen and accompany you along the path that she herself used to take when an DA goes from Chawton, the village where she lived with her mother and sister, to the nearby town of Alton to shop or visit friends or family. The tour departs from Alton train station and follows the "Jane Austen Trail" to Chawton. Alton is a beautiful town in Hampshire surrounded by 360-degree DATA from the beautiful countryside of southern England which is about 70 kilometres from London and half an hour from Winchester. In its old town there are many buildings associated with the life of Jane Austen that are mentioned in her letters. In this first part of the tour, I will take you to discover Alton and the places related to the author of Pride and Prejudice, as well as providing some information related to the history and present of this beautiful town.
After visiting Alton, the tour continues to the nearby village of Chwaton (about 1.2 miles from the center of Alton) along the "Jane Austen Trail", the route she herself used to travel when going from place to place. The route is flat and passes entirely on sidewalks so it is suitable for everyone. Chawton is a delightful village in the South Downs National Park, with thatched fairytale cottages, beautiful parkland and a romantic stone church. But Chawton is above all the place where Jane Austen lived happily the last eight years of her life and wrote most of her novels. 2025 is the right year to visit Chawton because it is the 250th anniversary of the birth of Jane Austen. In this part of the tour I will take you to discover the village that Jane Austen knew and loved and offer you a taste of how to live in an English village starting from my daily experience as a resident of Chawton.
The house where Jane Austen lived for eight years with her mother, sister Cassandra and best friend Martha Lloyd before her untimely death on July 18, 1817. The tour departs and arrives in front of Jane Austen's House, which is right in the middle of Chawton village. In my introduction I will provide some general and contextual information about this important building, although, for a complete knowledge, I invite you to visit it at the end of my tour because it is really worth it. Jane Austen's House is now a well-run foundation museum and is universally considered the best place in the world to immerse yourself in the life of this extraordinary writer. I suggest you book your visit in advance on the Jane Austen’s House website because admission is limited and, due to the celebrations for the two hundred and fiftyth anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth, in 2025 there are many visitors from all over the world.
The manor house inherited from Jane Austen's brother Edward, along with the entire Chawton estate and many other estates in the counties of Hampshire and Kent. Jane Austen often speaks of Chawton House in her letters and jokingly calls it "The Big House", , the Great House in Italian. The residence is managed by a foundation and is very nice to visit (entrance fee not included in the turret) but has a beautiful public park of several hectares that is open to the public all year round. I invite you to visit Chawton House at the end of my tour because it is a splendid example of a typical English country house with beautiful interiors and many links to Jane Austen. Advance booking is not required - tickets can be purchased directly on site.
The beautiful Victorian church dedicated to St Nicholas which is now the parish of the village of Chawton but which, in the time of Jane Austen, was the private chapel of the Knight family and was part of the Chawton House estate owned by her brother Edward.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(23)
Laura met us on time at Alton Station and we went on a almost 3-hours-Tour, which was extremely interesting. We enjoyed it very much. It is a beautiful walk and you can learn so much about the different houses and the people at the time. Laura is a wonderful guide, we can highly recommend booking her tours! It is the best preparation going to the Jane Austen house.
I really loved this experience! Laura is a so considerate and pleasant lady and I spent a beautiful morning with her! She took me back in time, showing me the very paths that Jane Austen walked every day. It also shared fascinating stories about her life that I had never known before and brought me to beautiful places in the English countryside that I never knew existed. I would highly recommend this tour, especially to anyone who loves the English countryside and admires Jane Austen.
Laura was able to convey her deep knowledge of Jane Austen's life in the places of Hampshire, and her passion for her daily life in these locations. The tour was so interesting and rich in details that the hours spent with her flew by! It is an experience we recommend to all lovers of Jane Austen and beyond!
We met our guide Laura outside the train station. She is a lovely lady who guided us through Alton giving is the history of the town and the different ways it related to Jane Austin and her family. We walked along the town and into Chawton on a beautiful sunny day, stopping at the different houses as Laura explained the history and architecture until we arrived at Chawton House. Laura painted the picture of Jane and her family through out the tour so well that by the time we were able to tour Jane’s house it all seemed so familiar and really special. This was a beautiful experience and was a special highlight of our trip to London from Texas. Thank you Laura. Your knowledge and passion for Jane Austin was what made this experience so special.
Laura was great! She is Italian by birth, but the tour was delivered in excellent English. I Bought as an anniversary present for my wife, and she loved it. A super itinerary that brought new insight in to Jane Austen. Laura's knowledge and way of sharing was faultless, helped by her own research. We found parking at Alton Station to be ideal. And the end point of the tour is perfect for a visit to Jane Austen's house and Chawton House. Highly recommended
I recently took the Alton and Chawton walking tour with Laura, and it was an excellent experience. She was waiting for me at the station to begin the tour, and because she conducted it just for me, it was a truly great and personalized experience from the very start. Laura’s knowledge of both the town and the village is impressive. She is particularly skilled at explaining the historical atmosphere of the neighborhood, making it easy to visualize what life was like during Jane Austen's time. What makes this tour so robust is that she doesn't limit herself to just one subject; she shares a wealth of information regarding the general history of the town as well. It was a comprehensive and insightful experience, and I highly recommend Laura to anyone looking for a deep dive into the local history of the area.
A nice experience that wouldn't have been the same without Laura's well of information and charm.
Laura was a delightful tour guide. She was very knowledgeable about Jane Austen and the people surrounding her life. I would recommend this walking tour with Laura 👍👍🤩
Laura was an excellent tour guide! If you want to know about Alton, Village of Chawton, and Jane Austen, this is the tour for you. The whole experience was 5-star.
Me and my family have loved the experience. Laura is a fantastic and friendly guide. The walk was very quiet, pleasant and pleasant. Highly recommended for those who like the work and everything related to the author.
