The Southeast Feature

Bodiam, Dover, Hever, and Herstmonceux castles: Take your pick: the most evocative castles in a region filled with them dazzle you with their fortitude and fascinate you with their histories.

Brighton: With its nightclubs, sunbathing, and funky atmosphere, this is the quintessential modern English seaside city.

Canterbury Cathedral: This massive building, a textbook of medieval architecture, inspires awe with its soaring towers and flagstone corridors.

Rye: Wandering the cobbled streets of this medieval town is a pleasure, and rummaging through its antiques stores is an adventure in itself. Reward yourself afterward as the English do, with tea and scones.

Treasure houses: Here is one of England's richest concentrations of historic homes: among the superlatives are Petworth House; sprawling Knole; Ightham Mote; and Chartwell.

Amazing gardens: Gardens of all kinds are an English specialty, and at Sissinghurst and Wisley, as well as in the gardens of Hever Castle and Chartwell, you can easily spend an entire afternoon wandering through acres of floral exotica.