Fodor's Expert Review Buckland Abbey

A 13th-century Cistercian monastery, Buckland Abbey became the home of Sir Francis Drake in 1581. Today it's filled with mementos of Drake and the Spanish Armada, but the highlight is a beautifully expressive self-portrait by Rembrandt, displayed in the Georgian dining room. Part of a bequest, the painting was only identified, painstakingly restored, and revealed to the public in 2014. The house, which has a restaurant, is 6 miles south of Tavistock; to get here, take A386 south to Crapstone and then head west.