Blenheim Palace is one of the most beautiful places in the world. For those of you lucky enough to have visited the grounds, you have witnessed nature and architecture come together in a beautiful union. Rich in history and mystery, this palace is my favorite place on earth. From the lakes, to the rose gardens, to the butterfly garden, there is always something to see.

My first and only visit to Blenheim was when I was eighteen years old. I went for a family vacation to see where my parents lived when my father was stationed in England during the war. We stayed in a little town called Somerton in a bed and breakfast across the street from my parent's former house not far from Upper Heyford. They insisted on taking us to Blenheim and I fell in love with it instantly. It is located in Woodstock in Oxfordshire.

Blenheim is the birthplace of Winston Churchill, although he never lived there, as well as the home of the Duke of Marlborough. Shakespeare stayed in the bridge and preformed here occasionally during his time and on a more recent note, part of the movie Entrapment was filmed at Blenheim. Should you have a chance to visit the palace, stop by the Kings Arms Pub for a meal...you must try the potatoes. (I've heard my parents talk about the “potato pub,” as they called it, for 28 years.) Click the links below for more information on Blenheim and it's origins.

Links:

The official Blenheim Palace website:
www.blenheimpalace.com

To take a virtual tour of the palace:

www.bbc.co.uk/history/society_culture/architecture/launch_pan_blenheim_palace.shtml

To read a history of the palace:
www.victoriahinshaw.com/blenheim.html

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