Cool Place of the Day: Castle Howard, North Yorkshire

Every day, a new place to discover or explore from coolplaces.co.uk

It is the season to depart for our country houses, but if by any slim chance you don’t possess your own rural retreat you could do worse than head for Castle Howard – arguably the most spectacular stately home in England, just 15 miles to the north of York, in the heart of the majestic Howardian Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

It's been home to the Howard family for more than 300 years, but its sumptuous rooms and the collection of furniture and paintings amassed by the art-loving earls have long been open to the public – as have the 1,000 acres or so of gardens and grounds beyond.

The house was designed by Sir John Vanbrugh in 1699 and took almost half a century to complete – unsurprising, perhaps, given Vanbrugh’s talent was as a playwright. It’s certainly a theatrical building, and despite being partially destroyed by major fire in the last century has been entirely, and successfully, restored.

The domed Great Hall is its centerpiece, while the art collection includes works by Titian, Bellini and Gainsborough, sitting among a wealth of antique furniture and ceramics. It was used as the set of Brideshead Revisited in the 1980s and more recently PD James’s Death Comes to Pemberley.

The gardens, with their wonderful curvaceous flowerbeds, fountains and walled gardens are amazing, and kids will adore the adventure playground. Take it all in before moving on to the numerous woodland walks, lakes and follies of the vast grounds.

Cool Places is a website from the creators of Rough Guides and Cool Camping, suggesting the best places to stay, eat, drink and shop in Britain (coolplaces.co.uk)