It's a universally recognised truth that Jane Austen loved the English countryside and that Chawton and the nearby town of Alton were two of the places where she was happiest.
On this tour, which lasts about two and a half hours, I'll take you to the places that marked Jane Austen's life in this beautiful part of the Hampshire countryside and I'll accompany you along the path she used to take when she went from Chawton to Alton to shop or visit friends.
The tour is available in Italian or English (not simultaneously).
The tour starts at Alton train station and follows the Jane Austen Trail to Chawton. The route is about 3 km long and is a pleasant, flat walk of about an hour. Along the way, you'll find many places and buildings associated with Jane Austen, mentioned in letters written by her or by people close to her.
Once in Chawton, we'll continue the tour to discover the delightful village where the writer spent the last eight years of her life with her mother, sister Cassandra, and best friend Martha Lloyd before her untimely death on July 18, 1817.
This tour is a real 'full immersion' in the world of Jane Austen in Chawton and Alton and will introduce you to many places that inspired her novels, as well as giving you a taste of what it's like to live in an English village, based on my own life experience in the village of Chawton, where I've lived for several years.
2025 is the perfect year to visit Chawton because it's the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen's birth, and the village is hosting many cultural events organised by Jane Austen's House and Chawton House.
The walk isn't demanding, but I recommend wearing comfortable shoes and clothes suitable for the unpredictable English weather.
The tour mainly follows pavements but, in a couple of places, also grassy and dirt areas and may not be suitable for people in wheelchairs.
After my tour, I recommend visiting Jane Austen's House or Chawton House:
Jane Austen's House: janeaustens.house
Chawton House: chawtonhouse.org
You'll need to book your visit to Jane Austen's House in advance on the house's website because admission is limited and, with the celebrations for the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen's birth in full swing, lots of visitors from all over the world are expected this year.
In Chawton, there's a pub, The Greyfriar, which is in front of Jane Austen's House, and two tea rooms: Cassandra's Cup, located next to the pub, and The Old Kitchen inside Chawton House. In both, you can enjoy light meals, homemade cakes, or a cream tea or cappuccino.
Kids under 8 go free on my tour.
I'm looking forward to spending a day with you in the footsteps of Jane Austen!
