Fodor's Expert Review Kingston Lacy

Originally built in the 17th century by the Royalist family that fled from Corfe Castle, this grand country house was remodeled in the 19th century by Sir Charles Barry, co-architect of the Houses of Parliament in London, in the style of a lavish 18th-century Venetian palazzo. It contains notable paintings by Titian, Rubens, van Dyck, Tintoretto, and Velásquez as well as a dazzling Spanish Room lined in gilded leather and topped by an ornate gilded ceiling from an early 17th-century Venetian palace. The library has some 1,450 volumes dating from before 1801. There's also a fine collection of Egyptian artifacts, the largest private collection in the country, many placed in the landscaped gardens originally laid out in the 18th century (there's also a Japanese garden with a teahouse) and extensive parklands with walking paths. Admission is by timed guided tour ticket only.