Helmingham Hall Gardens in Suffolk will welcome visitors back for its Illuminated Garden Trail from 12 November to 19 December 2026, offering coach groups a festive evening of light displays, immersive soundscapes, seasonal refreshments and Christmas shopping. The event runs from Thursday to Sunday throughout November, then daily from 1 to 19 December.

The trail begins with a crossing of Helmingham Hall’s historic drawbridge, leading into the courtyard where visitors can enjoy complimentary mulled wine. A mile-long route through the gardens features illuminated installations and soundscapes, with opportunities to pause at fire pits to toast marshmallows or enjoy festive food and drinks.

The Stable Shops will be open for Christmas shopping, alongside additional trader stalls, while visitors can also take a ride on the vintage carousel. The combination of outdoor displays, refreshments and shopping provides several elements to include in a group’s festive outing.

Helmingham offers free on-site coach parking and the gardens are reporting a record number of coach bookings for this year’s trail.

Helmingham’s Illuminated Garden Trail has also been recognised by The Times as one of the UK’s leading Christmas light trails. The newspaper noted that the historic gardens are worth visiting both during the summer and at Christmas.

For group rates and bookings, contact Billie King at groups@helmingham.com. Further information and tickets are available here.

Image copyright: AJ Feather Photography.

Beyond the three attractions, the website offers 10 additional reasons to visit Innsbruck, covering places such as the Imperial Palace and Court Church, Ambras Castle, Alpenzoo, the Bergisel ski jump, historic Hall in Tirol and the city’s Christmas markets.

The website also features 25 suggested ways to include Innsbruck in a European tour, ranging from Austria and Bavaria itineraries to longer Alpine and Central European journeys. Although the suggestions are not specifically designed for coach operators, they’re useful for tour planners developing routes, selecting overnight stops or adding attractions to an existing programme.

Explore the new website at www.best-of-innsbruck.at.

Image copyright: Cristoph Johann.