This Cottage Was Featured In 'Downton Abbey', & You Can Stay There IRL

Fans of Downton Abbey will get the chance to revisit the Crawley family estate yet again, as it was just announced that a sequel to the Downton Abbey movie will be coming soon with its original cast. But if you're looking to actually visit some of the Alnwick, England locations from the show and film in real life, you may be able to live out your dreams with a stay at a cottage featured in Downton Abbey via home exchange site Love Home Swap.

Love Home Swap is a members-only home-swapping platform that allows you stay in places all over the globe. When you're in need of a little getaway, members can use Love Home Swap to plan a simultaneous swap in different locations. (Think of it like the home swap site from 2006's The Holiday.) You can also choose to do a non-simultaneous points swap, where you can travel without having to coordinate your plans with another member. And if you're a real Downton Abbey fan, you'll want to make plans to visit The Falstaff House available on Love Home Swap.

This charming, stone-terraced cottage is located in the town of Alnwick, where episodes of Downton Abbey have filmed. You'll be only four miles away from the beach, and a five-minute walk away from town, where there are quaint tea rooms and English pubs. This Downton Abbey home swap opp sounds like the perfect little getaway to live like you're Lady Mary in 20th century England.

After over a year of not traveling due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, you're looking to make your first real vacation an epic one. Before planning anything, though, you'll want to make sure you're up to date on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines. As of press time, the CDC states that you should only travel after you are fully vaccinated (two weeks after your final dose), and even then, you must follow the CDC guidelines for unvaccinated people. That means:

• Before traveling, be sure to understand and follow all requirements of the places you're traveling to. That can include testing and quarantine requirements, which may differ from the U.S.
• When traveling, continue to wear your mask, keep social distancing, and wash your hands often.

If you're thinking of visiting The Falstaff House, be sure to check out the UK's travel guidelines. As of April 21, 2021, the UK's travel regulations state that you must:

• Quarantine in the place you’re staying for 10 days, or at a managed quarantine hotel.
• Get two COVID-19 tests after you arrive in England. You'll need to book those yourself before you arrive.
• Not come from a country on the banned travel list; the U.S. is currently not included.

With all of this in mind — and continually keeping an eye on the ever-changing guidelines and restrictions — you can start to plan your Downton Abbey-inspired itinerary.

The cottage is also super close to Alnwick Castle, which happens to be where scenes from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone were filmed. In fact, the castle was used as Hogwarts for many scenes, so be sure to pack your Hogwarts house colors to wear if you're able to tour the castle. Then, you can pose for some plandid pics of you heading to Transfigurations class or on your way to see Hagrid in his hut. The Insta pic possibilities are endless, so check out Love Home Swap if you want to make your Downton Abbey/Harry Potter dreams come true in the (hopefully) not-so-distant future.

The CDC recommends traveling only after you’re fully vaccinated and your vaccine has become fully effective. If you’re not fully vaccinated and must travel, check the CDC guidelines before you book. Check your destination’s vaccination and testing requirements before you depart.