Long live the king--but not queen. 
Image: Showtime

by Beata Loyfman

As you may have already noticed, the Daily Travelers have quite a few guilty pleasures: Obscure Danish musicians, chocolate-covered anything, and of course, nakedness. Well, our latest guilty pleasure is Showtime's sexified, loosely historical series The Tudors, which features the intense Jonathan Rhys Meyers as King Henry VIII. The show has it all: Brooding royals, scheming clergy, beheadings, and a bevy of tasty morsels for His Highness to choose from--ahh, it's good to be king.   

Every episode of The Tudors leaves us panting . . . for more shots of 16th century Britain (were you thinking of something else?). From the rolling hills of Hever Castle to the sprawling Westminster Abbey in London, the destination is as much a part of the story as corsets and infidelity. Check out this handy Tudors Wiki for behind-the-scenes photos and info on set locations.

A jaunt to some of these historic sites is just the thing to refresh your memory in time for the premiere of season three. Good thing the Brits are fond of their historical architecture, since much of what you see on the show is still around. There's Westminster Abbey and St. Paul's Cathedral, plus the Tower of London, where Anne Boleyn and others who lost favor with the king also lost their heads.

In addition, low winter rates means you can get nonstop flights to London on Continental, British Airways, and other airlines for under $500. Cod piece and lance not included.

The next season of The Tudors debuts March 9. Check out the trailer here. Just make sure you have a cold shower ready.

Further reading:
* Travels in TV Land Parts One, Two, and Three
* Boldface: Celebrity travel