How to get around the UK, before going to the UK, plus UK travel guides. A supermarket, an old university town, a stately home, a performing arts event, a theater, a concert, a festival. Fish and chips, preferably by the sea, a pub meal, a grilled dinner. Curry, tea, British style, real beer.
You can enjoy most of the things on this list just about anywhere in the UK or on your way somewhere else. London is chosen as the specific destination, as most visitors to the United Kingdom spend some time there. Galleries and Museums in London I can't imagine coming to Great Britain and not going to London, a world-class city packed with just about anything you want to see or do. It's not going to be cheap, but you knew that anyway.
London: be sure to go here. and make sure not only to go here, but also to go to other places. (This is Buckingham Palace) As great as London is, it's a unique place in England and the United Kingdom and very different from the rest of the country. Make sure to get away for a while, if not for an important part of your trip, at least for a day or two to see what most of the country other than London is like.
It's not London (it's the Lake District) The performing arts and theater scene in Great Britain is very vibrant. London's West End theaters are considered to be among the highest quality commercial theatres in the English-speaking world. There are always a lot of plays and musicals at any given time and they change regularly, so it's almost certain that there will be something that interests you. If you're interested in classical music, the Proms are held every summer for about 8 weeks starting at the end of July, where you can see daily concert performances at the Royal Albert Hall in London and, to a lesser extent, elsewhere in London and sometimes in other parts of the country.
Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, on the banks of the Thames in London. Whether it's Shakespeare or something more modern in a traditional or modern setting, London theaters have all the options. Image courtesy: Maschinenjunge, used under a CC by SA 2.0 license. Bar food: Pubs can offer good quality food with an authentic atmosphere between tables and drinkers or they can have a separate restaurant area, they are generally more relaxed than restaurants that are not bars.
You can also have a couple of extra drinks at the bar afterwards. In summer, sit in the garden if they have one. Afternoon tea: at the Ritz or Savoy in London if you want to go further afield, or at many other places where tea is served if you want to enjoy a full experience. I prefer a cream tea with scones, jam, whipped cream and, preferably, fresh strawberries with plenty of Darjeeling tea to accompany it.
Lots of places, lots of options A pass for 1 to 10 consecutive days offers great value access to more than 80 top London attractions. It's impossible to mention the best places to visit in the UK without including London, England. It's truly one of the best cities in the world, with an unbeatable history, fantastic nightlife, and historic sites that line the River Thames. Check out our full guide to the capital with 22 of the best things to do in London (England) To enjoy the views of London from above, book a trip to the top of the highest observation deck in the world.
This quick ticket to the London Eye offers fantastic views of the London skyline. If you want to combine that with a Thames River cruise, check out this London Eye River cruise to see the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben (Palace of Westminster), the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, and more. We have an entire article dedicated to all the amazing things to do in London, but one of the best places to visit in the UK is undoubtedly the Greenwich Meridian Line. The Royal Observatory houses the world's prime meridian, where the Eastern and Western Hemispheres meet.
A great way to explore the University of Cambridge is to book a guided walking tour with a graduate. Enjoy a 1.5-hour walk around campus from King's College to Trinity Hall College, Trinity College and Corpus Christi College. Let a Cambridge graduate share first-hand stories while witnessing where DNA was discovered in the 17th century pub The Eagle. Boating is the quintessential activity in Cambridge and this boat tour takes you along the entire River Cam.
The boat ride is similar to the gondola rides in Venice, where you can sit comfortably while your guide pushes the boat along the river with a long stick. Like the University of Cambridge, the best way to explore the grounds is to take a walking tour with an Oxford alumni guide. Harry Potter fans will love exploring the Goblet of Fire filming locations. One of the most popular destinations in the United Kingdom is the medieval city of York.
Located two hours north of London, this historic city has 2000 years of history. Take a walking tour of York to explore the Walled City's top attractions, including the largest Gothic cathedral in the United Kingdom. Get lost in the maze of passages known as “Snickelways” that leads to the cobblestone street known as The Shambles that inspired Harry Potter's Diagon Alley. If you're looking for one of the nicest places to visit in the UK, Bath is a great option.
Known for its thermal baths that date back to Roman times, it has been drawing visitors to its healing waters for 2000 years. The city of Bath is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the best way to explore Bath is to take a boat trip through the city to the Pulteney Bridge. Hop aboard a 1960s cruise ship to see Bath's top attractions from the water, or enjoy a walking tour of Bath Abbey, Royal Crescent, The Circus, and Pulteney Bridge. Be sure to visit the Jane Austin Centre, which resided in Bath, and marvel at the architecture that spans centuries.
One of the most famous attractions in the UK is Stonehenge. These famous standing stone pillars date back to the Neolithic and Bronze Age and are definitely one of the best places to visit in England for history lovers. The entrance to Stonehenge gives you access to one of the most important prehistoric monuments in the world. Be sure to download the audio app on your smartphone to help you walk around this mysterious stone circle.
A tip: be sure to visit it early in the morning or very late in the afternoon to avoid the crowds of the tourist bus. Brighton is one of the best places to visit in the UK in search of beaches and fun in the sun. Located just an hour by train from the capital, Brighton is one of England's most popular tourist cities. There are plenty of water sports along the beach, and the most recognizable monument is the Palace Pier, which has survived for more than a century.
For the best views of the south coast of Great Britain, board the British Airways i360, which towers over the city. A modern glass capsule takes you 138 meters high to enjoy views of the Sussex coast, the city of Brighton and the beaches. To splurge, enjoy a glass of sparkling wine at the Nyetimber Sky Bar. But Liverpool isn't just about The Beatles, it's ranked the 5th most visited place in the UK for good reason.
There are galleries and museums, the historic waterfront, the current Cavern Club, where the Beatles debuted in 1961, and the historic docks. Book a river cruise on the Mersey. This 50-minute tour takes you along famous sites on the Mersey River, such as St. Albert's Dock and the historic buildings that line Liverpool's waterfront, known as the Three Graces.
It lives up to its name and is home to 12 of the largest lakes in England. It's a hiker's paradise with 3,218 kilometers of trails, including the 16 kilometers of Cotswold Way and Scafell Pike, England's highest mountain. Northern Ireland is one of our favorite places in Europe, let alone one of our favorite places to visit in the UK. We have to start with La Calzada del Gigante, an incredible beach with 40,000 basalt columns that creates a natural staircase that leads to the sea.
This UNESCO World Heritage Site is Ireland's top attraction. Visit it first thing in the morning to enjoy its natural beauty without crowds. The city of London Derry is an often overlooked destination in the UK, but you should definitely add it to your list of places to visit. The walls of London Derry date back to the 17th century and it is one of the best preserved walled cities in Europe.
Take a walking tour of the walls to learn about the sieges and conflicts that the city of Derry has experienced over the centuries, including the 1689 siege that lasted 105 days. It is from Inverness that you can head to Loch Ness in search of the Loch Ness monster. Be sure to visit Urquhart Castle, which has been the center of many battles for 1,000 years, as it changed hands between Scotland and Great Britain. And here are some of the best places to visit in the UK.
There really are plenty of other places to visit, we've barely scratched the surface, but this should get you started. So where are you going to go now? Dave Bouskill and Debra Corbeil are the owners and founders of The Planet D. After traveling to 115 countries on 7 continents over the past 13 years, they have become one of the leading travel experts. Being recognized as top travel bloggers and influencers by Forbes magazine, the Society of American Travel Writers, and USA Today has allowed them to become leaders in their field.
Britrail travel passes, discounted rail passes for foreign visitors, unlimited train travel every day of travel around England, Scotland and Wales. .
