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England Travel Guide

Last Updated: April 18, 2024

England is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. While most travelers tend to stick to London (which is understandable as it’s a great city!), the rest of the region has a lot to offer and sees a fraction of the crowds.

In fact, backpacking around England was one of the highlights of all my travels in Europe .

England’s smaller cities, like Bath and Oxford , are both fascinating and culturally rich. (And, since they aren’t as crowded as London, they’re a bit cheaper too.)

Liverpool , the birthplace of The Beatles, boasts a rich musical history while the countryside has fascinating estates and natural beauty. There’s the mountainous north, the rolling hills of Lancaster and Cornwall, Stonehenge , Hadrian’s Wall, and Tudor cities like Chester.

In short, there is a ton to see and do in England. This England travel guide can help you plan your trip, save money, and make the most out of your time here!

Table of Contents

• Things to See and Do
• Typical Costs
• Suggested Budget
• Money-Saving Tips
• Where to Stay
• How to Get Around
• How to Stay Safe
• Best Places to Book Your Trip
• Related Blogs on England

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Top 5 things to see and do in england.

1. Tour London

You can’t go to England without visiting London — it’s one of the most popular cities in the world. It’s home to charming pubs, world-class museums, tons of history, some of the best theater performances in the world, a diverse population, incredible food, and a wild nightlife. It might be a city that often breaks the bank, but fortunately, London has a plethora of free markets, museums are often free, and it has a ton of relaxing parks that you can enjoy on a budget. There are lots of free walking tours here too!

2. Drive the coast

England’s coastal towns make for a relaxing holiday (especially if you have a vehicle). The most popular destination is Brighton , well-known for its summer parties and festivals. But don’t overlook places like Weymouth, Salcombe, Dover, Hastings, St Ives, or Newquay — and that’s just a handful of them in the south of the country. You could literally spend months just discovering each new place. The towns offer everything from old-world traditional charm (think cobbled streets and Tudor houses) to bright lights and fun fairs (Brighton’s pier is similar to LA’s Santa Monica).

3. See Cornwall

Cornwall is like mini-New England — you can see why English settlers felt at home in the New World. Just like the USA’s New England , Cornwall has rolling hills, beautiful lakes, small towns, rural farms, wonderful hiking trails, tiny fishing villages, great food, and even a winery. The area has been populated since the Neolithic and Bronze Age. Eventually, the Britons (who were Celtic in origin) claimed the region, with the first written account of the region dating back to the 4th century BCE. It’s also been an important maritime region for centuries. The laid-back pace of life here is one of the reasons why it’s one of my favorite places in England. Don’t miss it!

4. Spend a day in Bath

Bath is named after the famous (and marvelously well preserved) ancient Roman baths located in the heart of the city that date back to 70 CE and were in use through to the 5th century. The audio guide by Bill Bryson is a must and adds a lot of context and details. The baths are the main attraction in town, though the abbey, Georgian and Victorian houses, and river are also nice to see. Literature buffs can also explore Jane Austen’s heritage as she lived in Bath for most of her life.

5. Explore the Lake District

Located in Cumbria, in Northern England, and about an hour from the border with Scotland, the Lake District is home to one of England’s best national parks. The lakes in the region are a result of the last ice age and receding glaciers cut the U-shaped valleys that are now filled with water. It’s perfect for hiking mountain passes and sailing around pristine lakes. It’s very popular (and crowded) during the summer. It is to northern England what Cornwall is to the south: a natural, rural paradise that embodies the best of England and, outside of Cornwall, it’s my favorite region in England.

Other Things to See and Do in England

1. see buckingham palace.

Buckingham Palace, home to the Queen of England, is a fascinating sight that’s only open to the public during the summer. If you can’t (or don’t want to) visit the palace, you can catch the changing of the guards at 11am four times a week (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays). If you want to check out the palace, admission is 30 GBP when purchased online (33 GBP on the day), while exclusive guided tours are 90 GBP. Check the Royal Collection Trust website for details on other events happening throughout the year.

2. Visit the Tower of London

Built in 1070, the Tower of London has expanded many times over the years. It was built as a double-leaf bascule bridge in the middle (both sides lift up) to maintain river access to the Pool of London docks while easing congestion on each side of the river. You can visit inside the tower and walk along the glass walkways. Weapons, armor, and coins were made here until 1810 and today you can view the famous crown jewels, walk the battlements, wander recreated medieval palace rooms, see the iconic Yeoman Warders (known as the Beefeaters as they were allowed to eat as much beef as they wanted from King Henry VII’s table), and spot the legendary black ravens that live in the tower. Skip-the-line tickets are 29.90 GBP. Be aware that lines are long so it’s best to plan ahead.

3. Relax in Brighton

Brighton is a great little seaside resort town on the southern coast of England that’s perfect for a weekend getaway. Considered the hippest city in the UK, Brighton is known for being quirky, bohemian, artsy, and very LGBTQ-friendly. It’s a popular summer destination for locals who come here to relax on the beach, enjoy the fleeting summer sun, and wander the pier where there are amusement rides, carnival-style stalls, and street food.

4. Listen to music in Liverpool

Liverpool has spectacular museums, but as the World Capital City of Pop, the real reason to go is for the music, or more specifically, for The Beatles. The Beatles Story museum has all kinds of memorabilia and information about the famous band, who were from Liverpool. Besides the music, Liverpool has a rich history and culture as well as fun pubs, so don’t sell it short.

5. Check out Chatsworth House

Located in Derbyshire, this massive and lavish mansion was built in 1549 for the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire. While there are many beautiful houses and castles throughout the UK, this is one of the most astonishing. It’s so striking in fact, that countless films and TV series have been filmed here (including Peaky Blinders, Jane Eyre , and of course Pride and Prejudice ). The home has played a role in popular culture since it was mentioned in Jane Austen’s book, Pride and Prejudice in 1813. On your visit, you can wander the 25 stately rooms, stroll the 105-acre gardens, and make new furry friends in the operating farmyard. Admission to the house and garden costs 26 GBP (just the garden is 15 GBP).

6. Tour Oxford University

Founded in the 11th century in Oxford , this university is one of the oldest in the world. You can visit the many beautiful colleges within Oxford for just a few dollars, or you can take a 90-120 minute guided tour of the entire university with Bodleian Libraries (20 GBP). You can even see the colleges in which they filmed parts of Harry Potter ! For art history buffs, stop in at the free Ashmolean Museum on campus for impressive Eastern and Ancient Egyptian art collections.

7. Attend the festivals

England is known for its festivals, especially during the summer. For music, be sure to check out the famous (and muddy!) Glastonbury festival or the Liverpool International Music Festival. Also, the UK has three huge annual Pride events in London, Brighton, and Manchester. This is just the tip of the festival iceberg though as every city and town has a lot on offer.

8. See Stonehenge

Stonehenge , located just 15 minutes from Salisbury, is one of the oldest man-made structures in the world (dating to 2,500 BCE!). You can’t go up to the stones anymore, but it’s quite a fascinating site, especially since we still have very little idea how they dragged the stones there. The audio tour is worth getting so you can get some historical context on the site. Admission starts at 22 GBP.

9. Visit Old Trafford

I highly recommend a visit to Manchester United’s home stadium. With over 74,000 seats, it is the largest club football stadium in the UK and the 11th largest in all of Europe. The tour is awesome and takes you below the stadium seating into the player’s lounge, and even into the pitch-side dugout. Dig deeper into some football (aka soccer) history at the onsite museum. Admission is 35 GBP.

10. Admire Ely Cathedral

Also known as the ‘Ship of the Fens,’ this cathedral is visible everywhere in the small city of Ely in Cambridgeshire (and from miles around too). Originally built in the 12th century, it’s renowned for its Romanesque architecture, complete with a stunning entrance and an octagonal lantern tower. The Lady Chapel is the largest in all of England. The cathedral is also home to the National Stained Glass Museum, whose collection spans 800 years and includes stained glass from across the UK and Europe. Visiting the cathedral only costs 9 GBP (online, or 10 GBP on the day), entry to the museum is 5 GBP. Booking in advance is recommended if you want to join one of the tours which cost between 1.50-12 GBP.

11. Relax in Greenwich Park

Considered to be one of London’s largest parks, it is also one of the most beautiful — and a perfect escape from the city’s bustle. There are several historic sights here as well as a rose garden, meandering pathways, a tea house, the Royal Observatory, the National Maritime Museum, a café, and even a deer park. It is the oldest enclosed royal park in London and a relaxing place to spend a few hours with a book.

12. Hike Hadrian’s Wall

Declared a World Heritage Site in 1987, Hadrian’s wall has been standing since the 2nd century. It was built by the Romans to keep the Celts out of Roman England (though that didn’t work so well). While you can make a brief visit to see the fortifications and ancient walls in many spots of the country, if you’re up for it, you can also hike the entire 83-mile (135-kilometer) length of the wall itself (most people do it in 6-8 days).

13. Go to Salisbury

Not far from Stonehenge is the beautiful town of Salisbury . Just 1.5 hours from London by train, it has a breathtaking 750-year-old cathedral that is home to the Magna Carta and tombs dating back to 1099. Salisbury is one of the few places that wasn’t bombed during the World War II Blitz so it is beautifully preserved. Cathedral Close and Market Square are both worth visiting in Salisbury as well as Old Sarum (what is thought to be the original site of Salisbury) and Salisbury Museum.

14. Stay in Chester

I love an under-visited destination and, for me, Chester is one of those places. Chester’s center looks like something out of an old novel by Charles Dickens. The homes in Chester are typically Victorian in design and the old taverns, hotels, and little shops all have retained their charm and original look. There’s plenty to do in Chester, including walking along the city walls and seeing the rows of medieval houses that showcase the historic architecture. Chester Cathedral is over 1,000 years old and well worth a visit (it has been added to and restored but has kept its medieval feel). For something a little more contemporary, go on a river cruise.

15. Visit the colleges at Cambridge University

Like Oxford, Cambridge University is made up of different colleges. Founded in 1209, the University is an architectural delight and wandering around the many buildings in the city. Most notable include the stunning buildings at Kings and Queens Colleges as well as the iconic quads at St. Johns and Trinity. There are lots of walking tours to choose from if you want to learn more about Cambridge’s history and some are even led by the students themselves. Expect tours to last around 90 minutes and cost 20 GBP.

16. Enjoy afternoon tea

Tea is a scene unto itself in England. With a history dating back through the centuries, this tradition can be enjoyed at every level of your budget. Starting with just the drink, you can find quaint tea shops literally all over the country. There you can try different types of tea and a selection of cakes to go with it should you need a sweet treat. In Devon and Cornwall, you can have cream tea which is tea with scones, cream, and jam (although these are now often served in other places too). Afternoon tea, or high tea, is a more lengthy affair and comes first with finger sandwiches and tiny savory pastries, then with scones (with cream and jam) and little cakes. Some places offer a glass of champagne to go with it. Most traditional tea houses offer afternoon tea but if you’re after more of a sense of occasion and your budget can stretch to it), the big hotels also offer it every day.

17. Visit Bristol

Many people only pass through Bristol on their way to Bath but it’s really worth a visit of its own. With a population of 500,000, Bristol is a hip college town with amazing eateries, great food, wonderful things to see, lots of green space, and plenty of things to do. Aside from taking a walking tour (my must-do in any city!), some of my favorite things to do include a tour of Bristol’s Romanesque Cathedral that was built in 1148, wandering King’s Street, and admiring Clifton Suspension Bridge. Bristol has a great museum and art gallery that is worth a visit and I also really enjoyed St Nicholas’ Market. Other things worth doing include the S.S. Great Britain, the Avon Railway, and Blaise Castle.

  For more information on specific cities in England, check out these guides:

• Bath Travel Guide
• Brighton Travel Guide
• Bristol Travel Guide
• Cambridge Travel Guide
• Liverpool Travel Guide
• London Travel Guide
• Manchester Travel Guide
• Oxford Travel Guide

England Travel Costs

Accommodation – Hostels cost 10-30 GBP a night for a dorm room. Amenities usually include free internet, breakfast, a common room, TV, and kitchen facilities. Private rooms in hostels start at around 50 GBP and go up from there. Campgrounds can be found all around the country, and most have basic facilities (such as bathrooms, electricity, and Wi-Fi). Expect to pay 10-20 GBP per night for a place to pitch your tent.

Budget hotels offer similar amenities and start around 60-80 GBP per night for a twin room but can be more like 120 GBP in peak season. Apartment rentals (like Airbnb) cost anywhere from 35-90 GBP per night for a private room depending on the city, while entire apartments/homes start around 90 GBP per night but average 110-120.

Food – While British cuisine has evolved in leaps and bounds in recent years, it’s still very much a meat and potatoes country. Fish and chips remain a popular staple for both lunch and dinner while roasted and stewed meats, sausages, meat pies, and the quintessential Yorkshire pudding are all common options as well. Curry (and other Indian dishes, such as tikka masala), are super popular too.

A kebab costs around 5-6 GBP, burritos and sandwiches cost 6-10 GBP and traditional fish and chips cost about 10 GBP. Indian and Asian food can be purchased for 8-10 GBP. Pizza is usually 8-10 GBP. Fast food (think McDonald’s) is around 6-7 GBP for a combo meal.

A meal at a casual pub or restaurant costs 12-16 GBP and you can expect to pay at least 30-35 GBP for a three-course menu with a drink in a mid-range restaurant. A meal in a higher-range establishment costs upwards of 70 GBP.

Beer is around 6 GBP while a latte/cappuccino is 3-3.50 GBP. Bottled water is about 1.20 GBP.

A week’s worth of groceries costs around 40-60 GBP. This gets you basic staples like rice, pasta, veggies, and some meat. The best places to buy cheap groceries are Lidl, Aldi, Sainsbury’s, and Tesco.

Backpacking England Suggested Budgets

On a backpacking budget, you need at least 55 GBP per day. On this budget, you can stay in hostel dorms, cook all your meals, limit your drinking, use public transit to get around, take the bus between cities, and take advantage of all the free sites in the country (free museums, parks, beaches, etc.). It’s a tight budget so if you want some more wiggle room, I’d add another 10-15 GBP per day, especially if you plan on drinking while you’re there.

On a mid-range budget of around 135 GBP per day, you can stay in a private hostel room or private Airbnb, cook some meals and eat out at cheap pubs or fast food stalls, do some intercity travel by train (if you book early), have a couple of drinks, take the occasional taxi, and visit some paid attractions like Westminster Abbey or the Tower of London.

On a “luxury” budget of 255 GBP per day or more, you can stay in a hotel, eat out wherever you want, drink more, take taxis and the train to get around, and do more tours and activities. This is just the ground floor for luxury though. The sky is the limit!

You can use the chart below to get some idea of how much you need to budget daily, depending on your travel style. Keep in mind these are daily averages – some days you spend more, some days you spend less (you might spend less every day). We just want to give you a general idea of how to make your budget. Prices are in GBP.

England Travel Guide: Money-Saving Tips

England isn’t a cheap place to visit. You’re going to spend a lot of money here, especially if you stick to cities (and London will be about 30% more expensive than the rest of the country). However, there are plenty of ways to save if you know where to look. Here are my top ways to save money in England:

• Take advantage of the free museums – Public museums offer free admission in every city throughout England and the United Kingdom. It’s a great way to learn about influential artists, immerse yourself in the country’s history, and spend a rainy day without paying a cent.
• Book early – Book all transportation well in advance. You can find fares for around 2 GBP with a little planning. Megabus not only runs buses but also provides trains throughout England and is the best option for cheap travel throughout the country.
• Get a Taste of UK card – The Taste of the UK card offers up to 50% off and 2-for-1 deals at selected restaurants. You don’t need to be a United Kingdom resident to get the card and the first month’s membership fee is waived, which is perfect for most travelers.
• Eat pub food – Eating out in England can get quite expensive, but for good, cheap, and filling meals, visit the local pubs. Most serve food, and you can get a good meal for 10-15 GBP or less. Plus, the pubs are a great way to meet people!
• Take a free walking tour – Most major cities in England offer free walking tours. They usually last a few hours and are a great way to see the city. Some tours even have a specific focus, such as history, food, or architecture. Just make sure to tip your guide!
• Eat the lunch specials – Another way to lower your food expenses is to stick to eating out during lunch only. I typically do my eating out during lunch and then cook my dinner to lower my food costs.
• Visit the cathedrals – Many of England’s cathedrals are free to enter. It’s a wonderful opportunity to see some of England’s 15th to 19th-century architecture. just make sure to dress and act appropriately.
• Get a London tourist pass – If you’re planning to do lots of sightseeing in London, the London Pass provides access to over 80 attractions via its 1-10 day passes. Other passes available include the London City Pass from Turbopass (which includes an option to add transport costs), and the London Sightseeing Pass. Compare prices and activities to see which pass is the best choice for you and your budget.
• Bring a water bottle – The tap water here is safe to drink so bring a reusable water bottle to save money and reduce your plastic use. LifeStraw is my go-to brand as their bottles have built-in filters to ensure your water is always clean and safe.

Where to Stay in England

England has tons of awesome and budget-friendly hostels. Here are my favorite places to stay in England:

• Astor Hyde Park (London)
• St. Christopher’s (London)
• YHA Manchester (Manchester)
• The Full Moon Backpackers (Bristol)
• Seadragon Backpackers (Brighton)
• Embassie Liverpool Backpackers (Liverpool)

How to Get Around England

Public transportation – England has excellent transportation in nearly every town and city, including buses, trains, and trams. Getting a travel pass is often far cheaper than buying single tickets as well. For example, in London, a one-way fare on the tube in Zone 1 costs 6.30 GBP, but getting a Visitor Oyster Card reduces that to 2.50 GBP per ride.

Train – In the United Kingdom, the National Rail service is always expensive. It’s one thing the locals love to complain about. A journey from London to Liverpool can cost as little as 25 GBP or as much as 150 GBP! Who knows? Prices flucuate a lot! The earlier you book the better.

You can use the National Rail website or Trainline to research schedules and prices.

A Eurail Pass, which allows travelers to explore Europe by providing a set number of stops in a specific time period, might also be a good option. For more information, here’s a detailed breakdown of how Eurail passes work .

Bus – The cheapest way to travel around the country is via Megabus, where fares start at 1 GBP. You need to book at least a month in advance, but even if you miss that deal, fares are rarely more than 10-15 GBP. Flixbus also has cheap fares starting at just 3 GBP.

National Express is the other main bus company in England, and they offer great discount passes to full-time students and people under 26 years old. The passes cost 12.50 GBP and give 30% or more off adult fares.

To find bus routes and prices, use BusBud .

Flying – Domestic flights around England are cheap when booked in advance. A flight from London to Manchester or Liverpool costs around 49 GBP and takes about an hour. However, once you factor in getting to and from the airport, it ends up almost always being faster to take the train unless you’re traveling far (such as from London to Scotland).

Car Rentals – Car rentals can be an affordable option in England, costing as little as 20-30 GBP per day for a multi-day rental. Don’t forget you have to drive on the left, and most cars are standard rather than automatic. Additionally, drivers need to be at least 21 to rent a vehicle here.

For the best car rental prices, use Discover Cars .

When to Go to England

Thanks to its temperate climate, visiting England year-round is enjoyable as there are very few weather extremes. Summer is peak tourism season, and temperatures are the warmest during this time — but rarely are they ever above 30°C (86°F). Although tourist sites and attractions are teeming with people, there’s also a great atmosphere in the air. People make the most of the warm weather, and there are tons of events and festivals happening all over the country.

Spring (late April-May) and autumn (September-October) are also fantastic times to visit, as temperatures are still warm and the crowds are a bit thinner. Plus, with the seasons changing, you either see gorgeous spring flowers in bloom or the leaves turning color in autumn. Just be prepared for a little rain.

Winter lasts from December to February and tourism crowds thin out dramatically. You can still do plenty of sightseeing, although further north (or in mountainous areas) some attractions may be closed for the season. Temperatures dip below 5°C (41°F) so dress warmly. Snow is not uncommon.

Keep in mind that England is famous for its gloomy, dreary weather. It can rain a lot, so make sure you pack some weather clothes and some waterproof gear no matter when you visit.

How to Stay Safe in England

England is very safe and the risk of violent crime here is very low. Scams and pickpocketing can occur around high-traffic areas, however, especially in London around tourist attractions like the Tower of London. Pickpockets tend to work in teams, so stay alert and be aware of your surroundings. Keep your valuables secure and out of reach just to be safe.

Solo travelers, including solo female travelers, should generally feel safe here, however, the standard precautions apply (never leave your drink unattended at the bar, never walk home alone intoxicated, etc.).

While break-ins are rare, if you rent a car, don’t leave any valuables in it overnight just to be safe.

Scams here are rare, however, you can read about common travel scams to avoid here .

If you experience an emergency, dial 999 for assistance.

The most important piece of advice I can offer is to purchase good travel insurance. Travel insurance protects you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. You can use the widget below to find the policy right for you:

England Travel Guide: The Best Booking Resources

These are my favorite companies to use when I travel. They consistently have the best deals, offer world-class customer service and great value, and overall, are better than their competitors. They are the companies I use the most and are always the starting point in my search for travel deals.

• Skyscanner – Skyscanner is my favorite flight search engine. They search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites tend to miss. They are hands down the number one place to start.
• Hostelworld – This is the best hostel accommodation site out there with the largest inventory, best search interface, and widest availability.
• Booking.com – The best all around booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates. They have the widest selection of budget accommodation. In all my tests, they’ve always had the cheapest rates out of all the booking websites.
• HostelPass – This new card gives you up to 20% off hostels throughout Europe. It’s a great way to save money. They’re constantly adding new hostels too. I’ve always wanted something like this and glad it finallt exists.
• Get Your Guide – Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions. They have tons of tour options available in cities all around the world, including everything from cooking classes, walking tours, street art lessons, and more!
• The Man in Seat 61 – This website is the ultimate guide to train travel anywhere in the world. They have the most comprehensive information on routes, times, prices, and train conditions. If you are planning a long train journey or some epic train trip, consult this site.
• Rome2Rio – This website allows you to see how to get from point A to point B the best and cheapest way possible. It will give you all the bus, train, plane, or boat routes that can get you there as well as how much they cost.
• FlixBus – Flixbus has routes between 20 European countries with prices starting as low 5 EUR! Their buses include WiFi, electrical outlets, a free checked bag.
• SafetyWing – Safety Wing offers convenient and affordable plans tailored to digital nomads and long-term travelers. They have cheap monthly plans, great customer service, and an easy-to-use claims process that makes it perfect for those on the road.
• LifeStraw – My go-to company for reusable water bottles with built-in filters so you can ensure your drinking water is always clean and safe.
• Unbound Merino – They make lightweight, durable, easy-to-clean travel clothing.
• Top Travel Credit Cards – Points are the best way to cut down travel expenses. Here’s my favorite point earning credit cards so you can get free travel!
• Take Walks – This walking tour company provides inside access to attractions and places you can’t get elsewhere. Their guides rock and they have some of the best and most insightful tours in all of England.
• Fat Tire Tours – For bike tours, use this company! They have fun, interactive tours led by expert local guides. You’ll get to see all the main sights without breaking the bank!
• BlaBlaCar – BlaBlaCar is a ridesharing website that lets you share rides with vetted local drivers by pitching in for gas. You simply request a seat, they approve, and off you go! It’s a cheaper and more interesting way to travel than by bus or train!

England Travel Guide: Related Articles

Want more info? Check out all the articles I’ve written on backpacking/traveling England and continue planning your trip:

The 14 Best Things to Do in Bristol

Where to Stay in London: The Best Neighborhoods for Your Visit

The 8 Best Hostels in London

How to Spend a Week in London

The 9 Best Walking Tour Companies in London

70+ Free Things to Do in London

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Great Britain

The clue's in the name. Great Britain packs so much greatness into its pint-sized shores: crumbling castles, soaring cathedrals, quaint villages, timeless landscapes and history galore.

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Windsor Castle

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Westminster Abbey

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Edinburgh Castle

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Tate Modern

One of London's most amazing attractions, Tate Modern is an outstanding modern- and contemporary-art gallery housed in the creatively revamped Bankside…

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With its thunderous, animatronic dinosaur, riveting displays about planet earth, outstanding Darwin Centre and architecture straight from a Gothic fairy…

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Sir Christopher Wren’s 300-year-old architectural masterpiece is a London icon. Towering over diminutive Ludgate Hill in a superb position that's been a…

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A walking holiday on the Jurassic Coast

Walking the Jurassic Coast is one of the best ways to truly appreciate the spectacular scenery. Walks range from easy to challenging. 6 days walking are included in this itinerary, as is an extensive pre-program in London and a last night back in the capital.

As more and more people choose to holiday at home, it’s worth recalling just how much England has changed in the last two decades for locals and visitors alike. Who could have predicted city breaks and shopping sprees in Leeds and Bristol, or the all-conquering march of music and arts festivals, or that camping would become cool? Accommodation and food in particular, the two essentials on any trip, were once a lottery, with many English hotels and restaurants seemingly intent on removing hospitality from the hospitality industry. Not any more. In boutique B&Bs, designer hotels and yurt-festooned campsites, there’s an embarrassment of rich beds for the night, while an ever-expanding choice of real English food and drink – locally sourced and championed in cafés, restaurants and pubs, at food festivals and farmers’ markets – challenges every lazy stereotype.

The English also do heritage amazingly well. There are first-class museums all over the country (many of them free), while what’s left of England’s green and pleasant land is protected with great passion and skill. Indeed, ask an English person to define their country in terms of what’s worth seeing and you’re most likely to have your attention drawn to the golden rural past . The classic images are found in every brochure – the village green, the duckpond, the country lane and the farmyard. And it’s true that it’s impossible to overstate the bucolic attractions of the various English regions, from Cornwall to the Lake District, or the delights they provide – from walkers’ trails and prehistoric stone circles to traditional pubs and obscure festivals. But despite celebrating their rural heritage, the modern-day English have an ambivalent attitude towards “the countryside”. Farming today forms only a tiny proportion of the national income and there’s a real dislocation between the population of the burgeoning towns and suburbs and the small, struggling rural communities.

So perhaps the heart of England is found in its towns and cities instead? Many, it’s true, have a restless energy and a talent for reinvention. So for every person who wants to stand outside the gates of Buckingham Palace or visit the Houses of Parliament, there’s another who makes a beeline for the latest show at Tate Modern, the cityscape of downtown Manchester or the revitalized Newcastle waterfront. Yet this flowering of urban civic pride is not a new phenomenon. In fact, it’s been steady since the Industrial Revolution, and industry – and the Empire it inspired – has provided a framework for much of what you’ll see as you travel around. Virtually every English town bears a mark of former wealth and power, whether it be a magnificent Gothic cathedral financed from a monarch’s treasury, a parish church funded by the tycoons of the medieval wool trade, or a triumphalist civic building raised on the back of the slave and sugar trades. In the south of England you’ll find old dockyards from which the navy patrolled the oceans, while in the north there are mills that employed entire town populations. England’s museums and galleries – several of them ranking among the world’s finest – are full of treasures trawled from its imperial conquests. And in their grandiose stuccoed terraces and wide esplanades, the old seaside resorts bear testimony to the heyday of English holiday towns, at one time as fashionable as any European spa.

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To begin to get to grips with England, London is the place to start. Nowhere else in the country can match the scope and innovation of the metropolis, a colossal, frenetic city that’s going through a convulsion of improvements as it gears up to host the 2012 Olympics. It’s here that you’ll find England’s best spread of nightlife, cultural events, museums, galleries, pubs and restaurants. However, each of the other large cities – Birmingham, Bristol, Newcastle, Leeds, Sheffield, Manchester and Liverpool – makes its own claim for historic and cultural diversity, and you certainly won’t have a representative view of England’s cities if you venture no further than the capital. For the most part it’s in these regional centres that the most exciting architectural and social developments are taking place, though for many visitors they rank a long way behind ancient cities like Lincoln, Canterbury, York, Salisbury, Durham and Winchester – to name a few of those with the most celebrated of England’s cathedrals – or the university cities of Cambridge and Oxford, arguably the two most beautiful seats of learning in the world. Most beguiling of all, though, are the long-established villages of England, hundreds of which amount to nothing more than a pub, a shop, a gaggle of cottages and a farmhouse offering bed and breakfast. Devon, Cornwall, the Cotswolds and the Yorkshire Dales harbour some especially picturesque specimens, but every county can boast a decent showing of photogenic hamlets.

Evidence of England’s pedigree is scattered between its settlements as well. Wherever you’re based, you’re never more than a few miles from a majestic country house or ruined castle or monastery, and in many parts of the country you’ll come across the sites of civilizations that thrived here before England existed as a nation. In the southwest there are remnants of a Celtic culture that elsewhere was all but eradicated by the Romans, and from the south coast to the northern border you can find traces of prehistoric settlers, the most famous being the megalithic circles of Stonehenge and Avebury.

Then of course there’s the English countryside, an extraordinarily diverse terrain from which Constable, Turner, Wordsworth, Emily Brontë and a host of other native luminaries took inspiration. Most dramatic and best known are the moors and uplands – Exmoor, Dartmoor, the North York Moors and the Lake District – each of which has its over-visited spots, though a brisk walk will usually take you out of the throng. Quieter areas are tucked away in every corner of England, from the flat wetlands of the eastern Fens to the chalk downland of Sussex, the latter now protected as England’s newest national park. It’s a similar story on the coast, where the finest sands and most rugged cliffs have long been discovered, and sizeable resorts have grown to exploit many of the choicest locations. But again, if it’s peace you’re after, you can find it by heading for the exposed strands of Northumberland, the pebbly flat horizons of East Anglia or the crumbling headlands of Dorset.

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Book tickets and tours in York

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Book Birmingham haunted places and ghost stories – city game

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Book a tour in Canterbury

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Book tickets and tours in Bath

Discover more places in England

• Hampshire, Dorset and Wiltshire Travel Guide
• London Travel Guide
• The Northwest Travel Guide
• Oxfordshire, the Cotswolds and around Travel Guide
• The West Midlands and the Peak District Travel Guide
• Yorkshire Travel Guide
• Devon and Cornwall Travel Guide
• The Northeast Travel Guide
• The Southeast Travel Guide

• As part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (“the UK”), England is a parliamentary democracy, with Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state. Its traditional industries – fishing, farming, mining, engineering, shipbuilding – are all in decline and business today is dominated by banking and finance, the media and technology, steel production, oil and gas, and tourism.

• Bordered by Scotland to the north and Wales to the west, England is the largest country in Great Britain, occupying an area of 50,085 sq miles (129,720 sq km). The terrain is diverse, from plains to peaks, cliffs to beaches, though the superlatives are all modest on a world scale – the largest lake, Windermere, is 10 miles (16km) long, the highest mountain, Scafell, just 3205ft (978m) above sea level.

• The population of nearly 52 million is dense for a country of its size, but settlement is concentrated in the southeast around London, and in the large industrial cities of the Midlands and the North.

• This is one of the world’s most multiethnic countries, made up largely of people of Anglo-Saxon, Scots, Welsh and Irish descent, but with sizeable communities from the Caribbean, Africa, the Indian subcontinent, China, Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe.

However long you spend in England, you’ll never figure out its inhabitants. The famous English reserve, sarcasm and sense of humour, the belief that a cup of tea is a universal panacea, the all-consuming obsession with weather – all form a nigh-on impenetrable barrier to the English soul. So we’ve come up with a list of unique places and experiences that might help lift the lid on the national character. At the end, you may be no closer to knowing what the English are really like – but you’ll have seen another side to the country than just Big Ben and Beefeaters.

A day at the seaside Blackpool. The quintessential coastal trip is to England’s loudest, brashest and best resort, where the sun never sets on the rollercoasters, karaoke bars and candy-floss kiosks. Fake breasts and party wig optional.

A nice snack Melton Mowbray. France gives protected status to its champagne, Italy to its succulent ham from Parma, and England? Step forward the humble but heroic pork pie.

The Olimpick Games Chipping Campden. Never mind London 2012, what you really need from a world-class sports meet is rustic wrestling, shin-kicking contests and dancing around in Tudor dress.

Cerne Abbas Giant Dorchester. Flummoxed by the English love of Carry On films and tabloid double-entendres? A visit to see a large naked man carved into a Dorset hillside is in order.

On the pier Southwold. Arcade games on the traditional seaside pier get a makeover in Southwold’s brilliantly inventive Under the Pier Show of handmade slots and simulators.

Full steam ahead Haworth. Time was, every right-thinking English boy a) had a thing for Jenny Agutter in The Railway Children and b) wanted to work on a steam railway. Here’s where they get to indulge both passions.

Snowshill Manor The Cotswolds. Eyes glazing over at the fancy plates and Old Masters at stately home Number 32? Charles Paget Wade collected the stuff we really want to see, from beetles to boneshaker bikes.

Travel advice for England

From travel safety to visa requirements, discover the best tips for traveling to England

• Eating and drinking in England
• Sports and Outdoor activities in England
• Travel Tips England for planning and on the go
• Getting around England: Transportation Tips
• How to get to England
• Shopping tips for England
• Best time to visit England

The Rough Guides to England and related travel guides

In-depth, easy-to-use travel guides filled with expert advice.

Find even more inspiration here

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written by Rough Guides Editors

updated 16.05.2021

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Best UK Travel Guides - Practical Guides for Touring in the UK

Whether you are crossing an ocean to visit the UK or coming down from the North for a weekend break in Cornwall, these are the best travel guides. No UK vacationer should leave home without at least one of these top travel books.

Most are the latest editions of classic series, some are newer but equally reliable travel guides. Whichever you choose, their tried and tested, practical advice will ensure that you eat well, stay in charming accommodations, visit fun places and never get lost on British roads. And the good news is, most of these guides are now available as apps as well as books.

The AA Bed and Breakfast Guide

More than 4,000 B&Bs, guest houses, farmhouses and inns are inspected and rated by the the Automobile Association's inspectors to produce this full-colour, regularly updated guide. Symbols highlight the best breakfasts and other features. The guide is available directly through the British Automobile Association.

The Good Food Guide

The Good Food Guide  has been rating restaurants and dining experiences since 1951. Their annual Good Food Guide, based on reviews submitted by members and subscribers from all over the UK, has become a classic and is absolutely reliable. Organised geographically, with a special section for London, and an appendix for late entries, it describes food, decor, prices, ambiance, even who's cooking behind the scenes, with thoroughness and authority. A great book to have on the road if you want to sit down to nice food with regularity. No longer affiliated with Which?, a group of consumer magazines, it is now available through the Good Food Guide website . And you can buy it as an app for smart phones and tablets.

The Good Pub Guide

The British public has relied on this informative guide to more than 5,000 pubs for years. Independent and comprehensive, it includes yearly updates and loads of reader reports. This guide points you in the direction of good country pints, friendly neighborhood boozers, and smart urban bars with big wine lists. Information about facilities, atmosphere, quality, and cost provides real insight into a British institution.

The CAMRA Good Beer Guide

Ever since the Real Ale Movement began, several decades ago, the number of small local breweries, pubs with microbreweries and pubs that regularly feature a guest selection of cask-conditioned ales has expanded dramatically. And every year the 110,000 members of CAMRA (The Campaign for Real Ale) update their guide with pub reviews and information on more than 600 breweries that produce real ale. A trained team of tasters provides tasting notes on many of the beers and there are pub reviews and feature stories about beer, pubs, and brewing. This one is the top British beer-lovers' guidebook to the UK. It's also available for most e-readers with special, digital-only features.

AA Road Atlas Britain

The Automobile Association (AA) is practically the last word in roadmaps of the UK. This clear, easy-to-read, and very accurate map book labels pages with their geographic location so they are easy to find. There's a huge index that includes airports and tourists sights as well as towns and villages and, in 2007, the 21st edition included information on where to find speed cameras. There are 103 town, city and port plans, locations of hospitals and emergency rooms, "Jam Busting" maps and guidance to the best, wide secondary routes. A real drivers' map book. It's available through most travel book sellers but the most up-to-date edition (along with apps and ebooks) is always available directly from the Automobile Association website.

Suggested Itinerary: Three to Six Days in the East of England

10 Little Known Roman Ruins in England, Scotland and Wales

The 11 Best Travel Alarm Clocks of 2024

Your Trip to Ireland: The Complete Guide

10 Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Plan Your UK Trip

The 10 Best Places to Drink Craft Beer in Paris

How to Make the Most of Solo Travel in the UK

7 English Pubs Worth an Overnight Stay

LGBTQ Travel Guide: Winnipeg

The 12 Best Places to Drink Craft Beer in London

The Lake District: The Complete Guide to the English Lakes

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Bainbridge Island Trip Planner

UK Travel Guide

The United Kingdom is one of the most popular travel destinations in Europe. And rightly so! With its fascinating history, royal sights, iconic landmarks, breathtaking coastal views, world-class museums, and rich culture, UK has something to offer to all kinds of travelers.

If you are planning a trip to the UK and are looking for some travel inspiration, info, and useful tips for your trip, this guide will give you some ideas on where to go and how to plan your trip.

We have been to the UK quite a few times and one of our writers lives in the UK as well. So on our blog, you can find some of our personal travel experiences and also insider’s guides to some popular destinations in the UK. This is by no means a complete guide to visiting the United Kingdom, but rather a selection of blog posts from some of our favorite destinations we recently visited in the UK.

From the main landmarks or the hidden gems of London, beautiful coastal regions in England to the most beautiful places in Scotland – get inspired to visit Great Britain and plan your dream trip with our UK travel tips and advice. Take a look!

*This page contains affiliate links, which means that we may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. More info:  Disclosure .

UK Travel Tips & Destination Guides

Where to go: Best Cities to Visit in the UK

• Must-see:  Best Things to Do in London: Top Sights & Tourist Attractions
• Off the beaten path: Hidden Gems of London
• Good to know: London Travel Tips
• Where to stay: Where to Stay in London
• 1 Day in London
• 2 Days in London
• Views :  Best Views in London
• London with Kids
• Free & Cheap Things to Do in London for Families
• Family-friendly British Afternoon Tea in London
• Nearby:  Best Day Trips from London
• Best Things to Do in Camden Town
• Camden Market
• Best Things to Do in Greenwich
• Queen’s House & Tulip Stairs
• Old Royal Naval College & the Painted Hall
• Best Things to Do in Edinburgh
• Tips for Visiting Edinburgh
• 1 Day in Edinburgh
• Glasgow: 1 Day in Glasgow
• Whisky: Scotland Whisky Tour
• Isle of Skye: Isle of Skye Itinerary
• Best Places to Visit in Cornwall  
• Where to Stay in Cornwall
• Yorkshire:  Yorkshire Day Trips
• Best Things to Do in Liverpool
• How to Visit Liverpool from London + 1-day Itinerary
• Best Things to Do in Manchester
• 1-Day Manchester Itinerary
• Must see: Best Things to Do in Blackpool
• Good to know: Blackpool Travel Tips
• Accommodation: Where to Stay in Blackpool
• Nearby: Best Places to See near Blackpool
• British Food: Best Traditional Dishes to Try in the UK
• Best Food Tours in London

Accommodation

If you are visiting the UK in the high season (May – September and at around Christmas – New Year), it’s advisable to book your accommodation well in advance. Best price/quality accommodations are always gone first.

Booking.com  is our first resource when booking accommodation for all our trips, also in the UK. They have the best selection of hotels, B&Bs, and privately-owned accommodations. Furthermore, they also have the most transparent booking system with the biggest flexibility in terms of cancelations.

TIP: Using the map below, you can also compare hotels and short-term rental accommodations for your vacation. Simply insert the place, travel dates, and your group size, and you’ll see what’s available for your stay. Check it out!

Getting Around

If you are visiting the cities in the UK, you really do not need a car. You can easily visit all the bigger towns by train .

However, if you are traveling in smaller places, often, having a car is so much easier. There are so many amazing areas that would be very difficult to see without a car. Sometimes it might make sense to rent a car for just a part of your trip. Here you can find some of the best deals for car rental – we use this website all the time and the prices are usually unbeatable.

In general, driving in the UK is comparable to driving in other European countries = busy and slow around major towns and cities and narrow roads in rural areas. Furthermore, they drive on the left side of the road in the UK and it might be overwhelming if you’ve never done it before.

If you don’t feel like driving by yourself, you can also consider organized tours . There are lots of nice day tours from all the major cities in the UK (see our guide to the best day trips from London ).

In addition, you can also find plenty of wonderful multi-day trips . One of the best local operators has an amazing selection of multi-day tours in England and in Scotland . We did this Scotland whisky tour from Edinburgh with them. Their itineraries might give you some inspiration on how to plan your self-drive trip as well.

Tours & Skip-the-line Tickets

Many destinations and tourist attractions in the UK are so popular that it’s absolutely essential to book tickets in advance . Sometimes, you can pay a bit more and get fast-track tickets. It’s often well worth it, especially if you have limited time and want to see as much as possible.

TIP:   For our own trips, we book pretty much all our tours and organized activities via the  GetYourGuide website . It’s our favorite one-stop shop for all tickets and tours because they have the best customer service and the most flexible cancelation policy we have ever seen.

Best Time to Visit

There is no bad time to visit the UK and all seasons have something special and unique. In general, the best time to visit the UK is from April to October . That’s when the weather is at its best and there are all kinds of outdoor events.

However, it can get really busy in the summer months, especially in the most popular cities and coastal areas.

Our favorite time to be in the UK is May -June or early fall. The weather is usually nice for sightseeing and there are fewer tourists. This is actually one of the best times to travel anywhere in Europe !

Christmas can also be magical in the UK, and also New Year’s fireworks in London or Edinburgh are amazing. In fact, Edinburgh’s Hogmanay is one of the most special New Year celebrations in the world, with 3-day celebrations.

If you found this guide helpful, don’t forget to bookmark it and share it with your friends. Are you on Pinterest? Pin this image!

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UK trip planner

• How to plan your UK Trip – A step by step guide

If you feel overwhelmed when planning your UK trip, this article will help. I recommend following each step below in order.

From deciding when to go, what to see, how to get around and even what to pack I will walk you through each step and make your planning process smoother and less daunting.

Step 1 – Decide when to visit the UK

Uk travel toolkit, step 2 – decide on your budget, step 3 – start your research, step 4 – check your passport and any visa requirements, planning your itinerary, popular destinations in england, popular destinations in scotland, popular destinations in wales, looking for a good map to help plan your itinerary, itinerary suggestions, intrepid travel, flying to the uk, other inbound transport options (bus/ferry/eurostar), travel insurance, step 7 – book accommodation, how to get around london, driving in the uk, train travel in the uk, by coach or bus, take an internal flight, english heritage overseas visitor pass (not available to uk residents), city passes, activities and experiences, book airport transfers, plan how you will access the internet, money matters*, check medical supplies.

• Start packing!

Suggested timeline for planning your Uk trip

London travel guide & itinerary planner (+ 4 bonus ebooks), 10 step guide to plan your uk vacation.

Visiting the UK is wonderful at any time of year but it is important to be aware of the possible impact of the seasons on your travel plans.

If you have set dates when you have to take your vacation it is still essential to be aware of the possible weather conditions for the time you will be in the UK.

The weather varies greatly depending on where you visit in the UK. It will be considerably colder in Scotland in winter than in London for example. Generally the further north you travel the cooler it becomes at any time of year!

The days are also shorter in winter leaving less time for sightseeing especially if you are exploring countryside areas such as the Cotswolds or the Highlands of Scotland .

Summer – June to August

This is peak tourist season and it is busy all over the UK. School holidays in July and August lead to an influx of visitors to popular seaside destinations as well as cities such as London and Edinburgh .

The daylight hours are longer during the summer with light evenings enabling visitors to do and see more.

There are also many popular festivals and shows held during the summer months.

Midges can be a problem in Scotland in the warmer months, so insect repellant is recommended if you plan your trip during this time.

Whilst the weather can be warm to hot in the UK during the summer it is sensible to check the forecast, wear layers and carry an umbrella!

If you are planning to visit during this peak time, booking accommodation, transport, tours and tickets as soon as possible is important. Read – How far ahead to book for the UK

Autumn/Fall – September to November

Once the schools return in early September tourist destinations start to become less busy. This is a great time of year to visit Scotland and the Scottish islands particularly in the early Autumn months.

At the end of October the clocks are put back one hour and daylight hours start to dwindle.

Winter – December to February

The coldest months in the UK can herald ice and snow and freezing temperatures in Scotland and on higher ground in England and Wales.

The days are short due to reduced daylight.

This is also a time to visit Christmas markets and enjoy the build-up to the festive season. London is spectacular at this time of year and very busy in the lead up to Christmas.

Read more about visiting the UK in winter

Spring – March to May

March can still be a chilly time of year in the UK but at the end of the month the clocks spring forward one hour and the hours of daylight begin to increase.

Daffodils, crocuses and tulips make a colourful appearance and the countryside recovers from the dark days of winter. Spring is a wonderful time to visit the UK .

School holidays over Easter can lead to an increase of visitors to popular destinations such as London, the Cotswolds and Cornwall.

The weather can be variable throughout the spring and an umbrella will probably be necessary but some warm sunny days are generally expected.

Read: When is the best time of year to visit the UK?

AVAILABLE TO PURCHASE NOW!

The UK TRAVEL TOOLKIT is the perfect resource to organize and track your itinerary.

It includes pre-travel checklists, pages for essential destination information such as hotel reservations and bookings, a packing list, budget tracking sheets, important contact numbers and addresses, tour information, flight information, car hire, train travel planner, daily travel memories as well as at a glance pages for weekly and daily itineraries.

Available to download and print off or to use as an editable planner on your laptop or iPad this is the ideal tool to reduce stress and stay organised both before and during your trip.

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE AND PURCHASE YOUR COPY

Deciding what your budget will be is an important step. It can be expensive to travel in the UK particularly if you plan to spend extended time in big cities such as London.

However, there are ways to budget for your trip. Even in London there are many free attractions available to help you plan a more budget-conscious trip. I recommend also weighing up the benefits of discount cards and passes to see if you can save money that way.

There are a variety of accommodation options available in the UK to suit all budgets ranging from hostels and B&Bs to boutique stays and luxury 5* hotels. You can find detailed accommodation guides for London , England , Scotland and Wales to help you find the best accommodation for your needs and budget.

Using public transport such as trains, coaches and buses can be cheaper than hiring a car too.

We recommend planning on an average individual daily budget (excluding airfares and accommodation) of £60 (budget) £125 (mid-range) and £200+ (luxury)

This budget should cover activities, transport and food.

Read – How much does it cost to visit the UK? UK budget planning guide

Once you have decided when you will visit, for how long and your budget the next step is to research what you want to see and do in the UK.

Considering which airport you will fly into from your country of origin may also influence your plans as well as your proposed length of stay.

This stage can be overwhelming as there is so much information available. Using our website to identify which areas, cities and places match your interests is a great way to start.

Also pop over to our Facebook group UK and London Travel Planning and join thousands of others planning their trip. It is the perfect place to ask questions and discuss plans with other travellers visiting the UK.

You can find inspiration in this selection of the best UK travel guidebooks available (including city, region and country guidebooks)

Citizens of the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand can stay in the UK visa-free for the purposes of tourism for up to 6 months (at the time of publishing this article)

This situation could change at any time so please check with your local foreign office for the latest advice about travel to the UK.

United States – click here

Canada – click here

Australia – click here

New Zealand – click here

Due to changing regulations on the 1st January 2021, (because of Brexit) citizens of the EU, EEA or Switzerland should check the official UK government website to check the situation prior to travel.

Some visitors to the UK require 6 months validity remaining on their passport so check in case you need to get a new passport.

We recommend iVisa for all your visa requirements. Save time with their easy traveller friendly application process. Their visa specialists are available 24/7 to help wherever you are in the world. Click here to find out more about how iVisa can help you.

Step 5 – Where to go (Itinerary planning)

This can be the hardest part of planning any trip. With so many wonderful destinations in the UK to choose from it can be overwhelming when you have to decide which to see and which to leave out.

It is easy to include too many places and end up exhausted at the end of your trip so do think carefully about travel times and distance and just how exhausting a packed schedule can be.

Questions regularly asked in my UK and London Travel Planning Facebook group include:

• How much can I fit into my limited vacation time?
• What are the must-sees in London?
• What are the must-sees in the rest of the UK?
• How can I put together an itinerary to include all the things I want to see?
• How long do I need in London, the Cotswolds, Bath, Scotland etc?
• How can I do all of this without feeling exhausted at the end of my holiday?

There are many articles on this website to help you to prioritise and plan your itinerary and even suggested itineraries you can follow or adapt.

In STEP 1 you will have decided when and for how long you will be in the UK so that gives you a baseline upon which to build your itinerary.

In STEP 8 we will look at transportation around the UK in more depth but it is worth considering at this stage whether you prefer to hire a car , take public transportation, join organised tours to areas of interest or perhaps using all three.

In London, I highly recommend that you use public transport or a taxi to get around the city and do not hire a car. It is expensive, there is limited parking in central London and you will spend most of your time in a traffic jam! You can read my guide to using London transport here .

Many places are easily reached by train (see our top 10 UK train trips or our 14-day best of Britain rail itinerary ) including the major cities. However, the train has its limitations particularly if you plan to access rural areas such as the Cotswolds, Cornwall, the Jurassic Coast and the Highlands of Scotland this is best done on a road trip or by taking a tour.

This doesn’t mean excluding them from your itinerary but consider carefully the locations of your chosen destinations and the best ways to get to (and around) them.

You will find information in all my city and area-specific travel guides about the transport options to each destination as well as must-sees, itinerary suggestions and recommended time to spend there.

So what are the popular places visitors want to see when in the UK?

• London – everyone want to visit the capital city! I recommend at least 3 days in London to enable you to see the main sights landmarks and attractions. Read my essential tips and planning guide to start planning your London itinerary without the overwhelm!
• The Cotswolds – although you can visit the Cotswolds on a day trip from Bath or London I recommend at least 2/3 days to fully explore this beautiful region.
• Bath – one of England’s most beautiful cities and popular for its stunning architecture, Roman baths and many teahouses. It is possible to see the main highlights of Bath in one day or use the city as a base to explore the Cotswolds and Stonehenge.
• York – this historic city is the perfect stop for those traveling between London and Edinburgh.
• In south west England the counties of Dorset , Devon and Cornwall attract visitors looking for (amongst other attractions) beautiful beaches, coastal walks, stunning countryside and quaint villages
• Brighton – visit this English coastal city on a day trip from London and enjoy exploring its famous Pavilion, independent shops and pier.
• The University cities of Oxford and Cambridge – Enjoy a walk around these beautiful and historic cities within easy reach of London.
• The Lake District – perfect for nature lovers, walkers and those seeking to experience the best of the British countryside
• A bit of a hidden gem but absolutely worth visiting are the counties and cities located in the North East of England. The county of Northumberland has a stunning coastline, areas of outstanding natural beauty, castles, Roman sites and great walks. A little further south is the historic city of Durham – home to a UNESCO World Heritage-listed cathedral and castle.
• An English castle – most visitors to the UK want to visit at least 1 castle (or even spend the night in one)

Read more – England Travel Guide

• Edinburgh – popular with visitors for its history, architecture, culture and castle Edinburgh is the perfect Scottish destination for first time visitors to the country.
• Scottish Islands – offering stunning scenery, wildlife, culture and history choosing which of the islands to include in your itinerary is the first step.
• Scottish Highlands – beautiful scenery, landscapes, wildlife and experiences await in the Highlands. This is an entire holiday of its own so think carefully if this is an area you wish to visit – either plan a driving holiday or base yourself in one or two cities and take day trips.
• Explore a Scottish castle – with so many beautiful castles in Scotland most visitors include at least one or two in their itinerary.

Read more – Scotland Travel Guide

• Cardiff – the Welsh capital
• National Parks such as Snowdonia and Pembrokeshire are popular with nature lovers, walkers, climbers and adventurers.
• Castles including Caernarfon and Conwy are popular with visitors to Wales.

Read more – Wales Travel Guide

Read more – Best travels books and maps for planning your UK trip

As I mentioned previously I highly recommend thinking carefully about your priorities and interests. It is very easy to over plan and try to fit in too much.

Spending a few days in London can be exhausting in itself. If you plan to take a road or rail trip around the UK I recommend 3 days per destination (but consider travelling time and distances)

It is possible to base yourself in London and take tours or day trips to nearby cities and areas of interest, plan a road trip around the UK or even a train travel itinerary that incorporates your areas of interest but what you can fit in will depend greatly on the length of your trip.

If you have 7 days I would recommend 3/4 days in London followed by 4 days to explore areas in the south of England such as the Cotswolds, Bath, Stonehenge and Oxford.

If you have 10 to 14 days (or longer) for a road trip or train trip it is possible to include many of the popular destinations throughout England, Scotland and Wales in your itinerary.

These are just a couple of examples of possible itineraries!

• Highlights of Scotland – Edinburgh -> Kelpies -> Glasgow -> Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park & Glencoe -> Glenfinnan -> Isle of Skye -> Inverness -> Loch Ness -> Pitlochry -> Edinburgh
• Grand tour of England, Scotland Ireland and Wales – London -> Cambridge -> York -> Durham -> Alnwick -> Edinburgh ->Inverness -> Loch Ness -> Glasgow -> Belfast -> Dublin -> Caernarfon -> Liverpool -> Stratford -> Oxford -> London
• England, Scotland and Wales – London -> York -> Edinburgh -> Glasgow -> Liverpool -> Cardiff -> Bath -> Stonehenge -> Cotswolds -> Oxford -> London
• 14 day best of Britain by train – London -> Bath -> Cardiff -> Liverpool or Lake District -> Edinburgh -> York -> London

The ideal place to discuss your proposed itinerary is in our free UK and London Travel Planning Facebook Group – pop over, have a chat and find out other travellers experiences exploring the UK.

Consider booking an organised group tour

If you prefer to avoid the stress of planning your own trip there is always the option to book a packaged group tour of the UK.

There are a number of tour companies that offer tours around the UK including Trafalgar, Intrepid and Tourradar.

Good to know – Many tours also incorporate Ireland in their itineraries so if you were considering a visit to the Emerald Isle you will find many combined tour options.

Read more – Best UK tours 2023 – Comparison and itinerary guide

A great place to start Tourradar is a marketplace for tours. Use the filter option to sort tours by date, travel styles, maximum group size, ages, and interests and check out reviews so you can pick the ideal tour for your needs.

This 11 day Best of Britain tour covers 25 destinations across England, Scotland and Wales and includes accommodation, an expert guide, meals, transport and more.

Click here for more UK tours from Tourradar

Intrepid are a popular choice for those seeking a small group tour with a focus on discovering a region’s people and culture. Many of their UK tours have an active focus – cycling or walking.

They have several tour styles available ranging from Basix to Comfort.

Tours with Intrepid include this 5 day tour of the Orkneys in Scotland , a 7 day walk along Hadrian’s Wall in Northern England and a 4 day cycle tour of the Lake District.

Click here for the full range of UK tours from Intrepid

Trafalgar is a well known and respected brand that has been in business since 1947. Their coach tours appeal to the 50+ age bracket with an interest in culture and history.

• 7 Day Best of Scotland tour includes Edinburgh Castle, Pitlochry, the Isle of Skye, Glasgow Cathedral, Culloden Battlefield and Stirling Castle.
• Amazing Britain – From Shakespeare’s theatrical roots and mystical Stonehenge to the fresh air and rugged outdoors of the Scottish Highlands, where you’ll learn all about the locals’ favourite drink at a traditional whisky distillery.

Click here for more tours of Britain and Ireland from Trafalgar

Rabbies offer small group tours of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland with no more than 16 people to a tour. They offer guaranteed departures so you know once you book you will go!

Their tours vary in length from day trips to up to 17 days and they have a wide selection of family-friendly tours to choose from.

Here is a selection of some of the great tours on offer

• The Lake District, Edinburgh, Mull & the Isle of Skye ( 9 day Rail and Trail Journey ) – Enjoy 3 wonderful UK destinations on this 9 day tour.
• Heart of England, Wales & Yorkshire ( 5 day tour ) – Travel through the Peak District, Shakespeare country, Welsh mountains, and beautiful British cities.
• Scottish Island Hopping Extravaganza ( 17 day tour ) – Discover the majesty of Mull, Skye, Iona, Orkney & the Outer Hebrides on this tour from Edinburgh.

> You will find more small-group tour options from Rabbies here

Step 6 – Book flights and organise travel insurance

Next step is planning how you will get to the UK. If you are in North America, Asia, Africa or Australia/New Zealand the answer is generally by air. (Unless the UK is the start or end point for a cruise or you are travelling overland by train or bus)

There are 15 major airports in the UK including Heathrow airport, London Gatwick, Birmingham, Luton, Edinburgh and Manchester.

To find the best flight deals to the UK I sites such as Skyscanner or CheapOair provide comparisons of all available options (prices and routes)

Skyscanner is useful if you are searching for various route options and the cheapest dates to travel. Set up an email alert if prices change.

CheapOair is good for deals on first and business class travel.

If you are entering the UK from mainland Europe there are a number of other transport options available including taking a ferry, bus or the Eurostar.

The Eurostar departs from Paris, Amsterdam and Brussels with some stops at other regional cities along the way with the final destination at St Pancras International Station in London.

The Eurostar is a quick, easy and comfortable way to travel between London and major European cities such as Paris and Brussels where onward high-speed connections will transport you all across the continent.

You can even pop over to Paris from London on a day trip if you plan carefully!

Read – Best booking sites for UK travel

At this point (with a tour or flight booked) we highly recommend taking out travel insurance.

I learnt this the hard way after booking pricy plane tickets and waiting to pay for travel insurance. A few weeks before we were due to fly my husband was admitted to hospital and though recovered in time for our trip it tripled our insurance costs which also then excluded his medical condition. Now I pay for the insurance as soon as my flights are paid for!

Due to the impact of the pandemic, it is vital to check the terms and conditions of any cover you are considering. Ensure that general health cover and repatriation is included and check what cover is provided for any Covid-19 related issues (health/cancellation/delays etc)*

For US-based travellers Travel Insurance Master and for Australian-based travellers Cover-More are companies which both offer travel insurance.

*Advice given in this article is general in nature and is not intended to influence readers’ decisions about investing or financial products. You should always seek your own professional advice that takes into account your personal circumstances before making any financial decisions. We always encourage our readers to compare options when it comes to financial products. Read our full disclosure.

There is a huge range of accommodation options available in the UK to suit all travel budgets and styles including Airbnbs, hotels, B&Bs, cottages and even castles!

We recommend using booking.com for your hotel and apartment accommodation. It is the site we use for our own trips all over the world. The site is easy to use and we find the option to book with free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance of a stay absolute essential. It may cost slightly more but for peace of mind it is invaluable.

Vrbo and Plum Guide are other sites to check for accommodation across the UK. Offering many unusual, quirky and unique choices such as cosy Cotswold cottages, log cabins in the Lake District and castles in Scotland as well as more budget-friendly London accommodation options.

You will find your perfect accommodation in my guides

• London Accommodation Guide
• England Accommodation Guide
• Scotland Accommodation Guide
• Wales Accommodation Guide

Step 8 – Book transport

There are a number of options for getting around the UK including by train, car, bus, internal flights and ferry. In Step 5 you will have identified how you will get around London and the UK so now is the time to book!

If you are arriving at a London airport you will need to know a little about London transport options and the Oyster Card so you are prepared.

I would recommend that you avoid driving in London if you can. London is a busy, congested capital city that is best travelled by foot, cab and public transport.

Consider purchasing a Visitor Oyster Card which can be used to access public transport in the capital. You can also purchase the  Visitor Oyster Card  as part of your  London Pass .

Read more in my full guide to  getting around London using public transport.

How to get around the UK

Hiring a car  and taking some road trips around the UK is an option. If you do plan to hire a car don’t forget that you will need your full licence and ID such as a passport (if your licence was not issued in English you will need an international driving permit)

If you are travelling to the UK and plan to hire a car I would recommend comparing prices before booking – you can compare prices from all major car hire companies from Discover Cars.

If you decide to drive there are some  important points to remember:

• Drive on the left side of the road.
• Most cars are manual (automatics are more expensive to hire)
• Everyone in the vehicle is required by law to wear a seat belt.
• “Gas” stations are called petrol stations and the fuel for your car will either be petrol or diesel. It is important to know which fuel type your hire car requires. We have had friends fill up with the wrong fuel and it was a costly mistake. Petrol is expensive in the UK compared to many other countries around the world so factor this into your budget.
• Roundabouts are common in the UK – give way to traffic on the roundabout which will be approaching from the right.
• It is illegal to use a cell phone when driving in the UK.
• Pay attention to speed limits. Speed cameras are common in the UK and you will be fined if found to be above the limit.
• Children under 12 (or 135 m tall) must use a child car seat.

🚗 Nervous about driving in the UK? Tripiamo is the number one guide teaching Americans how to drive and get around across the United Kingdom.  Read more about Tripiamo

My own personal choice is to travel by train in the UK when possible. It is fairly easy to travel by train between major cities but can become trickier to travel around rural areas such as the Cotswolds, Scottish Highlands, Jurassic Coast etc without a car.

If you enjoy train travel there are many  beautiful scenic rail journeys  to take in the UK. There are also some sleeper train services such as the Caledonian Sleeper which are an adventure in themselves.

For more information our comprehensive guide to travelling the UK by train which was written by my husband (who worked in the UK rail industry for 25 years) is essential – you can find out more about the guide here .

• London to Birmingham  – 1 1/2 hours
• London to Manchester – 2 hours
• London to Edinburgh – 4 1/2 hours
• London to Cardiff – 2 hours

I recommend  The Trainline  for tickets for trains, buses or flights in the UK.

If you are travelling on a budget the cheapest way to travel the UK will be by coach though your journey time will be longer.

The largest company is National Express whose network serves over 1200 destinations. You can check prices and timetables for National Express via the TrainLine which also provides a handy comparison between coach and train times and prices.

If you are really pushed for time flying may be an option. It is important to calculate how long you need to be at the airport before your flight (at least 2 hours with checked baggage and 1 hour without) plus the time to get to and from airports at either end.

Check on Skyscanner for routes and prices.

If you plan to visit the Scottish Islands , the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Wight, the Scilly Isles, and Ireland you will need to take a ferry (though flights may also be an option)

There are many ferry companies in Scotland but the main two are CalMac (for the Inner and Outer Hebrides) and Northlink Ferries (Orkneys and Shetland) If you are planning a road trip around Scottish Islands it is important to book in advance due to limited capacity.

Tickets can be purchased for ferry routes across the UK from Direct Ferries

Ferries to Ireland from the UK are as follows

• Wales – Fishguard to Rosslare and Holyhead to Dublin
• England – Liverpool to Belfast and Liverpool to Dublin
• Scotland – Caimryan to Belfast

> Read more in our complete guide to transportation in the UK

Step 9 – Book attractions, tours and activities

Once you have firmed up your itinerary I recommend booking tickets for any attractions, tours, activities and experiences. This is particularly important during peak seasons for popular attractions such as the Tower of London, London Eye, Churchill’s War Rooms in London, the Roman Baths in Bath, Stonehenge, and the Jacobite Steam Train in Scotland for example.

I recommend purchasing skip the line tickets during the summer months so as to avoid standing in long queues.

There are a number of city and attractions passes available for the UK which may be cost-effective if you are planning to visit many of the most popular sights and attractions.

I recommend listing the cost of each attraction you want to visit in London and comparing the amount to the cost of one of these London Passes.

There are a number of passes available in London including the classic London Pass with access to more than 80 of London’s top attractions, tours, and museums as well as a hop-on hop-off bus ticket and the Go London Explorer Pass which allows you to create your own tour of London with a pass to 2, 3, 4, 5 or 7 top attractions.

The More London for Less 5 Attractions Pass covers Madame Tussauds London, the SEA LIFE London Aquarium, The London Dungeon, DreamWorks Tours: Shrek’s Adventure! London, and The London Eye all on 1 great value ticket.

The Royal Museums Greenwich Day Pass includes the entrance fee to the Royal Observatory and Cutty Sark, a free audio guide at both attractions and access to The National Maritime Museum & The Queen’s House.

The Three Palace Royal Pass includes entry to the Tower of London, Hampton Court and Kensington Palace.

With so many passes to choose from it can be confusing – read my comparison guide to London Passes to help you choose the best one for your needs and interests.

The English Heritage Pass entitles unlimited access to more than 100 of the most important places in English history including castles, abbeys, Roman ruins and prehistoric monuments.

Heritage sites included in this pass are Dover Castle , Stonehenge and Hadrian’s Wall .

The pass is valid for 9 or 16 consecutive days.

• York City Pass – This pass is valid for one or two full days of sightseeing and gives your entry to 25 attractions in York.

Click here for more tours and attractions in York with Get Your Guide

I highly recommend taking some day tours when you are exploring the UK. It is the best way to learn about the places you are visiting as tour guides are always keen to share their knowledge of the history and culture.

Walking tours are also a great way to get your bearings, especially in larger cities such as London. There are lots of fantastic group tours (or private tours if you prefer) available for many popular destinations across the UK.

I recommend the following group tour companies:

Take Walks – Take Walks offer a selection of small group tours in London including VIP access to the British Museum , a VIP tour of the Tower of London and tours of the Houses of Parliament . Their London in a Day Tour is very popular and includes the Tower of London Tour, Westminster Abbey & Changing of the Guards plus a Thames cruise. Find out more about Take Walks London tours here.

LivTours – Another great tour company offering private and semi-private tours of London.

⭐️ Click here for our preferred partners for private driver guided tours

Get Your Guide is a platform that gathers the best activities across the globe in one place which means that they have tons of amazing day trips to choose from all over London and the UK. With free cancellation on most of their tours up to 24 hours before departure they are my go-to for larger group tours and tickets. Click here find more day tour options in the UK!

There are some fantastic experiences waiting for you in the UK from attending a football match to baking scones in the Cotswolds there is something for all the family to enjoy including

• Private London photoshoot with Scalens Studios ( Quote code UKTP10 at checkout for 10 extra images for free)
• A tour of Anfield the home of Liverpool Football Club

For more memorable activities to add to your itinerary take a look at Get Your Guide (our gift guide for Anglophiles also has some great suggestions for once in a lifetime activities.)

Step 10 – Prepare for departure

It is important to know how you will get from the airport to your accommodation and book transfers ahead of time.

There is nothing worse than arriving jet-lagged and feeling disorientated in an unfamiliar environment.

If you are flying into one of London’s major airports (Heathrow or Gatwick) there are a number of options open to you including taking the train, bus or (the more expensive) taxi.

Approximate times to travel from each airport by train into central London are:

• Heathrow – 45 minutes
• Gatwick – 45 minutes
• City Airport – 30 minutes
• Luton – 40 minutes
• Stansted – 50 minutes

If however, you prefer to avoid negotiating the London Underground with your luggage we recommend booking with our preferred partner Riz of XFA Cars which is the less stressful option.

Read more – How to get into London from Heathrow Airport or Gatwick Airport

You will find many places that offer free WiFi in the UK including shopping centres, coffee shops and trains. When booking your accommodation check if free WiFi is included.

If you have an unlocked smartphone consider purchasing a SIM card prior to departure or on arrival at the airport. Another great option is to purchase a portable WiFi device such as the Solis from Skyroam . Quote Tracys Travels at the checkout for a 15% discount. Unfortunately, the Solis is only available to purchase in the USA at the present time.

An alternate option is to purchase a portable device through TravelWifi.

We recommend these apps for London and the UK – just remember to download them before you travel.

Read more – How to access the Internet while travelling in the UK

The UK currency is the Pound Stirling – £

Read – How Should I Bring Money to the UK? A Complete Guide to Cash & Cards

You will find ATM’s all around the UK if you need to withdraw cash though be mindful of currency charges and fees.

Visa and Mastercard are accepted in most places (shops, restaurants, transport etc)

There are 1p 2p 5p 10p 50p £1 £2 and £5 coins as well as notes in the following denominations – £5, £10, £20, £50 and £100.

Contactless transactions are available up to a £30 value (after a number of taps you will be required to enter your pin number so ensure you know what it is!) Ensure you have told your bank of your travel plans prior to departure to prevent them from blocking your card for suspicious usage!

I do recommend carrying some cash. I usually keep £50 worth of notes and change in my wallet.

I have a Wise account (formally Transferwise ) and Wise Mastercard which I use as well as my normal credit cards when I am in the UK. The Wise Mastercard works like a debit card and can be loaded up with your home currency and converted into £££’s when required.

It avoids the charges you would incur using credit cards or your normal bank debit card and is an easy way to handle spending money when travelling.

The exchange rate is excellent and you can hold a number of currencies on your card. At the end of the trip you can transfer any unused currency back into your bank account.

Click here for more information about the Wise card *

If you need to take prescription medications with you on holiday make sure you have enough for the duration of your trip.

If necessary keep a copy of the script with you too in case of an emergency.

I recommend keeping essential medicines in your hand luggage. Although it is rare these days there are still cases of luggage going missing and arriving a few days late (or not at all)

Click to buy – UK Travel Toolkit the perfect resource to organise and track your itinerary

We start packing a few days before our flight just to make sure we have everything and give us time to purchase any last-minute necessities.

Also, consider carefully the type and amount of luggage you plan to bring. If you are travelling by public transport it will be a little a lot more difficult with lots of large suitcases.

Check out my recommended packing list for the UK (for all seasons) which will provide an idea of what to bring as well as recommendations for suitcases and travel bags.

Essentials for your UK packing list include the following items

Read more – Complete packing list for London and the UK (all seasons) & also check out my UK Travel Packing Essentials

This is my suggested timeline for planning and booking your UK travel itinerary.

6 – 12 months in advance

• Plan your itinerary
• Book International flights
• Take out travel insurance
• Book accommodation (for popular destinations if you are visiting during peak times)

3 – 6 months in advance

• Book accommodation
• Book transport (car hire/ train tickets are available 3 months prior)
• Consider booking attractions and tours (especially if travel is during peak season)

1 month in advance

• Book attractions and tours and any restaurants you particularly want to visit
• Book airport transfer
• Buy an Oyster card for London (posted to your home address)
• Buy a Sim card or wifi device for internet access
• Purchase any essential items such as travel adaptors now
• Complete travel planner with all booking information, numbers and essential information.

1 day in advance

• Email or provide hard copies of your itinerary to family members/friends

Start planning your UK trip – step by step

My step by step guide may have given you lots to think about but if you follow each of the 10 steps you will find the process easier and less overwhelming.

My guide to the best booking sites for UK travel also contains useful links and information which compliments and adds to this post.

Why not pop over and join our Facebook community and discover more inspiration, tips and advice to make the most of your UK holiday.

Find more ways to get help planning your UK trip here

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The 50 ages of travel: Our ultimate guide to the rules and restrictions

Your age (and sometimes your height) governs the travelling you can do, from minus 12 weeks to 99 years old, article bookmarked.

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This is the definitive guide to the 50 ages (and six heights) of a traveller.

Minus 12 weeks: The Civil Aviation Authority says: “Most airlines require a certificate after 28 weeks, confirming that the pregnancy is progressing normally, that there are no complications and the expected date of delivery.”

Minus eight weeks: British Airways does not carry women who are pregnant with more than one baby after 32 weeks.

Minus four weeks: BA will not let women with single pregnancies fly after 36 weeks.

Nought: You can travel free on public transport across the UK.

Eight days: Ryanair will let you fly on domestic routes, but your fare may be higher than your mother: the flat infant fare is £25.

You will not be allowed to fly outside the UK with Ryanair because you will not have a passport. However, you can reach Ireland on British Airways, which also has a minimum age of eight days for passengers and does not require a passport for travel within the Common Travel Area – including Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.

Two weeks: EasyJet will let you fly.

Three weeks: Assuming your parents applied for a passport on the day you were born, you can expect it to be delivered by now. Eurostar will take you through the Channel Tunnel from London St Pancras to Amsterdam, Brussels or Paris at any age.

Four months: Neilson will welcome you into its Starfish Creche, with a promise: “We have one nanny for every two babies. Experts in their field, they can recite any Disney song in a flash.” The weekly cost, on top of the price of the holiday, is £390.

The activity operator has eight separate age bands for children’s activities.

Six months: Crystal Ski’s Pepi Penguin Nursery is all yours, until you are four; prices start from £475 for six days.

Many cruise lines will allow you aboard, though for some longer voyages (typically those with three or more consecutive days at sea) the minimum age is one year.

Six months and one day : P&O Cruises will allow you on board most voyages.

Two years: On many scheduled flights you must pay the full fare (less Air Passenger Duty).

And it’s time to start paying the child fare on some trains. The railways of the Canada, Colombia and Namibia will charge you half the adult fare. On “weekday Acela trains” run by Amtrak in the US, it’s the full fare for you.

Three: Time to pay half fare on Taiwanese trains, and on Inca Rail links to Machu Picchu in Peru.

Full fare in Indonesia, but your parents are unlikely to be bankrupted as a result: the 100-mile trip from Jakarta to Bandung clocks in at a reasonable 63,000 Indonesian rupiah (£3), through the handy English-language website en.tiket.com .

What you pay on some other railways depends on how fast you grow.

90cm: You now need to pay half fare on trains in the Philippines. But you can ride on the Peter Rabbit Hippity Hop ride in CBeebies Land at Alton Towers, in the company of an adult.

100cm: Half-fare on Thai and Chinese railways.

110cm: Ditto, in Chile. Back in Alton Towers, you can go on that Peter Rabbit Hippity Hop ride alone.

3ft 8in (112cm): Until this height, you travel free on New York’s subway and buses.

Four: You start paying child fares on Eurostar and on many trains in Australia and New Zealand.

120cm: Time, or rather height, to pay full whack on trains in the Philippines.

Five: Most British and European rail and bus operators charge you half fare – though Transport for London allows anyone aged under 10 to travel free when accompanied by an adult.

Six: Time to pay half fare on Japan’s Bullet Trains. G Adventures’ family trips are now open to you.

Seven: Many of the most generous train operators are in southern Africa: Zambia, South Africa and Botswana Railway; you only start paying half fares now.

Across in Madagascar, though, adult fares now apply.

Eight: Minimum age for the Sydney Harbour Bridge climb – but you must also be at least 120cm tall.

PGL Children’s Camps are now open to you.

140cm: Minimum height for the five most exciting rides at Alton Towers, including Nemesis and Oblivion.

Nine: You are now eligible for some of Exodus Travels’ family activity holidays.

10: Flixbus will carry you on UK journeys on your own with signed permission from a parent.

11: To qualify for free buses and trams in London, and child-rate fares on the Tube, you must pay £15 for an 11-15 Zip Oyster photocard.

12: The age when many aspects of travel get more expensive. Train operators in most European nations insist you should pay full fare. And boys are now banned from ladies’ carriages on trains in Pakistan.

Most of those airlines that offer child fares make you pay full fare from age 12. No 1 Lounges now categorises you as an adult.

But there is some good news: Eurostar will let you travel unaccompanied between London, Brussels and Paris on trains departing before 5pm local time; for Amsterdam and Rotterdam, the minimum age is 16.

14: British Airways will allow you to travel on your own, though your parents/guardians must fill in a form. National Express will allow you to travel unaccompanied.

You can stay in a German youth hostel on your own, with your parents’ consent. And you can start driving with a learner’s permit in the US states of Alaska, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas and North and South Dakota.

15: Intrepid will allow you on many of its trips, if accompanied by someone aged 18 or over.

15 years 9 months: you can apply for a provisional UK driving licence, but you can’t start driving a car until 17.

16: You are now expected to pay full fare on British trains, but you qualify for the 16-17 Saver which costs £30 per year and gets you half price on the railways.

Air Passenger Duty applies to all the flights you take from the UK, adding anything from £13 (short-haul economy) to £200 (ultra long haul in anything but economy).

On an easyJet or Ryanair flight, you can travel unaccompanied.

You can stay in a UK youth hostel without an adult.

Visiting London? You’ll now need the 16+ photocard to qualify for half-price travel, valid until age 18 (residents of the capital get extra benefits).

You qualify for Tui adults-only holidays.

And on a P&O cruise, you can be left unaccompanied on board at a port of call.

17: At last you’re an adult on Mozambique Railways.

18: British Airways, easyJet, Jet2, Ryanair and Virgin Atlantic will accept your application to work as cabin crew.

In New York State and Michigan, Hertz will hire you a car ($84 a day surcharge). And you can rent a car in Saskatchewan without any under-age fee.

19: Hertz will rent you a vehicle in Alabama and Nebraska. And you can legally drink in most Canadian provinces (in Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec the minimum drinking age is 18).

20: You can now legally order a drink in Paraguay.

21: Minimum age for renting a car with Hertz in the UK and many other locations, though a young driver surcharge is likely to apply.

23: Avis will rent you a car in the UK.

24: You are old enough to drive a bus in the UK.

25: Most of the car-rental surcharges vanish, and in the US Hertz will now rent you a Maserati or a Range Rover, but some rental car companies continue to impose restrictions on the kinds of car you can drive.

26: You no longer qualify for the 16-25 Railcard – though you can buy one on the eve of your 26th birthday, and it will be valid for a full year. The 26-30 Railcard takes effect, though its benefits are not as good.

Residents of the European Union must start paying to get into the Louvre (for non-EU residents, the age is 18).

27: You start paying a surcharge for youth hostels in Germany.

28: You are no longer a youth in the eyes of Interrail, which means you lose the discount of up to 25% on unlimited travel passes. Age benefits return when you are 60.

30: Hertz UK will now rent you a Ford Mustang, a Bentley GTC or a Lamborghini.

31: You no longer qualify for the Australia Working Holiday visa unless you are a British, Irish or Canadian citizen, in which case you can stretch it to 35.

36 : You are now too old to stay in a dorm at the Hans Brinker hostels in Lisbon and Amsterdam.

Contiki, the youth travel organiser, will no longer accept you on one of its trips.

40: You are no longer welcome on G Adventures’ 18-to-Thirtysomethings tours.

50: You qualify for Saga holidays (though travelling companions can be as young as 40).

ScotRail invites you to join Club 50 (£15 annually) which is a kind of trainee version of a Senior Railcard. Scotland only, 20 per cent off advance and off-peak tickets. It also features flash sales of £17 return flat fares for any length of journey in Scotland

59 years 50 weeks: you can apply for, and start using instantly, a real Senior Railcard (£30 for a year). This will put you back on a par with those under 30, saving you one-third off rail travel in the UK. If you are feeling in good shape, buy the three-year version, price £70.

60: The National Trust confers a 25 per cent discount on annual subscriptions for the people it describes as its “bedrock”.

The charity says: “With your support, we can keep looking after nature, beauty and history for ever. We want you to be able to stay with us, so that's why this concession is there for you if you need it.

“The most important thing for us is to make sure you can afford to continue your membership and that is why we are happy to offer this concession.”

To qualify, though, you must have been paying the full annual subscription for at least three consecutive years.

Interrail will give you a 10 per cent discount off adult fares. No strings attached.

62: Isola 2000, a French ski resort 90 minutes north of Nice, offers a 16 per cent discount off a lift pass. Give it another decade and things get even better at high altitude (see 72).

65: Start watching for those insurance policies that reject or surcharge older travellers.

Commercial airline pilots must retire in many nations.

All public transport in the city of Prague is free, except for commuter rail services. For trams, trolleybuses and the Metro, there is no need to do anything beyond carrying your passport to prove your age if challenged.

66: Congratulations, you qualify for a bus pass in England (sexagenarians in Wales, Scotland and Greater London gain free transport benefits from aged 60).

70: Private pilots in the UK must start self-declaring to the Civil Aviation Authority that they meet the same health requirements as an ordinary driving licence – which mainly involve visual acuity.

72: Isola 2000 offers free lift passes for everyone this age or more. The same applies for everyone aged 4 or less.

75: Zipcar, which rents cars by the hour, insists that customers aged 75 or more have held a licence for at least two years and have no more than three penalty points.

Europcar will not rent you a car in Argentina or Lebanon. And the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb demands a Certificate of Fitness signed by your GP.

But in the Trois Vallées of France, which claims to be “the world’s largest ski area,” 600km of runs are yours for free.

76: Europcar will no longer rent you a car from Plymouth, Exeter, Taunton or York.

80: Explore will “discuss the itinerary with you before booking you on the trip” and may ask “additional questions about your health and fitness”.

94: You currently qualify for a free UK passport if you were born before 3 September 1929. You can even use the Post Office check and send facility free of charge.

99: Many car rental firms will no longer hire you a vehicle (but Europcar will from most locations in the UK).

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How To Get a UK Pet Passport In 2024 (Complete Guide)

A lot changed in January 2021, when the United Kingdom left the European Union (EU), including the documentation you need to travel from the UK to the rest of the EU with your pet. Thankfully, pets from the UK aren’t required to go into quarantine upon arrival in one of the EU countries, but they do need to have an Animal Health Certificate.

Before Brexit happened, a pet passport allowed UK pets to travel with their owners freely to and from the rest of the EU. The pet passport showed that the pet was up to date on all the vaccinations that they needed to be able to travel and that they were microchipped. However, they’re no longer valid post-Brexit.

Requirements have also changed for pets traveling into the UK from other countries. Read on below to find out more.

You can click on the title of your interest to navigate this article:

• Animal Health Certificate vs Pet Passport

How To Get an Animal Health Certificate

Frequent asked questions.

• Additional Tips
• How Does an Animal Health Certificate Differ from a Pet Passport?

Since Brexit, the EU has moved the UK from its status in the Pet Travel scheme of “Part 1 listed” to “Part 2 listed,” meaning that pet passports are no longer valid for pets traveling from the UK to the rest of the EU. They now require an Animal Health Certificate that has a few more requirements and restrictions attached to it than the old pet passports scheme.

Instead of having one pet passport that shows your pet’s vaccination record and proof of microchipping, an Animal Health Certificate shows details about your pet’s microchip, records of their vaccinations and tapeworm treatment, as well as information on their age, breed, and size. It will also have your details as the owner of the pet. You will only be able to apply for an Animal Health Certificate once your pet is 15 weeks old.

Another change is that UK pet owners are no longer able to travel freely with their pets in and out of the EU as the Animal Health Certificate is only valid for 4 months. The requirements also involve getting your pet vaccinated at least 21 days before your trip, and it can only be issued by a vet within 10 days before you leave.

Although a lot more planning will need to go into your next trip out of the UK and into the EU, getting an Animal Health Certificate isn’t complicated.

• 1. Get Your Pet Microchipped

If your pet isn’t already microchipped, this is the first place to start on your road to getting an Animal Health Certificate, as one won’t be issued to you unless this procedure has been done. A microchip is required for immigration officers to link your pet to the documents you’ve presented them with.

• 2. Get Them Vaccinated

You’ll need to get your pet up to date on all their vaccinations at least 21 days before your trip, so you’ll need to plan your vet visit carefully. Be sure to tell your vet where you plan on traveling to so that they can get the appropriate vaccinations.

• 3. Go Back to The Vet

21 days after your pet’s vaccinations, you’ll need to go back to the vet to get your Animal Health Certificate. However, the certificate needs to be issued to you within 10 days before your arrival. It will not be accepted if it was issued to you by your vet longer than 10 days prior to your arrival in the EU.

Your Animal Health Certificate is only valid if it was issued by an official veterinarian.

• Has Anything Changed for Pets Entering the UK from the EU?

There is no new documentation needed for pets traveling from the EU into the UK as they still have “Part 1 listed” status in the Pet Travel scheme. This means that EU pets can continue to travel to and from the UK with a pet passport, and an Animal Health Certificate isn’t necessary.

• How Can My Pet Get into The UK from Other Countries?

The type of documentation you’ll need for your pet to travel into the UK will differ depending on where you’re traveling from. If you’re traveling from a Part 1 listed country 1 , such as Norway or Iceland, you’ll need a pet passport, which you can get from your vet. It’ll show your pet’s identity and vaccination records, as well as their rabies blood test results.

If you’re traveling from a Part 2 listed country, such as the USA  2 or Australia, you’ll need a Great Britain pet health certificate as they don’t accept pet passports or Animal Health Certificates from Part 2 listed countries. This documentation is similar to an Animal Health Certificate as it’ll need to be completed by a licensed vet within 10 days of leaving for the UK. Your pet will need to be microchipped, receive their rabies vaccination, and get tapeworm treatment if your pet is a dog.

If your documents do not have the correct information or don’t meet the requirements upon arrival in the UK, your pet may have to undergo a quarantine period. Certain dog breeds are banned in the UK, so it’s important to look through that list to make sure your dog isn’t one of those.

• Can I Travel with All My Pets?

A family holiday with all your pets sounds like a wonderful time. However, if you have more than five pets that you’re planning on taking into the EU, you may have to change your plans. One owner can only apply for five Animal Health Certificates and no more. However, there is an exception for those training for a competition, sporting event, or show. However, you’ll need to provide proof of this by providing the registration for the event.

• Before You Travel

It is wonderful to be able to travel with your pet , but it’s important to know that the journey can be very stressful for them. Stress around traveling will be different from one individual pet to another, and most pets that have traveled since they were young should be fine. However, if your pet is highly anxious and may not do well in a new environment or around so many different people, consider leaving them at home in the environment they know with a family member or friend that they’re familiar with.

If your pet is comfortable with traveling , make sure you follow the requirements of the airline or mode of transport you’ll be using. Different airlines often have slightly different requirements around pet safety and carriers, etc. It is also important to check with the hotel or place you’ll be staying if they are pet friendly, as this isn’t always the case.

Before you leave the UK, check with your pet insurance whether they cover emergency vet bills abroad, as some policies have this benefit included and some don’t. In some cases, your policy may state that your pet will only be able to receive vet care abroad in certain countries and not in others. Instead of not being sure and ending up with a hefty vet bill, find out for your own peace of mind.

If you’re traveling from the UK to the EU, you will no longer be able to use a pet passport but, instead, an Animal Health Certificate. The same is true for pets traveling from other countries into the UK that don’t have “Part 1 listed” status. The change came about at the start of 2021 when the UK left the EU and was dropped to “Part 2 listed” status in the Pet Travel scheme.

The change has caused a bit more paperwork and planning for pet owners , but getting the correct documentation isn’t a complicated process.

• Related Read : How Much Does a UK Pet Passport Cost? Price Guide
• admiral.com
• pettravel.com

Featured Image Credit: Monika Wisniewska, Shutterstock

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The Euro 2024 tournament will take place in Germany from 14 June to 14 July 2024. If you are travelling to attend:

• sign up to get  email updates  on Germany’s travel advice and download the official  Euro 2024 app and check the official Euro 2024 website to stay informed of anything that might affect your travel or plans whilst in Germany
• keep your personal belongings and valuables safe, if your passport is lost and stolen, check the Getting help page
• respect local cultural sensitivities (and be aware of possible repercussions). For more information, read the UEFA human rights declaration

Visa and entry requirements

Check the entry requirements for Germany, especially information on passport validity and visa-free travel within the 90-day limit.

Health insurance

Make sure you have appropriate health cover abroad before travelling.

Travel insurance

Get appropriate travel insurance as soon as you book. Check that it covers the places you will visit, the duration of your visit and any planned activities.

Match tickets

Check the Euro 2024 website for ticket information. Only buy match tickets from UEFA . Tickets will be digital and you will need to download them to the UEFA Mobile Ticket App. Make sure your phone is charged and take into account roaming charges in Germany – check with your phone provider before you travel.

Match tickets bought through unofficial means may not be valid. If you sell tickets through unofficial means, you could be prosecuted.

Stadium entry

Entry restrictions may be different for each stadium. Check the Euro 2024 venues guide for more information, as well as the Euro 2024 app . You are allowed to carry a small power bank so that you have enough power on your phone to show your ticket. Make sure you have a valid form of ID on you.

Transport to the event

Transport routes around the stadiums will be very busy during the tournament. Local authorities may ask you to enter or leave the stadium by specific routes. Make sure you:

• plan your journey
• leave plenty of time, particularly on match days

Ticket holders will have access to discounted national and international train tickets, as well as a 36 Hour Travel Pass for public transport.

For more information on travel in Germany during the Euro 2024 tournament, see the official Euro 2024 website or use the Euro 2024 app .

Beer can be stronger than in the UK, so drink responsibly, know your limits and respect local laws. You may not be let into the stadium if you drink too much.

Fan zones and public viewings

Each host city will host the EURO 2024 Festival, with multiple sites in each host city where fans can spend time before and during the matches. Restrictions on what you can take into football villages and live viewing areas may vary between cities. Check the Euro 2024 venues guide for more information as well as the Euro 2024 app .

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Solar eclipse 2024: A traveller’s guide to the best places to be when the light goes out

O n 8 April 2024, a total solar eclipse will sweep across North America , providing an astronomical experience in many alluring locations.

Only a tiny proportion of humanity has ever witnessed a total eclipse – but tens of millions of people will be able to experience one as the “path of totality” sweeps from the Pacific to the Atlantic during the course of that magical Monday.

Here’s what you need to know about why you should see it and where to be.

What happens during a total solar eclipse?

The greatest show on earth comes courtesy of the lifeless moon. Normally the orbiting lunar lump merely provides earth with tides, moonlight and somewhere to aim space rockets. But roughly once a year the natural satellite aligns with the sun and, thanks to a geometric miracle, blots out the hub of the solar system to create a total eclipse.

“Even though the moon is 400 times smaller than the sun, it’s also about 400 times closer to earth than the sun is,” says Nasa. “This means that from earth, the moon and the sun appear to be roughly the same size in the sky.”

A narrow band marking the “path of totality” carves an arc of darkness across the surface of our planet. If you are somewhere on that line at the predicted time, and you have clear skies, then the experience will become a lifelong memory.

The closer you are to the centre of the path of totality, the longer the total eclipse will last. The astronomer Dr John Mason, who has guided dozens of eclipse trips (and will be doing so again in 2024), says: “People down in southwest Texas will get about four minutes 20 seconds, and that reduces to about three minutes 20 seconds up in the northeast. That’s a pretty good, long total eclipse.”

What’s so good about seeing an eclipse?

In the days leading up to the eclipse, locations in the path of totality acquire something of a carnival atmosphere as astronomical tourists converge in excited anticipation.

On the day, the cosmological performance begins with a warm-up lasting more than an hour, during which the moon steadily nibbles away at the surface of the sun.

Suddenly, you experience totality. The stars and planets appear in the middle of the day. The air chills.

To testify to the heavenly fit between our two most familiar heavenly bodies, faint diamonds known as Baily’s beads peek out from behind the moon. They actually comprise light from the sun slipping through lunar valleys.

A sight to behold – so long as you can see the moon blotting out the sun and appreciate the mathematical perfection of nature in our corner of the galaxy.

Eclipses are entirely predictable: we know the stripes that the next few dozen will paint upon the surface of the Earth. But the weather is not. Cloud cover, which blighted the Cornwall eclipse in 1999, downgrades a cosmological marvel to an eerie daytime gloom.

Almost as predictable as the eclipse is that traffic towards the path of totality will be heavy on the morning of 8 April 2024.

Accommodation rates are astronomical: even humdrum motel rooms in Niagara, central in the path of totality, are selling for C$600 (£350) for the night of 7-8 April 2024.

Where will the great American eclipse 2024 be visible?

The path of totality makes landfall from the Pacific at Mazatlan on Mexico’s Pacific Coast and sweeps northeastwards to reach the US-Mexican border at Piedras Negras.

In the US, three big Texan cities – San Antonio, Austin and Dallas – are on the extremes of the path of totality; many citizens are likely to drive to locations near the centre of the line.

Arkansas will be an attractive place to see the eclipse , with both Texarkana (on the border with Texas) and Little Rock within the path of totality.

In the Midwest, Indianapolis and Cleveland share the distinction of being fairly central in the path of totality. In upstate New York, Buffalo and nearby Niagara Falls (shared with Canada) could be extremely attractive – though prone in early April to cloudy skies.

In Canada , Montreal is just touched by the path of totality. The line then reverts to the US, passing across northern Maine – which promises to be a superb with clear skies. Then back to Canada’s Maritime Provinces, with New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland all in the line of darkness.

Will I be able to see a partial eclipse from the UK?

Yes. The eclipse ends with the sunset in the eastern Atlantic, about 600 miles off the coast of Cornwall , before it reaches the UK and Ireland . But on the island of Ireland and western parts of Great Britain, a partial eclipse may be visible with the sun low in the sky.

If skies are clear and you have an open view to the west, it will start at around 7.55pm in Cardiff, Liverpool , Manchester, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

BBC Weather presenter Simon King said: “With the partial solar eclipse occurring late in the day UK time, the Sun will be low to the horizon and will actually set before the spectacle is over.”

Can I combine an exciting city with a partial eclipse?

Boston, New York and Chicago are among the big cities that will see a sizeable chunk of the sun blotted out. Viewer as far apart as Alaska and the far north of Colombia and the Caribbean will, if skies are clear and they use the correct eye protection, see a partial eclipse. But there is nothing to compare with a total eclipse.

Eclipse guru Dr Mason sums up the difference between a 99 per cent partial eclipse and a total eclipse as far apart as “a peck on the cheek and a night of passion”.

“There will be people who will look at the map and say, ‘I live in Cincinnati or I live in Columbus [Ohio] and I’m just outside the zone of totality. But I’m going to get a 99 per cent-plus eclipse, so maybe I won’t bother to travel’.

“What they don’t realise is there an enormous difference between 99 per cent and 100 per cent. And there’s a range of phenomena that they won’t see if they put up with 99 per cent.”

You must use special eclipse safety glasses or viewers when viewing a partial eclipse or during the partial phases of a total solar eclipse.

Where should I be for the total experience?

There are no guarantees of clear skies: all you can do is play the odds based on the record of cloud cover for the corresponding date in previous years.

Dr Mason says the average expected cloud cover amounts increase from around 40-45 per cent on the Mexico/Texas border to over 80 per cent in Maine, New Brunswick and Newfoundland.

Three particularly tempting locations:

• Southern Texas , close to San Antonio or Austin. Besides clear skies being more likely than not, access is easy with direct flights to Austin. Importantly there is much to explore in the region before and after the eclipse, from Big Bend National Park on the Rio Grande to Space Center Houston – an excellent place to continue the cosmological theme.
• Northern Arkansas , a picturesque part of the state, with the added attraction of Memphis just a couple of hours away.
• Niagara Falls : the dramatic border between the US and Canada could be an eclipse washout due to clouds. But the natural surroundings are impeccable – and there is plenty of accommodation, which will avoid the risk of being caught in severe traffic congestion on the freeways from Toronto and locations in New York State.

However, the most recent forecasts for cloud cover suggest that the Midwest around Indianapolis and the northeastern state of Maine could have the best prospects.

When are the next total solar eclipses?

Summer 2026 – Wednesday 12 August, to be precise – should bring a spectacular eclipse visible in northern Spain at the height of the European holiday season. The path of totality begins in the Arctic and crosses Greenland and Iceland before arriving in the northern half of Spain. The stripe of darkness will traverse the great cities of Bilbao, Zaragoza and Valencia in mainland Spain before arriving in Palma de Mallorca.

The following summer (2 August 2027), the southern tip of mainland Spain is in the path of totality for an eclipse that will sweep across North Africa and the Arabian peninsula : going east from the Strait of Gibraltar, it will encompass Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, the northeasternmost corner of Sudan, Saudi Arabia and Yemen.

Just under 12 months later, on 22 July 2028, Outback Australia will be the place to be. A total eclipse will make landfall in northern Western Australia, sweep across the Northern Territory and part of southwest Queensland – then clean across New South Wales, with Sydney in the middle of the path of totality.

Winter cloud cover could disrupt the experience in Australia’s largest city – and is very likely in the southern portion of New Zealand’s South Island where the eclipse reaches a finale.

Australia also features in the cosmological plans on 25 November 2030. This is early summer in the southern hemisphere, and likely to be good conditions for viewing in Namibia, Botswana and South Africa (Durban is on the path of totality) as well as South Australia.

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Bordeaux river cruises: An ultimate guide

From vineyards unfurling as far as the eye can see to wine châteaux straight out of a fairytale, here's everything you need to see on a Bordeaux river cruise

But this is also one of the loveliest and most culturally compelling areas of all France : a beguiling mixture of sublime landscapes and historic and architecture treasures. And one of the best ways of discovering it is by travelling along its gorgeous rivers.

A Bordeaux river cruise offers a classic European escape , where you can soak up the wonders of France at a relaxed pace, while exploring multiple destinations. If you've never experienced a Bordeaux river cruise but have always wanted to, you've come to the right place as we've got an ultimate guide to seeing the city and its surroundings from the water.

Below is everything you need to know before planning a Bordeaux river cruise . And if you're already sold, you'll want to check out Good Housekeeping's exclusive Bordeaux cruises with top chefs Raymond Blanc and Tom Kerridge .

Which river is near Bordeaux?

There are two rivers in the area, the Garonne and the Dordogne, plus the Gironde estuary. Depending on your choice of Bordeaux river cruise , you might travel on all of these as you explore the lovely countryside radiating out from the city.

What are the best things to do on a Bordeaux river cruise?

Most people come to this region to sample some of Bordeaux’s famously excellent vintages at some of its charming wine estates and vineyards – there’s a vast array to choose from.

But there’s plenty more that will catch your interest, from the urban museums, art galleries and historic landmarks of lively Bordeaux itself to archaeological marvels. And as well as browsing farmers’ markets, there are plenty of tempting café terraces on which to install yourselves and indulge in that wonderful French pastime of watching the world go by.

Which wines can I try in Bordeaux and where?

The range of Bordeaux wines, both lesser-known appellations and crus classés , is vast – this is a huge wine-growing region with lots of diversity when it comes to both soils and climatic conditions. And of course, diversity in the styles and methods of its producers.

There are five main categories of Bordeaux wines: reds from the left bank of the Garonne river and the Gironde estuary (including the Médoc and Graves), red wines from the right banks of the Gironde and the Dordogne, including Saint–Emilion; côtes from the hillside vineyards of Bourg, Fronsac and the Côtes de Bordeaux; Entre-Deux-Mers reds and whites from the area between the Garonne and the Dordogne; and white wines from Graves and Sauternes.

What are the best places to stop off at or visit on a Bordeaux river cruise?

North of Bordeaux, on the west side of the Gironde estuary, the 80km Médoc wine route or Route des Châteaux is one of the world’s most famous itineraries for wine buffs, taking you past (or to) an array of prestigious estates in a rich variety of impressive architectural styles.

But wine is not the only regional delicacy – the local oysters are also a must. To work up an appetite, sign up for a cycle tour through some of the vineyards.

Over on the other side of the estuary, Blaye is breathtaking for its UNESCO World Heritage listed citadel by military architect Vauban, constructed to protect Bordeaux from invasions by sea. From Blaye, the Route de la Corniche Fleurie heading south towards Bourg-sur-Gironde is a must for its cave-houses cut into the cliffsides and its views of Lansac windmill. Again, you can sign up for walking tours that immerse you in local history.

VISIT BLAYE WITH GH

Also unmissable is the UNESCO-listed medieval village of Saint-Emilion, close to the looping Dordogne River, with breathtaking architecture and sublime wine-tastings – a walking tour of its cobbled lanes is a great way to combine the two. Don’t miss the underground tunnels from which the sandstone for building the ancient town was mined – some are now used as cellars for maturing wine.

And Saint-Emilion even has a unique part-subterranean church dating from the early 12th century – its three naves, and a small catacomb beneath, were dug into a rocky hillside. Saint-Emilion is also simply a great place just to amble around, with lot of alluring wine shops, patîsseries and cafés.

VISIT SAINT'EMILION WITH GH

Nearby, on the river itself, Libourne is an enchanting fortified harbour town with a quintessentially French feel – not least in its famous farmers' market replete with the best in local cheeses, breads and home-grown produce.

South of here, on the Garonne, Cadillac is one for lovers of dessert wines – grab a tasting of Sauternes in its history-drenched Château Royal de Cazeneuve, where Henry IV and Queen Margot once resided. You can also visit the Château de Malromé, now a wine estate with the added attraction of an art collection in the well-preserved former apartments of one-time resident Toulouse Lautrec.

And don’t forget about Bordeaux itself. This port city has plenty to detain you, including a Gothic cathedral, handsome 18th- and 19th-century mansions and fantastic art museums. Heritage walking tours are a great way to get to know it in the company of a knowledgeable local.

If you’ve not had your fill, its Cité du Vin museum has interactive exhibitions and sensory installations filling you in on winemaking in the region… plus, of course, more wine tastings!

Which cruise lines offer Bordeaux river cruises?

There are many excellent cruise lines offering sailings along the Garonne, Dordogne and Gironde.

AmaWaterways offers a seven-night round-trip sailing from Bordeaux with wine tastings and visits to historic Roquetaillade Castle and Château Boutinet. Their excellent ship, AmaDolce is a luxury home-from-home, where cabins have French balconies, awllowing you to take in those wonderful river views.

Another cruise line offering excellent Bordeaux cruises is Scenic . Their all-inclusive sailings are packed with immersive activities; learn about the winemaking process with vineyard visits and try your hand at rustling up French cuisine in a cooking class.

What are the best Bordeaux river cruises?

The best Bordeaux river cruises are those that allow you to really immerse yourself in the laid-back lifestyle of this glorious French region.

Among other river cruise companies plying these lovely waters are Uniworld. Good Housekeeping ’s exclusive Uniworld trip aboard the elegant S.S. Bon Voyage really allows you to slip into the pace of life here, tasting your way around historic vineyards and indulging in fine French food.

S.S. Bon Voyage offers lots of alfresco seating and serving traditional French fare in La Brasserie, Le Grand Fromage and the poolside Le Café du Soleil – all, quite naturally, accompanied by local wines…

And you’ll even be joined on board by a world-famous Michelin'starred chef, Raymond Blanc . Raymond has a real passion for the food of his home country, and he'll demonstrate how to make delicious French small plates with ingredients fresh from a local market.

FIND OUT MORE

Another option for an unforgettable foodie cruise is Good Housekeeping and Uniworld's Bordeaux adventure with Tom Kerridge . The Michelin-starred chef will host a cooking demonstration and answer your questions in a Q&A session. On both cruises you'll enjoy six days of immersive, flexible and specially curated excursions, including to Château de Malromé, Fort Médoc and Blaye. FIND OUT MORE

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