History, culture, glorious countryside, dramatic coastline – England really does have it all. With so much to see and do, you’re spoilt for choice. Here, Culture Trip lists the best attractions you really shouldn’t miss.
This grand cathedral in the fabulous city of York is one of the largest of its kind in northern Europe. Join a guided “hidden” tour, where you’ll get access to places usually closed to the public, then climb the central tower for unbeatable views over the rooftops and beyond into the Yorkshire countryside.
Inside one of London’s most magnificent Victorian buildings, you’ll find hundreds of exhibits, including the amazing dinosaurs gallery, the Darwin Centre Cocoon and an incredible blue whale skeleton. The museum even hosts movie nights and is home to a romantic outdoor ice rink at Christmas-time.
In the heart of the elegant city of Bath you’ll find the Roman Baths, the unbelievably well-preserved remains of one of the greatest religious spas of the ancient world. The Baths are on the site of the city’s thermal springs and as a result flow with natural hot water. Don’t bother packing your swimwear, though – the water quality isn’t great so you can’t take a dip.
Spend a day taking in the sights of this historic city on a punting tour. Here you can just sit back and relax as you float down the River Cam – with someone else doing all the hard work for you. Once you’re back on land, explore the world-famous university and marvel at the architecture at King’s College Chapel.
Running between Wiltshire and Hampshire, the New Forest was granted royal status by William the Conqueror, and covers more than 566sqkm (219sqmi) of land, making it the third largest forest in the country. It is also one of the most richly populated nature reserves in the UK – there’s virtually no native wildlife you couldn’t spot here, including rarities such as snakes and otters.
Egypt has the Great Pyramids, Mexico has Chichen Itza, England has Sutton Hoo. Discovered in the 1930s, it is the site of several Anglo-Saxon burial mounds dating back to the 6th and 7th centuries, including an entire ship burial filled with treasures, which has since been relocated to the British Museum. Even without these, the site is a marvel to behold and gives an amazing insight into the practices of people from that era.
Additional reporting by Callum Davies