Since it opened in 1707, Fortnum & Mason has been one of London’s best-known department stores. Set on Piccadilly Street, it’s a must-see for visitors who want to peruse luxury goods, enjoy a traditional English afternoon tea, and buy British souvenirs. Another claim to fame is that Fortnum invented the Scotch egg, a classic snack featuring a boiled egg encased in sausage meat and breadcrumbs, so it’s the best place to try this local favorite.
Dominating the street by the Bank of England is Mansion House, a Palladian stately home that’s fronted by a temple portico and flanked by stairs on either side. If it looks important, it’s because it is: This has been the home and office of the Lord Mayor of London since the mid-18th century. While most daily visitors are officials on business, curious sorts can also peek inside on a prebooked guided tour.
Inspiring the 1967 Beatles’ song Strawberry Fields Forever, Strawberry Field in the Liverpool suburb of Woolton functioned as a Salvation Army children’s home from 1936 to 2005. As a boy, Lennon would sneak in to play, and enjoyed watching the band at the annual garden party. These experiences would go on to inform his later songwriting.
Separated from the northern tip of mainland Scotland by the choppy waters of the Pentland Firth strait, the Orkney Islands are an archaeological wonderland. Comprised of about 20 inhabited islands and many more uninhabited ones, Orkney is littered with prehistoric ruins and Viking remnants. The islands’ interiors, a patchwork of heather-clad moors and fertile grasslands, are encircled by superb sandy beaches and sheer coastal cliffs.
The medieval John Knox House is one of the oldest buildings on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. Knox, a prominent Reformation leader, is thought to have lived here in the 16th century, and the building now hosts tours chronicling the life of Knox and the houses’ other famous resident, James Mossman, goldsmith to Mary, Queen of Scots.
Named after Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, the Victoria and Albert Museum (better known as the V&A) houses more than 2.8 million cultural artifacts spanning more than 5,000 years of history. As a museum of art and design, it features treasures from the Victorian era, including the famous Ardabil Carpet, one of the world’s oldest and most celebrated Persian carpets. You can also admire the Raphael Cartoons, a series of large-scale designs for tapestries commissioned by Pope Leo X.
In many ways the ideal of a medieval castle, the imposing Conwy Castle (Castell Conwy) was built for Edward I in 1289, during his conquest of Wales. Featuring crenelated towers and soaring defensive walls, it stands on the River Conwy, near the rugged splendor of Snowdonia National Park. Today, Conwy Castle holds UNESCO World Heritage Site status.
Clifford’s Tower, a semi-ruined 13th-century remnant of York Castle, is also one of the few Norman relics in a city dominated by Viking influence. Nowadays, Clifford’s Tower is one of the most popular and emblematic sights in York, and the panoramic views from the tower’s ramparts make it an excellent starting point for first-time visitors to historic York.
North of the river, this central-west area of the capital is the heart of tourist London. While its borders aren’t precisely defined, most Londoners would agree that the West End encompasses the enclaves of Soho, Covent Garden, Chinatown, Piccadilly Circus, and maybe even Holborn, too. It’s here that London’s top theaters, shops, and hotels all beckon, along with late-night drinking dens and nightclubs.
Butchers, chefs, and restaurateurs converge on the historic Smithfield Market between 2am and breakfast time, when most of London is sound asleep. It’s not a tourist market, nor a treat-for-the-senses food market, but it is a real working part of the capital’s history, where meat has been traded for more than a century. Visits here offer a glimpse of a bustling world that most Londoners and tourists simply sleep through, without knowing much about it.
Between its baroque chapel, extensive gardens, and historic buildings, Trinity is one of Oxford’s prettiest small colleges. Founded in 1555 by Sir Thomas Pope, it occupies a prime position in central Oxford, opposite the landmark Bodleian Library.
Experience the sights, smells, and tastes of a working whisky distillery at Deanston Distillery, picturesquely set by the River Teith at the entrance to Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park. Housed in a former cotton mill, Deanston uses traditional methods to handcraft smooth and sweet single-malt whisky.
Leave the bustling streets of London behind as you explore Kensington Gardens, one of the city’s most famous green spaces. As you stroll among tree-lined avenues and flower-filled walks, you’ll encounter London landmarks such as the gloriously Gothic Albert Memorial and the statue of Peter Pan down by the duck pond. The park is also home to the Serpentine Gallery, which showcases work from contemporary artists and architects.
Castlerigg Stone Circle is one of Britain’s most impressive examples of Neolithic stone circles, dating back some 5,000 years and predating Stonehenge. Add to that the majestic backdrop of Skiddaw, Blencathra, and other mountains, and you can see why this site has drawn admirers for millennia.
Bowness-on-Windermere, or simply Bowness, is one of the main tourist hubs of the Lake District. Located on the banks of Lake Windermere, the town’s picturesque Victorian architecture and good transport connections make it the ideal starting point to explore the surrounding region.
With its stone lions, intricate gateways, and bilingual street signs, London Chinatown showcases the diversity of England’s capital. Located at the heart of the city between culture-rich Soho and the theaters of the West End, this area is one of the capital’s most interesting dining destinations, thanks to its tempting selection of dim sum eateries, traditional teahouses, and hand-pulled noodle specialists. You’ll also find Asian supermarkets, reflexology and massage parlors, and practitioners of Chinese medicine.
The Canongate forms the eastern end of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh’s Old Town. One of the oldest and most historic streets in the city, The Canongate is home to a number of top attractions and historic buildings, including Canongate Kirk, Moray House, Canongate Tolbooth (now People’s Story Museum), and the modern Scottish Parliament.
Perhaps Britain’s most important commemorative monument, the Cenotaph stands proud on Whitehall, just steps from 10 Downing Street and the Churchill War Rooms. Originally created to memorialize troops who lost their lives in World War I, it now honors all British and Commonwealth service members who have fallen in conflicts since 1914.
The former London City Hall is a glass-fronted, space-age structure that once housed the offices of the Mayor of London. But, with soaring rents causing the Mayor to relocate to East London, the riverside building was abandoned to developers. The love-it-or-hate-it landmark—designed by architect Norman Foster, the man behind the Gherkin—is now being transformed into a multi-use retail, restaurant, and office complex complete with urban gardens.
Not to be confused with the more famous Westminster Abbey nearby, Westminster Cathedral is one of the largest and most important Roman Catholic churches in England. Known for its striking neo-Byzantine architecture and red-and-white striped exterior, its interior features intricate mosaics and is decorated with more than 100 different varieties of marble. Visitors can also take the lift up the bell tower viewing gallery for a bird’s-eye view of London.
The Hermitage is a magical stretch of Perthshire forest that was once a pleasure ground for the aristocracy. Today, visitors of all stripes can walk along pathways sheltered by towering Douglas firs to the roaring Black Linn waterfall. Deep in the woods, the Georgian folly known as Ossian’s Hall provides the ideal platform for viewing the stunning waterfall.
London’s Spitalfields neighborhood has been drawing crowds since the 15th century, and today, it attracts locals and travelers alike with its culturally diverse and hip atmosphere. The area is home to an array of places to eat, drink, and shop, including the historic Spitalfields Market, making it a top spot in which to experience local London life.
Dating back to the 15th century, Queens’ College is among Cambridge University’s oldest colleges. The photogenic, river-straddling campus encompasses medieval courtyards; the President’s Lodge, a Tudor-style half-timbered building; and Mathematical Bridge, a wooden arch footbridge constructed entirely from straight timber beams.
Dating from between 2900 and 2600 BC, Avebury is the world’s largest Neolithic stone circle. Originally composed of three stone circles—the largest of which comprised 98 standing stones (though only 27 now remain)—Avebury is truly immense. Though the function of Avebury is not fully understood, it was likely used for pagan ceremonies.
Liverpool’s Royal Albert Dock, formerly an important industrial center, is now home to popular attractions including Tate Liverpool, Merseyside Maritime Museum, and The Beatles Story. Explore its cobbled paths to gain insight into the city’s heritage, marvel at its architecture, or simply unwind in one of the dock’s many bars or restaurants.
The most exclusive shopping street in London, Bond Street is where you’ll find flagship stores for brands such as Burberry, Chanel, Dior, and Louis Vuitton. Running through the heart of Mayfair, the famous street dates back to around 1700 and is split into two sections—Old Bond Street in the south and New Bond Street in the north. Even if you’re not shopping for a designer handbag, it’s a great place to stroll.
Framed by conifer woods, livestock-dotted fells, and peaks, this much-loved beauty spot in the Lake District National Park consists of a large tarn (mountain lake, which was created by combining three smaller tarns in the 19th century. The land, once owned by Beatrix Potter and now managed by the National Trust, is open to the public.
The 800-year-old Carrickfergus Castle is one of the best preserved medieval structures in Ireland. Built in the 12th century by Norman lord John de Courcy, it was used to ward off attacks from the Scots, Irish, English, and French, and also served as a garrison during World War I and an air raid shelter during World War II.
One of Central London’s primary bridges spanning the River Thames, Blackfriars Bridge is both a busy thoroughfare and a historical monument. The landmark bridge in its current form dates to the 19th century, was opened by Queen Victoria, and is distinctive for its red-and-white paint and pulpit-shaped pillars. You can cross Blackfriars Bridge either on foot or in a vehicle.
Founded by Henry VI and boasting a history dating back almost six centuries, Eton College is one of England’s oldest and most prestigious boarding schools. One of only four remaining boys’ boarding schools in the UK, the exclusive college has been attended by politicians, actors, literary icons, and royalty.
