What to see in United Kingdom: 8 must-sees
Discover what to see in United Kingdom: 8 must-see destinations, from London to Stonehenge. Predominantly UNESCO heritage and city; each entry includes the best time to visit and the link to its official source.
UNESCO Heritage(4)
Explore Stonehenge's stone circle, raised 5,000 years ago on Salisbury Plain and declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986. Archaeologists still debate how the enormous blocks were transported and what the monument was for: temple, calendar, or burial site? Walk the path that circles the monument and watch how the alignment with the summer solstice still marks the sunrise every year.
From the castle, watch the Royal Mile descend toward Holyrood between closes and dark stone buildings that capture 1,000 years of Scottish history. The capital, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995, blends the medieval Old Town with the Georgian New Town. In August, the Edinburgh Festival fills theaters and streets with performances from all over the world. Climb Arthur's Seat at dusk and you'll see the city laid out between the sea and the hills.
Camp by the shores of Windermere and explore the valleys that inspired the poems of Wordsworth and Coleridge, as well as Beatrix Potter's illustrations. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2017, this corner of northwestern England combines sixteen lakes, peaks like Scafell Pike, and stone villages such as Grasmere. Walk the marked trails through the heather, look out for red squirrels and deer, and try the famous local gingerbread after a day's hike under Cumbria's ever-changing sky.
Wander the cobbled streets of York, the ancient Viking and Roman city in northern England where medieval walls still encircle the old town. Stroll down the Shambles, a timber-framed lane that preserves its 14th-century layout, and climb the tower of York Minster, the largest Gothic cathedral in the United Kingdom. Walk along the remains of the Roman wall and discover why UNESCO declared this ensemble a World Heritage Site, a testament to a vanished civilization.
City(2)
Walk along the Thames and cross from Westminster to the City: Buckingham Palace, Parliament and Big Ben mark the axis of what was once the capital of the largest empire in history. Among its 8 million inhabitants and 170 museums you'll find the free British Museum, the Camden and Borough markets, the centuries-old pubs of Soho and the modern skyline of the Shard and the City. Reserve tickets for Tate Modern, hop on the Tube to Greenwich, and see how every neighborhood has its own rhythm.
Climb Carfax Tower to take in the spires of the colleges before exploring on foot the oldest university in the English-speaking world, founded in 1167. Visit the Bodleian Library, cross Christ Church's quad, stroll through Magdalen's gardens along the River Cherwell, and watch student life fill the streets: bicycles propped against walls, pubs like The Eagle and Child, and covered markets where you can grab something hot between visits.
Beach(2)
Stop on the Cornish coast, where cliffs, beaches, and prehistoric stone circles make up a landscape steeped in legend. Explore its 564 km of shoreline, walk across to St Michael's Mount when the tide is out, and visit the ancient tin mines that shaped the region's history. Swim in its clear waters, snorkel among the rocks, and stroll along the fine sandy shore. Here the sea and history always go hand in hand.
Step inside the Royal Pavilion and see how the Prince Regent, the future George IV, turned his seaside retreat at Brighton into an Indo-Saracenic fantasy: onion domes and minarets crown rooms decorated with chinoiserie, golden dragons, and a giant lotus-shaped chandelier in the Banqueting Room. The Regency gardens surrounding it restore the ensemble's 19th-century layout, and when you step outside, the pier and the seafront promenade are just a few steps away to round off your visit.
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