Top Places to Visit in The UK
- Admin
- Jan 17, 2018
- 10 min read
During my time abroad in the UK, I got the opportunity to travel around the country. Every month, the exchange program would bring us to a significant city where we would take part the ‘typical tourist’ activities.
Besides these planned get trips, we were able to travel out on our own, thanks to Britain's amazing public transport system. Coming from a country where the only way to get around outside of the city is by car, this was a blessing. My Argentinian host sister and I used this to our full advantage, using out bus passes to get to and from certain spots in the area, as well as purchasing train tickets to visit other cities and towns further away.
In a perfect world, I would have been able to see the whole country, from the highlands of Scotland to the cottages of the Cotswolds. But as I was still in school, it just wasn’t possible. Even though I didn’t get to see everything on my list, the places I did get to see were still spectacular.
While there are so many places to visit in historical Britain, some may be better than others, based on your own interests. Out of the places I traveled to, I’ve managed to narrow my list down to my favorites.
So here is my list of the top 5 places to visit in The UK, featuring some of my favorite photos that I took!
5. Bath
Every one of the exchange students I talked to this day agreed: Bath didn’t feel like England. The golden stone buildings that made up the city made it feel much more like mainland Europe- perhaps due to its heavy Roman influence. I was constantly surprised when I heard passer-bys speaking England, instead of Italian, German, or French.
The stunning architecture of Bath was something I had never seen before. Featuring the Bath stone, buildings were long, layered, or even circular. The famous Royal Crescent that hugged a bright green park made the perfect backdrop for our group photo, and we all dreamed of being rich enough to purchase a house there.
The rest of bath was just as beautiful, from the streets lined in the beautiful golden stone, to the maze-like outdoor shopping center. I could see why painting was so popular throughout history; If I lived in a place as lovely as Bath, I’d want to capture it too. And I tried, but photographs couldn’t capture its magnificence as well as my own eyes could.
The highlight of our tour was, of course, the famous Roman Baths, for which the city is known for. As a three-year Latin student, I was definitely fascinated by the remains of this first century AD spa. Although the water didn’t look too pleasant (it was a strange shade of green), the delicately carved statues, flickering torches, and worn stone made the historic bath a sight to behold, even in the rain.
If you want to feel like you’ve entered another country without even leaving the England, Bath is a city that you need to stop at. Even if you aren’t a history fanatic, there is still plenty to see and do around this lovely city.
4. Warner Bros. Studio Tour London
Okay, so maybe this one made it here on the list due to my personal bias. As an avid Harry Potter fan, the studio tour has been on my list of places to go for ages. Filled with props, sets, and costumes from the movie, this is the place to go if you have ever dreamt of going to Hogwarts.
Upon entering the Great Hall, which was decked out for Halloween, I felt as though my wizarding dreams had come true, and I couldn’t help but photograph everything. All the props and costumes were displayed among the sets, or in their own sections, creating almost every area you can think of. From the Burrow to Hagrid’s hut it was easy to find where your most favorite scenes were filmed. Along the way, they scattered interactive activities for the guests. We got the chance to fly on green screen broomsticks, make magic happen at the push of a button, and even learn some wand combat moves.
My personal favorite sections were the large immersive sections, including The Great Hall, The Forbidden Forest, and Diagon Alley. For those few moments, I felt like I was experiencing life as a witch, fulfilling my childhood dream. I even got to try some butterbeer, which (spoiler alert) I wasn’t too crazy about. The butterbeer ice cream on the other hand, I would definitely recommend.
Not only did the studio tour show the props and sets, they also displayed the behind the scenes making of these pieces. Special effects, masks, wigs, FX makeup, and models of the famous places in the movies were all set out for everyone to see. Employees were happy to answer questions about the film, or you could watch the videos they had playing which featured actors like Warwick Davis (Griphook and Professor Flitwick) giving information on how the films were made.
But by far my favorite room in the entire tour had to be the grand finale: Hogwarts castle. The massive scale model was breathtaking. Cast in a haunting blue light, the orchestra music in the background helped set the mood, making even a still model seem alive with magic. I could have stood staring at it in awe for hours, digesting every single detail of the grand castle. Unfortunately, we had a train to catch and still had the gift shop to explore. But I lingered as long as I could, trying to explore each angle of the castle grounds.
If you aren’t a fan of Harry Potter, the Warner Bros studio tour, probably isn’t for you. But for fellow Potterheads, it should definitely be on your bucket list.
3. Stratford-Upon-Avon
If you’re a literature fan, chances are, you’ve heard of this town in the West Midlands. Known as Shakespeare’s birthplace, it is a perfect spot for any fan of the Bard. Even if you aren’t familiar with Shakespeare’s works, you will still find this medieval town beautiful. From the Tudor style buildings, crisscrossed with wooden beams (a refreshing sight from England’s typical red bricks), to the arched Clapton bridge that spans the River Avon, Stratford is beautiful.
My friend’s and I visited this historic town in late October, during our half term break. We were greeted with rather warm and sunny weather, making it the perfect day for exploring. First, we walked down Henley Street, a cute little-bricked road, closed off to cars, lined with boutiques, gift shops, clothing stores, and cafes. Of course, we stopped to take pictures outside of Shakespeare’s birthplace, a brown, half-timbered house, that almost seemed to be sunken in with age. It looked a bit out of place among the modern, brick shopping center, but still, a must see!
Following the street, we passed more Tudor style houses, crisp white contrasted with dark wooden beams. We reached a beautiful park, alive in the beautiful weather. A marketplace was set up, selling everything from art to giant chocolate covered marshmallows. After each purchasing one of these sugary treats, we sat down on a bench facing the river, glittering in the sunlight. Flocks of geese and swans swam about and we watched couples in small boats row by. We later joined them, hopping on a long covered boat that would take us along the river, passing by beautiful houses that were, no doubt, out of my price range.
Overall, Stratford-Upon-Avon was a gorgeous town to visit, especially if you’re lucky enough to catch the weather on a good day. Whether with friends, family or on your own, this historic town is should definitely be on your list of places to go.
2. Westminster
I was in England, London was bound to be on my list somewhere. Ever since I was a child, I wanted to visit London. I wanted to see the palace, the fashion, the red phone booths (which *spoiler* can be found almost anywhere in England), and, of course, Big Ben. In the US, London is worshipped as a trendy city, that almost everyone dreams of visiting. While it may not totally fit the stereotypes we give it, it is certainly a place I think everyone should visit if they get the chance. But as London is quite vast, I decided to pinpoint Westminster for the sake of this list, as it’s where I spent the most time in the city.
As soon as you step out of the Westminster Tube station, you are greeted by the grand clock tower, practically right in the street. Unfortunately, during the time I visited in November, Big Ben was covered by scaffolding, as they were doing repairs. While this was disappointing, from a little ways on Westminster bridge, I could still get that iconic shot.
What I loved about Westminster was how close all of the London icons seemed to be. Standing on the green bridge that I have seen in so many movies, shows, photos, and music videos, I could see Big Ben in one direction, and with a 360 turn, I could see the London Eye lit up in the distance. Past the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace was just a short walk away, through a beautiful park, painted with orange, red, and green autumn leaves.
My only complaint would have been the cold, rainy weather. While this certainly was an authentic London experience, it had to happen the one day I forgot my umbrella. Despite the rain, I still managed to feel fulfilled by my trip to London. Seeing the red lights of the London Eye reflected on the river as I stood on Westminster bridge really made me feel as though I had accomplished something. While I knew I would make it to London someday, I never thought it would be so soon and surrounded by my friends from all areas of the world.
Naturally, if you’re taking a trip to England, you’re probably planning on visiting London. While I don’t need to encourage you to see the city, I highly recommend taking the time to really get to explore Westminster in all its glory.
1. Edinburgh, Scotland
Despite living in and spending almost all my time in England, I’d have to put Scotland as my number one place to go. I was lucky enough to join my exchange program’s excursion to Scotland for a long weekend. While the journey from Birmingham to Edinburgh by coach bus was a long one (almost six hours, not including stops), it was most certainly worth it. The scenery of the English and Scottish countryside was gorgeous, especially against the blue sky. Rolling fields, spotted with grazing sheep, so few trees that you could see miles of patchwork farms, only cut off the mountains on the horizon.
Scotland was especially cold in late November. Driving through the mountains, a soft layer of snow had set itself down on the summits, as well as the trees and hills. My Argentinian host sister was amazed as she saw snow for the first time ever. Although, as a New Englander, snow is a common sight for me, there was still something magical about seeing it coating a quaint Scottish village.
We took a short break at Gretna Green, a cute village, where we got to look out over the countryside, grab a bite to eat, and explore the gift shops. Our tour guide told us how it was famous for weddings, as people could get married at 16 without a parent’s permission. Jokes ensued about us all getting married, and we even got to watch a Scottish bride and groom parade out for wedding photographs.
After a few more hours on the coach, we reached Edinburgh (pronounced Edin-bruh, or maybe Edin-boro, honestly no one really knew, but just not Edin-burg), where the sun was already starting to set. After checking in to our hostel, we trekked up to the castle on the hill (cue Ed Sheeran) in the dark, where we overlooked the city, lit up like stars in the night. Our guide pointed out the different sections of the city, explaining where we could visit the next day during our free time. I looked forward to seeing the historical sections of the city, whereas others wanted to shop along Princess Street or explore the large Christmas market, alive with activity, even after dark.
The next day, we got to do just that. After touring the castle, seeing the crown jewels, and overlooking the whole city from the top of the hill, I went off with some of my friends, exploring the city in the freezing cold. I ended up having to buy gloved, just to survive the bitter wind without my hands falling off. We passed cashmere shop after cashmere shop, eyeing the expensive scarves and shawls. The brown stone buildings and brick streets were a wonder to see. The sight of both tourists and Scotsmen decked out in their plaid kilts was always a laugh, and bagpipes could often be heard, as buskers in full Scottish outfits played for tips in the freezing cold. There was an odd scent of bread and beef that seemed to follow you everywhere you went in the city. I’m still not sure why that was, but it certainly helped set the mood.
As the sunset, my friends and I met back up with the large group of exchange students for dinner, then our evening activity. We ventured off in the dark for a ghost tour, which was both fascinating and sent chills down our spines. After setting the mood by showing us devices of torture (lovely), they led us into the vaults underneath the city. The stone streets under the hustle and bustle of the cozy city above dripped, echoing in the complete darkness. The guide’s flashlight lit the way, casting shadows that made us jump as we feared seeing movements in the corner of our eyes. Telling us animated stories of the poor and homeless, who were kicked off the streets at night, forced to take shelter in these leaky stone vaults underneath the shops. There was crime, abuse, sickness, and death that took place on the same floors we walked upon. While I didn’t see any ghosts, it was an experience I will never forget.
On Sunday, we packed our bags, loaded them back on the coach, then ate a hearty Scottish breakfast. Before we left Edinburgh for the long journey back to England, we got to spend an hour at the National Museum of Scotland, where I hope to visit again someday, as an hour was barely enough time to fully take in the exhibits. The displays were not only interesting, but the architecture of the grand rooms wowed me.
Before I knew it, our weekend was over, and we boarded the bus back to meet our host families. We broke up the trip with a stop in England’s lake district, where we got to take a pleasant boat ride through the mountainous landscapes, in the drizzling rain. While this wasn’t Scotland, it was still nice to see the different landscapes of the UK.
If I had the chance, I would have spent a week in Scotland, or just the city of Edinburgh. It was not only beautiful but filled with so much rich history and so many things to do, see, and explore. While I wouldn’t necessarily recommend visiting in frigid November, it is a city I think that everyone must visit at least once in their life.
Overall, I loved everywhere I visited in England. Just the fact that it seemed so different than what I was used to seeing in America just made it all the more fascinating. But if I know that, given the opportunity, these five places would be where I would happily revisit for more extended periods of time. Even if it’s just for a day, I would highly suggest that you visit these places on your next trip to the UK. I hope that soon I can return and explore even more of what the country has to offer.
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