Map view
Hyde Park, London
Best time to visit: March-May
Cost: $
- Hyde Park is a large park in Westminster, Greater London, and it is the largest of the Royal Parks that form a chain from Kensington Palace through Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park
- The park was established by Henry VIII in 1536 when he took the land from Westminster Abbey and used it as a hunting ground
- It opened to the public in 1637 and quickly became popular, particularly for May Day parades
- The park also became a place for duels during this time, often involving members of the nobility
Stonehenge, Wiltshire
Best time to visit: March-May
Cost: $
- Prehistoric monument in Wiltshire, that consists of an outer ring of vertical sarsen standing stones, each around 13 feet (4.0 m) high, seven feet (2.1 m) wide, and weighing around 25 tons, topped by connecting horizontal lintel stones
- The whole monument, now ruinous, is aligned towards the sunrise on the summer solstice
- The stones are set within earthworks in the middle of the densest complex of Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments in England, including several hundred tumuli (burial mounds)
British Museum, London
Best time to visit: March-May
Cost: $
- Public museum dedicated to human history, art and culture located in London
- Its permanent collection of eight million works is among the largest and most comprehensive in existence
- It documents the story of human culture from its beginnings to the present
- The British Museum was the first public national museum to cover all fields of knowledge
Hampstead Heath, London
Best time to visit: June-Aug, Sept-Nov
Cost: $
- Ancient heath in London, this grassy public space sits astride a sandy ridge, one of the highest points in London, which rests on a band of London Clay
- The heath is rambling and hilly, embracing ponds, recent and ancient woodlands, a lido, playgrounds, and a training track, and it adjoins the former stately home of Kenwood House and its estate
Buckingham Palace, London
Best time to visit: Jan-May, Nov-Dec
Cost: $
- Buckingham Palace is a London royal residence and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom
- Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the center of state occasions and royal hospitality
- It has been a focal point for the British people at times of national rejoicing and mourning
#36 in Best Landmarks in the World
National Gallery, London
Best time to visit: March-May
Cost: $
- The National Gallery is an art museum in the City of Westminster, in Central London, founded in 1824
- It houses a collection of over 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900
Tower of London
Best time to visit: March-May
Cost: $
- The Tower of London, is a historic castle on the River Thames in central London
- The White Tower, which gives the entire castle its name, was built by William the Conqueror in 1078 and was a resented symbol of oppression, inflicted upon London by the new Norman ruling class
- The castle was also used as a prison from 1100 until 1952, although that was not its primary purpose
- As a whole, the Tower is a complex of several buildings set within two concentric rings of defensive walls and a moat
- The general layout established by the late 13th century remains despite later activity on the site
#55 in Best Landmarks in the World
Big Ben, London
Best time to visit: March-May
Cost: $
- Big Ben is the nickname for the Great Bell of the Great Clock of Westminster, at the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London
- The name is frequently extended to refer also to the clock and the clock tower
- The official name of the tower in which Big Ben is located was originally the Clock Tower, but it was renamed Elizabeth Tower in 2012 to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II
#11 in Best Landmarks in the World
John Rylands Research Institute and Library, Manchester
Best time to visit: June-Aug
Cost: $
- The John Rylands Research Institute and Library is a late-Victorian neo-Gothic building on Deansgate in Manchester
- The library, which opened to the public in 1900, was founded by Enriqueta Augustina Rylands in memory of her husband, John Rylands
- It became part of the university in 1972, and now houses the majority of the third largest academic library in the United Kingdom
Tate Modern, London
Best time to visit: March-May
Cost: $
- Art gallery located in London, that houses the United Kingdom's national collection of international modern and contemporary art, dating from 1900 until today
- Tate Modern is one of the largest museums of modern and contemporary art in the world
#11 in Best Museums in the World
Alton Towers, Staffordshire
Best time to visit: June-Aug
Cost: $
- Theme park and resort complex in Staffordshire, near the village of Alton.
- The park incorporates a theme park, water park, spa, mini golf and hotel complex
- In 2021, it ranked first for attendance among amusement parks in the UK
- Originally a private estate of the Earls of Shrewsbury, Alton Towers' grounds were opened to the public in 1860 to raise funds
- In the late 20th century, it was transformed into a theme park and opened a number of new rides from 1980 onwards
Roman Baths
Best time to visit: March-May
Cost: $
- The Roman Baths are well-preserved thermae in the city of Bath, Somerset
- A temple was constructed on the site between 60 and 70 AD in the first few decades of Roman Britain
- The Roman baths—designed for public bathing—were used until the end of Roman rule in Britain in the 5th century AD
- According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, the original Roman baths were in ruins a century later
Westminster Abbey, London
Best time to visit: March-May, Oct
Cost: $
- Westminster Abbey is an Anglican church in the City of Westminster, London
- Since 1066, it has been the location of the coronations of 39 English and British monarchs, and a burial site for 18 English, Scottish and British monarchs
- At least 16 royal weddings have occurred at the abbey since 1100
#31 in Best Landmarks in the World
Cotswolds, Bibury
Best time to visit: Sept-Oct
Cost: $
- Region along a range of rolling hills that rise from the meadows of the upper Thames to an escarpment above the Severn Valley and Evesham Vale
- The area is defined by the bedrock of Jurassic limestone that creates a type of grassland habitat rare in the UK and that is quarried for the golden-coloured Cotswold stone
- The predominantly rural landscape contains stone-built villages, towns, and stately homes and gardens featuring the local stone
Cambridge University Botanic Garden
Best time to visit: March-May
Cost: $
- Botanical garden located in Cambridge, England, associated with the university Department of Plant Sciences
- In addition to its scientific value, the garden is highly rated by gardening enthusiasts
- It holds a plant collection of over 8,000 plant species from all over the world
- The garden was created for the University of Cambridge in 1831 by Professor John Stevens Henslow (Charles Darwin's mentor) and was opened to the public in 1846
London Eye
Best time to visit: March-May
Cost: $
- Cantilevered observation wheel on the South Bank of the River Thames in London
- It is Europe's tallest cantilevered observation wheel, and the most popular paid tourist attraction in the United Kingdom
- When it opened to the public in 2000 it was the world's tallest Ferris wheel
#20 in Best Landmarks in the World
Natural History Museum, London
Best time to visit: March-May
Cost: $
- Museum that exhibits a vast range of specimens from various segments of natural history
- The museum is home to life and earth science specimens comprising some 80 million items within five main collections: botany, entomology, mineralogy, palaeontology and zoology
- Given the age of the institution, many of the collections have great historical as well as scientific value, such as specimens collected by Charles Darwin
- The museum is particularly famous for its exhibition of dinosaur skeletons and ornate architecture—sometimes dubbed a cathedral of nature—both exemplified by the large Diplodocus cast that dominated the vaulted central hall before it was replaced in 2017 with the skeleton of a blue whale hanging from the ceiling
#17 in Best Museums in the World
Oxford University Museum of Natural History
Best time to visit: March-May
Cost: $
- Museum displaying many of the University of Oxford's natural history specimens
- As well as central exhibits featuring the dodo and dinosaurs, there are sets of displays with contemporary designs but within restored Victorian cabinets, on a variety of themes: Evolution, Primates, the History of Life, Vertebrates, Invertebrates and Rocks and Minerals
Palace of Westminster, London
Best time to visit: Jan-May, Nov-Dec
Cost: $
- Serves as the meeting place for both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
- Its name, which derives from the neighbouring Westminster Abbey, may refer to several historic structures but most often: the Old Palace, a medieval building-complex largely destroyed by fire in 1834, or its replacement, the New Palace that stands today
#49 in Best Landmarks in the World
Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Best time to visit: March-May
Cost: $
- The Victoria and Albert Museum in London is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.27 million objects
- It was founded in 1852 and named after Queen Victoria and Prince Albert
#18 in Best Museums in the World
Adventure Island, Southend-on-Sea
Best time to visit: March-May
Cost: $
- Theme park in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England, and has been a theme park since 1976
- The park contains thirty six rides, retail outlets, and numerous catering outlets
Black Country Living Museum, Birmingham
Best time to visit: June-Aug
Cost: $
- Open-air museum of rebuilt historic buildings in Dudley, West Midlands, England, located in the centre of the Black Country
- The museum occupies former industrial land partly reclaimed from a former railway goods yard, disused lime kilns, canal arm and former coal pits
- Most buildings were relocated from their original sites to form a base from where demonstrators portray life spanning 300 years of history, with a focus on 1850–1950
Blackpool Pleasure Beach
Best time to visit: May, Sept
Cost: $
- Amusement park situated on Blackpool's South Shore, in the county of Lancashire, North West England, founded in 1896
- The park is host to many records, including the largest collection of wooden roller coasters of any park in the United Kingdom
- When it opened in 1994, The Big One was the tallest roller coaster in the world, and also the steepest
- The ride holds the record as the tallest roller coaster in the United Kingdom, and the longest roller coaster in Europe
Loughrigg Fell Circular, Lake District National Park
Walk difficulty: Moderate
Best time to visit: May-June, Sept
Cost: $
- National park in North West England, designated a national park in 1951
- It is the most visited national park in the United Kingdom, and the largest of the thirteen national parks in England and Wales
- Its aim is to protect the landscape by restricting unwelcome change by industry or commerce
Bodiam Castle, Rye
Best time to visit: March-May
Cost: $
- 14th-century moated castle near Robertsbridge in East Sussex, England, built in 1385 by Sir Edward Dalyngrigge, a former knight of Edward III, with the permission of Richard II, ostensibly to defend the area against French invasion during the Hundred Years' War
- Its structure, details and situation in an artificial watery landscape indicate that display was an important aspect of the castle's design as well as defence
- It was the home of the Dalyngrigge family and the centre of the manor of Bodiam
The Shard, London
Best time to visit: March-May
Cost: $
- 72-story skyscraper, in Southwark, London, that forms part of The Shard Quarter development
- Standing 309.6 metres (1,016 feet) high, The Shard is the tallest building in the United Kingdom, and the seventh-tallest building in Europe
- Construction began in 2009; and inaugurated in 2012
- The tower's privately operated observation deck, The View from The Shard, was opened to the public in 2013
#50 in Best Landmarks in the World
Tower Bridge, London
Best time to visit: March-May
Cost: $
- Combined bascule and suspension bridge in London, built between 1886 and 1894
- It crosses the River Thames close to the Tower of London and is one of five London bridges owned and maintained by the Bridge House Estates, a charitable trust founded in 1282
- The bridge was constructed to give better access to the East End of London, which had expanded its commercial potential in the 19th century
#37 in Best Landmarks in the World
Weald and Downland Living Museum, Singleton
Best time to visit: March-May
Cost: $
- Open-air museum in Singleton, West Sussex that covers 40 acres, with over 50 historic buildings dating from 950AD to the 19th century, along with gardens, farm animals, walks and a mill pond
- Along with the buildings, there are "hands-on" activities, like cooking, and weaving, and a number of yearly activities, including seasonal shows, historic gardens weekend and Tree Dressing
#25 in Best Museums in the World
St. Paul's Cathedral, London
Best time to visit: March-May
Cost: $
- Anglican cathedral in London and the seat of the Bishop of London
- It is on Ludgate Hill at the highest point of the City of London
- Its dedication to Paul the Apostle dates back to the original church on this site, founded in AD 604
- The present structure, dating from the late 17th century, was designed in the English Baroque style
- The earlier Gothic cathedral (Old St Paul's Cathedral), largely destroyed in the Great Fire, was a central focus for medieval and early modern London, including Paul's walk and St Paul's Churchyard, being the site of St Paul's Cross