#1 best destination in the world
National Gallery
- Art museum founded in 1824
- #11 of the top 25 museums in the world
- Houses a collection of over 2,300 paintings dating from the 13th century to 1900
Tower of London
- Historic castle founded in 1066 as part of the Norman Conquest of England
- Was a resented symbol of oppression inflicted upon London by the new ruling elite
- Used as a prison from 1100-1952
- #15 of the top 25 landmarks in the world
- UNESCO World Heritage Site
Tower Bridge
- Bascule and suspension bridge built between 1886 and 1894
- Iconic symbol of London
The British Museum
- #4 of the top 25 museums in the world
- Dedicated to human history, art and culture
- Contains eight million works, and is among the largest and most comprehensive collection in existence, having been widely sourced during the era of the British Empire.
The Ruins of St. Dunstan-in-the-East
- Was a Church of England parish church on St Dunstan’s Hill
- The church was largely destroyed in the Second World War and the ruins are now a public garden
Leadenhall Market
- One of the oldest markets in London, dating from the 14th century
- Located in the historic centre of the City of London financial district.
Highgate Cemetery
- There are approximately 170,000 people buried in around 53,000 graves
- Notable both for some of the people buried there as well as for its de facto status as a nature reserve
God’s Own Junkyard
- Art store featuring colorful neon and lightbulb signs and other eclectic pieces
Adventure Island
- #24 of the top 25 amusement parks in the world
Paultons Park
- #10 of the top 25 amusement parks in the world
- Opened in 1983, with over 70 rides and attractions
Stonehenge
- Prehistoric monument that has a ring of standing stones, each around 13 feet high, seven feet wide, and weighing around 25 tons
- The stones are set within earthworks in the middle of the most dense complex of Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments in England, including several hundred tumuli (burial mounds)
- Constructed from 3000 BC to 2000 BC
- Stonehenge could have been a burial ground from its earliest beginnings
- Deposits containing human bone date from as early as 3000 BC, when the ditch and bank were first dug, and continued for at least another 500 years
West Kennet Long Barrow
- Neolithic tomb constructed in 3650 BC, 400 years before Stonehenge
- Recently revealed that the side chambers occur inside an exact isosceles triangle, whose height is twice the length of its base
- The tomb was in use for 1,000 years and 46 people were buried there
- One of the oldest buildings in the world
- UNESCO World Heritage Site
Wayland’s Smithy
- One of the oldest buildings in the world, it’s a chambered long barrow, built in 3460 BC
- UNESCO World Heritage Site
Stoney Littleton Long Barrow
- Neolithic chambered tomb with multiple burial chambers
- Built around 3550 BC
- Excavations in the early 19th century uncovered bones from several individuals
The Roman Baths
- Well-preserved Roman site once used for public bathing
- The Roman Baths themselves are below the modern street level
The Milky Way Adventure Park
- #16 of the top 25 amusement parks in the world
Birmingham Back to Backs
- The city’s last surviving court of back-to-back houses
- Preserved as examples of the thousands of similar houses that were built around shared courtyards, for the rapidly increasing population of Britain’s expanding industrial towns
- Deemed unsatisfactory, and the passage of the Public Health Act 1875 meant that no more were built; instead byelaw terraced houses took their place
- Now operated as a historic house museum by the National Trust
- Built during the 19th century
Woolacombe Beach
- #20 of the top 25 beaches in the world
Royal Albert Dock Liverpool
- Complex of dock buildings and warehouses
- Opened in 1846, it was the first structure in Britain to be built from cast iron, brick and stone, with no structural wood
- First non-combustible warehouse system in the world
- Known as the Albert Dock until 2018, when it was granted a royal charter and had the honorific “Royal” added to its name
- At the time of its construction the dock was considered to be revolutionary in its design because ships were loaded and unloaded directly from or to the warehouses
- However, despite its advanced design, the rapid development of shipping technology meant that, within 50 years, larger and more open docks were required, although the Albert Dock remained a valuable store for cargo
- UNESCO World Heritage Site
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
- Established in 1901
- Museum has 22 galleries, housing a range of exhibits, including Renaissance art, taxidermy, and artifacts from ancient Egypt
Fingal’s Cave
- Sea cave on the uninhabited island of Staffa, known for its natural acoustics
- Became known as Fingal’s Cave after the eponymous hero of an epic poem by 18th-century Scots poet-historian James Macpherson.
Luskentyre
- #13 of the top 25 beaches in the world
Midhowe Chambered Cairn
- Large Neolithic chambered cairn
- Tomb built in 3500 BC
- One of the oldest buildings in the world
Knap of Howar
- One of the oldest buildings in the world
- Built in 3700 BC
- Oldest preserved stone house in northern Europe
Arthur’s Seat
- Main peak of a group of hills in Edinburgh, Scotland
- A view at the top offers panoramic views of the entire city
- UNESCO World Heritage Site
Costs
Number of Days: 29 days
Best Time To Fly: late March-early June, Sept-Nov
Airline ticket: $1,474
Seattle -> London (one way) $559
Edinburgh -> Seattle (one way) $915
Food: $56/day x 29 days = $1,624
Rental Car: $50/day x 18 days = $900
Gas: $291
Entertainment: $245
Airbnb: $106 x 27 days = $2,862
TOTAL: $7,396
