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The Palace of Westminster and Big Ben in late sun, framed by autumn leaves, with Westminster Bridge on the right
The White Tower and the riverside walls of the Tower of London, seen from the Thames on a clear day
Low autumn sun casting long shadows through the Stonehenge sarsens
Entrance to the Making of Harry Potter studio tour at Leavesden
Edinburgh Castle on its volcanic Castle Rock
The Great Bath with Bath Abbey rising behind the terrace

Things to do in the UK: 32 experiences worth the trip

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Photo: Julian Herzog, CC BY 4.0

London

See the Crown Jewels and join a Yeoman Warder tour

Check dates and prices

Photo: Bob Collowan, CC BY-SA 3.0

Amesbury, Wiltshire

Watch early light inside the Stonehenge circle

Check dates and prices

Photo: Cbuske46, CC BY-SA 4.0

Leavesden, Watford

Do the Warner Bros. Studio Tour of the Harry Potter films

Check dates and prices

Photo: Mike Peel, CC BY-SA 4.0

Edinburgh

Book a timed entry to Edinburgh Castle

Check dates and prices

Photo: Saffron Blaze, CC BY-SA 3.0

Bath

Walk round the Great Bath at the Roman Baths

Check dates and prices

Photo: Daniel Lu, CC BY-SA 4.0

The United Kingdom is four countries on one trip: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. This list runs from London's palaces and free museums to the Roman Baths, the Lake District, Highland summits, the Antrim coast and the seabird islands off Northumberland, and each entry says which entrance, which day and which booking actually matter.

Most of the country needs no ticket in advance. A handful of places run on fixed slots or sell out: Edinburgh Castle in summer, the Stone Circle Experience at Stonehenge, the Warner Bros. Studio Tour, Buckingham Palace in its short summer season and any Manchester United home match. Book those first, then build the trip around them.

Visitors from the EU, the US and most other countries now need an Electronic Travel Authorisation before they fly, and EU citizens travel on a passport, not an ID card.

Where to go

4 regions, 16 places

32 things to do in United Kingdom

We earn a commission when you book through our GetYourGuide links, at no extra cost to you.

Low autumn sun casting long shadows through the Stonehenge sarsens

Watch early light inside the Stonehenge circle

Amesbury, Wiltshire

1 hour inside the circleTimed entry

Stand among the sarsens in early light, inside a circle that day visitors only walk around on a path.

Check dates and pricesEarly inner-circle visit from London, with BathTicket guideMore in England
The White Tower and the riverside walls of the Tower of London, seen from the Thames on a clear day

See the Crown Jewels and join a Yeoman Warder tour

London

3 hoursBook ahead

Let a Yeoman Warder show you round the Tower on a tour your ticket already covers, then go and see the Crown Jewels.

Check dates and pricesTower entry with the Crown JewelsMore in London
The Mountain Track zigzagging up the western side of Ben Nevis

Climb Ben Nevis by the Mountain Track

Fort William

7 to 8 hours returnFree

Stand on the highest point in the UK after a full day on the Mountain Track, the walkers' route up from Glen Nevis.

Tours in United KingdomMore in Loch Ness and the Highlands
The Great Bath with Bath Abbey rising behind the terrace

Walk round the Great Bath at the Roman Baths

Bath

Book ahead

Walk the original Roman pavement around the Great Bath's green water, then sit in the same warm water a few streets away.

Check dates and pricesBlue Badge city walk ending with Roman Baths entryMore in Bath
The Ritz hotel's arcaded front on Piccadilly

Take afternoon tea at The Ritz on Piccadilly

London

Book ahead

Settle in for afternoon tea at The Ritz, with scones and pastries refilled on request and cakes wheeled to your table on a trolley.

Tours in United KingdomMore in London
Hexagonal basalt columns of the Giant's Causeway stepping into the sea

Walk down to the basalt columns of the Giant's Causeway

Bushmills, County Antrim

Book ahead

Walk down among the basalt columns of the Giant's Causeway, or follow the clifftop trail to see them from above.

Tours in United KingdomMore in the Causeway Coast
The Palace of Westminster and the Elizabeth Tower from above

Tour the Palace of Westminster and climb Big Ben

London

90 minutes for the guided tourBook ahead

Walk through the Commons and Lords chambers, then climb more than 300 steps up the Elizabeth Tower to see Big Ben.

Tours in United KingdomMore in London
Crowds and performers on Edinburgh's High Street during the Fringe

Pick your shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Edinburgh

Book ahead

With no selection committee, anyone can stage anything at the Fringe, in venues from pub cellars to lecture theatres.

More in Edinburgh
The glass-roofed Great Court of the British Museum

Find the Rosetta Stone and the Parthenon at the British Museum

London

Free

Walk in free, head for the Rosetta Stone in the Egyptian sculpture gallery, then go on to the Parthenon sculptures.

Tours in United KingdomMore in London
The chalk face of the White Cliffs of Dover above the Channel

Walk the White Cliffs of Dover to South Foreland Lighthouse

Dover, Kent

Half a day with the lighthouse walkFree

Follow the white clifftop east to a Victorian lighthouse, with Dover's port and ferries below you on the way.

Tours in United KingdomMore in England
Punts on the River Cam passing King's College Chapel

Punt along the Backs of the Cambridge colleges

Cambridge

Book ahead

Glide past King's College Chapel and the Bridge of Sighs on the Backs, or take the pole yourself and steer, bump and laugh.

Tours in United KingdomMore in Cambridge
The MV Teal of Windermere Lake Cruises at Bowness pier

Cruise England's largest lake from Bowness

Bowness-on-Windermere

Half a day Bowness to Ambleside and backNo booking needed

Hop between Windermere's piers all day, with lunch in Ambleside and a historic steamer down to Lakeside.

Tours in United KingdomMore in the Lake District
Painted houses along Tobermory harbour on the Isle of Mull

Photograph the painted harbour of Tobermory on Mull

Tobermory, Isle of Mull

A full day from ObanBook ahead

Tobermory's painted harbour was the set of Balamory, and as Mull's main town it gives you more to do than the photo.

Tours in United KingdomMore in Scotland
Old Trafford stadium, home of Manchester United

Get into a Manchester United match at Old Trafford

Manchester

About 70 minutes for the stadium tourTimed entry

Watch Manchester United at home among about 74,000 people, if a membership and the ballot get you one of the seats.

Tours in United KingdomMore in England
A large geometric bear mural by Okuda on Sclater Street, Shoreditch

Walk the street art lanes around Brick Lane and Shoreditch

Shoreditch, London

2 hours on footFree

Shoreditch's murals are painted over so often that no map stays right for long; walk a loop and see what is up now.

Tours in United KingdomMore in London
The London Eye on the South Bank of the Thames

Ride the London Eye at sunset

London

30 minutes in the capsule, plus queueingBook ahead

Time your slot to reach the top of the 135-metre wheel in the last light, with Parliament across the river.

Tours in United KingdomMore in London
Stone buildings of the Glenfiddich Distillery in Dufftown

Tour Speyside distilleries on the Malt Whisky Trail

Dufftown, Speyside

Book ahead

Taste your way round the visitor distilleries strung along the River Spey, with Dufftown as your base.

Tours in United KingdomMore in Scotland
Overhanging timber-framed houses along the Shambles in York

Climb York Minster's tower and walk the Shambles

York

No booking needed

Climb 275 steps to the highest point in York, then walk the Shambles early, before the shops open and the crowd arrives.

Tours in United KingdomMore in York
Granite cliffs on the South West Coast Path near Land's End

Walk the coast path from Sennen Cove to Land's End

Land's End, Cornwall

2 hours for the Sennen loop, half a day to PorthcurnoFree

Walk the cliffs either side of Land's End, past coves and headlands to an open-air stage cut into the cliff.

Tours in United KingdomMore in Cornwall
The painted sign of the Eagle and Child pub on St Giles', Oxford

Drink where the Inklings met on St Giles', Oxford

Oxford

No booking needed

Drink real ale at the Lamb & Flag, the other pub the Inklings used, across St Giles' from the shut Eagle and Child.

Tours in United KingdomMore in Oxford
Caernarfon Castle's banded walls from the west at low tide

Walk the walls and towers of Caernarfon Castle

Caernarfon, Gwynedd

No booking needed

Climb the Eagle Tower and walk the walls of a castle whose banded stone was meant to echo Constantinople.

Tours in United KingdomMore in Snowdonia (Eryri)
Puffins on the grass of Inner Farne

Land on Inner Farne among the puffins

Seahouses, Northumberland

Book ahead

Step ashore on Inner Farne among the seabird colonies, at their busiest in May, June and July.

Tours in United KingdomMore in England
The former Royal Yacht Britannia moored at Leith

Tour the Royal Yacht Britannia in Leith

Leith, Edinburgh

2 hoursNo booking needed

Walk the decks of the Royal Yacht from the bridge and state apartments down to the engine room, and stop for tea on board.

Tours in United KingdomMore in Edinburgh
Bedale Street and the Borough Market halls under the railway

Graze through Borough Market under the railway arches

Southwark, London

1 to 2 hoursFree

Come at 9:00 on a Saturday and eat your way through Borough Market's halls before the lunchtime crush.

Tours in United KingdomMore in London
Edinburgh Castle on its volcanic Castle Rock

Book a timed entry to Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh

Timed entry

See the oldest crown jewels in the British Isles and Edinburgh's oldest building, inside the one sight in the city that sells out.

Check dates and pricesTwo-hour guided castle tour, tickets included
The west front of Westminster Abbey with the Victoria Tower behind

See the coronation church at Westminster Abbey

London

Book ahead

Stand where every coronation since 1066 has taken place, then find the tombs of monarchs and Poets' Corner.

Tours in United Kingdom
Entrance to the Making of Harry Potter studio tour at Leavesden

Do the Warner Bros. Studio Tour of the Harry Potter films

Leavesden, Watford

Timed entry

Walk at your own pace through the Great Hall, Diagon Alley and the Hogwarts Express platform at the studio of the Harry Potter films.

Check dates and pricesStudio entry with a guide and the train from Euston
Windsor Castle at the end of the Long Walk

Tour the State Apartments of Windsor Castle

Windsor

Book ahead

Tour the State Apartments of the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world, then walk the Long Walk for the classic view back.

Tours in United Kingdom
Buckingham Palace from the southeast in early morning light

See the State Rooms of Buckingham Palace in summer

London

Timed entry

Walk through the State Rooms of Buckingham Palace in summer, when they open to visitors, and leave through the palace garden.

Tours in United Kingdom
The rock pinnacle of the Old Man of Storr on Skye

Loop the Trotternish peninsula on the Isle of Skye

Isle of Skye

No booking needed

Spend the classic Skye day looping north of Portree, from the Old Man of Storr to a waterfall dropping into the sea.

Tours in United Kingdom
Hadrian's Wall running along the crags west of Housesteads

Walk Hadrian's Wall from Housesteads Roman Fort

Housesteads, Northumberland

No booking needed

Walk on and beside Hadrian's Wall where it runs along the crags west of Britain's most complete Roman fort.

Tours in United Kingdom

Plan your trip

  • When to go

    May, June and September give long days without the August peak. August is festival month in Edinburgh and the city fills months ahead. Puffins are on the Farne Islands from May to July, Buckingham Palace opens its State Rooms only in summer, and the Stone Circle Experience at Stonehenge pauses in October and November. Winter brings short days and early closing, around 16:00, at many castles, but fewer queues in London's museums.

  • How many days

    Ten days covers London plus one other region well: four days in London, then either Bath, Stonehenge and Oxford, or Edinburgh with a Highland loop. Two weeks lets you add the Lake District or a ferry to Mull or Skye. Northern Ireland's Causeway coast works as two or three days from Belfast, or as a long day trip from Dublin.

  • Getting around

    Trains link the cities, and advance fares bought weeks ahead are far cheaper than walk-up tickets on the same route. In London, tap a contactless card or phone on the Tube and buses; daily fares are capped. The Highlands, Speyside, Cornwall and the islands are slow by public transport, so rent a car or join a day tour from Inverness, Edinburgh or Oban. CalMac ferries to the Scottish islands carry cars, but book a vehicle space in summer.

  • Entry rules

    Most visitors, including EU, US and Canadian citizens, need an Electronic Travel Authorisation. It costs £20 on GOV.UK or the official UK ETA app, a decision usually arrives within a day but can take up to three working days, and it lasts two years or until your passport expires. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens need a passport: national ID cards stopped being accepted in October 2021, except for people with status under the EU Settlement Scheme. Irish citizens need neither.

  • Money and payments

    The currency is the pound sterling. Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere, including market stalls and some ticket desks that no longer take cash, such as the Royal Yacht Britannia. Scottish and Northern Irish banks print their own notes; they are legal pounds, but spend them before you leave, as shops in England sometimes hesitate.

Questions travellers ask

Do EU citizens need an ETA to visit the UK?

Yes. EU citizens visiting for tourism need an Electronic Travel Authorisation, which costs £20 on GOV.UK or the UK ETA app and is linked to your passport. Apply at least three working days before you fly, and avoid look-alike websites that charge more.

Can I enter the UK with my national ID card?

Not for a normal holiday. Since October 2021 EU, EEA and Swiss citizens need a valid passport. ID cards are only accepted for people with settled or pre-settled status, a family permit or a few other specific permissions.

Is the Giant's Causeway in the UK or Ireland?

It is in Northern Ireland, which is part of the UK, so prices are in pounds and UK entry rules apply. It is a little over an hour by road from Belfast and a long day trip from Dublin, and many tours from Dublin include it with the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge.

Is the British Museum free?

Yes, the permanent collection is free and open daily from 10:00 to 17:00, until 20:30 on Fridays. Booking a free timed ticket gives priority entry on busy days, and walk-up visitors are let in too. Special exhibitions are paid.

When is the Edinburgh Fringe in 2027?

The 80th Edinburgh Festival Fringe runs from 6 to 30 August 2027. In 2025 it had nearly 3,900 shows in about 300 venues, so book accommodation as soon as your dates are fixed.

How many days do I need in London?

Four full days cover the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey and Parliament, the British Museum, St Paul's and a market or two. Add a fifth for a day trip to Windsor, the Warner Bros. Studio Tour or Stonehenge.

Nearby destinations

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