5 U.K. Destinations Everyone Should Visit At Least Once

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London’s Great. It’s Just Not British.

I guess you can catch a few glimpses of the Britain of Olde hither and thither, like say, a riverside pub in Kingston upon Thames, one of London’s best preserved outer boroughs, or the posher end of Kensington, but overly-globalized places like Whitechapel or Camden hardly scream England.

They’re lively, sure, but they’re about as traditional as a Tesco meal deal at this point.

I do love the diverse food scene, and unless you’re a proper stickler for cultural preservation, you could make an argument for how exciting London can be when it feels like multiple countries all rolled into one.

But hey, whenever I’m craving a proper full English or a Sunday roast, the anything-but-English capital’s not exactly my destination of choice.

From a graduated Londoner, and someone who’s been up and down Britain in my youth, here are 5 U.K. destinations I feel everyone should visit at least once:

PLUS a quiz at the end to find your perfect match!

5 Bucket List Destinations In The U.K. You Should Visit At Least Once

York, England

One of the oldest towns in Britain, York has an extensive history that can be traced back to Roman times, though it was also at one point an important Viking settlement and, needless to say, a key city in medieval times.

York Minster sits among the most impressive in England, with its soaring towers rising above the maze of gabled roofs in the Old Town, and absolutely mental stained glass. If you’ve got the time, make sure you climb the Central Tower for cracking views over the city.

A short walk from the cathedral, The Shambles is up there with the Street of the Knights in Rhodes and Gdańsk’s Ulica Mariacka as one of the most beautiful medieval streets in Europe: think crooked buildings, cute shops, and medieval vibes throughout. Touristy, but still well worth it.

My favorite thing to do in York, however, is walking the full loop of the City Walls: it’s packed with scenic photo spots, and you get an epic panoramic view of the historic center, with its cathedral and cobbled streets, from a distance.

The Vibe: ancient Roman-era town surrounded by walls

Perfect For: travelers craving a taste of Northern Britain without traveling long distances. York is a short 1h46 train ride from London’s King’s Cross station

The ‘Don’t Miss’ Experiences:

• Ye Olde Starre Inne: a pub that’s allegedly been in operation since 1644, with wooden interiors, a fireplace, and a real Old World atmosphere
• JORVIK Viking Centre: an incredible interactive museum chronicling York’s past as ‘Jórvík‘, a Viking settlement in the Early Middle Ages

Arundel, England

You don’t need to travel all the way to Northern England to get a taste of the Britain of the old days, either: Arundel is an easy day-trip from London, and a picturesque riverside town dominated by a fairytale medieval castle.

Is it just me or even the town’s name reminds me of some make-believe, magical Disney kingdom?

The castle itself is over 1,000 years old, having been funded in 1067 following the Norman Conquest, and it’s a perfectly preserved ensemble of imposing ramparts, watchtowers, and inner keeps. Head up the Norman Keep for stunning views over Arundel itself and the River Arun.

Some of my own personal highlights in the castle grounds include the 14th-century Fitzalan Chapel, the gatehouse and its adjacent barbican (you’ll truly feel like you’ve stepped back in time as you cross it), and the verdant Collector Earl’s Garden. Think Renaissance-inspired pavilions and beautiful flowery displays.

Arundel Town is quite small, mind you, but the pedestrian-friendly streets leading to the unassuming cathedral are a delight to wander, and if you’re in town on the 3rd Saturday of the month, there’s even a lovely English Farmer’s Market usually set up around the quayside area.

The Vibe: Disney-coded castle lining a scenic river

Perfect For: a hassle-free day trip from London, especially if you love old fortresses and the quaint market town atmosphere

The ‘Don’t Miss’ Experiences:

• Arundel Castle: it’s the whole point of coming here. Don’t just see it from afar, make sure you head inside and explore the old chambers, towers, and go up the Norman Keep.
• The Farmer’s Market: every 3rd Saturday of the month. Perfect for buying fresh farm-to-table cheeses and experiencing the English countryside.

Snowdonia, Wales

Not a town, per se, but a whole national park, Snowdonia—or how locals insist on calling it, Eryri—is a glacial range in northwest Wales known for its sweeping plateaus, mahoosive peaks, over 100 lakes, and scenic mountain railways.

I’m talking hundreds of thousands of walking trails, including the 97-mile long Snowdonia Way, from Machynlleth to the storybook castle town of Conwy, a mirror-like, serene Llyn Idwal, a lake surrounded by cragged peaks, and of course, Mount Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa).

The highest mountain in Wales, the Welsh-baptized Yr Wyddfa stands at 3,560 ft above sea level, and one of the coolest paths to the summit is the Snowdon Mountain Railway: a cogwheel train traveling up the mountainside, revealing breathtaking views across the sea to Ireland.

The main departure point is at Llanberis, a sleepy Welsh village at the foot of Yr Wyddfa. Departures are scheduled from late March through October, though I’d advise you to ride it in summer, as it typically only goes as far as halfway up later in the season due to weather conditions.

The Vibe: roadtrip through dramatic nature with views of jagged peaks

Perfect For: outdoorsy folks and nature enthusiasts, as well as families looking for adventure and a bit of fresh-air escapism

The ‘Don’t Miss’ Experiences:

• Llyn Idwal: the most beautiful lake in all of Snowdonia, easily reached from Ogwen Cottage, on the A5 road
• Snowdown Mountain Railway: a cogwheel train summiting the highest peak in Wales. Best visited in the summer months due to weather conditions.

Isle of Skye, Scotland

Having been to Skye three times—and all over Scotland—I can vouch that there’s no more mythical, naturally gifted, or culturally fascinating place.

With a row of colorful houses facing a postcard-ready harbor, Portree is that pacate island capital that asks nothing of you but to slow down, and truly take in the scenery. Oh, if I may add, Antlers Bar and Grill right in the heart of town serves a killer highland cow burger.

I know, the hairy beasts are cute to pet, but I’m afraid they taste even better 🙈

For a bit of hiking, hit up the Old Man of Storr, an iconic pinnacle rock that’s practically synonymous with Skye, or if you don’t mind the ice-cold water (even in summer), and you know your way around natural streams with varying depths, the Fairy Pools are waiting.

As far as old forts go, Dunvegan Castle is the best-preserved and most impressive medieval structure on the island. The historic seat of Clan MacLeod, it’s a stunning fortress on the west side of Skye, near the equally-charming namesake village of Dunvegan.

Skye may be a looooong 5+ hours drive from Edinburgh or Glasgow, past munros, highland lakes, and haunting landscapes, but it’s absolutely worth the (slight) detour, especially if you’re looking for a sense of remoteness, and Gaelic folklore’s your thing.

Additionally, it’s far easier to get to than most Scottish islands compared to, say, Shetland. No ferries needed: it’s connected to the mainland via the Skye Bridge, which spans the stormy Loch Alsh, and crossing back and forth feels as smooth as butter on a scone.

The Vibe: smooth Scottish island getaway without the added trouble of ferry crossings

Perfect For: experiencing Gaelic culture, nature walks, and cold-water swims in summer

The ‘Don’t Miss’ Experiences:

• Mealt Falls: a waterfall cascading directly onto the ocean on the Trotternish Peninsula.
• Portree: the largest settlement and cultural heart of Skye, known for its traditional pub food and pretty harbor

Wells, England

Is it just me who shares this opinion or are English cathedral towns criminally underrated compared to their French or German counterparts? Wells is a clear-cut example of these much-overlooked gems, home to a monumental medieval church that would make the French Notre-Dames blush:

A fine example of British Gothic, Wells Cathedral boasts a sculpture-covered west front, solemn vaulted ceilings, and a peaceful cloister that’s survived the centuries. It’s one of those rare places where you can actually feel a touch of the divine.

Wells also feels irrevocably English: it’s the smallest city in England by population, more like a town of roughly 12,000, and the erosion of social cohesion is hardly a worry here… if you catch my drift. Oh, and it counts as a city because it has a cathedral, the seat of a bishop, so medieval rules apply.

The Market Place, surrounded by old pubs and shops is incredibly picturesque, and if you wander down the Vicars’ Close, you’ll find the oldest purely-residential street in Europe. Cobble-paved, flanked by stone-built, detached houses, and with the cathedral’s central tower for backdrop.

Everyone’s always banging on about Edinburgh’s Circus Lane, but Vicars’ Close in Wells is just as pretty as its Scottish rival in my book.

Oh, and there’s no way you’re coming to Wells and skipping the Bishop’s Palace: a moated medieval residence complete with lush, walled gardens, where peacocks roam freely in summer, it’s all the Bridgerton real-life setting you could ask for.

The Vibe: small, authentically-English cathedral city without the added multicultural fluff

Perfect For: escaping the humdrum of London or Birmingham for a long weekend of church and castle visits, countryside strolls, and hearty pub fare

The ‘Don’t Miss’ Experiences:

• Wells Cathedral: don’t just look at it from the outside. Step inside and actually feel the grandeur.
• The Vicar’s Close: hands down one of the prettiest medieval streets in Europe.

Causeway Coast, Northern Ireland

Stretching for 75 miles from Belfast to Derry (or Londonderry, depending on your cultural sensitivities), the Causeway Coast is my favourite coastal drive anywhere in the U.K., even though it’s not even on the island of Britain itself.

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Most travel publications somehow always forget Northern Ireland when ranking their top British getaways, but it just happens to be one of my go-to areas for nature walks and jaw-dropping scenery on these islands.

You just can’t beat the rugged sea cliffs, the long sandy beaches backed by cliffs, and those sweeping Atlantic views.

The Giant’s Causeway is the main attraction here, and it’s truly nothing short of a geological wonder, with over 40,000 interlocking basalt columns that, according to local myth, were carefully placed there by a giant attempting to bridge the gap between Ireland and Scotland.

Something I wish they told me on my first (of now-many visits), is that you don’t need to pay to access the site. It’s a natural area, at the end of the day. Unless you want to sit down for half-an-hour for a tedious projection, go straight past the Visitor Center.

In summer, crossing the swaying Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, over the azure Atlantic, to a tiny islet offshore, is a must-do, unless you’re scared of heights, and for those fairytale vibes, you might want to swing by Dunluce instead: a medieval castle, partly-ruined, sitting on the edge of a cliff.

This is Northern Ireland, after all, and if you fancy a sip of their world-famous whiskey, make sure you add the Bushmills Distillery to your bucket list. The Loyalist-majority town of Bushmills, where the distillery is located, with its High Street and landmark clock tower, is not to be skipped, either.

Piece of advice? Pack up on those layers of clothing, and bring an umbrella in case, as you never know when the weather might take a turn for the worse.

And from someone who’s spent a fair few winters in the area visiting friends over the years, there’s no way you’re leaving without trying the local dulse: a red, edible alga that grows in the Northern Atlantic. Lighty-salted, and handed to you in a sachet bag from your favorite corner shop. A cracking snack.

The Vibe: beautiful coastal scenery and Northern Irish history

Perfect For: a relaxed weekend trip consisting of beach-hopping, castle ruins, and whiskey tours

The ‘Don’t Miss’ Experiences:

• Giant’s Causeway: a free-to-visit ensemble of basalt rocks, perfectly-grouped, licked by the agitated Irish Sea
• Bushmills Distillery: for a (peaty) taste of Northern Irish history in a staunchly-Loyalist town

Heading To The U.K.? Make Sure You Get Your ETA First

As of this year, Americans are no longer able to travel to the United Kingdom (this includes Northern Ireland) without applying for a travel permit in advance.

If you hold a U.S. passport, you must first apply for an UK ETA, which stands for Electronic Travel Authorization. Sounds bureaucratic, but in reality, it’s a lot less complex than you might think: for once, it’s all online.

Register at UK ETA, upload a clear selfie, provide your passport details, and complete the security questionnaire. At the end, you’ll be required to pay the ETA fee, currently set at £16 (around $22), though that might be rising soon to £20 (over $27), so you might want to get yours before the fee gets hiked.

Once approved, an ETA is typically sent to the email you used during your registration, within seconds, or if furtherverification is required, within a few days. Needless to say, do not leave it until the very last minute, as you cannot board a U.K.-bound flight without a valid ETA.

Safe travels, bruv!

Not sure which to visit first? Take this quiz to find your top 3 ranked!

Vinicius Costa

Vini, our senior lead writer at Travel Off Path, has over 60+ countries under his belt (and currently weaving tales from Paris!), and a knack for turning off-the-beaten-path experiences into informative stories that will have you packing your bags.