England

Top 10 London (alphabetical order)

Top 10 day trips (by my favourite order)

There is just so much to do in London that your itinerary can easily deviate from my top 10 list should you have any specific interests in certain areas.

For example, if you are into arts, the National Gallery and the Victoria and Albert Museums will probably be shoo-ins to your itinerary. Or if you are into history, the Churchill War Rooms will certainly be of interest.

If you are football fan, taking a stadium tour or watching a match may be of priority to you as well.

All in all, the above 10 are what I think first timers to London would normally visit to get the essence of the city.

It becomes a lot easier to state my order of preference when it comes to what day trips to make from London. Particularly so for the top 5 of the list. And that is evidently from the fact that I have visited each of the top 5 at least twice. And I have also visited the top 4 of Cambridge, Cotswold, Bath and Windsor at least three times each.

The main cities

London

There is nowhere else to start than the cosmopolitan capital city of London, the bustling and fast-paced city where all the action happens. Whether it’s the infamous political debates, the closely followed movements of the royal family or the fiercest football rivalries in the world, London is likely in the picture. It is also one of the world’s leading business and financial hubs and plays a huge role in impacting the world’s economy.

Therefore, expect to see a huge variety of attractions covering history, architecture, art, literature, culture, politics, nature and sports. There will surely be something that interests you from a huge range of museums, parks, events, festivals, musicals and plays, food and markets, stadium tours as well as world-recognised icons.

Main attractions

When visiting London, you cannot miss seeing the key icons such as the Tower Bridge, the Big Ben, London Eye, Buckingham Palace and the tallest building in the UK, the Shard. Then there are a number of museums that may be of interest, many of which have free entry such as the British Museum, Natural History Museum, and the National Gallery.

Not to forget of course, the Tower of London is one of the top attractions partly because of the working crown jewels on display along with the showcase of medieval and royal history.

Seasonal and special interests

Furthermore, there are also numerous seasonal interests. For example, if you are visiting in winter, then there is the huge theme park Winter Wonderland along with the Christmas markets dotted around central London. Or in spring, you can step into one of the parks for displays of cherry blossoms or tulips – Greenwich Park, Regent Park or Hyde Park to list a few. Also, you can visit the state rooms in Buckingham Palace, when they are open only in summer.

If you are a sports fan, you can also witness a game in the Lord’s Cricket Ground or one of the football stadium tours around London.

Or if you are into performance and arts, then there are a number of long-running musicals, both the classics such as Les Miserables and Phantom of the Opera, modern ones such as Mamma Mia, Wicked and Book of Mormon, or family-friendly ones like the Lion King. Sometimes you also do get short-runs of musicals such as the recent Shrek or Mrs Doubtfire, so catch those if you can!

Harry Potter

And after all these, I haven’t even mentioned Harry Potter yet! Whether it is the Harry Potter Studios, Platform 9 and 3/4, the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child play or the various filming locations around the city, there is always something about Harry Potter around the corner.

Birmingham

Birmingham is the second largest city in England in terms of population, and is located in the central part of England called the midlands. It is served by a huge network of canals that is larger than Venice’s. The canals played a very important role during the Industrial Revolution with Birmingham being the first manufacturing town in England at that time. Trendy bars and cafes line these canals today, particularly around Gas Street Basin and is a nice place to stroll along or relax.

There is increased awareness of the city probably because of the popular British gang series Peaky Blinders. Although a fictional story, the gang Peaky Blinders did exist and operate in Birmingham. Today, there are historical tours in the city covering the facts and operations of the real Peaky Blinders, as well as the attractions featuring the filming locations of the reel Peaky Blinders. One example of such filming location is the outdoor Black Country Living Museum.

Notable attractions that are also family-friendly include Cadbury World, Legoland Discovery Centre and National SEA Life Centre.

Manchester

This is the third largest city in England and is yet another with a network of canals and strong history during the Industrial Revolution era, particularly in textile manufacturing. Today, visitors can understand more about that period in the family-friendly Museum of Science and Industry or take a leisurely stroll around the canals in the Castlefield district.

And of course, with the country living and breathing football, fans of either of the two Manchester football clubs can try watching a match or do a stadium tour. Or if you are not a fan of either, the National Football Museum is a good one for a neutral.

Liverpool

Liverpool is located in the northwestern part of England and is the fourth largest city with a population of about half a million. It has a strong maritime history with it being a key trading port during the 18th and 19th centuries. This is evidently seen in the long waterfront, particularly at the Royal Albert Docks. Today, visitors can visit the numerous museums in the area, relax and have a meal in one of the restaurants, take a leisurely walk around and even take a cruise down the Mersey River.

Whether you are a big fan of the Beatles or just have a passing interest, the city is evidently proud of being the hometown of the band. There are two museums dedicated to them, the Beatles Story and the Beatles Museum, as well as numerous statues and landmarks marking their footprints. The Cavern Club in particular, was where the Beatles used to perform and today is still a popular place for aspiring singers to perform at.

And having mentioned the London and Manchester clubs, Liverpool has also got two Premier League clubs where you can either watch a match or do a stadium tour. The rivalry between these two Liverpool clubs is so strong that there is a full section and video at the Museum of Liverpool dedicated to their rivalry and history.

The English towns and countryside

A visit to England is not quite complete if you don’t also do a day trip or two to the beautiful English towns of the countryside. There are numerous options available from London that are reachable within an hour or two whether you are driving or taking the train.

And if you are a big fan of the Harry Potter movies, then you would be interested to know that a number of these towns were used as filming locations.

Below are some of the notable ones that I have also marked in the map above.

North of London

Arguably the most well-known ones north of London are the two university towns of Oxford and Cambridge. Both towns have colleges that are open to visitors – while some are free for you to enter and explore, some do charge a fee. Make sure to check the opening hours of the colleges and plan accordingly. Especially so if you are visiting during the examination season. One thing I love to do when entering each college is look up its alumni for famous people who studied there and imagine being in their footsteps.

Further north is Stratford-upon-Avon, where you can visit the birthplace of William Shakespeare, his house and even reflect on his life at his grave.

West of London

Cotswolds is a collection of quaint small English towns and is undoubtedly one of the most picturesque and authentic areas of England. The organised tours usually cover the most popular towns such as Bibury, Burford, Castle Combe and Bourton-on-the-Water. Each of the towns are so small that it is common for people to also do a self-drive town-hopping from one to another.

Located at the southern tip of Cotswolds is the town of Bath, one of the loveliest places in the area that features a roman-built bath museum from which the town got its name.

Another two popular places widely visited are Stonehenge as well as the town of Lacock.

South of London

Winchester used to be the capital city before London, and the city features a number of medieval buildings including the Winchester Cathedral, the 13th century Great Hall and the city museum that tells the history of the city. In addition, Winchester was where author Jane Austen died and is buried in the Winchester Cathedral.

Along the south coast, there are also numerous towns such as Brighton, Eastbourne, Hastings and Dover, where many domestic and international travellers go to for their beaches and impressive white coastal cliffs.

Specifically, Brighton is known for its pebble beach, the family-friendly seaside pier with amusement rides as well as The Lanes, which is a labyrinth of narrow and hidden alleyways with restaurants and cafes to relax in.

Dover and Dover Castle played an important role during the war, as its extensive network of Secret Wartime Tunnels was where Operation Dynamo (the evacuation of Allied forces from Dunkirk) was coordinated from. A visit to the castle includes very interesting tours of the Secret Wartime Tunnels as well as the bunkers. Other than that, you can also hike along the White Cliffs of Dover and enjoy its incredible sight.

Scenic places and national parks

Even though there are no impressive mountains, England is not without its scenic places. The key areas that people do talk about are the regions of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Sussex as well as the Lake District and Peak District. It is common especially in the summer when we have domestic and international visitors doing road trips and hikes around these areas.

Cornwall and Devon

I have personally not been to this area in the southwestern tip of England, although they have been on my bucket list for a number of years now. But having lived in London for a number of years, these places have constantly been talked about as one of the most beautiful places in England. This area is particularly blessed with hundreds of miles of beaches, towering cliffs, seaside resorts, hiking trails and beautiful villages.

Sussex and Kent

The south coast is one of my favourite regions in England especially after having done a couple of road trips there myself. Particularly so along the coast between Brighton and Dover due to the impressive white cliffs in this part of the country. My top favourite view is that of the Seven Sisters white cliffs from the Cuckmere Haven beach. You can also do a hike along the Seven Sisters beginning from Birling Gap and ending in the coastal town of Eastbourne.

Along the way, also stop by the towns of Hastings (which now holds the record of having Britain’s steepest funicular) and Rye (with a medieval history).

Lake and Peak districts

These are two national parks located in the northwestern part of England. Lake District is particularly known for its glacial lakes, lush greenery and waterfalls. The area is not only dotted with numerous towns with traditional inns and pubs but also has an abundance of hiking trails. In fact, according to the AllTrails records, there are 1,816 hiking trails in Lake District to choose from.

Peak District is closer towards the central part of England and is known more specifically for its rugged landscapes, limestone cliffs and gritstones. It is also the first national park of the UK! Again, according to AllTrails records, you have 1,422 hiking trails to choose from.

Getting to England

As I have shown above, there are a few key cities in England. All of them are well connected by rail and are served by an international airport.

By air

British Airways is the national carrier of England and offers all-year flights from most major cities all around the world, particularly from around Europe, the United States, Africa and Asia. Most of such flights land in London, so if you are looking to visit the other cities of England, there is a chance you may need connecting flights.

Conversely, with London being a key business and travel hub, numerous other airlines fly frequently into London from their respective home bases as well. Therefore, getting into London by international flight shouldn’t be a logistical difficulty.

By rail

Being part of the UK, the rail networks are seamlessly integrated with that of Wales’ and Scotlands’, making rail travel from these places very easy.

You can also travel direct into London via the Eurostar service from cities of Paris, Brussels, Lille and Amsterdam, the longest journey of which is from Amsterdam at around 4 hours.

By road

It is easy to drive to and from Wales and Scotland from anywhere in England without having to go through any border customs, given that they are all within the United Kingdom.

It is also possible for you to drive to and from France via the car trains that operate in the EuroTunnel. However, do note that cars in France (and in the Eurozone) drive on a different side from in the UK so it can get very confusing if driving from a different side of the car.

Buses may operate from Wales, Scotland and France into England. However, the trains are so fast and so well-connected that I think travelling by train beats travelling by bus or even driving!

By sea

There are boats that operate across the English Channel to France, but they are generally slower and more expensive and so not usually considered by most people.

Getting around England

Inter cities and towns

The train network is generally good and adequate with connecting various towns and cities within England. They are also reliable most of the time and so getting between towns and cities should normally not be a problem. There are a number of different rail operators around the country depending on which areas you are travelling to. For a more centralised train search, you may use Trainline to plan your journey.

Although mostly reliable, train strikes and extreme weather can disrupt public travel at unexpected times. Do check for news updates via Google for any train strikes, especially planned ones, happening in England.

Always check the schedule in advance and refer to the train schedules and platform information at the stations. Make sure to also check the information board at the platform before boarding so as not to board the wrong train.

Outside the towns

It may get a little more difficult to move around if you are planning to travel to the beaches and scenic places, away from the towns and cities. For example, no trains or buses will get you to Cuckmere Haven beach mentioned above to see the Seven Sisters. Whenever you are planning to travel outside of towns and cities, the best way is to get a car and self-drive.

Within cities

Within the major cities, you can easily get around by the comprehensive bus, tram or Underground/Tube network. Other than London, many of them are actually quite small and compact enough to get around by walking.

Similarly, regular train strikes may happen that may disrupt your travel plans. Always Google online for updates on public transport, especially for planned closures and train strikes which are fairly common especially in London.

For London closures and disruptions, please check TFL (Transport for London) status updates for live information.

How can I manage costs?

I found entrance fees to attractions in England generally quite expensive. A visit to a well-known museum or doing a popular activity can in truth, easily cost upwards of £20 or £30. For this reason, I’ll start with city passes you can consider.

City passes

All the 4 main cities discussed above offer passes with many attractions included:

• London Pass
• Birmingham and West Midlands Pass
• Visit Manchester Pass
• Liverpool Pass

The passes are generally also quite expensive, particularly the London Pass, which costs at least £100 for 1 day. However, (and this is depending on your interests), if you can cover about 4-5 of the listed attractions in a day, or 5-6 attractions in two days, the above passes should make the worth. And it generally is easier to make it worth if you get the longer-dated passes.

Browse through the attractions from the list above and do the math before deciding whether to get the passes or not. Due to the large variety of activities you can do in the cities and some of them are either free of charge or not covered by the passes, the worthiness of the passes is highly dependent on your plans and interests.

Rail passes

If you are intending to do a round-England trip covering the main cities along with many of those English towns highlighted above, a BritRail England Pass may very well work for you. The pass also covers the Airport express trains such as the Heathrow Express, Stansted Express and Gatwick Express but does not cover the Eurostar journey to Paris, Brussels or Amsterdam.

There are two types of passes – one for consecutive day travel, and another for flexible days within a month. Once again, make sure to have a good idea of your journeys and do your sums before making the purchase of the passes. Some train journeys may not cost as much, especially if you book the train tickets early.

Should you also plan to visit Scotland or Wales, you should consider the BritRail pass. The BritRail England Pass only covers the region of England.

Travelling within the cities

London

If you are travelling within Central London (Zones 1 and 2) then your travel within the day is capped at a maximum of £8.50, as long as you use the same contactless card for payment on the TFL network. Take note that if you are travelling from Heathrow Airport on the Elizabeth line, it will cost you in the region of £12. And with Heathrow Airport in the region of Zone 6, the cap will be £15.60 for the day.

Birmingham

The city is served by a network of trams and buses and there are a number of different options for unlimited travel on the network. You can read more about them on the West Midlands website. To summarise, a single ticket on the tram costs £2.20 and a day ticket costs £3.20. In addition, a single trip on the bus costs £2.90 and a day ticket costs £4.80. And if you are taking both the tram and bus, then a day ticket is £8.20.

You can pay on the bus or tram by contactless, but if you are paying by cash you will need the exact amount.

Manchester

Manchester is served by the Bee Network which includes the bus, tram and train. Due to the many possible permutations that you can travel on the network, you may refer to this questionnaire to determine which type of ticket best suits your need.

Liverpool

Liverpool is small and compact and so I almost didn’t find the need to take any public transport. The only once I took the bus was to Anfield Stadium and cost £2 a single trip. A trip by the MerseyRail within the city centre will cost £2.50 and that increases the further you travel out of the city (for example if you make a day trip out to Chester).

Since you probably do not need to use much of the transport system as a traveller, I don’t feel like there is a need for any transport passes. Nonetheless, you can check out MerseyTravel for more information.

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