Don't get me wrong, I love London. It's a sifted blend of cultures, history, modernism, art, and literature wrapped up into one charming (and large) city. However if you're going to England and are looking to do more than just stick in the city of London, it can be overwhelming to figure out where to go.
After living in North England and visiting many times since, I often get asked what are my recommendations of other places to see while on holiday. Hence I decided to create a list of some of my favorite spots in England that are - bonus - accessible without having to rent a car (if you're just not feeling brave enough to drive a car on the other side of the road).
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Town: Bath, UK
Length of Stay: 1-2 full days
Travel: accessible via train from London Paddington to Bath Spa here
Favorite things to do:
- Touring Bath Abbey (free for inside, but pay the few pounds and do the private tour to the top- worth the incredible views)
- Tea at The Roman Baths https://www.romanbaths.co.uk/afternoontea
- Tour of the Roman Baths https://www.romanbaths.co.uk/
- We did a private Jane Austen tour which was just absolutely incredible. It was a historian who now does tours and we did a whole tour around the region via car and we even stopped at an adorable pub for lunch.
Looking for a place to stay? For absolutely
luxury and the most exquisite breakfast stay at The Kennard http://www.kennard.co.uk/ or if you’re
looking for something that is a bit more affordable I’d recommend the Windsor http://www.bathwindsorguesthouse.com/
Town: Windsor, UK
Length of Stay: 1 day
Travel: accessible via train. Two stations: Windsor & Eton Central or Windsor & Eton Riverside
Favorite things to do:
Favorite things to do:
- Windsor Castle. Don't short change yourself, this is fascinating and a stunning piece of history. You'll spend most of the day here (more info here)
- Walk around the actual town of Windsor and enjoy the modern shopping in an old world village. Be on the lookout for famous spots like the Crooked House of Windsor
- I had one of the best meals of my life in Windsor! It was a traditional Sunday supper where King Charles mistresses once lived and there are secret underground tunnels that went into Windsor Castle – Drury House Restaurant
Town: York, UK
Length of Stay: 1-2 days
Travel: accessible via train York Station
Favorite things to do:
- If you’re heading up to Scotland this is a fantastic stop. York Minister is one of the most fabulous cathedrals I have ever seen, it rivals the madame herself Notre Dame! Do the tour to the top and on clear days you can see Scotland from the top of the tower.
- Stop for tea in the tea room Betty’s https://www.bettys.co.uk/tea-rooms/locations/york an iconic and historic tea spot
- Spend time getting lost in the catacomb streets of York that is sure to transport you back to another time and place. Pie shops, tea rooms, cafes, wool shops, antique shops galore in this quaint little village.
- Take a tour (or a self guided walking tour) of the city walls
Town: Newbury
Length of Stay: 1 full day
Travel: train + cab/bus - Newbury station (15 min cab ride), or Basingstoke (25 min cab ride) or Whitchurch (10 min cab ride)
Favorite things to do:
Highclere Castle
If you’re a Downton Abbey fan then this is NOT to miss. However visiting here can be tricky and must be pre-planned. As noted on the website (here) they only have a number of "public" pre-reserved tickets and they are usually sold out months of years in advance. When I first saw this I was devastated and thought maybe I wouldn't be able to visit the background of my beloved show. But alas, hope was renwed when I email the Tourism center of Highclere Castle (yes, I'm that person) and inquired about visiting even though I didn't have a ticket.
If you’re a Downton Abbey fan then this is NOT to miss. However visiting here can be tricky and must be pre-planned. As noted on the website (here) they only have a number of "public" pre-reserved tickets and they are usually sold out months of years in advance. When I first saw this I was devastated and thought maybe I wouldn't be able to visit the background of my beloved show. But alas, hope was renwed when I email the Tourism center of Highclere Castle (yes, I'm that person) and inquired about visiting even though I didn't have a ticket.
Basically how it works is on public days (which isn't even day, so pay attention to their calendar), they have a select number of 'walk up' tickets available to purchase at the gate house. However once they're gone, they're gone. So my suggestion is get here as early as possible and stand in queue to reserve your spot. I was the first person in the queue (again, yes I'm that person) and I think they were either highly impressed or laughing at me because they let me into the grounds 30 minutes early. I literally had the entire state grounds to myself (minus the grounds keeper) and I was in h-e-a-v-e-n.
It's absolutely magical both inside the Castle and on the grounds. I spent hours in both and then ended my lovely Downton experience by stopping into the cafe and shop and getting a pot of tea and scone to enjoy outside in the garden. I had to pinch myself to really believe it was real.
Town: Devonshire
Length of Stay: 1 day
Travel: train + cab/bus
Favorite things to do:
- Visit Mr. Darcy’s “Pemberly” a.k.a ChatsworthHouse Lord and Lady Devonshire still live there! It’s stunning. You can spend the whole day wandering the house and gardens. Make sure you check out the beautiful scenery outside and walk up to the small chapel.
- Make a reservation for afternoon tea in the lovely modernized carriage house
