Planning a trip to England? As our home country, we have a lot of travel ideas that will help you get the most out of this diverse destination. This page features all our England guides, including detailed travel itineraries, destination guides, helpful tips and hiking guides.
ENGLAND TRAVEL GUIDES
England is a land where history lives and breathes around every corner, and as residents, we never tire of exploring it.
From the wild beauty of the National Parks to the historic cities with charming medieval streets, England offers remarkably diverse experiences. You can easily combine hiking a dramatic coastal path, visiting a rambling old castle, and exploring a picture-perfect village all in one weekend trip.
We’ve lived in and travelled extensively throughout England, and this page brings together all our England guides to help you plan smarter.
We cover the beautiful English countryside, the unmissable attractions in the major cities and a few hidden gems we think every visitor should experience.
For more of our UK guides, click on the boxes below to go to our other pages devoted to our Britain travel content.
START HERE: OVERVIEWS & ITINERARIES
If you are visiting from abroad, you might want to start with our comprehensive guide to the best places to visit in the UK and our guide about what to see in England.
These will give you an overview of some of the top places we recommend visiting.
We have also developed several itineraries to help you get started with your planning:
WHAT TYPE OF TRIP ARE YOU PLANNING?
One of the things we love about travelling in England is the incredible diversity packed into a relatively compact country. Here are some of our favourite types of trips you can plan.
HISTORY & HERITAGE
England’s history stretches back millennia, from prehistoric stone circles to Roman fortifications, medieval castles to Tudor palaces. The country is a living museum where you can walk in the footsteps of Romans, Vikings, Normans and countless monarchs.
Here are some of the best places to witness British history.
- Things to do in Bath – Roman baths and Georgian architecture.
- York itinerary – Viking heritage and medieval walls.
- Canterbury guide – Ancient cathedral and pilgrimage history.
- A weekend in Rye – One of the best preserved medieval towns.
- Hadrian’s Wall Highlights – See the best sections of the Roman Wall.
HIKING & OUTDOORS
England’s national parks and coastal paths offer some of Europe’s most spectacular hiking. We go to the Lake District every year to hike, and the dramatic cliffs of the Jurassic Coast are breathtaking.
Here are some of our top hiking and outdoor guides for England, each of which contains maps, detailed instructions and practical tips:
- How to hike Scafell Pike – England’s highest mountain
- Lake District circular walks – Including Catbells and the Langdales
- Outdoor adventures in Northumberland – Wild landscapes in England’s north
- Pembrokeshire Coastal Path – Stunning walks on the Welsh coast.
- Cotswolds walking routes – Gentle countryside walks in idyllic countryside.
CITY BREAKS
England’s cities blend ancient monuments, historic old town centres, gritty neighbourhoods, and world-class museums. Each city has its own distinct character and charm, but somehow also remains decidedly English!
Here are some of our top city guides for England.
- What to do in London – Capital city essentials.
- Bath day trip – Georgian elegance and Roman heritage.
- What to do in Oxford – Medieval charm and Viking history.
- Cambridge Day Trip – Beautiful Gothic university town.
- One Day in Whitstable – Try the best oysters in the country.
QUINTESSENTIAL ENGLAND
If you are travelling to England from abroad, there are some experiences that capture the essence of England perfectly: Sunday lunch in a pub, wandering through a bluebell wood in spring, exploring a medieval market town, or settling into a centuries-old pub with a pint.
These are the moments that will define your England trip.
Here are some of our suggestions for experiencing the real England:
- Best Cotswolds villages to visit – Honey-stone country beauty.
- A weekend in Brighton – Escape to a typical English seaside town.
- Hidden Gems in Cornwall – Get off the beaten track in Cornwall.
- Hay-on-Wye – Charming book town near the England / Wales border.
- Free things to do in London – The best experiences that cost nothing.
WHERE TO GO IN ENGLAND?
England packs remarkable diversity into a relatively small area, with each region offering its own character and attractions. Here are the areas we’ve covered most extensively on this blog.
1. THE LAKE DISTRICT
England’s premier hiking destination, the Lake District, combines glacial lakes, craggy peaks and charming villages. The landscape inspired Romantic poets like Wordsworth with its combination of rugged fells, tranquil waters, and ancient woodlands.
This compact national park includes England’s highest mountain Scafell Pike, and has everything from challenging ridge walks to easy lakeside strolls. We go every year and continue to find new places to explore.
2. YORKSHIRE & THE PEAK DISTRICT
Yorkshire is England’s largest county and remarkably diverse. The Yorkshire Dales is a national park of limestone valleys, waterfalls, stone-built villages and dry stone walls. Perfect for hiking and getting off the beaten track.
The Peak District is one of the most visited National Parks in the world, with lush carpets of heather and undulating hills interspersed with charming villages.
3. THE WYE VALLEY & MALVERN
The Wye Valley is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty following the Wye River near the England / Wales border. You’ll find fascinating ruined castles, wooded gorges, rolling hills and charming market towns.
It’s a slightly less-visited part of the country, especially outside the main towns, making it a great addition to your trip.
4. JURASSIC COAST
The Jurassic Coast is a stretch of coastline in southern England that spans approximately 95 miles (150 kilometres) from East Devon to Dorset.
It’s renowned for its geological significance and encompasses popular destinations such as Exmouth, Sidmouth, Lyme Regis, Charmouth, Bridport, Weymouth, and Swanage.
5. COTSWOLDS & THE THAMES VALLEY
The Cotswolds are England’s picture-perfect countryside brought to life—rolling hills, honey-coloured stone villages, and country lanes that wind past ancient churches and manor houses.
This Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty stretches across six counties and is home to some of England’s most photographed villages like Bibury, Bourton-on-the-Water, and Castle Combe.
6. NORTHUMBERLAND
Northumberland is a wild part of England with big landscapes, hidden beaches, rugged coastal paths and more castles than any other county in England.
Inland, Hadrian’s Wall traces the northern frontier of the Roman Empire across wild moorland, while Northumberland National Park is a place of raw natural beauty and ancient history that remains wonderfully uncrowded.
7. DEVON & CORNWALL
Devon and Cornwall form England’s southwestern peninsula, where dramatic Atlantic coastlines host charming fishing villages and moorland landscapes.
The stunning coastal scenery around Cornwall, along with its excellent surfing beaches and distinct cultural identity, makes it a very popular place to visit in England.
Devon is home to two national parks—Dartmoor’s granite tors and Exmoor’s heather-clad hills—plus picturesque seaside towns and cream tea territory.
Together, they’re England’s favourite holiday destination, with mild climates, coastal paths, and a slower pace of life that’s perfect for unwinding.
8. SOUTH EAST ENGLAND
The South East combines historic significance with stunning natural beauty. Beyond London, you’ll find the white cliffs of Dover, the medieval splendour of Canterbury Cathedral, and the bohemian seaside resort town of Brighton.
The South Downs National Park has beautiful rolling chalk hills and scenic walking.
