St Ives, Photo by Benjamin Elliott on Unsplash

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The Very Best Places To Go In The UK This Summer

3 weeks ago

The ultimate C&TH guide to summer up and down the country

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The Very Best Places To Go In The UK This Summer

St Ives, Photo by Benjamin Elliott on Unsplash

Wondering where you can escape to for a summer staycation this year? Or maybe you’re just looking for the top spots to visit across the nation? Look no further than this comprehensive guide to the best places to visit in the UK this summer – and every summer for that matter.

If you’re looking for our cultural calendar, find our guide to the British summer social season here, and our guide to events and pop ups across the British Isles here.

Summer Guide: Where To Go In The UK 2025

Giffords Circus

Don’t miss one of the Cotswolds’ loveliest attractions, Giffords Circus, a proper, old-fashioned, village green affair that travels from site to site. There’s not a gimmick in sight.

Newstead Abbey

Historic Houses

Wax lyrical at Newstead Abbey, Nottinghamshire, the ancestral home of Lord Byron. The grounds of this historic house make for a perfect picnic spot in the summer – just mind the peacocks.

Find it: Newstead Village NG15 8NA

Tourists enjoying the sunshine on board the Royal Yacht Britannia

The Queen’s Former Yacht

It’s a year of Royal occasion: admire the Queen’s former yacht, The Royal Yacht Britannia, berthed in Edinburgh. Book in for a private tour to enjoy a glass of champagne on deck and avoid the crowds.

Find it: Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6JH

Callanish Stones

The Callanish Stones on the Isle of Lewis, Scotland were placed there in the Neolithic era where it was a site for Bronze Age rituals. In folklore, the stones were petrified giants who resisted converting to Christianity.

Find It: 12m west of Stornoway off the A859, Isle of Lewis HS2 9DY

A close-up view of North Atlantic Puffins in their nesting grounds at Bemtpon Cliffs Nature Reserve in Yorkshire

Birdwatching

Inspired by David Attenborough’s Wild Isles? Go birdwatching at Bempton Cliffs while the seabird breeding season is underway. Visit between April and July to spot the famous puffins.

Staithes

The Coast

Make for Margate and gaze out across the same beach, sea and skies that inspired more than 100 of JMW Turner’s works – admire them in the seafront gallery sharing the painter’s name.

Or grab an ice cream and wander round the harbour and quaint coastal village of Staithes, North Yorkshire, which used to be one of the largest fishing ports in the North East of England.

You can’t beat a soft baguette crammed with crab caught fresh that morning off the very same shore you are eating it from. The Crab Hut at Brancaster Staithe Harbour in Norfolk will certainly satisfy on that front.

The Best Beaches Near London

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Pretty Gardens

When Stourhead Garden opened in the 1740s it was regarded as ‘a living work of art’. Amble down paths that lead to classical temples, over a Palladian bridge and around the glorious lake.

Find it: 6 High Street, Stourton, Warminster BA12 6QF

Discover more beautiful British gardens here

Bekonscot Model Village

Tower over Bekonscot in Beaconsfield, the oldest original model village in the world and a riot of colour during the summer.

Find it: Warwick Road, Beaconsfield HP9 2PL

Isle of Man

Take a trip to the Foraging Vintners Craft Winery on the Isle of Man, which creates sparkling wines, ciders and ginger beer using homegrown produce. This summer, the winery is hosting a pop-up at the Cosy Nook Beach Bar & Café, where you can enjoy coffee, baked goods and Foraging Vintners’ fizz – all while enjoying spectacular sunset views. foragingvintners.com

At the most southerly point of the isle, you can hop on a boat to a small islet called the Calf of Man, a Manx National Heritage site which is no longer permanently inhabited by people. Along the way you’ll see plenty of sights – the infamous Drinking Dragon, the Chasms, and lots of wildlife including seals, puffins and, if you’re lucky, basking sharks and dolphins. visitisleofman.com

Young athletic man paddling on a SUP stand up paddle board in blue water sea in Montenegro

Paddleboarding

If you’re scared of getting so up close and personal with the icy water, try paddleboarding. Check out our handy how-to guide to get started, before venturing to one of London’s best paddleboarding spots, or reading up on how paddleboarding can help alleviate plastic pollution.

Cold Water Swimming

Cold water swimming is most tolerable in the summer months, with the beating sun evaporating some of the icy chill. Rising in popularity in recent years, the UK is home to a plethora of pretty outdoor swimming spots to test the waters (with plenty of swimming pool options if you’re seeking a safety net). Venture to the west for tidal sea pools dotted around the coastline, from Bude’s 91m sea pool to the lido-sized rock pool at Treyarnon. Most impressive is Penzance’s restored Art Deco Jubilee pool.

Check out our guide to cold water swimming before you head out.

Henry Moore Studios & Gardens

Explore 70 acres of mostly-grazed lands containing Henry Moore’s huge metalcast sculptures that practically cut through the treeline.

Details: All summer long at Henry Moore Studios & Gardens (Dane Tree House, Perry Green, Much Hadham SG10 6EE). henry-moore.org

Photo by Ian Cylkowski on Unsplash

Beautiful Walks

Wales’ beautiful beaches are a must-visit. Start at the long sandy Rhossili beach in South Wales before heading further around the coast for long beautiful walks in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.

In Sutherland, Scotland, a four-mile walk through unruly heather takes you to Sandwood Bay and a mile-long stretch of remote beach. Bring a cricket bat and ball – or your swimsuit if you’re feeling brave.

Summer Festivals

Camp Bestival, the family-friendly sister of Bestival, likes to call itself a ‘festi-holiday’. There is entertainment from DJs and a whole host of fun activities for all ages, held at Lulworth Castle in Dorset (31 July–3 August 2025).

Don’t let appearances be deceiving: while the quaint village of Snape might be small, it packs a mighty cultural punch. Thanks mostly to Snape Maltings, the creative arts campus that is home to the internationally renowned Aldeburgh Music programme and one of the most unique concert halls in the country. It’s at its best in June, during Aldeburgh Festival (13–29 June 2025).

The C&TH Festivals Hub

Holkham

Flower lovers should head to Holkham this summer, where the elegant Walled Garden awaits. A truly special place, Holkham is full of beautiful blooms, joyous birdsong, fascinating buildings to pop into and stunning vistas. It is open to visit every day, and a fun line-up of events – think walking tours, after hours evenings with wine and music, an oil painting workshop and plenty more – making a trip all the more worth it.

Details: Holkham is open all summer at Holkham Hall (Holkham Rd, Wells-next-the-Sea NR23 1AB). See all of the upcoming events at holkham.co.uk

Gusbourne

Gusbourne Estate

Book a vineyard tour and picnic at the picturesque Gusbourne Estate. Soak up the views across Romney Marsh and out to sea as you taste English wine made on site and feast on locally produced cheeses, charcuterie and bread. gusbourne.com

Wakehurst

Kew’s wild Sussex botanic garden, Wakehurst celebrates botanicals in all of their glory. Expect more than 500 acres of diverse landscapes and plants from all four corners of the globe.

Find It: Selsfield Road, Haywards Heath RH17 6TN

Prawn on the Lawn

Cornwall

Heading to Cornwall this summer? Pay a visit to Prawn on the Lawn in Padstow – the buzziest seafood joint every summer. prawnonthelawn.com

Nothing says summer like an ice-cold scoop of creamy goodness. For the best in the business, shop local: an ice cream from Roskilly’s near Helston is made using Jersey milk from the farm’s 125 cows. They make everything from wild cherry with chocolate flakes to own-made toffee flavours, but the vanilla is still the best.

Yorkshire Sculpture Park

The ever-inspiring Yorkshire Sculpture Park’s summer programme includes Curiosity & Wonder, a series of events themed around the importance of creativity and play. Plus, there’s the hundreds of outdoor artworks set amid the 500 acre rolling park for nature and art lovers to enjoy alike.

Find it: Wakefield WF4 4JX

Photo by David Stratton

Lavender Season

The summer months see parts of the Cotswolds turn lilac with the advent of lavender season, making it a particularly aromatic time to visit. Head to Cotswold Lavender Farm in Broadway before the autumn harvest, or just spot the purple fields as you take countryside rambles.

Discover more beautiful lavendar farms here

Wales

Embrace the essence of summer with your lungs full of fresh Welsh air at idyllic country house hotel, Grove of Narberth. Think picturesque Pembrokeshire countryside, with luxurious country comforts in your bedroom, and plenty to explore beyond your doorstep.

Details: Stays at Grove of Narberth start from £390. For more information or to book, please visit grovenarberth.co.uk