Planning a UK adventure and researching the best places to visit in England? Wondering where to find the most beautiful places in England?

If you’re planning on visiting England, but you aren’t sure where to go and what to add to your England bucket list, this post will take you through all the best and most beautiful places to visit in England. There are lots of places to visit in the UK in general, and many of these are in England.

Travellers tend to give England a hard time for its rainfall but where there’s rain, there are lush greens. The beautiful English countryside, such as that in Yorkshire, the Lake District, Devon and the South Downs will be, without a doubt, one of the highlights of your English adventure and trust me, you’ll be missing the cosy English pub scene within days of departure. The most beautiful places in England are going to blow your mind.

From the bustling cities such as London and Leeds, beachside towns in Cornwall and Dorset, to the many Areas of Outstanding Beauty and national parks, England really holds its own when it comes to choosing a European holiday. England has something to offer everyone and in this post, I’m going to do my very best to tempt you into choosing it as your next destination.

Here are the 28 best and most beautiful places to visit in England…

1. Brighton

Wander through the lanes, take a walk along the lively seafront, enjoy some fish and chips, and then play a few games on the pier. It makes a good day trip in England because it’s just over an hour away from London, but it’s well worth spending a weekend there.

The lanes are my personal favourite. An afternoon spent meandering through the gorgeous shops and cafes is definitely worthy of a place on the best and most beautiful places in England.

See my weekend guide to Brighton here.

A Weekend Guide To Brighton, England: The best things to do in Brighton

2. The New Forest

The Hampshire forest became a national park in 2005. Among the nature, fields, hills and valleys you will see ponies, cattle and deer. It’s one of the most beautiful places in England, especially if you like hiking and walking!

3. Cambridge

This world-famous English city is beautiful! The dazzling architecture (and there’s more than the university!) and the beautiful river give you the perfect balance of city and greenery.

See my 16 hikes in the UK that you cannot miss here.

4. Oxford

Cambridge’s rival, but beautiful in its own right. The university and the architecture are also stunning here, and you can also punt on the river here. Visit both and decide which you prefer for yourself!

See the best walks and hikes to go on in England here.

5. Dorset

Dorset is a beautiful area on the south coast of England. It’s a beautiful area to walk around, looking at wonders such as Corfe Castle, Durdle Door and Hengistbury Head. You can also hike the whole of the Jurassic Coast and search for fossils! Bournemouth is a great city for a beachy day trip, and staying in the famous beach huts should be on everyone’s England bucket list!

A 3-day microgap in Bournemouth, England

For 12 cool things to do in Bournemouth, read this!

For 12 day trips in Dorset, check out this post.

6. Bristol

One of England’s most creative cities, Bristol should definitely be on your England bucket list. The birthplace of Banksy and home to the International Balloon Fiesta, Bristol is definitely one of the coolest places to visit in England.

7. Norfolk

Another area that I love in England is Norfolk. From the historical city of Norwich to the beauty of the lavender fields and the Norfolk Coast, The Wash and The Broads, Norfolk is a beautiful place to visit in the UK if you’re looking to get back to nature.

Check out my guide to Norfolk here.

A weekend at Norfolk Woods Resort and Spa, England

8. Somerset and Wiltshire

Somerset is another region in the south of England worth visiting. I’d love to bring my van here and explore Cheddar Gorge, Stonehenge and Avebury, the dark sky reserve in Exmoor National Park, as well as spending some time exploring the city of Bath.

Somerset is also home to the UK’s most famous festival, Glastonbury, which I’d love to attend one day!

For the ultimate bucket list of festivals to go to, check out this post.

Not sure what to pack for a festival? Here’s my festival packing list!

9. Manchester

Famous for it’s football team, Manchester is definitely one of the best places to visit in England. From its music scene and nightlife to its food scene and culture, you definitely don’t want to miss out.

10. Cornwall

I actually think Cornwall might be one of my favourite areas in the UK. Scrap that, it’s my favourite. It’s the most beautiful place in England for a holiday in my eyes.

The stretches of beautiful coastline make for an amazing road trip: check mine out here. Highlights to build into your Cornwall road trip include Watergate Bay, St Michael’s Mount, St Ives, Tintagel Castle and the Isles of Scilly.

Cornwall Google Map Legend

Get lifetime access to my endless hours of research and time spent on the ground finding the best places to eat, drink, relax and explore in the area. You simply open the Google Map on your device and all my pins are at the touch of your fingertips.

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A 4 Day Roadtrip in Cornwall with a Vintage VW Camper | Where's Mollie - A UK Travel and Lifestyle Blog

11. Canterbury

Canterbury is another stunning area of the UK, and it’s where I held the Global Travellers’ Christmas 2019 getaway!

With a beautiful city centre, featuring an amazing cathedral and other beautiful architecture, it’s a great place for a day trip. It’s also got a beautiful river, and is full of and surrounded by green spaces and nature, so it’s a great place to head for a weekend in England and really sock up that countryside air!

28 places you should visit in England, Canterbury

12. Winchester

Did you know that Winchester used to be the capital of England? Another city famous for its history, Winchester is perfect for a day trip. It’s really easy to see most of the city in a day, and it’s easily accessible from most main towns in the south of England.

13. London

Speaking of capitals, it would just be rude to leave London off this list of places to visit in England! There’s so much to do in London. There’s the hustle and bustle of the markets, walks to go on, the fantastic brunch culture, unique afternoon tea experiences, amazing places to go for cocktails in the evenings… and that barely scratches the surface! You could visit London again and again and still find new things to see and do; it really is the city that keeps on giving.

See 13 reasons why you’ll fall in love with London here.

A complete guide to exploring London during Winter

EXPLORE LONDON ON MY BLOG HERE

14. Isle of Wight

Come rain or shine, this small island just off England’s south coast is well worth visiting. The views of The Needles and the jaw-dropping Bembridge and Culver Downs are incredible, and the sandy and shingle beaches are perfect for a little lie down after a day’s exploring!

15. The Lake District

The Lake District is a must-see in England, and for good reason. Words cannot describe how beautiful this area of England is! From the serenity of Lake Windermere to the challenge of climbing Scafell Pike, I think the Lake District is perhaps the best place to visit in England, if not the UK.

UK National Parks Google Map Legend

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THE BEST WALKS AND HIKES TO GO ON IN ENGLAND

Scafell Pike: A guide to climbing England's highest peak

Day 2 We had retreated to bed pretty early in anticipation of the hike that awaited us this morning. We rose at 6.50am, made our packed lunches and layered up for what looked like a pretty soggy day. Today was the day we were set to climb and summit England’s highest mountain - Scafell Pike which stands at 978m above sea level. Now, there are plenty of routes to take up to the summit of Scafell Pike some longer than others and some certainly more challenging than others. You can see all your options here. Ascending to the summit from Wasdale Head is certainly the most popular route and the one most take when completing Scafell Pike as part of the Three Peaks Challenge. Ascending from Wasdale head makes for a 6.5mile round trip whereas, for example, the route from Borrowdale is approx 10miles. As you know, we were staying at Castlerigg Hall campsite which was actually closest to the Borrowdale route and on the opposite side of the mountain to Wasdale head but because of the poor visibility and predicted rain / wind we were strongly recommended to drive around that side to complete the hike. So with sensible heads on (knowing not to mess with nature) we drove the hour around and parked at the National Trust car park by the start of the route.

Looking for more UK inspiration? Here are my favourite places to visit in the UK!

EXPLORE THE UK ON MY BLOG HERE

16. Northumberland

The beautiful coastline in this county stretches from the Scottish border all the way down to Whitley Bay, a beautiful beach. Hadrian’s Wall is also part of Northumberland, and you can walk the Hadrian’s Wall national path which stretches from east to west, coast to coast. Other areas I’d love to explore in Northumberland are Alnwick Castle and Holy Island.

17. Suffolk

Full of quaint villages, medieval towns and buckets full of countryside, Suffolk is the perfect area for an England road trip! Check out my road trip to Suffolk here.

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Don’t forget anything: here’s my UK road trip checklist.

18. The Cotswolds

If the picture-perfect villages aren’t reason enough to visit in themselves, what about the cheese, cider and delicious local food? Stretching over five counties, the Cotswolds is huge (the biggest AONB) and home to loads of adventure. It’s a great place to visit in England for everyone, whether you want to snuggle up in a cottage, try mountain biking, go cheese rolling, or enjoy a leisurely countryside hike.

Here’s my complete guide to planning a UK road trip!

19. South Downs

Rolling hills that go beyond the horizon, picking your own veg for dinner and hanging out with alpacas… why wouldn’t you want to visit the South Downs?!

Check out my trip to the South Downs here.

Fun ideas for a 3-day microgap in the South Downs, West Sussex

20. Liverpool

I haven’t been to Liverpool (yet), but I’ve heard it’s amazing. With some of the most friendly people in the UK and great nightlife, you’re guaranteed to have a lot of fun! Liverpool also has a great music and culture scene that is well worth diving into.

21. Birmingham

Another big city, but another great place to visit in England! With great food, music, and architecture, as well as friendly locals, you won’t run out of things to do in Birmingham. It’s also great for shopping, and the village of Bourneville (home to Cadbury World!) isn’t too far out the city centre either.

22. Devon

Devon is a really popular place to visit in the UK, but it’s easy to see why. Beautiful beaches and charming villages, and wonderful countryside to walk through. Pure bliss.

Some of the most beautiful places in England are down in Devon, including Woolacombe, Croyde (make sure you surf there), Dartmoor National Park and Salcome.

Devon Google Map Legend

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A weekend at Hawkchurch Resort and Spa, South Devon

23. Windsor

Home to Queen Elizabeth II, Windsor castle is absolutely stunning. In Windsor you can meander in and out the little boutique shops before walking along the Thames and through Windsor Great Park.

Check out my day trip to Windsor here.

A day trip from London to Windsor Castle

24. Durham

Durham is one of the only cities in the UK with its own coastline. There’s also the beautiful River Wear running through the city, so perfect for anyone who enjoys being near the water. There are also countless beautiful buildings in Durham, as well as lots of independent shops, historical castles and the famous Beamish Museum.

Visiting the UK in the winter? Here are 12 tips for adding adventure into your UK winter trip.

25. Newcastle upon Tyne

Friendly locals, a bustling Quayside and fantastic history and culture are just a few of the things on offer in Newcastle. I’d love to go and see the puffins on the nearby Farne Islands!

26. The Peak District

The Peak District is in central England, not far from Leeds, Liverpool or Nottingham. With beautiful hiking trails, quaint villages, stunning canals and rolling hills… the Peak District is yet another place to visit in England that really has it all! The highlight of my trip was rock climbing at Lawrence Field.

Check out my weekend in the Peak District here.

28 places you should visit in England, Peak District

27. Yorkshire

Yorkshire is a great place to visit in England because of the sheer variety of things to do in the area! You could go on a night out in Leeds (check out the best things to do in Leeds here), enjoy a Turkish bath in Harrogate, watch a gig in Sheffield, marvel at York cathedral, or even head to the Yorkshire Dales and take on the Three Peaks challenge!

I’d also love to explore Robin Hood’s Bay, Castle Howard and Whitby.

The Yorkshire Dales are just gorgeous. Up there at the top of the most beautiful places in England.

28. Warwick

This medieval town is famous for its castle, but when you visit, don’t forget to explore the markets, tea rooms and parks too! If you’re lucky, you might time your visit with one of the many local events that happen regularly in Warwick, such as the Folk festival or Literary festival.

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