Things not to Miss

#01 Lake District National Park

England’s largest national park is also many peoples’ favourite, boasting sixteen major lakes, including Wast Water (pictured here) and scores of mountains, not least the country’s highest peak, Scafell Pike.

#02 Dartmoor

Southern England’s greatest expanse of wilderness is perfect for hikers and riders.

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#03 Houses of Parliament

One of London’s most majestic buildings, where you can see the “Mother of all Parliaments” at work from the public gallery or take a summertime tour.

#04 The Cotswolds

Take time out in England’s largest Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, poised between Oxford and Gloucester – rolling hills, honey-stone villages and great walking.

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#05 Northumbrian castles

Symbols of a turbulent past, Northumberland’s many fortresses are worth a visit, especially mighty Alnwick Castle (pictured), with its stunning medieval gardens.

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#06 Oxford

The Radcliffe Camera (pictured) stands at the centre of this old university town, famed for its sublime architecture and lively restaurants.

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#07 Avebury stone circle

Stonehenge might get all the publicity, but the stones at nearby Avebury have a raw appeal and are far more accessible.

#08 Hadrian’s Wall Path

Walk or cycle the length of this atmospheric Roman monument, which snakes its way for 84 miles over rough, sheep-strewn countryside.

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#09 Music festivals

Mud, mud, glorious mud... Glastonbury (pictured) may be the biggest and best-known music and arts fest, but every summer weekend sees celebrations of anything from folk to trance on greenfield sites nationwide.

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#10 Surfing, Newquay

The beaches strung along the northern coast of Devon and Cornwall offer some great breaks, with Newquay the place to see and be seen.

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#11 Bath

Admire England’s most elegant Georgian terrace, visit the Roman baths or do some serious shopping in one of the country’s most beautiful cities.

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#12 Fish and chips

There’s nothing better than fish and chips, nor any better way to eat them than wrapped in paper and eaten on the beach.

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#13 Eden Project

With its strong ecological thrust, the West Country’s most spectacular attraction presents a refreshing alternative to the hard sell of most of the region’s crowd-pullers.

#14 New Forest

Famed for its ponies, this ancient hunting ground is a magnet for cyclists and walkers.

#15 Farmers’ markets

Plug into England’s sense of rural community at the growing network of markets where farmers and producers sell direct – not just fruit and veg but local cheeses, breads, pies, deli items, ales and more.

#16 Durham Cathedral

Arguably the greatest Norman building in England, Durham’s imposing cathedral perches on a peninsula overlooking the city’s quaint, cobbled old town.

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#17 St Ives, Cornwall

Bustling seaside resort with great beaches and the southwest’s best arts collection.

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#18 Punting on the Cam

A flat-bottomed boat that’s easy to fall out of, with no paddles but a pole… Unnecessarily complicated it may be, but punting on the River Cam is the best way to see some of Cambridge’s beautiful university buildings.

#19 The Peak District

A stirring landscape of moors and peaks, deep-green dales, tumbling rivers and jagged cliffs, the Peak District attracts outdoors enthusiasts by the thousand.

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#20 York Minster

Soaring above York’s medieval streets, Britain’s biggest Gothic church has a thousand-year history and treasures to match.

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#21 Stately homes

Blenheim Palace (pictured) near Oxford is one of England’s most majestic stately homes, but dozens more up and down the country offer cultured days out.

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#22 Canterbury Cathedral

Mother Church of the Church of England, this cathedral is famous for its shrine to the murdered Archbishop, Thomas à Becket, and the tales that Chaucer weaved round a fictitious pilgrimage to the martyr’s tomb.

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#23 Southwold

George Orwell didn’t like the place, but everyone else does: with its wide sandy beach and brightly painted beach huts, Southwold is the most beguiling of seaside towns.

#24 Newcastle nightlife

From chic wine bars to first-rate theatres, Newcastle’s nightlife is growing in sophistication – though there are still plenty of places for a traditionally raucous night out on the Toon.

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#25 The Royal Pavilion, Brighton

George IV’s pleasure dome, designed by Nash, is the supreme example of Oriental-Gothic architecture.

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#26 Tate Modern

Housed in a spectacular former power station, the world’s largest modern art gallery is simply awesome.

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#27 The Seven Sisters

The soaring Seven Sisters cliffs are just one of the highlights of the southeast’s newly created national park, best explored on the long-distance South Downs Way footpath.

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#28 Afternoon tea

London’s top hotels are the most wickedly indulgent places for a calorific afternoon tea of sandwiches, scones and cakes – though a Devonshire cream tea can give the capital a run for its money.

Afternoon english tea

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petereleven/Shutterstock

#29 Durdle Door

This distinctive limestone arch is the highlight of Dorset’s Jurassic Coast and sits on one of the loveliest stretches of the South West Coast Path, close to some fine beaches.

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Travel advice for England

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