The United Kingdom (UK) is a major tourist attraction thanks to the perennial curiosity of people about its history, heroes, culture, arts, natural landscapes, and architectural landmarks.
For visitors, the first step in the UK tour is arranging the visa and taking the steps for it right away. Once the process of getting a UK visa from Dubai is set in motion through a reliable travel company, the work on picking up an exciting set of activities can start.
The UK tourist visa is normally valid for 6 months and gives ample time for planning and exploring the best things to do in the UK, covering England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
England charms with its wild coastline, ancient history, and cultural contributions. The alluring destination in it is the capital London, which is in southeast England. There are tons of attractions outside London too.
They include scenic hikes in the Lake District and the street art of Bristol. It was the place where enigmatic artist Banksy was born, and his works still adorn pubs, cool cafes, and vintage boutiques.
The city of York is also famous for the original stone walls made in the 14th century that soar beyond 4 meters of height. Stroll atop the walls and glimpse over the stunning views of the city’s spires and rooftops, including the grandiose York Minster.
As for London, it is one of the most famous cities in the world, it has multiple elements, including the unique temperate ocean climate that seduces its visitors. The city has a compelling history, ever-changing arts culture, and a vibrant atmosphere, and all the best things to do in the UK you have envisaged can start from this big city.
London Eye: Float high above London, surrounded by panoramic views of the city. The London Eye’s glass capsule lets the world unfold before your eyes. There are 32 sealed capsules attached to the wheel, symbolizing the 32 London boroughs. A single London Eye pod takes around 25 passengers and revolves at a speed of around 25 cm a second. In 30 minutes, it finishes a single rotation offering 360-degree views of London.
Big Ben and British Parliament: It is an iconic structure in London. Elizabeth Tower contains Big Ben and stands tall on Southbank with the Houses of Parliament nearby. If you can make it on a Saturday when the parliament is in recess, a guided tour of the house will explain the British political history of thousands of years and how it evolved till date.
St. Paul’s Cathedral: The Anglican Cathedral on Ludgate Hill in the City of London, dedicated to Paul the Apostle, founded in AD 604. It is London’s most notable sight. Go for a guided tour of the cathedral and enjoy the fascinating history, and if the visit is on a Saturday, you can climb the dome of the cathedral.
Greenwich Observatory: The go-to place makes ‘East meets West, where GMT has been calculated for centuries. Here you can stand with one foot in the Western Hemisphere and one in the Eastern Hemisphere and learn about the first telescope and how time came to be standardized in the world.
Westminster Abbey: It is one of the most famous churches in the country, noted for its gothic style and the traditional place of the coronation and burial of British monarchs. This ‘Royal Peculiar’ church is majestic with detailed interior carvings and tapestries.
Tower Bridge: The famous Victorian bridge is open to walk over and explore, where you can enjoy the exhibition and monument and learn all about its history. To look at the city from another perspective, you can walk over the glass floor of the exhibition, peering down 42 meters to see the city and River Thames sprawling below.
Guard Change at Buckingham Palace: At 11:30am every day in the summer and on alternate days in autumn and winter, a ceremony at Buckingham Palace attracts visitors. The patriotic event has guards passing on duties to counterparts when they change shifts.
Camden Market: This bustling North London marketplace is open for purchase of all sorts of quirky clothing, jewelry, and trinkets. It also has the best food outlets from all over the globe. When done with shopping, take a seat by the canals and have a drink at one of the famous pubs.
Trafalgar Square: Often called the heart of London, Trafalgar Square accommodates Nelson’s Column, stone lions, and the Fourth Plinth. It has been an important square in the city since the 13th century and the best place while way absorbing London life, but take good care of hovering pigeons.
Natural History Museum: The museum houses nearly 80 million items from botany, mineralogy, palaeontology, and zoology departments. It opens up a fascinating tour through the ancient history and development of Britain and the world over the centuries. There are many interactive activities hosted by the museum, catering to all age groups.
Sissinghurst Gardens: The Sissinghurst Gardens gives the county of Kent the nickname ‘The Garden of England'. It expands to 460 acres of Wealden countryside, with the manicured gardens offering plenty of gorgeous views and outstanding flowers.
Canterbury Cathedral: One of the oldest Christian structures in England, the cathedral at Canterbury has national significance. Founded in 597 and rebuilt in the 1000's, the current cathedral retains most of the legacy architecture. The cathedral has a range of stained glass, some of which survived from the Medieval era and through the ages, including contemporary pieces from the 20th century.
Lots of other historical information at the cathedral helps you learn about centuries of fascinating British history that molded the country into its current shape.
Shakespeare Centre: The immortal dramatist’s birthplace is the White Lion Inn, a historical public house in Henley Street, Stratford-upon-Avon, England. It is around 160 km from London and is also noted for its Elizabethan architecture. Since the 16th century, it is in historical records and finds mention by writers like Harriet Beecher Stowe. The original building was rebuilt in 1753, and since then it is one of the largest inns there.
Hever Castle: This castle was the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, who was Henry VIII’s second wife and Queen Elizabeth I’s mother. Located in the middle of a moat, it has visitors all through the year and learn about Tudor history throughout this castle.
Stonehenge: The prehistoric stone circle in Wiltshire is recognized as a symbol of Britain. The 4500-year-old circle of stones raises a mystery question on how this location with no technology is an enigma with an appeal as a tourist attraction. The site also commands high spiritual reverence.
Surfing in Newquay: It is a nice spot in the UK to catch a wave as the chilled seaside town of Newquay hosts you to delightful surfing matching the experience in Australia or California.
Tropical beach at the Isles of Scilly: A short ferry from Penzance will take you to stunning tropical-looking islands where crystal blue waters and golden sands make you feel like Caribbean coast. The Isles of Scilly look like they are from the Caribbean or Mediterranean. The best beaches in the Isles of Scilly include Pentle Bay on the eastern coast of Tresco, famous for its sand dunes and serene waters. Other prominent beaches include Appletree Bay, Old Town Bay, and Pelistry Bay.
Tropical Eden Project: The Eden Project is built along the side of a deep pit comprising three biomes representing three distinct climates in the world. It is in the heart of Cornwall and contains plants from diverse environments. The project encourages knowing the importance of the plants as it showcases and how they are fundamental to modern society, as in a rainforest or Mediterranean climate in the UK. The visit will be an interesting day out for both adults and children alike!
The Jurassic Coast: Located in southern England, the Jurassic Coast is England's only natural World Heritage Site, spanning 95 miles from Orcombe Point in Devon to Old Harry Rocks in Dorset. It is known for unique fossils, landforms, and rocks believed to be 185 million years old.
This gorgeous, rugged coastline is one of the most geologically fascinating areas in the UK. Interestingly, the entire 95 miles of the coastline are walkable if taken as a challenging bet.
Museum of Witchcraft: Lovers of mystical, marvellous, and paranormal will like to see the Museum of Witchcraft in Cornwall, where the display of anything supernatural fascinates. Many so-called ‘witches’ were believed to exist in medieval times, and a curious explorer has much to learn about those practices.
Known as the castle capital of the world, Wales has distinctive traditions, heritage, and culture. This land of song and legends has an awe-inspiring landscape to explore.
There are rolling hills, mountains, castles, waterfalls, unique flora and fauna, and a coast line that extends along the entire coastline of the UK. Its cities are compact and bustling with community life. Cardiff is the main city and capital. Wales has around 22 counties.
Mount Snowdon: It is one of the biggest mountains in the UK and also known by its Welsh name, Yr Wyddfa. Despite being the tallest, it is one of the easier mountains to climb. It is in the stunning Snowdonia National Park (Eryri), with four routes up the mountain offering varied landscapes to watch. There is Snowdon Mountain Railway service too active during the summer season going up and down the mountain.
Pembrokeshire Coastal Path: To indulge in fabulous coastal views, head to the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path as part of the longer Welsh Coastal Path, one of the most beautiful sections of this huge multi-day trail.
Traversing along Tenby, Freshwater West, Marloes Sands, and Pembrokeshire Coastal Path leads you to many amazing beaches in Wales. With its highest concentration of Blue Flag beaches, a relaxing day on the sands is assured after a few hours of hiking.
Discover Conwy Castle: The Conwy Castle is one of the most well-preserved medieval castles with 13th-century origins and full of exciting architecture and art in this beautiful walled town.
Brecon Beacons National Park: If you love waterfalls, then head to the Brecon Beacons. It is an adventurer’s dream playground, with hiking, mountain biking, climbing, and kayaking available on its best trails. Get treated to the magical adventure after sunset, as the Dark Skies Reserve status will make it a perfect spot to see the stars and planets on a clear Welsh night.
Super Thrills at Zipworld: To get your adrenaline racing, head to the Zipworld in Bethesda, North Wales, for adventure excursions, and the crowning glory is Zipworld.
As the longest zipline in Europe and the fastest too, Zipworld is a thrill-seeker's paradise. Stride to the old slate quarry to the top of the hill and be strapped to a hanging canopy and race down the mountain at speeds of average 100mph.
North Wales sightseeing in a day: North Wales offers amazing sights and scenery to explore from Liverpool in a cost-efficient and comfortable manner. There are options to make this a morning to evening tour without interruptions with an RV tour with an expert guide to support. The schedules can cover walks on Llandudno’s pier, exploring Snowdonia, and visiting Conwy Castle, to mention a few.
The tour normally covers Llandudno Promenade, the famous Victorian Pier, and seafront views. It will pass by the famous Conwy Suspension Bridge that is Telford's masterpiece. The visit also involves Castell Conwy, the Edward 1 masterpiece built in the late 13th century.
Explore South Wales with a day tour: For a deeper insight into Welsh culture, explore the neolithic sites, Roman ruins, Norman castles, and mystery valleys that shaped the distinct Welsh culture. The places to visit can include Caerphilly Castle, the UK's third-biggest castle. Tintern Abbey is good to enjoy the scenic views around the River Wye. Chepstow Castle is apt for a walk around the market town and visit Wales's first Norman Castle overlooking the River Wye.
Rhossili Bay, as part of the Swansea, is another pull with breathtaking views of the cliffs in the most iconic of beaches.
Melin Court Waterfall: Another must-see attraction is Melincourt Waterfall, famously painted by JMW Turner on canvas. It comes alive before you the moment you step into the waterfall and will surely blow your breath away.
Edinburgh Castle: Edinburgh Castle, now a museum, had been the former residence of Scottish monarchs. It towers 135 meters above sea level and faces Edinburgh city from Castle Rock, a volcanic crag.
Edinburgh Bus Tours: Discover the best of Edinburgh on a 24-hour hop-on, hop-off bus tour via routes like the Red Route, with over a dozen stops around the Scottish capital covering major sights with buses coming in at a frequency of 15 minutes. The ride on an open-top double-decker bus is fabulous to soak in the best views of attractions like Grassmarket, Edinburgh Castle, the Johnston Terrace, and Royal Mile.
The Scotch Whisky Experience is at the top of Edinburgh's Royal Mile, next to Edinburgh Castle. The tour lasts for an hour. It is an interactive exhibition covering tastings and tours of Scotch whisky.
The visitor will grab an idea of the history of Scotch whisky, the production process, and different varieties. Here stages of production and the Scotch whisky collection can be viewed live.
The tasting helps to sample a variety of whiskies and finalize the favorite one based on the flavour. The Amber Restaurant & Whisky Bar offers modern Scottish food to the participants.
Famous landscape of Harry Potter films: Scotland's landscape is now more famous after it became part of the popular Harry Potter films based on J.K. Rowling’s books. Cairngorms National Park, the largest of Scotland’s parks, is a hotspot for outdoor adventure sports. Scotland has more than 30,000 lakes. But in Scotland, lakes are known as ‘lochs’.
Amazing lakes: Among them, Loch Ness can be scary. Legend is that the visitor to the lake must have high respect for Nessy, the Loch Ness monster, or it will land in trouble. Other famous lakes are Loch Duich, Loch Maree, and Loch Carron. Scotland is known for its rich Celtic culture, stunning scenery, and inspiring history.
Northern Ireland is loved for its superb green coastal route, UNESCO Heritage sites, and cities with rich history, making the visitor feel like they have landed in a mythical otherworld. It adds more value to the best things to do in the UK.
Titanic Belfast: Northern Ireland is home to the incredible “World’s Leading Tourist Attraction” voted by global tourists to the number 1 slot where the ill-fated ship Titanic was built. The scale of the building exactly matches the size of the ill-fated ship. To reinforce the memories, there is a Titanic Memorial Garden on the Olympic Slipway, formed of four grass lawns alternated with timber decking.
Giants Causeway: It is one of the northernmost points of Northern Ireland, and legend is that an Irish giant named Finn McCool created a causeway, or a raised road across wet grounds, to walk across the sea and battle with his Scottish counterpart, Benandonner.
There is also another version that Finn built the causeway to reach his lady love. The Causeway is an astonishing wonder of nature, with 40,000 massive black basalt columns braving the lashings from the sea.
The Dark Hedges: In Antrim County, find something that was famous in its own right before Game of Thrones took it to new heights. In the 18th century, the Stuart family planted a long row of beech trees that turned into a glorious canopy of natural delight. It was to impress visitors on their way to the Stuart’s Georgian estate. In Game of Thrones, it is named King’s Road, and watching it live is a pleasure as you make your way across the sea.
Carrick-a-Rede: Those feeling a little dizzy at the cliffs of Malin Head can thrill at Carrick-a-Rede in Antrim. The rope bridge suspended above the Atlantic has a history of 250 years and dazzles all minds. It is well-maintained and has outgrown its purpose to help salmon fishermen make their catches. Today this wonderful adventure marvels those who do not fear heights with spectacular views.
Old Bushmills Distillery: There are too many whiskey distilleries in the Celtic lands of Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Scotland. But Old Bushmills receives top billing as the oldest licensed whiskey distillery in the world. It was granted a license in 1608, and there are tour and tasting options to see the making upfront.
St. George’s Market: To buy local goods and absorb some old-world feel, head to St. George’s Market. It is said that a vibrant Friday market has been on at the St. George’s site since the 17th century. Housed in a charming Victorian building, its every nook and cranny is a fascinating token of Northern Irish history.
To conclude, Belfast city is not limited to mere visual attractions or music festivals, but many love it as a hub for the best food, with city restaurants winning Michelin star ratings consistently. They include Ox Belfast, Deanes Eipic, and The Muddlers Club. Similarly, there are many superfood outlets serving special dishes focused on local ingredients.
The Northern Ireland experience is incomplete without tasting the local seafood. At the famous St. George’s Market in Belfast, you will love to tuck in to plates of shellfish and fresh catch for a culinary high. So, go on with the best things to do in the UK and weave memories to cherish forever.
