United Kingdom

Where to Go

London

Museums, theatre, parks and some of the best restaurants in Europe. Most first trips start here.

Somerset, Bath and the Cotswolds

Georgian Bath, gardens, honey-coloured villages and long country walks, all within a couple of hours of London.

Edinburgh

The Old Town, the castle and Arthur's Seat, an extinct volcano you can climb from the city centre.

The Scottish Highlands

The Cairngorms National Park, the Isle of Skye and the west coast for mountains, lochs and wildlife.

What to Do

• Spend a day in the gardens and house museums of London, then an evening at the theatre
• Walk between Cotswold villages, or take the waters in Bath
• Look for red squirrels, red deer and ospreys in the Cairngorms
• Take the boat from Anstruther to the Isle of May in Fife, where puffins nest from April to July
• Watch for bottlenose dolphins from Chanonry Point on the Moray Firth

Best Time to Go

May to September brings the longest days and the most reliable weather, and it is when seabird colonies are busy. Late spring is our pick: gardens are at their best, and puffins are back on the Isle of May from about April through July. Scotland can be wet at any time, so we build in a spare day there. London works year-round.

Getting Around and How Long to Stay

The UK drives on the left. Trains link London with Bath, Edinburgh and the Highlands, and a private driver makes the countryside far easier than renting a car. If you are continuing to the Continent, the Eurostar runs from London St Pancras to central Paris in a little over two hours. We suggest ten days to two weeks for London, the West Country and Scotland together, or five to seven nights for London and one country stay.

Where We Like to Stay

Claridge's in Mayfair is our first choice in London: a grand Art Deco hotel within walking distance of Bond Street, Hyde Park and the galleries of St James's.

The Newt in Somerset is a country house hotel on a working estate with large gardens, orchards and its own cider. It makes an easy second stop after London and works well for families.

In Scotland we choose hotels and private houses to match the route. Ask us and we will suggest options.

Pairing the UK

The UK pairs naturally with Ireland by a short flight, or with France on the Eurostar. For timing across Europe, see our guide to Europe in the shoulder season.