The United Kingdom (often shortened to the UK) is one of the most diverse and rewarding travel destinations in Europe.
And whether you’re searching for things to do in the UK’s buzzing cities, dramatic highlands, or rugged coastlines, there’s something for every type of traveller.
If you’re planning on visiting the UK, make sure you read our complete guide on things to do, where to stay, and more!
Not sure where to start? These are the top 10 things to do in the UK:
1. Stonehenge, Wiltshire – one of the world’s most iconic prehistoric monuments
2. The British Museum, London – home to the Rosetta Stone, Elgin Marbles and millennia of human history, all for free
3. Edinburgh Castle, Scotland – a jaw-dropping fortress perched above the Scottish capital
4. Snowdonia National Park, Wales – dramatic peaks, glacial valleys and the UK’s fastest zip line
5. The Lake District, England – picturesque lakes, fells and charming villages beloved by hikers (and Taylor Swift!)
6. Giant’s Causeway, Northern Ireland – a UNESCO World Heritage Site of extraordinary basalt columns
7. Bath’s Roman Baths, England – a UNESCO World Heritage Site steeped in 2,000 years of history
8. The Scottish Highlands – breathtaking scenery, lochs and world-renowned whisky distilleries
9. Cornwall’s beaches – crystal-clear waters, dramatic cliffs and the UK’s surfing capital
10. Wimbledon Tennis, London – one of the world’s most prestigious Grand Slam, an unmissable summer experience
From watching world-class sport and exploring free world-famous museums to hiking three national parks and pulling a pint in a proper British pub, these are The One Things you simply must do when you visit the UK.
From Wimbledon tennis to rugby to football (aka soccer to Australians), the UK is famous for its love of sports.
If you are lucky enough to experience a British summer, head to Wimbledon Tennis at the beginning of July. Join “the queue” (another thing Brits are famous for) and get tickets to see some of the best tennis players from around the world!
From August to May, the Premier League has many games up and down the country with some of the best football teams in the world.
And if you’re visiting the UK in the autumn and winter months, head to a rugby game. Another British staple with lots of clubs around the country – and you may even be lucky enough to see some of the Six Nations, an international tournament hosting the home nations of England, Scotland and Wales as well as France, Ireland and Italy!
Don’t get us wrong; London is amazing! But there’s so much more to the UK.
Across England alone you have multiple other major cities like Manchester, home to two huge football clubs with intense rivalry and some of the best music and comedy venues around.
Places like York and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Bath are rich in history and are full to the brim with beautiful old buildings. Cities like Bristol and Newcastle are famed for their culture and nights out. And, of course, there’s the moorlands and beaches of Cornwall.
The highlands of Scotland, known for their breathtaking scenery, await you up north along with the incredible cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow – not to mention the world-renowned whisky distilleries. It’s called Scotch for a reason.
Out west you have Wales with 600 castles to visit, miles of rolling hills, rugged coastlines and the stunning city of Cardiff! Across the water you have Northern Ireland with heaps of culture and history and plenty of spots for the perfect pint of Guinness.
Yes. London is great and you should stay there for a while and explore. But then get on a bus, train or a plane and see what the rest of the UK has to offer!
Speaking of London, some of the best museums in the world are there. And most of them won’t cost you a cent! So definitely visit some of them before you explore the rest of the UK.
The Natural History Museum, the British Museum, the National Gallery, the Tate Modern, the Science Museum, the National Portrait Gallery, and so many more are all free to enter.
The Natural History Museum is a phenomenal place that houses dinosaur skeletons, an eight-metre-long giant squid, a blue whale skeleton, and a cup made from a human skull.
The Tate Modern has works by Warhol, Dalí, Picasso and more. The British Museum features the Elgin Marbles, millennia-old Egyptian artefacts, and the Rosetta Stone.
Getting around London is super easy with contactless available on all TfL services, or with an Oyster card. It covers the tube, buses, many of the trains and even the Uber Boat – a river bus service that can take you from one end of the city to the other, passing by some of London’s most famous sights along the way!
If you want to explore the rest of the UK, book tickets in advance; they are often much more expensive on the day or at the station. We highly recommend downloading the Citymapper app as it’s super helpful when it comes to navigating public transport around London and major cities; the app even tells you how much each trip will cost you.
If you love exploring, hiking and fitness, this challenge (which will take you across three countries and through three national parks) is one of the most rewarding things to do in the UK.
The Three Peaks Challenge consists of Ben Nevis in the Scottish Highlands (the highest peak in the UK), Scafell Pike (the highest peak in England) and Snowdon (the highest peak in Wales). You can attempt them all in the same day or individually over a longer time frame.
Ben Nevis is located in the Scottish Highlands, renowned for dramatic landscapes including mountains, lochs and vast moorlands. Snowdon sits in Snowdonia, one of the best national parks in the UK, featuring rugged mountains, glacial valleys and the current fastest zip line in the world at Zip World. And Scafell Pike is located in the Lake District, known for its picturesque lakes, mountains and charming villages (and known to Swifties thanks to Taylor Swift’s song ‘The Lakes’).
If you want to complete the challenge, follow the ‘Leave No Trace’ principles, stay on designated paths and be prepared for potential weather changes. And, of course, carry the correct gear and know your limits!
A British classic! Tea rooms up and down the country offer this delicacy: a scone served with jam and clotted cream. Depending on where you are, they might put the cream or the jam on first. Try both and see which you prefer.
The UK is filled with amazing pubs and lots of local beers to try, but the one thing you should try in the British summertime is Pimm’s! Whether it’s Wimbledon or a BBQ in the back garden, Pimm’s is the ultimate British summer drink.
Cornwall is located in south-west England and is the home of surfing in the UK. With crystal-clear waters on long sandy beaches, dramatic cliffs and hidden coves, it’s the ultimate beach retreat.
Looking for truly unique things to do in the UK? Beyond the obvious landmarks like the London Eye, Edinburgh Castle, Stonehenge and Tower Bridge, the UK has a wonderfully eccentric side that’s well worth exploring:
In Cooper’s Hill, Gloucestershire, you can watch (or enter!) the infamous race where competitors chase a wheel of Double Gloucester down a near-vertical hill. The event has no official organiser, no entry fee and absolutely no regard for dignity – which is precisely what makes it one of the most beloved (but bizarre) things to do in the UK.
The World Bog Snorkelling Championship, held in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales, is exactly what it sounds like, and it’s brilliant. Competitors must complete two lengths of a 55-metre peat bog trench using only flipper power; no conventional swimming strokes allowed. It’s muddy, it’s cold and it draws hundreds of spectators every August.
Hay-on-Wye is a tiny Welsh town famous for having more second-hand bookshops per capita than almost anywhere on Earth, and home to the world-famous Hay Festival. The annual festival draws leading writers, thinkers and performers from around the globe, but the town itself is worth visiting any time of year for an afternoon of literary browsing.
Held in West Sussex, during the Bognor Birdman Competition, competitors launch themselves off a pier in homemade flying contraptions in a bid for distance. It’s truly a sight to be seen. The event has been running since 1971 and attracts both serious engineering attempts and gloriously absurd fancy dress entries, with the crowds cheering equally for both.
Snowdonia is home to the fastest zip line in the world, which reaches speeds of over 100mph above a former slate quarry. Set against the dramatic mountain scenery of North Wales, it’s as spectacular for the views as it is for the adrenaline.
Tip: Make sure you’ve added an Adventure & Sport Pack to your travel insurance so you’re covered for zip lining.
Built around a natural thermal spring that the Romans first discovered nearly 2,000 years ago, the Roman Baths in Bath are one of the best-preserved ancient sites in the world. You can walk the same stone floors as Roman citizens once did, peer into the steaming, eerily green sacred pool and explore a fascinating museum of artefacts recovered from the site.
Every August, Edinburgh hosts the world’s largest arts festival, with thousands of shows taking place across hundreds of venues throughout the city. From cutting-edge comedy and experimental theatre to street performers and late-night cabaret, the Fringe Festival transforms the entire city into a stage. Many of the world’s biggest comedians got their break here, and with shows at every price point (including hundreds of free performances) it’s one of the most exciting and accessible things to do in the UK.
The One Thing you should know before travelling to the UK is that it’s more than one country.
There are four separate countries that make up the UK: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. And they do not like to be mixed up!
Most people will refer to themselves as British, but be extra careful not to call a Welshman English or an Englishman Scottish; it will not go down well.
The Republic of Ireland is also not part of the UK, unlike Northern Ireland, which is. There is a long history between the two and they do not like to be confused for one another. If people refer to just ‘Ireland’ they are most likely talking about the Republic.
They also use separate currencies: Northern Ireland uses Pounds, just like the rest of the UK, while Ireland uses Euros.
Residents of Northern Ireland may identify as British, Irish, or both. Confusing the two may inadvertently overlook the diverse identities of the people living there and can also get you in some trouble. When in doubt, just politely ask – people will always appreciate the effort.
Ready to start your UK adventure? Pack your raincoat, your curiosity, your sunscreen, and, of course, your 1Cover Travel Insurance. It’s the One Thing you need when One Thing goes wrong.
Find out more insider tips about other destinations: read our entire 'One Thing' series here.
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