Fodor's To Europe!
Best of Britain: England, Scotland, and Wales
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Fly into: London
Fly out of: Edinburgh
Total Duration: 14 days
This itinerary has all that you need from a circuit of Britain. You've got the big city pleasures of museums, parks and shopping in London and Edinburgh, the smaller town vibes of Bath and North Wales, and some fine outdoor activities in the Lake District and the Cotswolds.
- Natural Beauty
- Great Drive
- Shopping
- Architecture
- History
This Trip's Top Experiences:
Days 1-2
Edyta Pawlowska/shutterstock
1 London
Museums and Culture
- London homes don't get much statelier than Buckingham Palace
- Scour the Tower of London for ghosts
- Have a peek at the paintings in the National Gallery
Days 3-4
British Tourist Authority
2 Bath
A Roman Spa and Palladian Elegance
- The Roman Baths and Pump room are fueled by hot springs, just as they were two thousand years ago
- See the beautiful Number 1 Royal Crescent, part of a row of Palladian Houses designed by John Wood the Younger
- Have a spin at the Museum of Costume and Assembly Rooms
Days 5-6
gary718/shutterstock
3 Cotswolds and Stratford-upon-Avon
Shakespeare's Birthplace and Castle Gardens
- The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust runs the main sites of interest in Stratford. If you'd like to see Anne Hathaway's Cottage and the Bard's Birthplace, invest in a combination ticket
- Hidcote Manor Gardens is one of Britain's best and biggest gardens
- Sudeley Castle, the home of Henry VII's last wife, is famous for the roses in its Queens Garden
Days 7-8
David Hughes/shutterstock
4 North Wales
Ancient Castles and Mountain Hikes
- At the ruins of Conwy Castle, a 13th-century fortress, you can explore the turrets and towers of an iconic building, then pop into the adorable town of Conwy
- The hiking is grand in Snowdonia National Park, from oak woods to moorlands
- Glorious Bodnant Garden is just 5 mi/8 km south of Conwy
Days 9-10
British Tourist Authority
5 Lake District
Hiking and Literary Landscapes
- Blackwell, a turn-of-the-century home in Windermere, boasts an arts and crafts feel
- Hike the trails of the District, from mountaineering to leisurely ambles
- The homes of famous writers are two for a penny here, including Beatrix Potter's and Wordsworth's
Days 11-12
Abubakr Hussain/wikipedia.org
6 Inverness and Loch Ness
Nessie and Macbeth
- Try and find Nessie in Loch Ness, Scotland's deepest lake
- Visit Cawdor Castle in Nairn, home of Macbeth in Shakespeare's play—it's still occupied today
- At Fort George, explore Europe's best-preserved 18th-century military fortification
Days 13-14
davidhills/istockphoto
7 Edinburgh
Scotland's Prettiest City
- Walk the Royal Mile, home to Old Town's most impressive buildings
- Hit the shops of George Street to explore New Town
- Stop at National Gallery of Scotland with its old-master paintings and great Scottish art
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