United Kingdom

A four-in-one destination (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland), the U.K. offers beautiful, memorable, and accessible nature, some of the best museums in Europe, and a flourishing food scene far beyond mushy peas or beans on toast. Its landscapes are unparalleled and diverse—think craggy mountain peaks, ancient forests dripping with moss and ferns, and cool glassy lakes increasingly popular for wild swimming.

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Overview

Planning your trip

Use these articles, resources, and guides to plan and inspire your next trip to the United Kingdom.

Related Guides
Read Before You Go
Highlights for the rest of 2024 include Adrien Brody at Donmar Warehouse and new offerings from Michelin-starred restaurant patron and chef Jason Atherton.
Hotels
The luxury hotel industry is changing fast. The Langham Hospitality Group CEO Bob van den Oord discusses how his brand is adapting—and what the future holds for high-end travel.
These are the 24 hotels we recommend most for wellness.
Open to the public who book hotel rooms and suites, the Twenty Two is also opening its second location in NYC this fall.
Sleek design. Hot chefs. Prime location. The alluring new Mandarin Oriental Mayfair is the first new hotel to open in this London neighborhood in a decade.
From lobby bars to rooftop lounges, these are the hotel bars Afar editors love checking out when they’re checking in.
These historic villas and apartments across England and Ireland evoke the romantic spirit of the hit Netflix romance series.
British luxury hotel group Maybourne has opened the Emory, London’s first all-suite hotel, next to Hyde Park.
Omer Acar, the CEO Raffles and Fairmont, shares his vision behind the recent growth of both luxury hotel brands and talks about what great hospitality truly means. (Spoiler alert: It’s all about people.)
Take glamping to a whole new level at one of these bubble hotels and vacation rentals, many with see-through roofs for stargazing.
AFAR’s picks for the 31 best new hotels in the world.
These five concierges in Paris, Hong Kong, Cape Town, London, and Marrakech reveal their favorite city itineraries that they usually only share with guests.
Lace up your hiking boots: These vacation rentals are perfectly situated for adventurers who love to explore on foot.
At the Fife Arms in the Scottish Highlands, the artwork is extraordinary and the afternoon tea might involve whisky.
The new Raffles London at the OWO already feels like a grande dame.
As the city undergoes a hotel boom in the run-up to the Coronation, we round up the 15 best hotels, classic and contemporary alike.
In honor of the third season of the hit Apple TV+ show—out March 15—Airbnb is launching a very special overnight stay for a few lucky fans.
When London reopens to the world, these new hotels—stylish townhouses, global brands, and a refreshed grande dame—will be waiting.
Put down your pint and head upstairs to find comfortable beds, cool designs, and maybe a cozy fireplace or reading nook. Could pubs with rooms be the perfect alternative to big chain hotels?
From a historic ship-turned-hotel docked in Edinburgh to the first Four Seasons in Greece, these are the 10 best new hotels opening across Europe in the new year.
There are plenty of exciting hotel openings, exhibits, and more to discover in the U.K.’s capital from now until the end of the year.
Didn’t make the guest list? (We didn’t either.) You can still get in on the fun with these royal wedding weekend hotel packages in the U.S. and the U.K.
The Room with a View package offers a daredevil drop from the St. Giles Hotel’s 164-foot-tall central tower.
Relax, reset, and recharge at the following hotels—each is ideal for a (long) weekend escape.
These well-curated hotel shops will give you a sense of place and a lasting memory.
A stay at the iconic St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel in London is a must for any train buff.
Monachyle Mhor in Scotland’s Trossachs National Park
There are thousands of traditional Japanese inns with hot springs across Japan. This hot spring lodge is part of a decade-old Japanese pastime.
Resources to help plan your trip
The best way to travel is by breaking a sweat.
From a Norwegian shrine for a Viking king to the healing waters of mystical lagoons in Peru, these sacred paths will have you lacing up your boots and strapping on a pack.
In a city of London’s size, knowing your Hackney from your Hampstead, your Bankside from your Bermondsey, can make all the difference in planning the perfect itinerary.
London, Lapland, and Tanzania are on the cards in 2024.
Give your summer travels a healthy dose of arts and culture with these spectacular events.
Istanbul cracks the top 10, Berlin is on the rise, and this city remains No. 1 in Resonance’s annual best-in-Europe rankings.
Already explored Rome, Berlin, and Barcelona?
Take in the best of spring with a trip on a Japanese bullet train or a vintage railcar in England.
These global weekenders offer top music and good times—but also a strong sense of place.
Memorable gardens thrive on nearly every continent, in cities, deserts, and even in the Arctic Circle. Here’s a global tour, with stops at 13 of the most striking.
In a travel-packed year, we hiked in bogs, met mountain gorillas, and discovered much of the USA by EV.
Manchester has a long history of pushing boundaries, and its ingenuity is on the rise once again with new arts venues and creative programming.
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