England itineraries: 5 perfect routes to discover the country

08.10.2024 - 06:51 / lonelyplanet.com

Oct 7, 2024 • 14 min read

England packs a lot into a small area: quaint towns and villages, vibrant cities, idyllic countryside strewn with castles and other ancient sights, as well as wild landscapes and miles of glorious coastline. These five itineraries will help you build the perfect trip. Each one takes a week but you can spend longer at stops or link them with other itineraries to create your own tailor-made tour. 

Wherever you go, you’ll find history at every turn and atmospheric pubs to end the day. A car gives you the most flexibility to explore but there are also good rail and bus connections between larger cities and towns.

Allow 7 days; 270 miles (434kms)

If time is in short supply, try this circuit of the highlights of southern England, starting in the capital. After London's museums and monuments, tour seaside towns, legendary historic sights and some of England's most stunning cities, with opportunities to soak up the scenery along the way.

London has it all – amazing free museums, magnificent monuments, royal memorabilia, stellar nightlife, spectacular shopping and to-die-for dining at every price point. There are even lush green spaces where you can escape the capital’s frenetic crowds. Whatever else you do, devote a day to the British Museum and the Kensington museums and you'll leave bursting with knowledge about this history-steeped island.

Next stop: Brighton is an easy train ride from London; hop on at London Victoria aboard the Gatwick Express (one hour) or Southern train service (80 minutes). From Farringdon, catch the Thameslink (80 minutes).

The English seaside is something else – a burst of color and noise that is as much about what goes on behind the beach as what happens on the shore. Amid the seagulls and slot machines, Brighton is setting for some of England's most boisterous and inclusive nightlife. You might even find time to look at the sea!

Next stop: Pick up a rental car in Brighton. From here it’s a 2-hour drive to Stonehenge.

Stonehenge isn't quite the same spiritual encounter with the ages that it once was, but this looming circle of standing stones is still a remarkable place to consider how England's history has been shaped by the centuries. Come for the summer solstice to see Stonehenge at its most uninhibited. Option detour: Tack on a visit to nearby Avebury, a 40-minute drive north of Stonehenge, for more neolithic history without the hordes (allow around three hours).

Next stop: From Stonehenge, it’s a one-hour drive to Bath.

Hewn from soft, golden limestone, the UNESCO World Heritage–listed city of Bath is a true beauty. The Romans were the first to develop the hot springs bubbling under the Somerset hills, but it was the Georgians who transformed the streets of