The 10 best day trips from London – escape to the country

The City of Brotherly Love has a rich history and a thriving art scene, much of which can be enjoyed for nothing at all. From free museums to fun neighborhoods to explore – and some very famous steps to run – here are 17 of the best free things to do in Philadelphia.

As summer holidays come to an end, 50 Best has compiled its list of the World’s 50 Best Hotels in 2023.

A slice European, a pinch cosmopolitan New York and fully its own quirky, unique self, Montréal is Canada’s artsiest, coolest city, worth spending days and days exploring.

One of the fruits of getting on a train is that it makes me want to chat. So instead of gazing at Kent as we proceed to Paris from London, I talk to my neighbour. Martha grew up in San Francisco, studied in Oregon, and puts syrup on everything. When we part ways on the concourse of Gare du Nord – she to lunch with a friend from Wisconsin, me to amble around before continuing towards Turkey – she says the best things about the US are Taylor Swift and meatloaf. It’s good to talk.

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Enormous California, with its booming economy, bounty of nature, agriculture and vibrant cities could be a country unto itself.

Hitting the open road is a quintessentially American pursuit, romanticized by the likes of Kerouac, Steinbeck and, well, Barbie.

Shanghai is known for its forest of skyscrapers with the world’s third-largest megatower leading the charge. Travelers wary of heights will find a medley of things to do at ground level including the historic waterfront, trendy Xintiandi, and the ancient Yu Garden. In terms of where to stay in Shanghai, the city is a playground of high-rise luxury hotels with infinity pools, rooftop bars, and awesome skyline views. The best hotels in Shanghai, China, are near or within eyesight of The Bund.

Berney Arms is one of England’s most remote railway stations. You can only get to this stretch of the Norfolk Broads by train, boat or a long walk. It’s 25 minutes’ train ride from Norwich, but only two trains stop most days, and I’ve never seen anyone else getting off. Outside the train window, a roe deer steps delicately through green marshes and an egret stands poised by the water. The strange wild beauty is what keeps me coming back. This time I’m arriving with my husband on the 7.36am train from Norwich to walk along the River Yare to Reedham. We head through into the first carriage, the only one that fits next to the tiny station.

England’s Heritage Open Days run from 8 to 17 September encompassing more than 5,000 volunteer-run events, tours and openings, all of which are free. For this year’s festival, Sound Leisure, which has been manufacturing classic jukeboxes since 1978, will be offering tours of its Leeds factory and showroom, with the chance to meet the team who hand-build these retro wonders. 14 September, 10am, booking required

The first written evidence of beer being brewed and consumed dates back as far as 4,000BC, with the ancient Sumerians believed to have developed the earliest known methods for creating the alcoholic drink. Its history and connection to human civilisation runs deep, and a number of today’s beers have their own remarkable heritage.

Despite its famously sepia-toned skies, England remains a perennially popular destination.