Brick Lane

So infamous is the East London Street of Brick Lane that there was even an award winning novel and movie penned with the same name. The street, running from Bethnal Green to Whitechapel via the equally famous Spitalfields, has a rich multicultural history, first as home to a sizable Jewish population and more recently, as a settlement for many of London’s Bangladeshi immigrants.

Hyde Park

London is full of huge parks which the locals refer to as the lungs of the city. Hyde Park is one of the biggest and best known. Another of Henry VIII's hunting grounds, it is now a place of concerts, art and horse-riding. The famous Peter Pan sculpture is in the park, as is the Princess Diana memorial fountain.

Castlerigg Stone Circle

There are numerous neolithic stone circles in the Lake District and nearby areas, the most popular being at Castlerigg. This more-or-less round grouping of 38 boulders, with a rectangle of 10 more joining the inner edge of the circle, dates back some 5000 years, making it even older than Stonehenge. And like Stonehenge, the arrangement of Castlerigg Stone Circle is clearly linked to movements of the sun and moon, although the original ceremonial purpose of the stones is lost in time.

Keswick

Keswick (pronounced “Kezick”), situated at the uppermost tip of Derwentwater, is the hub of the northern part of the Lake District. There are a few local points of interest, but attractions like the Pencil Museum are unlikely to detain you long and this market town functions best as a point of departure for tours of the magnificent nearby countryside.

Avebury

Some places just have a special feeling and Avebury is one of them. A Neolithic site of three stone circles dating from 2600 BC, Avebury has the largest stone circle in Europe. Avebury is a henge, which means a bank or ditch with stone circles within this ring. No-one knows exactly who built it or why but it was most likely used for some kind of worship. Today it is still important to contemporary pagans especially during the solstices.

Cheddar Gorge

With its dramatically jagged cliffs towering 450 feet over lush green valleys and limestone rock face pocked with caves, the Cheddar Gorge is not only England’s largest gorge, but one of the country’s most impressive natural wonders. Formed during the last ice age and cocooning the now-underground Cheddar Yeo River, the striking gorge winds its way through the Mendip Hills for almost three miles and makes a popular site for hiking and rock climbing.

Radcliffe Camera

With its striking neoclassical dome looming over the neighboring Bodleian Library, the Radcliffe Camera (or Radcliffe Room in Latin) is one of Oxford’s most iconic sights and one of the most photographed of all the university buildings. Funded by Royal physician John Radcliffe and designed by architect James Gibbs, the "Rad Cam" was completed in 1749 and was originally used as the university’s principal science library.

Oxford Covered Market

Whether you’re meeting friends for coffee or bartering over artisan produce, wandering around Oxford’s bustling central market serves as a lively introduction to the city. Drawing a steady stream of both locals and tourists, the Oxford Covered Market has been at the center of local life since it opened its doors in 1774, and today remains in its original building, designed by architect John Gwynn.

Hadrian's Wall

Hadrian’s Wall was built in the 2nd century AD during the reign of the emperor for whom it was named. At the time it marked the northernmost limit of the Roman Empire.

Christ Church College

The largest and arguably most renowned of Oxford’s many colleges, the hallowed halls and exquisite cathedral of Christ Church College have a long and illustrious history. Founded by Cardinal Thomas Woolsey in 1524, the grandiose complex includes architectural highlights like Sir Christopher Wren’s Great Tom bell tower and the Great Hall, where King Charles I held court during the English Civil War. Despite being just one of 38 colleges, for many visitors to Oxford, Christ Church is synonymous with Oxford University. Today, the legendary buildings see almost as many tourists as they do students.

Castle Howard

With over 1,000 acres of landscaped flower gardens, boating lakes and scenic woodlands, and a grand baroque façade that appears more like a royal palace than a country home, Castle Howard is one of England’s most undeniably beautiful estates. Built in the 17th-century for Charles Howard, the 3rd Earl of Carlisle, much of the castle’s striking design was the work of architect John Vanbrugh and the stately home, with its central domed cupola, sculpted pilasters and elaborate frescos, took over 100 years to complete.

Bodleian Library

The main research library of the University of Oxford and one of the oldest of its kind in Europe, the Bodleian Library is also one of the UK’s five "copyright libraries," famously housing a copy of every book printed in Great Britain—a collection that spans more than 11 million works. Founded by Sir Thomas Bodley in 1602, the Bodleian Library, or "the Bod" as it’s known to students, is actually a complex of libraries and reading rooms located in the heart of Oxford, including the domed Radcliffe Camera, the vaulted Divinity Room, the Duke Humphrey's Library and the Old and New Bodleian Libraries.

London Bridge

London Bridge is the oldest bridge over the River Thames. While the current incarnation of the bridge dates from the 1970s, there has been a bridge in this place since around 50 AD, when the Romans drove some wooden piles into the river's mud. Since then there has always been a bridge here, and for a long time it was the only one. (Nowadays there are many bridges crisscrossing the Thames.)

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace has served as the official London residence of Britain's sovereigns since 1837. Most impressive are the State Rooms, which form the heart of the working palace. They are lavishly furnished with treasures from the Royal Collection and adorned with paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens, Vermeer and Canaletto.

Changing of the Guard

When visiting London, it's on every tourist's list to watch the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace. Show up early to get a good viewing spot of the ceremony in all its colorful pageantry, set to the stirring tunes of the regimental band. This long treasured tradition is not to be missed!

Tower of London

The Tower of London is old, very old. The central White Tower was built by William the Conqueror after his invasion of England in 1066. Since 1485, the iconic red and black-uniformed Beefeaters have been guarding the Tower.

Houses of Parliament & Big Ben

Westminster Palace, home to the British Houses of Parliament, is right on the river Thames. A magnificent Neo-Gothic building dating from 1840, it's most recognizable from the clock tower at one end known as Big Ben. (In fact, Big Ben is actually the bell inside the tower.)

Borough Market

You think you know what food markets are all about? Borough Market will change your mind, as this is a place of food dreams. On Thursday, Friday and especially Saturday, you’ll find both the locals doing their weekly shopping and people who have caught the train in from all over London just to buy the specialties on offer here.

York City Walls

Once stretching 2.5 miles around the ancient city, today the well-preserved ruins of the York City Walls trace the periphery of the modern city center, encompassing many of York’s top attractions. Originally erected in Roman times, the remaining walls today date back to the 13th and 14th centuries and include four ‘bars’ (gatehouses), where tollbooths once taxed entrants to the city.

The Shambles, York

Renowned as one of Europe’s best-preserved medieval shopping streets and awarded the title of ‘Britain’s most picturesque street’ by Google. A stroll down The Shambles is one of York’s top attractions. Mentioned in the Domesday Book of William the Conqueror in 1086, The Shambles dates back over 900 years and takes its name from the Saxon ‘Fleshammels’ or ‘street of the butchers’.