World Country Guide

Top Seven Destinations

Outside London, there are seven places known worldwide as prime attractions. Each has a different appeal, and each lies in a different part of the country – cross-references to the appropriate regional section appear in each entry.
(website: www.visitbath.co.uk.) Bath first came to prominence as ‘Aquae Sulis’ in Roman times. It was a fashionable spa resort nearly 2000 years ago, and rediscovered its ancient glories in the 18th century. Much of its beauty dates from the latter period, fine Georgian sandstone architecture dominating the modern cityscape. The original Roman Baths and Pump Rooms, though, remain open to visitors. Bath’s 500-year-old Abbey, built on the site of a Saxon monastery, stands above the Heritage Vaults, which tell the story of 1600 years of Christianity in the area. Architectural highlights include John Wood’s Royal Crescent, a remarkable curving Georgian terrace, and Pulteney Bridge, lined with shops and built by Robert Adam in the late 18th century.
(website: visitcambridge.org – see also the Southeast and East Anglia section.) Home of England’s second-oldest university, dating from the early 13th century. The individual colleges are the prime attractions of interest in the city, including the oldest, Peterhouse (1284), 16th-century Trinity College, and King’s College, whose chapel is regarded as one of Europe’s finest late-medieval structures. Other attractions include the Fitzwilliam Museum, the University’s Museum of Archaeology and Museum of Zoology, and The Backs, an area of parkland along the River Cam behind the colleges, where punting is a popular activity. The American War Cemetery at Madingley is close to the city, while the Imperial War Museum Duxford aviation section lies a short way south of Cambridge. Also near Cambridge is Grantchester, home of World War I poet Rupert Brooke.
(website: www.visitcotswoldsandseverngale.gov.uk – see also the South and Southwest and Midlands sections.) Covering some 2000 sq km (800 sq miles), primarily in Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire, this area is famed for its picturesque villages and beautiful rolling hills. Highlights among the villages include Broadway, Bourton-on-the-Water, Chipping Campden and Moreton-in-Marsh, part of whose attraction is the distinctive honey-coloured local stone used in their construction. Attractions include England’s second-largest parish church, Tewkesbury Abbey, Jacobean stately home Chastleton House, Chedworth Roman Villa near Cheltenham and imposing Sudeley Castle at Winchcombe. The Cotswold Wildlife Park at Burford, itself another very attractive town, is a popular family outing.
(website: www.golakes.co.uk – see also the North of England section.) England’s best-known national park occupies a huge swathe of Cumbria and, as its name suggests, there are many large bodies of water. But mountains also feature in this spectacular landscape, among them England’s highest, the 978m- (3208 ft-) tall Scafell Pike. Visitors flock to the lakes for walking and other outdoor activities, and to trace the roots of literary figures such as Beatrix Potter, Arthur Ransome and William Wordsworth. Wordsworth’s former home, Dove Cottage at Grasmere, is open to visitors – his tomb is in the nearby churchyard. A good starting point is the National Park Visitor Centre at Brockhole, while the World of Beatrix Potter at Bowness-on-Windermere draws people from all over the world. The restored Victorian Steam Yacht Gondola plies Coniston Water offering pleasure trips.
(website: www.visitoxford.org – see also the South and Southwest section.) Known as the ‘City of Dreaming Spires’, Oxford grew around England’s oldest university, whose origins lie in the 11th century. Among 36 colleges in the city centre are Christ Church, which has an excellent Art Gallery, Trinity College and Balliol. ‘The Oxford Story’ presents a multimedia introduction to the city, with the help of a ‘dark ride’ through 800 years of history. St Martin’s Church’s Carfax Tower affords good views of the cityscape. Other major attractions include the Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology, the University Museum, the Museum of Modern Art and the Bodleian Library. There is a wide range of themed guided walking tours available.
(website: www.shakespeare-country.co.uk – see also the Midlands section.) Once home to William Shakespeare (1564-1616), Stratford draws visitors in their millions. Attractions associated with the Bard include Shakespeare’s Birthplace, Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, former home of his wife, Mary Arden’s House, home of the playwright’s mother, and Holy Trinity Church, where he and his family lie buried. The Royal Shakespeare Theatre, venue for regular RSC (Royal Shakespeare Company) performances, stands on the riverbank. Non-Shakespearean diversions in town include Europe’s largest Butterfly Farm and the unusual Teddy Bear Museum.
(website: www.york-tourism.co.uk – see also the North of England section.) Northern England’s most visited city contains a plethora of attractions. Foremost is the massive York Minster, northern Europe’s biggest Gothic cathedral. The City Wall still almost completely surrounds the central area, and The Shambles is one of the world’s best-preserved medieval streets. York’s past as Danish capital of Viking England is explored at the recently refurbished Jorvik Viking Centre, while its more recent status as a railway centre is celebrated at the National Railway Museum. The extensive Castle Museum deals with all aspects of history, including York’s associations with chocolate making and Dick Turpin, the notorious 18th-century highwayman. The Yorkshire Museum and City Art Gallery are also major attractions. Historic buildings, such as timbered St William’s College and 14th-century Merchant Venturers’ Hall, abound. Walking tours and sightseeing boat trips on the River Ouse are available year round.