Home to Britain’s second city, Birmingham, the West Midlands has more than its fair share of urban thrills and heritage sites. Brum boasts world-class art collections and cutting-edge contemporary galleries alongside shopping bliss in the shape of The Bullring, which includes the amorphous, gleaming silver Selfridges outpost. Nearby Coventry juxtaposes old and new in its Cathedral Quarter, which marries the ruins of the medieval cathedral with the adjoining New Cathedral, and don't miss the Black Country Living Museum in Dudley to get a taster of Midlands life 300 years ago.
Suffolk has quiet charm in spades, idyllic countryside and a largely unspoiled coastline – so pack that bucket and spade, as well as a crab fishing line. Sedate seaside towns such as Southwold, with its kaleidoscopic beach huts and traditional high street, recall a bygone era but a steady flow of visitors and a busy festival calendar (particularly in Aldeburgh) keep things lively. Enjoy rural delights inland with a stroll or boat trip through Constable country, or a spot of birdwatching at Orford Ness.
Dotted throughout Gloucestershire are quintessential English country villages, complete with thatched cottages, muted-yellow stone manors, atmospheric churches and inviting pubs. The Cotswolds lay claim to the most bucolic spots, not to mention the most bracing walks, tempting tea rooms and antique shops. The county also boasts the awe-inspiring spectacle of Gloucester Cathedral, with its magnificent vaulted Great Cloister, and a host of jolly events, from madcap cheese rolling to an exhilarating day at the races.
Unassuming Staffordshire may not top many ‘best’ lists, but overlook it and you’ll miss one of the country’s most jaw-dropping cathedrals, at Lichfield, as well as the white-knuckle adventures of Alton Towers and Drayton Manor. Distant and more recent history loom large, with Stafford Castle’s Norman ruins and the Wedgwood Visitor Centre vying for attention. With Area of Ourstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) Cannock Chase and the craggy Staffordshire Moorlands, part of the Peak District, the great outdoors beckons too.
A visit to Wiltshire might have you coming over a little wistful, full as it is of mysterious reminders of our ancient past. Stonehenge may be the world’s most famous and most bewildering pre-historic monument, but nearby Avebury Stone Circle also confounds, and draws smaller crowds. In comparison, the 800-year-old Salisbury Cathedral is a mere infant; its modern-stained glass window and the striking Elizabeth Frink Walking Madonna sculpture in its grounds no more than glints in the eye.
Today it’s hard to imagine Chester as a bustling port, or a key Roman fortress – nowadays it goes about its business pretty quietly, a thriving town of half-timbered Tudor houses and shops galore, encircled by the still-standing city walls (read our guide here). The surrounding farmland and countryside are punctuated with millionaire’s mansions, but no Premier League footballer’s digs are a match for majestic Lyme Park, a grand Regency National Trust property just on the edge of the Peak District.
It’s a cliché to talk about the clichés, so let’s focus instead on Essex’s strong position in this countdown. The county certainly deserves a bit more recognition for its charming medieval villages, nature reserves, sandy beaches, super-fresh shellfish and burgeoning arts scene (head to hubs Colchester and Southend-on-Sea), not to mention one of the oldest wooden churches in the world (Greensted).
At the southwestern tip of Wales, with water on three of four of the county’s borders, it’s no wonder that sea, surf and other coastal pleasures are Pembrokeshire’s main calling card. If catching a wave sounds a bit like hard work, stick to the glorious Pembrokeshire Coast Path or take a boat trip and admire the lofty cliffs, sweeping beaches and teeming wildlife from the water – seals, puffins and even whales and dolphins also visit this coast. St David's – Britain's smallest city – is a great base; read our guide here.
A pretty county of market towns and green, pleasant land, Warwickshire is also of course home to a global tourist magnet, Stratford-upon-Avon. You can get better acquainted with the Bard’s life and times by visiting The Shakespeare Houses, but watching a performance by the Royal Shakespeare Company can’t be beat. Well-preserved Warwick Castle is another top attraction, but don’t miss out on the atmospheric ruins of Kenilworth Castle and the grandeur of nearby Stoneleigh Abbey.
For a sleepy, pastoral place, Somerset has some rather high-profile denizens: the Georgian splendour of Bath, the hippie haven of Glastonbury and its world-famous festival. But perhaps most importantly, here lies the source of the nation’s favourite cheese: Cheddar. Throw in the cobbled streets of Wells with its masterpiece cathedral, the limestone caves and gorges beneath the Mendip Hills and the hikes to be had across the Quantock Hills and ‘sleepy’ seems quite far off the mark.
A wave of green on the map, the South Downs National Park stretches across East and West Sussex, and on into Hampshire, spanning wooded hills, chalk uplands and dramatic cliffs. The counties themselves offer a welcome variety too, from Brighton’s opulent Royal Pavilion and buzzing nightlife, to the more modest appeal of medieval Rye and postcard-pretty Winchelsea. Heading west brings you to astonishing Roman ruins in and around Arundel and Chichester. Use lovely Lewes as a base for South Downs walks, or hit the seaside in Hastings or Bexhill.
Cyclists, walkers, rock-climbers and cavers make a beeline for the deep valleys and rugged moors of Derbyshire’s Peak District – the rocky escarpment at Stanage Edge provides the archetypal peak photo op. With appealing stone villages tucked into hillsides and dells and pubs serving up almighty portions, is it any wonder it’s so popular? The spruce spa town of Buxton and lavish, recently reopened Chatsworth House supply some contrast, and there’s nothing quite like the madness of Ashbourne’s Royal Shrovetide Football. Derby itself is also a wonderful place for a weekend break; read our guide here.
The least populated of England’s national parks, occupying the northwestern swathe of the county, Northumberland National Park is an epic wilderness begging to be explored. Walk along Hadrian’s Wall, at the park’s southern reaches, or venture into the undulating Cheviot Hills. Watersports enthusiasts are well catered for at the vast Kielder Water, England’s largest reservoir, or head east to the spectacular coast for an invigorating dip and a glimpse of lonely fortresses and magical isles. Read more on why we love Northumberland here.
Hampshire is simply heaving with attractions. Winchester alone could keep you busy for days (here's how), with its fine cathedral, the evocative ruins of Wolvesey Castle nestled just behind, and reminders of King Arthur at the Great Hall. Drag yourself away to visit Jane Austen’s house, roam in the New Forest or head to the coast to soak up maritime history on board HMS Victory or at the Mary Rose Museum, and onwards to the holiday hotspot of the Isle of Wight where Shanklin makes for a pretty little base.
Wide skies, wide beaches and a watery wonderland – Norfolk casts its own quiet spell on visitors. The county demands to be enjoyed at a slow pace, be it on the beach or by boat. A meandering journey through the Broads, binoculars handy, makes for an utterly tranquil break. On dry land, there are countless churches, windmills, National Trust properties and gardens to explore, plus the stunning dune-backed beaches of the North Norfolk coast (read why we love it here).
The Garden of England it may be, with a patchwork of meadows, blooming orchards and moated castles, but that’s not all there is to Kent. There’s something in the salty air in its seaside towns (here are our favourites), with artistic hubs thriving in Margate, Whitstable and Folkestone. Drop into galleries, browse arts and crafts, stumble into markets and mini-festivals – all on your way down to the beach.
The county of Greater London is expansive, but let’s turn to what the inner city has to offer. Its big sights need no introduction – Buckingham Palace, the British Museum, the Royal Parks for starters – but the joy and challenge of London is seeking out what’s new, what’s off the tourist trail and what doesn’t cost a penny. Here's our guide.
Buckets and spades at the ready – Dorset’s inviting coastline comprises sandy and shingly beaches, rocky outcrops carved by the tide and hundreds of fossils awaiting discovery. Lyme Regis is a top spot for families, and also famously featured in Jane Austen’s Persuasion. Literary associations continue in Dorchester, aka Thomas Hardy’s Casterbridge, and you can invent comic tales of your own over a delicious Dorset cream tea to explain the enormous chalk figure nearby, the Cerne Giant.
The westernmost British county, encompassing the far-flung sub-tropical archipelago of the Isles of Scilly, Cornwall more than merits a long journey. Nabbing second place in our list, it’s an inspiring, creative place that serves up far more than seaside holidays (although the beaches are first-rate). From gallery-hopping in St Ives and marvelling at Mother Nature’s genius inside the Eden Project’s biomes, to munching your way around Padstow or tramping the South West Coast Path, Cornwall’s got it covered.
No Yorkshireman would be surprised to find God’s Own Country at the top of our list. True, as Britain’s largest county it has more space to pack in attractions, but clearly this is about quality, not quantity. With recent UK City of Culture Hull riding high and enduring favourites York and Harrogate, Yorkshire delivers outstanding towns and cities. In the green valleys and blunt hills of the Dales, the purple heather haze of the North York Moors and the sheltered bays of its coast, it also excels. And then there’s everything in between – from the ruins of Whitby Abbey to open-air sculpture, award-winning museums and the Brontë family home. Get a’gate and see it for yourself!