As part of the loveEXPLORING 2018 Best of Britain series, our experts have selected the top 50 British tourist attractions. From world-class museums and historical monuments to family-friendly outings and cutting edge art and media installations, these are the best tourist attractions in England, Scotland and Wales.

With Scotland through the ages at its heart, the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh also explores culture and natural history across the globe. It's a stunning building – the Grand Gallery makes a thrilling first impression – and you could spend days exploring the collection. Read our Edinburgh guide here for more inspiration.

The most famous prehistoric monument in Britain, Stonehenge is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with nearby Avebury. Erected in the late Neolithic period in around 2500 BC, the mystery of how and why the enormous stones were transported here has fascinated people for centuries – the visitor centre explores the landscape and the meaning of the Stone Circle.

Steeped in tales of death, torture and bloodthirsty intent, the Tower of London is where the Princes in the Tower disappeared under the reign of Richard III and where Anne of Boleyn met her grisly end. Dare to enter the Bloody Tower, see Traitor’s Gate (where Tudor prisoners were brought by barge), ask the beefeaters (also known as Yeomen Warders) about the legend of the ravens and ogle at the Crown Jewels.

The Blaenavon World Heritage Site in South Wales is home to a former Big Pit Colliery, which was sunk in around 1860 and closed in 1980. As part of a visit to Big Pit National Coal Museum, you can descend in the cage 300 feet below ground and explore the gloomy passageways while a former coal miner tells you all about life on the coalface.

Since 1894 the 518-foot Blackpool Tower has overlooked Lancashire’s famous seaside seafront. A much-loved icon of a glorious bygone era, it was designed by Victorian architect Frank Matcham who was inspired by the Eiffel tower. The tower is home to the magnificent Blackpool Tower Ballroom and you can take a behind-the-scenes heritage tour or hit the dance floor at a daily tea dance.

Brighton is England's premier seaside resort and its 1,722-foot Victorian pier (opened in 1899) is one of the finest examples of a pleasure pier anywhere in the world. You can admire the views as you eat fish and chips or take a turn on old-fashioned fairgrounds rides such as helter skelters and carousels – though thrill-seekers may prefer a ride on the more modern white-knuckle Turbo Coaster.

The Royal Yacht Britannia was the last in a long line of royal yachts, commissioned by King George VI two days before he died. The impressive vessel travelled 1,087,623 nautical miles in service to the Queen – calling at more than 600 ports in 135 countries. Many political leaders stepped aboard, including Sir Winston Churchill, Rajiv Ghandi, Margaret Thatcher, Boris Yeltsin, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton. Today the yacht is berthed in Leith, Edinburgh and is a fascinating museum. 

In September 2018 Scotland's fourth-largest city emerged as a must-visit arts and design destination after the V&A Museum of Design opened at the heart of an ambitious £1 billion waterfront regeneration. Dundee has already been awarded the UK’s first UNESCO City of Design (nominated for its diverse contributions to fields including medical research, comics and video games). Get more inspiration for a weekend in Dundee here.

This intimidating 13th-century fortress was built by Edward I on the Menai Strait. You can climb its polygonal towers for incredible views of the Caernarfon, and it's also possible to stay here, in the Bath Tower. Have a lovely weekend away in Caernarfon with our handy guide.

This ancient Roman bathing complex is in the centre of picturesque Bath next to the beautiful medieval Bath Abbey. It was constructed around natural hot springs in the first century AD in a Roman settlement that was then known as Aquae Sulis, along with a temple dedicated to the goddess of the springs Sulis Minerva. The magnificent Great Bath forms the centrepiece, but the ruins are extensive. See more stunning Roman ruins here and experience the best of Bath using our helpful guide.

West of London into Surrey is the grand Tudor palace of the infamously extravagant Henry VIII. Get a glimpse of what life was like in his court in the tapestry-clad Great Hall and see how the lavish banquets were prepared in the brilliantly restored Great Kitchens. The grounds – including the UK's oldest surviving hedge maze – are well worth exploring too. 

At the rear of the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, the Pitt Rivers Museum (named after General Pitt Rivers who donated his collection) houses over half a million archaeological and ethnographic objects. You'll find shrunken heads, ancient amulets and charms and Samurai armour on display. Have a brilliant weekend in Oxford with these tips.

Stratford-upon-Avon is the birthplace of William Shakespeare and you can visit the home where he was born and grew up not far from the banks of the River Avon. Costumed guides and exhibitions bring this magnificent Tudor House to life. There are plenty more Shakespeare hotspots in the town, but if you want something a little different, read our guide here.

Liverpool's historic Albert Dock features the largest collection of Grade I listed buildings in the whole of the UK. Established in 1839, the prosperous port became one of the world’s most important trading centres before closing in 1972. The derelict warehouses have since become one of the country’s liveliest cultural hubs, home to Tate Liverpool, The Merseyside Maritime Museum and the International Slavery Museum. Check out our guide to a great weekend in Liverpool.

Built to commemorate Scottish author Sir Walter Scott, this soaring Victorian Gothic monument on Princes Street is one of the city’s best-known landmarks. You can clamber up the spiral steps to visit the first floor museum with its glorious stained-glass windows, and then continue up for fantastic views over Edinburgh.​ 

Already boasting more than 80 outdoor sculptures and installations set within 500 acres of beautiful parklands and woods, in 2018 the Yorkshire Sculpture Park opened a brand new £3.8 million visitor centre (pictured). The centre includes a restaurant and shop, as well as a gallery space which hosts a changing programme of word-class art.

Proudly sitting high above the historic city of Edinburgh on the volcanic plug known as Castle Rock, this mighty fortress is one of Scotland’s most visited attractions. It was built during the 12th century by David I, son of Saint Margaret of Scotland, and was the main Scottish Royal residence until the union of the crowns in 1603. Don't miss the firing of the one o'clock gun. 

The city of Oxford has more than its share of striking historic buildings, but the dome of the Radcliffe Camera building is arguably the most distinctive. It was built by the architect James Gibbs between 1737 and 1749 to house a new scientific library. The Latin word ‘camera’ means ‘chamber’ and it was named after the royal physician Dr John Radcliffe who bequeathed funds to Oxford University. Today it's the main reading room of the Bodleian Library. Get more tips for a weekend break in Oxford here.

Chugging up and down the highest peak in England and Wales, the Snowdon Mountain Railway has been operating its steam service since 1896. Just as the Victorians did, you can reach the scenic summit (1085m/3560ft) without breaking a sweat – though it only operates May to the end of September.

Probably the most famous food market in Britain, Borough Market has been in Southwark in some form for at least one thousand years. In 2016 the market underwent a huge renovation and today it's packed with international artisan traders selling the best produce from myriad stalls, shops and restaurants. 

Deep within the mountains of Snowdonia in North Wales, Llechwedd Slate Caverns is a connection to another era. At one time, Wales extracted half a million tonnes of slate from mines like this one and exported it all over the world. Visitors descend into the darkness of the underground tunnels and chambers and learn about the history of mining in Wales since Roman times.

Trafalgar Square's fourth plinth stood empty for 150 years – it was meant to have a statue of William IV but funds ran out (the other three plinths hold statues of decorated military officers). The Royal Society of Arts launched the Fourth Plinth Project in the 1990s and since then the platform has hosted a range of contemporary artworks. In 2018, the newest plinth design (pictured) was unveiled to be Michael Rakowitz's 'The Invisible Enemy Should Not Exist' and will be on display until March 2020.

The National Botanic Garden of Wales is at the forefront of horticultural science and learning. The grand Norman Foster-designed single-span glasshouse is the largest in the world – it houses endangered species from across the globe in a Mediterranean climate.

For old-fashioned seaside thrills head down to the Kent coast where, after years of neglect, family favourite Dreamland has reopened. Vintage rides like the restored 1920s wooden scenic railway and the chair-o-plane (pictured) are set into landscaped grounds and there's often live music and events staged, too. 

Iconic St Paul's Cathedral has been sitting at the highest point in the city of London since it was rebuilt to a design by Christopher Wren following the devastating Great Fire of London. Visitors can descend to the crypt or clamber up to the Golden Gallery in the outer dome (528 steps) for breathtaking views of the city. 

Hull is still riding the UK City of Culture wave of success and the 2017 reopening of the Ferens Gallery was greeted with a lot of excitement. The gallery has undergone a multi-million pound refurbishment and visiting exhibitions have included SKIN (which featured works by Lucian Freud, Ron Mueck and Spencer Tunick) and the prestigious Turner Prize. Here are more things we love about Hull.

A £15 million renovation has put the University of Manchester's Whitworth Art Gallery on the map. The award-winning extension at the back of the gallery has not only doubled the exhibition space, but it's also seamlessly integrated the gallery with the landscape around it. The art garden, sculpture terrace and cafe at treetop level make it a city favourite. Explore more of Manchester with our tips.

Stunning stalactite caverns formed in the Ice Age can be seen on a visit to Britain’s biggest gorge, a 400-foot-deep and three-mile long natural formation set within Somerset's scenic Mendip Hills. You can join caving expeditions into the heart of the gorge’s cave system to clamber, climb and squeeze into hidden chambers.

Follow in the footsteps of Elizabeth Bennet at Chatsworth in Derbyshire, which famously appeared as the home of Mr Darcy in the 2005 adaptation of Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice. Off screen, Chatsworth is home to the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire and has been passed down through sixteen generations of the family. The house is set in more than a hundred acres of gardens, which need year-round attention from 20 gardeners.

Glenfinnan Viaduct reached a whole new audience when it was used as a location for the Harry Potter films. The 21 arches of the 1,000-foot-long and 100-foot-high viaduct can be found west of Fort William – you're able to park nearby and walk to the base to gaze up at this marvellous feat of engineering. The Jacobite steam train which loops between Fort William and Mallaig crosses here and will sometimes stop so that passengers can take in the epic view.

The conical hill of Glastonbury Tor is steeped in Pagan history and has been one of Britain’s most spiritual sites for over 1,000 years. Walk the trail to see the ruins of the medieval Chapel of St Michael and to take in the wonderful views across the Somerset hills. Nearby Wells is a beautiful base for exploring the Tor.

An unusual attraction on a suburban road in northwest London, the iconic crossing outside Abbey Road Studios usually has a line of tourists trying to capture their own Beatles album cover on camera (without getting run over). The crossing has Grade II listed status and the 24-hour live feed makes surprisingly compelling viewing.

Established over 130 years ago, more than five million people explore London's Natural History Museum each year. The museum exhibits focus on a range of life and Earth science specimens through human history, and its dinosaur skeletons are a huge highlight – as is the beautiful terracotta Romanesque architecture they are housed in.

In AD 122, Roman emperor Hadrian ordered this epic stone wall be built to protect Roman civilisation from the Barbarians to the north. Hadrian's Wall once stretched 73 miles from coast-to-coast in the north of England and it’s the country’s most spectacular and important Roman monument. It’s not just a wall though – various forts, milecastles, barracks and ramparts with museums are dotted along this once northern frontier.

Standing majestically over the narrow laneways of York, this grand Gothic structure is northern Europe’s largest medieval cathedral. York Minster is especially renowned for its remarkable windows including the vast Great East Window, which dates back to 1405 and is the world's largest example of medieval stained glass, and its vast Nave, which was begun in 1291.

There has been a mill in rural Laverstoke since before the Domesday Book of 1086 and today you can tour the Bombay Sapphire distillery where the gin is made using water from the River Test – the purest chalk stream in the UK. The heritage mill was sympathetically renovated and the Glasshouse is a superb 21st-century addition. 

The breathtaking 100-foot stainless steel equine statues are a feat of engineering created by artist Andy Scott. The Kelpies sit within The Helix, a green space area that was dreamed up in 2003 to connect communities in Falkirk. Buy tickets from the Visitor Centre for the 30-minute walking tours exploring the statues inside and out.

The giant Ferris wheel was a controversial addition to the city skyline when it was launched on London's South Bank back in 1999, but today Londoners can’t imagine the Thames without it. The London Eye, also known as the Millennium Wheel, has 32 capsules which offer jaw-dropping 360° views of the city.

Bristol is steeped in Concorde history: the supersonic passenger jet was largely developed here, the UK assembly line was located here and all UK Concordes made their maiden flight from the city’s runway. In 2017, a £19 million state-of-the-art museum dedicated to the city's airspace heritage opened here. The last Concorde ever to be built takes pride of place in the main hangar of Aerospace Bristol.

The unmistakable chalk stacks that puncture the sea at the furthest western point of the Isle of Wight are the Solent isle’s most famous landmark. Set within a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, you can hop on a chairlift down to the beach and to see the coloured sand cliffs of Alum Bay or simply admire the spectacular rock formations and adjacent red and white striped lighthouse as you stroll the nearby clifftops. If you're visiting the island, don't miss Shanklin. For more on the Isle of Wight, explore our handy guide.

The Art Fund Museum of the Year in 2017, the Hepworth Wakefield has 65,000 square feet of space and is UK’s largest purpose-built gallery. Named after the acclaimed sculptor, Barbara Hepworth, who was born in Wakefield, the museum showcases an important permanent collection of key works by an array of leading British artists, including Hepworth and Henry Moore.

Glasgow's Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum opened in 1901 in a distinctly Spanish Baroque building – be sure to use the grand entrance from Kelvingrove Park. There are 22 galleries and highlights of the permanent collection include  Salvador Dali's Christ of St John of the Cross, alongside works by Vincent van Gogh and Rembrandt. Find out the best things to do in Glasgow here.

The original wooden Warwick Castle was built by William the Conqueror a thousand years ago on the banks of the River Avon. Today, the mammoth, stone version is a grand turreted stronghold, built in the 12th century. The castle hosts medieval themed events and it's possible to stay overnight.

The Black Country was the first industrial landscape in the world and at the Black Country Living Museum you can get a slice of this unique West Midlands history. Visitors explore a huge open-air recreation of a village – including houses, shops, trams, a mine and even a cinema showing silent films from the 1920s.

Britain has some wonderful zoos, not least in London and Edinburgh, but our favourite is in Chester in the northwest of England. Chester Zoo leads the way in animal conservation, education and science and is home to over 500 species of rare, exotic and endangered wildlife in large scale, themed zones (such as grasslands or forests). Get ideas for a great weekend in Chester here.

Just 30 minutes from central London, the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew holds the most important plant collection in the world. Its Grade I-listed Victorian Glasshouse, Temperate House has recently reopened after being closed for 5 years and is now home to 1,500 species of rare temperature plants. As well as the newly renovated glasshouse, make sure to explore the Palm House (pictured), arboretum and treetop walkway. And don't miss an expert-led guided garden tour.

Just 72 inches wide and 122 inches high, the tiniest house in Britain can be found on the quayside in Conwy. Amazingly, it was actually lived in until 1900, but has operated as a tourist attraction ever since.