Visiting the United Kingdom is a lifelong dream of mine. There are so many places I want to see and so many things I want to do! I want to travel all over the UK; there's not a single thing I want to experience. But that does beg the question about all the best places to visit in the UK, which got me to thinking – so naturally I had to put a list together! I hope you enjoy it – and please feel free to add spots onto the itinerary!
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1. Stonehenge
One of the best places to visit in the UK is unquestionably Stonehenge. This mythical, mysterious circle of stones has been intriguing minds and sparking imaginations practically forever, and I personally don't think my life will be complete until I can stand within the circle myself. Of course, you do have to wait for access, which evidently usually occurs in the early morning and again late in the evening.
2. Dunvegan Castle and Gardens
Located in the gorgeous Highlands of Scotland, Dunvegan is the oldest castle that has been inhabited continuously. Specifically, the chiefs of the members of Clan MacLeod have their home there – and have for the last 800 years. The grounds are beautiful, with a loch surrounding the castle, itself built upon a rock. Currently the castle is undergoing renovations, but the great news is that it's scheduled to be complete of July of this year!
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3. The Forbidden Corner
The Forbidden Corner is high on my list of places to visit in the UK for a number of reasons. It's located in North Yorkshire, and it is simply amazing. Considered a fairly recent “folly,” it was originally meant to be private but is currently considered the best folly in all of Europe for the 20th century. Filled with exquisite sculptures, some standing alone and some carved right within the trees, it has labyrinths galore on a garden that encompasses four acres within the Dales. Frankly, I wish I could live there.
4. Portmeirion
There was one main thing that drew me to wanting to see Portmeirion, which is located on the coast in North Wales. It is considered one of the most eccentric villages in all of the United Kingdom, and I generally love anything eccentric. It is an Italianate village that has been described as quite fanciful. It has appeared in pop culture quite a lot, with references from Noel Coward, Doctor Who, and The Prisoner, but that's nothing compared to the quaint charm of Battery Square.
5. The Giant's Causeway
The Giant's Causeway, in Northern Ireland, is absolutely breathtaking. A whopping 40,000 basalt columns, all interlocking, make up the area. They are the result of a volcanic eruption. The name of the place, however, is far more colorful. It comes from the myth of an Irish giant, Finn MacCool, who evidently built the breathtaking area himself, in order to reach Scotland, so he could fight his rival, Benandonner.
6. Tresco Abbey Gardens
I'd reckon that a lot of people who have never visited the UK (like myself) wouldn't think there's anything tropical about it, but among other locations, the Tresco Abbey Gardens are definitely sub-tropical. Located in the gorgeous Scilly Isles, many of the topmost botanists in the world consider it not just widely varied, but also the most intriguing garden experiments there is. The plants flower even in winter, although they wouldn't if they were located a mere 30 miles away from the gardents.
7. Stratford-upon-Avon
Now, if you're a writer, if you love the theatre, poetry, or simply Shakespeare, this is definitely one of the best places to visit in the UK. It's all Shakespeare, all the time in Stratford, and you can pay homage to the places the Bard evidently loved, such as the Avon River, five of the houses that are somehow connected to William, and his final resting place. Sheer heaven!
8. Canterbury
Canterbury appeals to me because I fell in love with Chaucer's Tales when I was just a little thing. Besides that, the Canterbury Cathedral is thought to be one of the most beautiful in all of the UK. The town is rich in religious history, namely because St. Thomas Becket officially became a martyr there, in 1170. In addition, you can also see the ruins of the St. Augustine Abbey here, as well as the Church of St. Martin, England's oldest church.
As I said, however, I'm sure there are many more places to visit in the UK. I imagine that an actual itinerary would be kind of like my Christmas lists as a very young child – in other words, it would look like a small novel! So help me out, y'all. What are your recommendations for the places a body just has to see in the UK?
Top Photo Credit: express000
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