Language · 11 published
Country guide
The United Kingdom is 244,376 km² holding 69,281,437 people, and it is four countries rather than one: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, with London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast as their capitals. Three of the four run parliaments of their own over devolved matters, and the law splits three ways — England and Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland. A visitor meets that in small practical things rather than at a border. London alone holds about 9.1 million of the total, which is why so many trips never leave it, and why the ones that do feel like arriving somewhere else.
Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.
Photograph · Ilya Grigorik · CC BY-SA 3.0
Photograph · 瑞丽江的河水 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photograph · 瑞丽江的河水 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photograph · Daniel Nisbet from Manchester, United Kingdom · CC BY 2.0
Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.
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London Bridge is a historic crossing over the River Thames in central London. The current structure dates from 1973, replacing a 19th-century stone bridge that itself succeeded earlier medieval versions.
Harrods is a world-famous department store located on Brompton Road in Knightsbridge, London. Established in 1849, it has grown to become one of the largest and most iconic retail establishments in Europe.
Westminster Cathedral is the mother church of the Catholic Church in England and Wales. Located in Victoria, London, it was designed by John Francis Bentley in neo-Byzantine style and opened in 1903.
The Greenwich Meridian is the line of 0 degrees longitude, established at the Royal Observatory Greenwich in 1851 and adopted internationally in 1884. It divides the Eastern and Western Hemispheres.
Big Ben is the popular name for the Great Bell of the clock at the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London. The name is frequently extended to refer also to the clock and the clock tower.
St James's Palace is a working royal palace in the City of Westminster, London. Built by Henry VIII on the site of a former leper hospital, it became the principal residence of the English monarch from 1698 until 1837.
Westminster Bridge is a road-and-foot traffic bridge spanning the River Thames in London. It connects Westminster on the west side to Lambeth on the east side.
London King's Cross Railway Station is a major railway terminus in central London. It serves as a principal hub for intercity and regional rail services, most notably as the London terminus for the East Coast Main Line.
The Globe Theatre is a reconstruction of the original Elizabethan playhouse associated with William Shakespeare. The original structure stood near this site in Southwark from 1599 until destroyed by fire in 1613.
London Paddington Railway Station is a major railway terminus in the City of Westminster, central London. It serves as the London terminus for trains to the West of England and South Wales.
St Pancras railway station is a major railway terminus in central London, widely known as St Pancras International Station.
Royal Festival Hall is a major performing arts venue located on the South Bank of the River Thames in London. It forms part of the Southbank Centre complex, which stands as one of Britain's largest arts centres.
The Antonine Wall is a Roman frontier fortification stretching across Scotland's Central Belt. Constructed around 142 AD under Emperor Antoninus Pius, it represents the northwesternmost boundary of the Roman Empire.
Green Park is one of London's eight Royal Parks, located in the City of Westminster. It covers approximately 40 acres of mature trees and grassland between Hyde Park and St James's Park.
Nelson's Column is a monument in Trafalgar Square, central London, erected to honour Admiral Horatio Nelson, who died at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.
London Victoria station is a major central London railway terminus and connected London Underground station in the City of Westminster. It serves as one of the primary transport hubs in the capital, handling both national rail services and Underground trains.
The Mall is a ceremonial road in the City of Westminster, London, running from Buckingham Palace at its western end to Admiralty Arch and Trafalgar Square to the northeast.
Chelsea Physic Garden is a historic botanical garden established in 1673 by the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries for training apprentices in medicinal plants.
Clarence House is a royal residence on The Mall in London, adjacent to St James's Palace. It serves as the official London residence of The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall.
Highgate Cemetery is a historic cemetery in North London, opened in 1839 as one of the Magnificent Seven park cemeteries established around London in the Victorian era.
Leicester Square is a pedestrianised square in the West End of London. It was laid out in 1670 on land that had been Leicester Fields, named after Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester.
Lambeth Palace serves as the official London residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England.
The Palace of Whitehall was the main residence of English monarchs from 1530 to 1698, when much of the structure was destroyed by fire. Today, only the Banqueting House survives intact.
The Royal National Theatre, known locally as the National Theatre, is a prominent performing arts venue on London's South Bank. Established as a publicly funded institution, it operates as one of Britain's flagship theatre companies.
Admiralty Arch is a landmark building in London, situated at the eastern end of The Mall, leading to Trafalgar Square. It was commissioned by King Edward VII in memory of his mother, Queen Victoria.
The Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom comprise a collection of royal ceremonial objects. They are housed at the Tower of London, a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames.
The Royal Courts of Justice is a major court building in London, England. It houses the Court of Appeal of England and Wales and the High Court of Justice of England and Wales.
St Mary-le-Bow is a historic church in the City of London, traditionally associated with the legend of the Bow Bells. According to tradition, a true Cockney must be born within earshot of these bells.
City Hall is a former headquarters building for the Greater London Authority, located on the Queen's Walk in Southwark, facing the River Thames and Tower Bridge.
The Rolling Bridge is a movable footbridge in London designed by Thomas Heatherwick and completed in 2004.
Alexandra Palace is a historic entertainment and sports venue in North London, situated on a hill overlooking the city.
Parliament Square is a public square in the City of Westminster, central London. It lies at the northwest end of the Palace of Westminster, home to the Houses of Parliament.
Marlborough House is a Grade I listed mansion in the City of Westminster, London. It was built for Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough, and completed in 1711.
Speakers' Corner is a traditional public speaking area in the northeast corner of Hyde Park, London.
The Victoria Memorial is a monument to Queen Victoria, located directly in front of Buckingham Palace at the western end of The Mall in London.
Strawberry Hill House is a Gothic Revival villa in Twickenham, London. Built by Horace Walpole, son of Prime Minister Robert Walpole, between 1749 and 1776, it became the seminal building of the Gothic Revival style.
London Wall is a historic defensive wall built by the Romans around Londinium, their strategically vital settlement on the River Thames. Constructed mainly in the late second or early third century, it defined the boundaries of Roman London for centuries.
221B Baker Street is a fictional address created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle for his Sherlock Holmes stories, published from 1887. The address did not exist when Doyle wrote the tales, as the Baker Street numbers then ended below 100.
The BT Tower is a communications tower in London, United Kingdom. It stands in the Fitzrovia area of the city and serves as a major telecommunications hub.
The Chelsea Flower Show is an annual garden show held in the Chelsea area of London. It is organised by the Royal Horticultural Society and takes place on the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea.
Earl's Court tube station is a London Underground station in Earl's Court Road, Kensington. It serves the District and Piccadilly lines on the Transport for London network.
Horse Guards Parade is a large parade ground in central London, situated between Whitehall and St James's Park. It serves as the ceremonial grounds for the Household Cavalry and hosts the annual Trooping the Colour ceremony.
Guildhall is a historic building in the City of London, serving as the ceremonial and administrative centre of the Corporation of London. The site has housed a guildhall since at least the twelfth century.
Kew Palace is a historic royal palace located within the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in southwest London. It is the smallest and most intimate of the British royal palaces.
The Battle of Barnet was a decisive engagement of the Wars of the Roses fought in 1471. Today it is commemorated at this location in Greater London near the historic town of Barnet.
Down House is a historic residence in the London Borough of Bromley, formerly the home of Charles Darwin, the naturalist and author of On the Origin of Species.
The Thames Tunnel is a historic underwater tunnel beneath the River Thames in London, connecting Rotherhithe and Wapping.
The ArcelorMittal Orbit is a sculpture and observation tower in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London. Designed by Anish Kapoor and Cecil Balmond, it was created for the 2012 London Olympics.
The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama is a prominent conservatoire for theatre arts located in London. Established in 1906 by Elsie Fogerty, it has evolved into one of Britain's leading institutions for actor training and dramatic arts education.
Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·
Ten to fourteen days can cover four or five days in London, two in Manchester, and two or three each in Edinburgh and Glasgow. The Highlands, Lake District, or Welsh national parks need dedicated nights and should not be squeezed into London day trips.
UK document rules depend on nationality and trip purpose, and many visitors now need an Electronic Travel Authorisation before boarding. Check the linked UK government visa service for both visa and ETA status shortly before travel.
Intercity rail is the practical spine between London, Manchester, Edinburgh, and Glasgow, with advance fares usually distinct from flexible tickets. Each city runs its own local fare system, so London's contactless cap is not a nationwide travel pass.
May to June and September are useful planning windows for this route, but conditions vary between southern England and Scotland. Festival dates in Edinburgh and rural transport in national parks can matter more than the national seasonal label.
The United Kingdom uses pound sterling (GBP). Contactless payment is widespread in major cities, but keep another payment method for rural services or terminals that do not share London's payment arrangements.
Use 999 or 112 for emergencies in the United Kingdom. Type G sockets supply 230 V, and mains tap water is recorded as safe; save rail disruption information as well when the itinerary depends on several city-to-city journeys.
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