10 of England’s must-see sites

Often people don’t explore their own countries in the way that they do when they’re visiting somewhere new.

Seriously, how many of you have made a bucket list for the UK or spent a weekend making a mapped out itinerary for your British staycation?

Exactly.

The thing is, you're missing out. England is arguably home to some of the world's oldest and most impressive sites and buildings that people would kill to see if given the opportunity.

So, on that, we've rounded up some of the best to add to your bucket list immediately...

The Tower of London, London

The Tower of London provides history, gruesome stories and crown jewels right in the centre of the capital.

The palace and fortress has a long history as an infamous prison - in March 1554, the young Princess Elizabeth was imprisoned there by her half-sister Mary I - and today you can go on a spooky tour of the chambers before ogling at the collection of 23,578 royal gemstones that are still used in official ceremonies today.

The Shakespeare Family Homes, Stratford-Upon-Avon

One of the country's most famous literary figures, visiting Shakespeare’s family home is not to be missed.

Take a day to explore all the historical sites from Shakespeare’s birthplace, the Tudor townhouse where it all began, to Anne Hathaway’s thatched cottage, the family home of Shakespeare's wife and Mary Arden’s Farm, the childhood home of Shakespeare’s mother. All in idyllic settings, you’ll weave through orchards, woodlands and lavender mazes to get between them.

The Cotswold

Does anywhere in England get more quintessentially English than the Cotswolds?

Chocolate box and exceedingly pretty, the charm is endless.

Take a weekend break to stay in a cosy cottage that looks straight out of The Holiday. Go for long walks and stop to quench your thirst in country pubs and then retire back for the evening read to doze off by an open fire.

The Shambles, York

Famed as one of the best preserved Medieval streets in Britain, strolling through here will make you feel like you’ve stumbled upon Diagon Alley. Charming, a little otherworldly but ultra-British - post one snap of the 15th century lane and your Instagram is sure to go wild.

Stonehenge

Perhaps the most famous site on this list, Stonehenge is top of most history buffs wish list when exploring the UK. The prehistoric structure which is situated in Wiltshire remains a mystery today. Without machinery, how exactly did those 13 feet high, seven feet wide and 25 ton stones get up there?

Alnwick Castle, Northumberland

Alnwick Castle in Northumberland is not only a stunning site but it makes for a great day trip.

Located in a village, tour the castle (which was actually used as Hogwarts in Harry Potter), go for lunch in the excellent Treehouse Restaurant, visit the gardens and then explore Alnwick itself.

You’ll find delicious independent butchers and food shops as well as the brilliant Barters Bookshop that has an old-fashioned railway that runs around the ceiling.

Jurassic Coast

England has a range of spectacular coastlines but this list wouldn’t be complete without the south’s Jurassic Coast.

Rugged, dramatic and spectacular, the coastline stretches 95 miles from Exmouth in East Devon to Studland Bay in Dorset. You can walk parts of it or the whole thing but either way you’ll see some incredible cliff top vistas and beaches and be able to refuel at excellent English pubs en route.

Hadrian’s Wall

Spanning 84 miles coast-to-coast Hadrian's Wall is an impressive feat. Built by 15,000 Romans, beginning in AD 122, it took just under six years to construct.

Today, it is well preserved and people can visit the iconic site anywhere from Wallsend on the east coast of England to Bowness-on-Solway on the west coast.

Bath

One of Jane Austen favourite haunts, the Georgian city of Bath is to England what Edinburgh is to Scotland.

Architecturally classic, today you can still visit the Roman-era baths, wander along the old cobbled streets, stay in beautiful boutique hotels and enjoy proper British afternoon tea.

Yorkshire Dales National Park

Admittedly the Yorkshire Dales do face stiff competition when it comes to parts of Northumberland and the Peak District but there is something truly unique about this corner of the country.

Encompassing thousands of square miles of moors, valleys, hills and villages, it’s this area that inspire literary greats such as Charles Dickens, the Brontë sisters and Lewis Carroll.

Go and you’ll soon see why.