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The UK is packed full of fabulous destinations worth visiting, but every year new openings and cultural events make some places more worth the trip others. That’s why Time Out has just revealed its annual list of the best places to visit in Britain in 2026 – and, excitingly, one of them is in London.
We named Strand in central London as one of Britain’s must-see destinations this year, ranking it in 11th place on the list. Why now? You might be thinking about this street that has literally been there since the Roman times. Well, as well as being one of the capital’s most ancient and historic streets, it’s also absolutely stacked with culture, restaurants, hotels and sites to see. And 2026 is looking to be an even more stellar year than most for the Strand.
In 2026, art and theatre fanatics will be able to get their fix at Somerset House, The Courtauld and the Strand’s several theatres. Things to look out for include exhibitions about marine ecosystems, music fandoms and edible earth at Somerset House; retrospectives on artists Barbara Hepworth, Salman Toor and Georges Seurat at the Courtauld; and of course, the production that won everybody’s hearts in 2025: Paddington the Musical at the Savoy Theatre, which is set to run all the way through to 2027.
Foodies will want to know about the relaunch of the legendary restaurant Simpson’s In the Strand, headed up by famed restauranteur Jeremy King and expected to open in February. Other eateries to try include Toklas Bakery and Savoy Grill, and don’t miss the historic pubs around the Royal Courts of Justice.
The Strand will also see the arrival of two hotels this year. The 90-room St Clement Hotel will be opened by Soho House founder Nick Jones, while the very swanky Waldorf Astoria London Admiralty Arch – which won’t technically be on the Strand but will only be a few steps away – is also set to start welcoming guests.
Elsewhere in Time Out’s 2026 list of the country’s top spots to visit this year, we named historic Scottish city Stirling the best place to go. Other places that featured in the ranking included seaside spots Hastings and St Leonards, revived industrial city Derby and lush Welsh island Anglesey.
📍 The full list of Time Out’s 14 best places to visit in the UK in 2026.
Plus: the 12 best art exhibitions coming to London in 2026.
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