Anna Bonet

If Cambridge were a person, they’d be worldly, spirited and always ready to hop on a bike. Far more than just a prestigious, world-famous university, the city (Cambridge is small but it’s been a city since 1951) is packed with everything from pop-up food markets to old-as-time pubs. Sitting on the River Cam and with a walkable, vibrant and quite frankly gorgeous centre, this city is as charming as they come. RECOMMENDED: Visit nearby Lavenham, Norwich and Dedham

Yes, the temperature in London has now well and truly dropped. And yes, alfresco evening drinks are only for the bravest of punters, but winter in the capital is also the perfect opportunity to curl up at one of these cockle-warming indoor spots.  We’re swapping bustling rooftop bars for intimate, wood-clad, pubs, and beer gardens for the low hum of underground whisky bars, and we couldn't be happier about it. We’re continually surprised and delighted by how many quiet places there are to curl up and get cosy, and these are a selection of our favourites.  Think infinitely squishy sofas, open fires, blankets and fairy lights aplenty. Feeling more positive about winter yet? We certainly are.  RECOMMENDED: London’s most cosy pubs 

There’s nothing more quintessentially Christmassy than a good ’ol festive market. Need to bulk buy stocking-fillers for your family? Christmas market. Fancy a boozy, mulled-wine-filled evening with your mates? Christmas market. Keen to show off your excellent ice-skating skills? Christmas market. Dazzling destinations are dotted all over the UK. They come alive with the festive spirit once a year, glittering with everything from cosy grottoes and wholesome gift stalls to your favourite Christmas songs. We’re not just talking about London’s Christmas markets and Winter Wonderland, either (although they’re definitely worth a visit, too). We’re talking about the cobbled streets of York and the majestic castle surroundings of Edinburgh. Don’t know where to start? Here is our pick of the best Christmas markets in the UK. Hey, if you’re lucky, you might even get a bit of snow.  RECOMMENDED:🎄The most beautiful Christmas light trails in the UK❄️The best winter walks in the UK🌤️The best things to do in the UK💕The best romantic weekend getaways in the UK 🌜The best Airbnbs for large group getaways At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. This guide includes affiliate links, which have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.

Friendly and full of life, Cardiff is unlike anywhere else in the UK. Close to the coast, near former coal-mining communities and within day-tripping distance of the breathtakingly beautiful Brecon Beacons, the Welsh capital is a destination in its own right. You might find that the huge arts scene, the lively waterfront or the gloriously cheap booze are the reasons why.   RECOMMENDED: The 10 best Airbnbs in Cardiff

Fancy a change from your local fireworks display? We can’t deny that London’s got a lot going for it around November 5, but don’t forget there’s a whole country out there with raging, crackling and totally banging Bonfire Night celebrations too. From funfairs to flaming barrels of tar (yes, really) here are six of the best celebrations around the country that are only a short train ride away from London. RECOMMENDED: The best Bonfire Night fireworks displays in London

Exeter is small, but it’s kinda mighty. It sits on the River Exe, near the sleepy Devon countryside and pretty coastline – and it’s been there since before the Roman era. A city of juxtapositions, it’s home to both ancient and uber-modern architecture, lively students and established locals, contemporary bars and olde-worlde pubs. But it’s a bit like sweet and sour sauce in that way. It shouldn’t work, but it absolutely does.

Here’s a fact for you: it’s impossible for a shopping district that’s born out of what was once a Victorian coal depot to be anything other than ultra cool and trendy. Worlds away from your standard Westfield (much as we love the multiplex), the list of stores, bars and restaurants in Coal Drops Yard is pretty alternative. Of the shops, some, you may know – Aesop, Cos, Paul Smith – but most will be completely new (and also your new obsession), such as LA label Twiin and menswear boutique Universal Works. On the food and drink front you’ll find a new outpost for the trusty tapas restaurant Barrafina nestled among edgy new eateries and concept bars. Check out Casa Pastor for tacos and Coal Office for delicious mezze fare.

If a little bit of the Cotswolds was going to come to anywhere in London, South Kensington is probably its best bet. Bamford’s new Brompton Cross outpost (there’s already a store in Mayfair and a spa in the Berkley Hotel) is a spa, yoga studio and wellness store all in one. It’s suitably South Ken (luxe) but retains touches of its original countryside surroundings (there’s actual tree bark on the wall). Staff drift between the three floors, each of which is named and inspired by one of their three pillars of philosophy. -1 is ‘Heal’, home to tranquil treatment rooms and restorative facials and massages. ‘Move’, on the first floor, is a studio that hosts yoga, pilates, meditation and sound healing sessions beneath a skylight. On the ground floor, we have ‘Breathe’, selling Bamford skincare, bath and body products and clothing, complete with a fireplace and a herbal tea infusions bar. Sceptical? It may all sound like wellness BS but reserve your judgement - not long in this little haven and you’ll remember what calmness feels like.

Thought we had a while to go till Christmas? Thought wrong. Sure, it’s more than two months away, and we haven’t even sorted our Halloween costumes yet, but today Selfridges well and truly heralded the festive season by unveiling its all-out Christmas window and in-store displays. Perhaps unsurprisingly (we’re still in October after all), it’s the first department store in the world to do so. But if Selfridges is getting into the Christmas spirit, so are we. This year’s theme is Selfridges Rocks Christmas, in which Santa intersects with Elvis. In the window displays Mr and Mrs Claus swap their same-old-same-old attire for leather, tassels and sunnies. Rock ’n’ roll.           It’s only taken a team of 500 and one whole year to get here, plus 100 staffers working shifts around the clock for the last eight days to have everything ready for the big reveal. Sounds like a lot of manpower, but when you take into account they’ve worked with 85,000 baubles, 65,000 pieces of paper confetti, 200 Christmas trees and 15,000 metres of LED lights, it makes perfect sense. Go hard or go home, yeah? Feeling prematurely festive? Check out our guide to Christmas in London.  Already doing your Christmas shopping? You’ll want to see our pick of the best shops in London, the best Christmas shops in London and the best Christmas markets in the city. Phew.