Eloise Feilden

In 2026, the UK’s coastline is more in the spotlight than it has been in a long, long time. The opening of the long-awaited King Charles III Coastal Path means that the entire coasts of England, Wales and Scotland are now fully walkable – giving you even more of a reason to visit this nation’s extraordinary roster of seaside towns. Of course, being an island nation, the UK has no shortage of coastal spots. Prim, proper, picture-postcard-worthy idylls? Check. Remote, blustery retreats from stormy seas?  Yep, plenty of that. Thrill-packed resort spots with something for everyone? Britain has all of the above and much more. If you’re on the hunt for British seaside towns that are worth checking out right now – the ones that should be on your radar specifically in 2026 – that’s what we’re here for. Time Out assembled our UK travel experts to pick out the country’s most exciting seaside, port, harbour and resort towns to visit this year. RECOMMENDED: 🏖️ The best beaches in the UK (and mapped).📍 The best places to visit in Britain in 2026.🇬🇧 The best new things to do in the UK in 2026. Time Out’s best seaside towns, mapped Image: Time Out

A red sandstone amphitheatre. An ancient woodland on the English coast. A teeny tiny island with a black sand beach. Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes – luckily, the world isn’t held to the same rigid beauty standards as humans are – and we’ve curated this list to celebrate that.  It goes without saying that Time Out’s ranking of the world’s most beautiful places is entirely subjective and by no means exhaustive, but what we can guarantee is real-life experience. Every single beach, lake, city and valley on this list has been visited and vetted by our globetrotting network of travel writers. In short, they’re all well worth making the journey to see for yourself (no social media fakery here).We update this list regularly, ensuring we’re including the big-hitters while considering the impact of overtourism and spotlighting lesser-known beauty spots. So here it is: Time Out’s guide to the most beautiful places on planet Earth. Happy travels!Updated March 2026: There are seven new additions to the list this year, including a terracotta-coloured Old Town in Italy, an opulent Renaissance-style library in New York and a compact mountain range in northern Spain.Grace Beard is Time Out’s travel editor, based in London. 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. RECOMMENDED:⛰️ The most beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Sites🗺 The most underrated travel destinations i

There’s a heck of a lot to get excited about in Britain over the next 12 months or so. Between now and 2027 Brits will gobble down platefuls of new restaurants’ grub, slurp tasty bevs in fresh bars, get cultural fixes at museum exhibitions, spectate at globally-renowned sport events and even witness moments of proper historic importance. In 2026 the UK will see the return of the Bayeux Tapestry (not seen on these isles in 900 years) and the completion of the nation-spanning King Charles III Coastal Path. Among the likes of new music festivals and theme parks will be the world’s biggest Irish cultural event, the premiere of one of this century’s most highly anticipated stage musicals and centenery celebrations for a globally-loved children’s character.  And that’s just the stuff that’s planned – who knows what else will define the year? Without further ado, here are the 16 best new things to do in the UK in 2026, chosen by Time Out editors and contributors. RECOMMENDED: 📍 The 14 best places to visit in the UK in 2026.🏛️ The 26 best new things to do in London in 2026.🌍 The best new things to do in the world in 2026.

Ever wondered what the Edwardians were up to? What it was like sipping afternoon tea and playing croquet in a feathered hat, or whipping out your pocket watch to check how long you had ‘til supper time? Well, there’s still a place in Birmingham which will give you an insight into the Edwardian way of life. Moseley Road Baths, located in Balsall Heath, is one of the UK’s oldest listed swimming pools still in use and retains its original fixtures and fittings from 1907. The building’s 46 private washrooms, original oak kiosks and three-sided spectator gallery with balconettes are all still standing, and will transport you right back to their pre-WWI heyday. At least, that was until 2023, when the pool was forced to shut. Due to its poor condition, the charity responsible for the building announced a major renovation project, promising that the swim spot would be back up and running by 2025. The plans were later delayed due to funding issues, meaning the Moseley Road Baths still hasn’t opened its doors again, but a new cash injection has greenlit the second stage of its renovation. Phase one of the works eventually began in September 2025 and is still underway, tackling the building’s most urgent repairs. Now, a £9.2 million grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund will pay for the revamp’s second phase, which will ‘effectively remove Moseley Road Baths’ at risk status’, the pool’s owners have said. The full works include a complete restoration of the Gala Pool, including r

It’s official: the best museums to visit in 2026 have been crowned by Time Out. Yep, our editors and local experts have sought out the best cultural institutions and educational centres across these Great British Isles to find out which ones you should add to the bucket list this year. Nabbing the top spot was Margate’s Crab Museum, a petite and relatively new cultural hub which is choc-a-block with decapod paraphernalia. Think glass cases of giant crab claws; miniature village reconstructions dotted with crabby coppers in bobby hats; and displays of crabs in cowboy getup. Sure, it’s not the most traditional of showrooms, but it's certainly committed to the theme. The silver medal for 2026 went to the Thinktank Science Museum in Brum, heralded for its ability to keep the kids occupied with interactive exhibits and a 4K planetarium. As for the last spot on the podium? The third prize went to Gladstone Pottery Museum in Stoke-on-Trent.  You might recognise it as the backdrop to the sculpting sessions and clay-throwing challenges of Channel 4’s Great Pottery Throw Down, but the space is more than just a filming location. The museum itself is the UK’s last surviving complete Victorian coal-fired pottery factory, and a physical tribute to Stoke’s history as the ceramics capital of the world.  Its walkable displays guide visitors through the roles within a Victorian coal-fired pottery factory, from throwing to firing and decorating. There’s even a bottle oven which you can enter to

There’s nothing quite like a city-wide tube strike to remind us how much we rely on the good ol’ London Underground. Walk outs on Tuesday June 2 and Thursday June 4 have made whizzing around the capital a little tricky to say the least, and platforms in what are usually some of the busiest stations have been eerily quiet on the recent days of industrial action. Luckily, the early June walk outs are the last on the books (at least for now), so the normal crowds of commuters will be back jostling for a prime position behind the yellow line from Friday onwards. As we prepare ourselves to descend the escalators once more, you might have been wondering which tube stops are officially the busiest. Well, Transport for London recently revealed the 2025 figures for tube station passenger numbers, showing an annualised average of which stops typically saw the most entries and exits per week.  The crown went to Kings Cross St. Pancras, which saw nearly 73 million passengers swipe in or out of the Underground network over the 12-month period. King’s Cross is no stranger to the top spot, which comes as no surprise – it serves six tube lines (the Circle, Piccadilly, Victoria, Northern, Metropolitan and Hammersmith and City lines) and has plenty of connections to rail services. Second place went to Waterloo, with almost 70 million ins and outs throughout the year, followed by Tottenham Court Road in third place, with 59,937,561 annual swipes. That’s a hell of a lot of Oyster Card top ups. 

The last time Harry Styles hopped on a tour bus, he broke records. The pop icon’s Love on Tour concert run, which spanned 22 months from 2021 to 2023, grossed over $617 million and sold five million tickets, making it one of the most attended concert tours of all time. So, in January 2026 when the former One Direction star announced he was going back on the road, we knew it would be a big’un.  The Together, Together tour, supporting his Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally album, kicked off at Amsterdam’s Johan Cruijff ArenA on May 16 with 10 shows at the Dutch venue. Next up, Hazza will head back to his home turf for the London leg at Wembley Stadium before jetting off to Brazil, Mexico, New York, Melbourne and Sydney for the remainder of the tour. Photograph: Julian BajselHarry Styles on stage for his Together, Together tour Tickets to the 12 Wembley shows sold out in record time, but if you were one of the lucky ones quick enough to snag one (teach us your ways!), you’re probably wondering about the setlist. Well have no fear, dear reader, because we’ve got you covered. While we can’t guarantee the pop star won’t switch things up between now and the end of his tour in December, the Amsterdam set list should give you a pretty good idea of the certified bangers you can expect from his upcoming shows.  At Wembley, Shania Twain will be taking to the stage in the support slot. Other special guests are set to include Fcukers, Jorja Smith, Jamie xx, Fousheé, and Skye Newman.

Edinburgh’s status as one of the greatest UK cities for culture in 2026 will come as a surprise to, well, no one. The Scottish capital, officially the country’s most beautiful and historic city, is a hub of indie restaurants, picturesque parks and cultural curiosities. Home to the iconic Edinburgh Fringe, it’s a stand out when it comes to festivals, and has a hefty roster of museums and galleries to boot. And now, that roster is about to climb to even greater heights thanks to a £100 million project to give one of Edinburgh’s most historic art galleries a makeover. Scotland’s National Gallery, which has remained one of the city centre’s top landmarks since the mid-19th century, has been earmarked for a revamp to secure its long-term future. The multi-million pound investment will go towards constructing The Art Works, a new attraction housing around 130,000 artworks which will form part of the £1.3 billion regeneration of Edinburgh’s Granton area. Director-general Anne Lyden told The Herald that it would be positioned as Scotland's equivalent to the new V&A East Storehouse in London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Work on the new space is expected to get underway during the summer, and The Art Works is set to open its doors in 2029.  Its development lies at the heart of the National Galleries of Scotland’s long-term vision for the future. The organisation, which runs three sites across Edinburgh, has also revealed plans to rejuvenate levels three and four of the National Gall

Sure, we’ve all taken a trip to Stonehenge. As one of the most iconic monuments in the UK (if not the entire world) the prehistoric stone circle has been the site of many a school trip and a family day out.  But if you thought you’d seen all there was to see of the ancient structure, think again. After 4,000 years of history, in 2026 Stonehenge is getting an upgrade. Yep, from this summer, as well as the ring of mysterious grey pillars, you’ll also be able to visit a seven-metre-high Neolithic hall.  Ok, we should mention that the structure you’ll be seeing is actually a recreation, but it’s a pretty damn accurate one. The Kusuma Neolithic Hall, as it’s called, is based on archaeological findings from two miles away, at a site where researchers uncovered a large prehistoric structure dating back 4,500 years. A team of more than 100 volunteers have spent nine months on a project to reconstruct what they believe the building would have looked like, using historically accurate tools and materials – like thatch, coppiced timber and chalk daub – to build it. Sounds pretty olde to us. Photograph: Christopher IsonAward-winning archaeologist Luke Winter is leading the construction of the Kusuma Neolithic Hall Researchers aren’t sure what the original structure was used for, but excavations have found thousands of animal bones and pottery, suggesting it was likely a site for big feasts, celebrations and potentially even burial rituals.  The reconstruction project, which cost £1 mill

When Ronan Keating, Keith Duffy, Mikey Graham, and Shane Lynch took their last bow as Boyzone in 2019 with their ‘Thank You And Goodnight’ farewell tour, well, turns out it wasn’t actually goodnight.  That’s because, seven years later, the Dublin boys are back for a two-night show in London. ‘One For The Road: Live At Emirates Stadium’ is set to be the boyband’s biggest ever headline show, with capacity for 44,000 fans.  Put together by Louis Walsh back in 1993, Boyzone’s weighty discography includes 18 top 10 singles and six number ones, with hits like ‘No Matter What’, ‘I Love the Way You Love Me’ and ‘Baby Can I Hold You’. If you’ve got a ticket (or you’re looking for one), here’s everything you need to know. When are Boyzone playing the Emirates Stadium? The boyband’s farewell shows are taking place in north London on Friday 5 and Saturday 6 June 2026. What time do doors open? Doors will open at 5pm on both days. What time will the band come on stage? Ronan Keating, Keith Duffy, Mikey Graham and Shane Lynch are set to take to the stage at 8.15pm. The show is expected to finish at 10.30pm before the stadium closes at 11pm. What’s the seating plan? Here’s the seating plan at the Emirates Stadium, according to Ticketmaster: Photograph: TicketmasterBirdseye view of Emirates Stadium seating plan for Boyzone concert Who’s supporting Boyzone at the Emirates? There’ll be one support slot on each night. On Friday June 5, pop band S Club will be taking to the stage ahead of Boyzo

Gaining a Michelin star is one achievement which sits high on the bucket list of most restaurants, and eight British eateries just got one step closer to claiming one.  Each month, the Michelin Guide’s army of anonymous inspectors unfurl their napkins, take up a knife and fork and sample some of the country’s top cuisine, judging it against criteria including quality of ingredients, mastery of flavour, personality and consistency.  Restaurants impressive enough to excel across all these categories get added to the Guide, meaning that later down the line they’ll be in with a chance of earning a much-coveted star. So which British restos are the latest to be recognised for their culinary prowess? Well, the May lineup was actually on the slimmer side compared to recent months. In March, 18 of the country’s foodie spots made it onto the Guide, followed by another 18 in April. May’s list was shorter, with just eight entries. Three of them hail from London, and we’ve already compiled a list of the restaurants from the capital which joined the Michelin Guide in May here. Following an influx of pubs entering the selection in April, another two were added last month: Harberton’s The Church House Inn, with its rotating dishes of ‘classic cuisine’ like grilled John Dory and Tamworth chops, and The Woolpack Inn in Northington, which has a menu of modern British dishes.. Cardiff bar and bistro Sonder also made the May list. Nestled in the Pontcanna Laundry development, one of the Welsh ci

The Big Smoke is no stranger to food festivals. In May, bibimbap and tteokbokki fanatics queued round the block to get a taste of the city’s first ever Korean food fête, Jung. In June, the great and the good of the capital’s restaurant scene will be peddling plates in Regent’s Park for the 2026 edition of Taste of London. Even fezzies with a niche USP are welcomed with open arms by London locals. The Big Brine, which debuts in September, is putting pickles centre-stage, with chef demos, live music and fermentation workshops taking over Hackney for two days. Now, Europe’s first major international chicken festival is being welcomed to the summer schedule.  Launching in September, Roost is a four-day event dedicated to one thing, and one thing only: chicken. Taking place at the Allianz Stadium in Twickenham, it’ll bring food vendors from the US, Jamaica and around the UK to show off their signature wings, thighs and drumsticks to hungry meat-eating Londoners.  Among the big-name kitchens will be Chicken George JR, as well as FOWL, Coqfighter, Maureen’s Kitchen, Schnitzel Heaven, Killa Waffle, Game and Flames, Ginger Wings (Marlow) and Shwings. Flying in from the US, Chicken Baptiser will bring a taste of South Carolina, while Harlem’s Charles Pan Fried Chicken and Pecking House will rep the Big Apple. Roost will also be hosting the Wing Jam Championship Belt, asking guests to vote on the UK’s best slinger of a £1.50 wing. Plus, we can expect a separate hot wing eating contest,

Two more days of industrial action are set to hit London this week – so it’s time to get journey planning. London Underground drivers who are RMT union members will walk out for 24-hour periods on Tuesday (June 2) and Thursday (June 4).  The strikes are part of an ongoing dispute between the union and TfL. The latter is offering a condensed four-day working week, which could mean longer shifts for drivers on the Underground network. The union claims the change will increase fatigue and compromise safety, though TfL says proposals would be voluntary.  The walk-out will cause major disruptions to the Underground lines this week, but how are services on the Overground expected to fare?  June 2026 Tube Strikes: How to get around London during RMT industrial action. When are the June 2026 tube strikes? Two 24-hour periods of industrial action on the tube are planned for June, taking place on: Tuesday June 2 (midnight to 11.59pm) Thursday June 4 (midnight to 11.59pm) Some disruption should be expected on the mornings of Wednesday June 3 and Friday June 5 as services get back to normal. Strikes originally planned for later in June have been cancelled. However, unless the dispute is resolved it is likely more industrial action will be announced in the summer. Will the Underground strikes affect the Overground? TfL has said that the entire Overground network will run as usual during the June strikes. However, it’s likely to be significantly busier than usual with Londoners swerving

When it’s 30C+ outside like it was last week, there are many, many places we’d rather be than standing on a packed and sweaty tube platform. While this week’s temps are set to be a much more moderate 22C, there’ll be another reason to swerve the Underground: strikes.  Back in February, members of the RMT union voted to stage a series of walk-outs over a dispute over working hours. While strikes in March and May were both called off, 48 hours of industrial action went ahead in April. If the dispute remains unresolved, two 24-hour strike dates are set to take place on June 2 and 4. If you’ve got somewhere to be on these dates, there’ll still be plenty of ways to get about the capital. To help you plan ahead, here’s our essential guide to getting around London while the tube is out of action.  RECOMMENDED: London’s Piccadilly line will be almost completely shut on two weekends this summer. What dates are the tube strikes in June? Tube drivers originally scheduled to walk out on June 16 and June 18, but these days of industrial action have been called off.  Instead, tube drivers will walk out on the following two dates in early June. The two 24-hour strikes will take place on: Tuesday June 2 (midnight to 11.59pm) Thursday June 4 (midnight to 11.59pm) TfL has warned that some disruption should be expected on the mornings of Wednesday June 3 and Friday June 5 as services get back up and running. No further dates have been formally announced by the unions, meaning this week’s disr

Since opening in early 2024, Quince Bakery has cemented itself as a firm Islington fave. Just months after it debuted, the bakehouse picked up a Muddy Stilettos award for best ‘local food / drink producer’ and was named among the best bakeries in London by La Liste, a guide to the best restaurants and hotels in the world. Plus, the bakery supplies its bread to Oula, which has now been officially named the best coffee shop in London. Those crusty baguettes are definitely doing something right. Now, residents of N1 will be happy to hear that Quince 2.0 is just around the corner (quite literally). Anna Higham, the brains behind the bakery’s delectable buns, scones and tarts, is opening a new all-day café directly across the street from the OG site. Named Clementine, it’ll be open for breakfast, brunch and lunch with a menu of tattie scones, pies, buns and scones with jam and cream. Porridge, soup and toasties will also be among the staples. Photograph: Quince BakeryUncooked buns on trays at Quince Bakery ‘The goal is to continue the community feel we have built at Quince Bakery with a similarly joyful and creative menu,’ Higham said of Clementine. Ahead of its opening in September, Higham has launched a £50,000 crowdfunder to help fit out the new space and cover the cost of equipment. To reward people for donations, the bakery is offering a range of prizes, including a scone with Ivy House cream and Quince jam at the café if you donate £15 and a breakfast bundle of tattie scon