The 14 best places to visit in the UK in 2026

Stirling is far from an unsung destination; the Scottish city’s greatness is legendary, particularly its immense historical sights – including its castle and National Wallace Monument, both beacons of Scottishness – and access to extraordinary natural landscapes like Loch Lomond and the Trossachs. But in 2026 there’ll be one huge new reason to visit Stirling: the launch of an affordable direct train service from London that will make the city cheaper, easier and more accessible to get to than ever.

Much of Stirling’s appeal is in its 900-year history and spectacular location, but there are plenty more recent charms to discover in Scotland’s historic capital. For those partial to a tipple, Stirling Distillery (the city’s first ever distillery) will release its first batch of Stirling whisky in late 2026, and independent venues will celebrate Stirling Cocktail Week with serious food and drinks deals all over the city. This year will also see the finale of the city’s 900th anniversary celebrations, which have been ongoing since 2024 but will wrap up in May with a Culture Night of music, dance, comedy and more at Stirling Castle.

Why visit Stirling in 2026? Next year Stirling will be easier (and cheaper) to reach from the rest of the UK thanks to the launch of a new direct service from London by affordable operator Lumo. Book early enough and you’ll nab a ticket for less than £30.

Don’t miss: Combine this legendary Scottish location with one of Scotland’s mightiest cultural events: the Stirling Highland Games and International Gathering will take place on August 15, showcasing elite Highland athletic events like the caber toss, hammer throw and shot putt.

Stay here: The legendarily fancy Gleneagles is just a 20-minute drive from Stirling, but if that’s out-of-budget, these delightful treehouses in Leckie are well-located for both the city and its surrounding nature.

Hastings and St Leonards has been up and coming with what locals call DFLs (down from Londoners) for a few years now, and that’s not going to slow down in 2026. It’s well known that Hastonians love a good knees-up, and every year the seaside town has a calendar packed full of cultural and community events: the incoming year has the usual festivals including Fat Tuesday, Jack and the Green and Pirate Day all on the books for 2026 already. Neighbouring St Leonards is quickly becoming a trendy coastal epicentre to give Margate a run for its money. Kings Road is packed full of art galleries, antiques, vintage, record and homeware stores that would send any London Fields-dweller into a frenzy (don’t miss Shop, Stereo Retro and Sunless). For sustenance, try fresh baked bagels at the Sleeper Store, Scandi-inspired coffee at Fika@44 and natty wines at Heist.

For a cultural fix, Hastings Contemporary is a brilliant independent art gallery in the Old Town showing contemporary British artists. Plus, Hastings is just down the road from Bexhill-on-Sea, which is home to the modernist icon that is the De La Warr pavilion (which will undergo a serious makeover in the next few years).

Why visit in 2026? Next year marks the 960th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings, which also coincides with the Bayeux Tapestry arriving in Britain for the first time in 900 years. A huge wargame is being arranged for the anniversary, which will see thousands of miniature figures (officially called ‘paperboys’) enlisted to reenact the battle that saw William the Conqueror take the English throne.

Don’t miss: St Leonards’ foodie scene. Top eats in the arty enclave include modern European small plates at Bayte, fresh fish at Sonny’s of Rock a Nore, and beachside oysters at Selkie Seafood Bar.

Stay here: The Old Rectory in Hastings Old Town, a boutique BnB decked out with works by local artists and designers.

🏖️  The best things to do in Hastings.

It might be a stretch to call Stockport ‘resurgent’ considering it hasn’t been exactly, well, surgent since the late 19th century, but there’s definitely something bubbling in this buzzy Manchester satellite town. The tourist poster that hails the town as ‘the new Berlin’ may be tongue-in-cheek, but there’s real energy and creativity – as well as a fertile independent culture – to back up the hyperbole.

The twin epicentres are the historic Market Place and the Underbank, a warren of bars, records shops and indie cafés (think Edinburgh’s Cowgate without the full-throttle booziness). Loft-style restaurant Where The Light Gets In offers foodies a Michelin-class option in a town that’s suddenly found its appetite, while Cumbrian brewery Fell opened a snazzy new neighbourhood bar at the tail-end of last year. Any over-indulgence is easily cured, too: the serenity of the Peak District is a short train journey away. 

Why visit Stockport in 2026? The town’s block rocking summer street party, Stock Party, is back in June with local brews, street food, after parties and good vibes galore.

Don’t miss: Before exploring the Underbank, head to Hat Works, the UK's only museum dedicated to the hatting industry. Don’t scoff, this restored Victorian mill has seen more fashion revolutions than Carnaby Street.

Stay here: Stockport’s hotel scene is yet to catch up with the town’s new-found cool, so check in to the The Reach at Piccadilly instead. This canal-side spot is a 12-minute train ride away. 

A trip to the Scottish capital never disappoints, no matter how many times you’ve visited. This is my home, so of course I’d say that – but there does seem to be something particularly exciting about Edinburgh at the moment, with buzzy new openings happening left, right and centre alongside long-standing tourist attractions like that mammoth medieval castle dominating the town centre and the extinct volcano sculpting the skyline.

If you can stomach the crowds, head up in August for the festival and check out Fringe Central, a new year-round hub in a 19th-century former school opening with a dedicated archive. If you fancy a spot of shopping, wander round Stockbridge for independent boutiques like ætla and famous pastries at Lannan bakery; there’s also the St James Centre, which is to be rebranded as the UK’s first Westfield shopping centre outside of London in 2026. Plus, you can now visit Jupiter Artland – the contemporary art space and sculpture park on the outskirts of the city – all year-round. No matter when you decide to visit, Edinburgh’s fabled cobbled streets, leafy parks and abundant cultural offering will have you entertained for days on end. 

Why visit Edinburgh in 2026? For Cowgate Block Party on January 31, the all-new day festival celebrating emerging bands, Hidden Door multi-arts festival in June, which takes over forgotten urban spaces in a secret to-be-announced venue, and Edinburgh Summer Sessions with headline acts Lorde, The Cure, Florence and the Machine and The Prodigy. Then there’s the reopening of the King’s Theatre, reopening after a swanky refurbishment. Tip: don’t forget to look up at the ceiling in the main space to see John Byrne’s iconic domed painting All The World’s A Stage.

Don’t miss: Swinging by Brown’s of Leith, a chic kind of Scottish food hall in a former industrial yard by the Shore which opened in late November 2025, featuring cult favourites Civerinos, Haze, Shrimpwreck and more.

Stay here: The very swish first ever Hoxton Edinburgh opened its doors in 2025, or there’s the new overnight rooms at Lyla, the Michelin-starred restaurant by chef Stuart Ralston, which open in February. For something more low-key, new Japanese-inspired pod hotel TARKA will open its doors right off St. Andrew’s Square.

🏛️ Time Out’s ultimate guide to Edinburgh.

When it comes to ‘where to travel in the UK’, you might think the Cotswolds has been done to death. Actually, it hasn’t. In fact, only teeny tiny portions of the region tend to get all the love – the ‘most beautiful places in the world’ awards, the flashy six-page magazine spreads – and by now, they’re ridiculously overrun with tourists. We really mean that: local residents of well-loved Cotswolds town Bibury spent much of 2025 trying to curb overcrowding after 20,000 tourists visited on a single weekend. So there’s never been a better time to stop ignoring the Cotswolds’ less-trodden areas. Enter: Cirencester, the often-overlooked ‘capital of the Cotswolds’ and the largest town in the region, which is much better equipped for tourism.

A historic market town (once a Roman settlement), Cirencester is stuffed full of quaint pubs, historic buildings, independent shops and all that good stuff. Be sure to check out the Corinium Museum, the fabulous Barn Theatre and the town’s very nice farmer’s market, held on the second and fourth Saturdays of every month. Cirencester is also centrally located and a great base for exploring – you’re just a short drive from surrounding towns Stroud, Tetbury and Lechlade.

Why visit Cirencester in 2026? For a very fun family day out at the Cirencester History Festival in October (exact dates TBC), or to head 30 mins out to Stroud for its yearly Fringe in August. And not least to give the folks in Bibury a goddamn break.

Don’t miss: Heading here in summer? Go for a dip in the Cirencester Open Air Swimming Pool, a beautiful old spot for a swim surrounded by old buildings. It’s a slice of history all by itself – around since 1869, making it one of the oldest in the country.

Stay here: Boutique hotel The Fleece has a cosy pub-with-rooms vibe, with a restaurant serving British classics – pies, fish and chips and all the rest – right in the centre of town.

🏡 The best things to do in the Cotswolds.

It’s written in the stars: 2026 is the year when you finally tick ‘see the Northern Lights’ off your bucket list. The sun is nearing the end of a period of high activity – known as the ‘solar maximum’ – with 2026 being the final year for over a decade where shows of aurora borealis will be brighter and more frequent than usual.

While the borealis have been visible as far south as London in recent years, if you’re serious about getting a glimpse of the lights you’ve got to go north. Like, seriously north. Technically the best place in the UK to spot the lights is the Shetland Islands, but they’re tricky (and often expensive) to get to. Instead, we recommend heading up to Caithness at the very top of mainland Scotland.

This region is ideal not only due to its latitude, but also because it’s largely untouched by light pollution, leaving skies dark and primed for stargazing/borealis viewing. Northern lights aside, Caithness is also utterly gorgeous, from its tempestuous coastline to the vast bogs of the Flow Country.

Why visit in 2026? Once the solar maximum comes to an end in spring (it’s at its peak until April 2026), you’ll have to go far beyond Caithness for any hope of seeing the sky dance in blues and greens. This is your last chance to take advantage of Caithness’s dark skies and hilltop viewpoints for more than a decade.

Don’t miss: There’s plenty to enjoy during the daytime in Caithness. The Highland scenery is sublime, as is the Flow Country – a bog so impressive it’s been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Stay here: When in Caithness, do as the Highlanders do and stay in the middle of nowhere. If you’re after a bit more luxury (and connectedness) we recommend Forss House Hotel in Thurso.

✨ The best places in the world to see the northern lights.

Derby is well-established as a base for visiting the stunning rugged hills of the Peak District (including picture-perfect villages like Ashford-in-the-Water, Bakewell and Buxton), but right now the Midlands city is an exciting destination in its own right – and it’s got plenty more scheduled for 2026.

For the ravers, ULTRA, a 3,500-capacity warehouse club, opened its doors in Derby on New Year’s Eve 2025. The clubbers’ stomping ground in an industrial park combines ‘early rave spirit’ with state-of-the-art production. After being staged at London’s National Gallery, a major exhibition of Joseph Wright of Derby’s remarkable candlelight paintings will go on show at Derby Museum in May 2026, where it will be totally free to visit. In October the UCI Indoor Cycling World Championships will be held in the city, which will include weird and wonderful events like bicycle gymnastics and cycle-ball (a bit like football on a bike).

Why visit in 2026? Derby’s calendar for the new year is looking absolutely stacked. As well as celebrating Lara Croft’s 30th birthday (the original Tomb Raider game was created in the city), Derby is gearing up to celebrate its 50th anniversary of becoming a city in 2027 with two whole years of shindigs, starting in 2026. The 50:50 series will see a calendar of events celebrating Derby’s heritage, local arts and communities.

Don’t miss: The opening season of ULTRA, which will see sets from DJs including drum ‘n’ bass juggernaut Wilkinson, Radio 1 Dance resident Rossi and London house legend East End Dubs.

Stay here: The Coach House is a boutique guesthouse with cosy and colourful English country décor inside a 19th-century reverend’s house.

In many ways, Anglesey mirrors Wales as a whole: small but gorgeously rich with culture, history and diverse landscapes. The view from the majestic Menai Bridge (which was the world’s first modern suspension bridge and turns 200 years old in 2026) as you first cross over from the mainland is enough to convince you of the island’s mythical beauty.

Anglesey is a designated National Landscape (formerly Area of Natural Beauty) and you’ll soon find yourself taken in by the romantic drama of Llanddwyn Island, the kingfishers and woodpeckers and Dingle Nature Reserve and the golden sands of Benllech beach. You won’t be disappointed by the island’s spread of eateries either. Anglesey was once known as the ‘bread basket of Cymru’ for its extremely fertile land and is home to some of the finest produce in Wales. Sosban & the Old Butchers is a rustic Michelin starred spot, the Tavern on the Bay provides superb views and elevated comfort food and The Stores is brilliant for pizza, small plates and the odd DJ night.

Why visit in 2026? The quickest way to see the beauty of Anglesey’s coastline is to circumnavigate it by bike. And that’s exactly what the island’s annual Tour de Môn is designed for. With distances ranging from 3.5 miles to 106 miles, the cycling event takes place on August 23 and is open for anyone to take part.

Don’t miss Beaumaris Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for being the ‘greatest castle never built’.

Stay here Château Rhianfa, a stately Grade II-listed Victorian villa with a private beach and views over the Menai Strait.

Birmingham has a history of reinventing itself, and this city’s creative quarter – recently named one of the world’s coolest neighbourhoods by Time Out – toes that line. Digbeth is already home to hip music venues like The Night Owl, indie event spaces and cinemas like The Mockingbird and Irish pubs like Nortons who will soon surely benefit from a new tram line connecting it with the wider West Midlands. But fans of hit TV drama Peaky Blinders should visit the gigantic new mural outside show creator Steven Knight’s Digbeth Loc. Studios, where the film due for release in 2026 was shot. Digbeth will also welcome a new BBC HQ in the near future.

Brum is also enjoying a street food renaissance, with several new food halls joining the ranks of Digbeth Dining Club stalwarts Herbert’s Yard in Longbridge. While a huge, new 17,5000 sq ft food hall with 15 kitchens is set to open in Digbeth later in 2026, two new spots Saint Paul’s Market in the Jewellery Quarter and Society Birmingham in the city centre sling out the good stuff.

Why visit Birmingham in 2026? Birmingham will build on its sporting prowess after hosting the most successful Commonwealth Games ever in 2022. In 2026 the European Athletics Championships will be held in Great Britain for the first time, with Birmingham selected to host the August event – more than 250,000 tickets went on sale.

Don’t miss: Fans of Peaky Blinders can tour the city’s notorious spots and watering holes with a guide in character as Edward Shelby; £20pp, tickets here.

Stay here The High Field, Edgbaston Village. Just a short walk from the city centre is this dog-friendly 12-room, boutique abode complete with seriously comfy beds, rolltop bath tubs, and one of Brum’s best breakfasts.

📍 The greatest things to do in Birmingham.

The next 12 months are Sunderland’s time to shine. The northeast port city is oft overlooked as a cultural destination but several big music and sports events are putting it on the map in 2026. Last year, Sunderland FC were promoted back to the Premier League, meaning its iconic Stadium of Light is playing host to matches against some of the country’s most star-studded football teams (and the Black Cats themselves are doing very well this season, too).

Sunderland is a worthy destination year-round though. Hylton Castle has been recently restored with new learning spaces and interactive exhibits, the dazzling Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art will be putting on exhibitions dedicated to Sunderland born artist-photographer Dean Raymond Gooch and modern landscape painting while the Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens will continue to host workshops and exhibitions inspired by the natural world. A trip to the city should also include a live gig at the Fire Station or Independent, a stroll along the Roker and Seaburn beaches followed by a nourishing brunch at RUHE and a browse around all the street food and goings on at Stack.

Why visit in 2026? Besides the football? Well, in May, Sunderland will be the home of Radio 1’s Big Weekend 2026. The lineup is yet to be announced, but you can expect some big names to grace the city’s Herrington Country Park. When Sunderland last held the event in 2005, it welcomed the likes of Gwen Stefani, Foo Fighters and The Black Eyed Peas.

Don’t miss: Propa Pies, the nostalgia fuelled pastry pop-up from Hairy Biker Si King. Menu highlights since it opened at the end of 2024 include lasagne pie, curried pork pie, beef shin, blue cheese and Guinness pie, and land vindaloo pie.

Stay here: The Beach House Boutique Hotel, which overlooks Roker Beach (and has its own private stretch of sand)

I know what you’re thinking: a single street, one of the best places to go in the entire UK? But the Strand is no ordinary road. One of the most ancient and historic streets in London, this single thoroughfare between Westminster and the City boasts enough culture to populate entire towns – and in 2026 the Strand will turn it all up another notch.

Somerset House’s blockbuster programme features exhibitions about marine ecosystems, music fandoms, edible earth and musician and cultural icon George Clinton (as well as the return of its Summer Series concerts and winter ice rink); the Courtauld, meanwhile, will have shows on Barbara Hepworth and Salman Toor, as well as the first UK exhibition of post-impressionist Georges Seurat in three decades. Leading the street’s theatre lineup is the Savoy Theatre’s world premiere of Paddington the Musical, which opened last November and is set to run all the way through to 2027. To eat, check out Jeremy King’s all-new relaunch of legendary restaurant Simpson’s In the Strand.

Why visit the Strand in 2026? Not only will the Strand get all of the above in 2026: the street is already a powerhouse of eating, drinking and culture. Sensory overload at 180 Studios, varied and refined eateries Toklas Bakery and Savoy Grill, the slew of pubs around the Royal Courts of Justice – find all that and so much more.

Don’t miss: Soho House founder Nick Jones will follow last summer’s opening of Corner Shop 180 with St Clement Hotel – a 90-room luxury accommodation spot with a rooftop restaurant, all just down the road from Soho House’s flagship 180 House.

Stay here: The Waldorf Astoria London Admiralty Arch won’t technically be on the Strand, but it’ll be just a few steps away. London’s first Waldorf Astoria was originally set to open in 2022 but it’s officially happening in spring 2026, with 100 rooms, a vast ballroom and restaurants from Michelin-starred chefs Claire Smyth and Daniel Boulud – all in the Grade I Admiralty Arch.

🥾 The best new things to do in London in 2026.

For a long while, Blackpool was the case-in-point in the decline of the British seaside resort town. There was always a strong counter argument – the Illuminations! Pleasure Beach! Blackpool Tower! – but in recent years the legendary tourist town has found even more ways to attract punters, from the UK’s first ever circus museum to a hotel that was crowned the best in all of Europe. Dominating local headlines in 2026 will no doubt be Pleasure Beach’s 130th birthday, which will see the opening of ‘colossal’ new swing Aviktas, the tallest rollercoaster ride of its kind in Britain, and a new Alice in Wonderland themed ice show. Nearby Fleetwood, meanwhile, will host the first edition of Cine-Wyre, a global four-day film festival with screenings, filmmaker Q&As and workshops. Blackpool very much still has something for everyone. 

Why visit Blackpool in 2026? Blackpool remains one of the most popular domestic holiday destinations in the UK – that’s partly down to its historic prowess, and partly its appetite for change. Come and see what’s new in 2026.

Don’t miss: The town boasts a formidable roster of free events, including Showzam (February 19-22), Blackpool Pride (June 5-7), Blackpool Air Show (August 8-9), the Illuminations (from September 4), the World Fireworks Championships (October) and Christmas By The Sea (November to January).

Stay here: Art deco seafront hotel The Royal Carlton, one of Blackpool’s most legendary places to stay, is in the midst of a grand refurb and is set to open in spring 2026.

🎢 The top things to do in Blackpool.

2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the founding of the USA – and while that’s obviously a big time for That Lot Across the Pond, there are also plenty of events taking place on this side of the Atlantic which will highlight connections with America. In Omagh America250 will combine with the 50th anniversary of open-air museum Ulster American Folk Park, which will be adding to its stories of migration from Ulster to North America with a host of events throughout the year.

Semiquincentennial celebrations aside, Omagh also thrives as a base for enjoying County Tyrone’s mighty natural landscapes. The walking and biking trails of Gortin Glen Forest, the slightly-further-afield mountains of the Sperrin Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the Davagh Forest Dark Sky Park (with 2026’s northern lights opps) are all ripe for exploring. Rest and recuperate by soaking up the town’s music scene; the beloved McCanns may have shut just over a year ago, but you can still get your fill at the likes of The Cat and Fiddle, Sallys, Bogans and many more. Find top traditional food at Grant’s and more laid-back options at Serendipity Arts Café.

Why visit Omagh in 2026? Ireland, and particularly Northern Ireland, has strong links to America. Even if you’re not Irish or American, however, you’ll want to make the most of Omagh’s historic sites during the big two-five-oh year and soak up the pride that the town has in those that left it for a new life across the ocean. 

Don’t miss: The Omagh Show, held every year in July, sees the local community in top form with an agricultural show boasting show-jumping, funfair rides, food stalls and more. It’ll return on July 3-4 for its 184th edition.

Stay here: Omagh has plenty of hotels in the surrounding countryside, but if you’re after location there are few accommodation options better than Rooms At Rue. Comfortable, friendly and bang in the centre of town.  

If you believe tastemakers on social media, 2026 is set to be the year that we all embrace ‘whimsy’ a little more. And there’s nowhere in the UK quite as whimsical as Portmeirion. The folly village hidden in a small corner of north Wales was dreamt up by architect Sir Clough Williams Ellis and brought to life in the 1920s. Its bright arrangement of Italian Riviera-style buildings overlook the Dwyryd Estuary and are backdropped by the rolling hills of Eryri.

Strolling around the village, there are dozens of little delights lurking around every corner. Among the sights you may stumble upon are an elegant Japanese Garden, a sub-tropical forest, a giant chess board, a Gothic pavilion and a bizarre gift shop selling memorabilia from cult ’60s TV show The Prisoner. There are two restaurants and a small selection of cafes to cater to all your culinary needs, whether you want a quick tea and cake, a crisp summer pint or a full three-course dinner. Stop by in May and you could catch its brilliantly quirky annual Steampunk Weekend, featuring teapot racing, tea duelling and a peacock parade. Tourists are welcome to explore the village during the day, but after 5.30pm it belongs to hotel guests and residents only.

Why visit in 2026? This year, the village’s grand Portmeirion Hotel is celebrating its 100th birthday. To mark the milestone, it has launched a two-night centenary package which includes a champagne afternoon tea, a murder mystery evening and a nine-course Gala Dinner complete with fireworks and live jazz.

Don’t miss: For some fresh sea air, follow the forest trail at the far end of the village to the glorious sandy banks of the estuary.

Stay here: The Portmeirion Hotel’s centenary package is available for April 10-12. Book here.

🌺 The best attractions in Portmeirion.