If you are visiting the UK, then tours of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are ideal to help you decide which of the many amazing places you want to see and things you want to do. From the capital cities of London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast to the many beautiful countryside areas, there is plenty to do with these UK tours.
UK Tours – London
London is the capital of the UK and England’s largest cities as well as one of the best tourist locations in the world. The city offers a great selection of historic locations, palaces, famous English landmarks and great shopping that makes it a place to visit repeatedly.
Tower of London Ticket with Crown Jewels Exhibition
No trip to London is complete without a visit to the Tower of London, the UNESCO World Heritage Site that is home to the Crown Jewels of the British Monarchy. This is one of the most popular UK tours – it lets you visit the Tower of London, see Tower Green with its ravens and then tour the Crown Jewels Exhibition. Finally hear tales from the Yeoman Warders of prisoners, executions and other historical stories.
London by Night: 90-Minute Open Top Bus Tour
London is amazing during the day but is also very special when you tour it at night and this 90 minute London by night tour is a perfect way to do this. See landmarks such as Big Ben, the London Eye, Tower Bridge and Trafalgar Square lit up at night as well as pass by St Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey. The tour has a guide on board so you can appreciate the landmarks you are seeing.
Magical London: Harry Potter Guided Walking Tour
If you are a Harry Potter fan, there are lots of tours that involve a little of the series but one of the best is in London. This Harry Potter walking tour lets you test your Harry Potter knowledge with a fun guide who will help you spot the hidden highlights as well as the more obvious ones such as Platform 9 ¾ in King’s Cross Station.
UK Tours – England
London may be the capital but there’s plenty more to see around England. These England tours are just a few to inspire your itinerary.
Oxford: 2-Hour University and City Tour
Oxford is world famous for its university and is home to some of the oldest education institutions in the country. There are some amazing things to do in Oxford. This two-hour walking tour of Oxford shows you the highlights of the city including the Bodleian Library, many of the historic colleges and also some of the people who have played an important part in the history of Oxford.
Stonehenge, Bath & West Country: Day Trip from London
If you are staying in London and want to check out some of the best sights just a short distance away, then this day trip is ideal. See the amazing Stonehenge with its mysterious standing stones and the beautiful Salisbury Plain that it stands on. This Stonehenge, Bath and West Country tour passes through some of the beautiful English countrysides of Wiltshire and Somerset before arriving in Bath. Here you can see the Royal Crescent with its Georgian architecture and do some sightseeing and shopping before returning to London.
Shakespeare’s Stratford–upon–Avon Tour
Stratford-upon-Avon is famous as the birthplace of William Shakespeare and there is still plenty to see around the town that relates to the famous author. This Shakespeare’s Stratford-Upon-Avon tour includes his birthplace, the Royal Shakespeare Company’s theatre and Anne Hathaway’s cottage. Finally, visit the church where Shakespeare is buried, Holy Trinity Church.
York: River Ouse City Cruise
York is a historic city that gave its name to Yorkshire and at the heart of the city is the River Ouse. This River Ouse City tour is a great way to see the highlights of the city from the cruise along the river. It includes the main sights and comes with a guide so you can learn about the history of the city as well as more recent events such as the 2015 York flooding.
UK Tours – Scotland
Scotland is a unique and stunning part of the UK, the northernmost area of the country with a personality all of its own. From the capital Edinburgh to the Scottish Highlands and many islands, it is an amazing place to visit. I’d recommend at least 48 hours in Edinburgh.
Edinburgh: Ghostly Underground Vaults Tour
For something a little spooky in terms of Scotland tours, the tour around Edinburgh’s Underground Vaults will definitely qualify. This Edinburgh Ghostly Underground Vaults tour includes a walk along the cobblestone streets surrounding the vaults then venture below ground and learn what they are, how used to live there and some of the stories of horror and gore that have made them so ghostly – and haunted!
Inverness: Isle of Skye and Eilean Donan Castle Day Trip
Inverness is known as the capital of the Scottish Highlands and this tour is a full day trip to the Isle of Skye from Inverness. See the world-famous Loch Ness (and maybe even it’s Monster) as well as the mountains around it. The tour stops at Eilean Donan Castle then crosses the Skye Bridge for lunch in Portree. Learn about the history of the area before seeing the Old Man of Storr, Lealt Falls and Kilt Rock.
Loch Ness Cruise and Urquhart Castle
There’s no better way to see Loch Ness than from on one of its cruises and this Loch Ness Cruise and Urquhart Castle tour includes a ride across the loch as well as an hour tour around Urquhart Castle. At one time, Urguhart Castle was one of the largest castles in all of Scotland.
Other UK tours
So far, we have looked at tours of England and Scotland but that’s not all the UK has to offer – there’s Wales and Northern Ireland too!
Cardiff Welcome Tour: Private Tour with a Local
Cardiff is the capital of Wales and this tour with a local is a great way to see the highlights and learn about the city from a resident. Every tour is completely customised so you can tell the guide ahead of time what you are interested in or let them set a route. Get to know the city as locals do!
Brecon Beacons and Caerphilly Castle: Day Tour from Cardiff
Wales has no shortage of amazing castles and this tour from Cardiff includes one of the best, Caerphilly Castle. The tour includes a visit to the castle with its leaning tower that has a great tilt than the famous one in Pisa as well as the water defences, now inhabited by ducks and swans. After the castle, visit the Brecon Beacons National Park with its Ice Age landscape and many charming villages.
Belfast: The Titanic Experience with SS Nomadic Visit
Belfast is the capital of Northern Ireland and also the place where the famous Titanic was constructed. This tour takes you around the original shipyard where the Titanic was built and has a stunning exhibit that lets you see just how amazing the ship was. Also, see the SS Nomadic, the final White Star Line ship still in existence.
UK Tours – What to Pack for the United Kingdom
To help you pack for your trip to the UK, we created the below list of must-have items.
First of all, you need a plug converter as in England the power plugs and sockets are of type ‘G’: three-pin rectangular blade plugs. Be also aware that in the UK many power outlets have safety switches, so make sure you turn them on before use.
UK weather is well-known for being quite rainy and windy, so don’t forget a windproof travel umbrella and a raincoat like the one by Columbia below.
[amazon box =”B00DQYPM6O” button_detail=”https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DQYPM6O?tag=templeseeker-20″ button_detail_text=”Buy on Amazon US”]To avoid pickpockets, we recommend bringing with you a theft-proof backpack, a crossbody bag, and a money bag.
It is also a good idea to get a hanging toiletry bag, which is a fantastic way to keep all your belongings organized; and a practical rolling suitcase like the one below by Samsonite in lightweight polycarbonate.
In order to stay healthy while travelling, activated charcoal helps with stomach distress absorbing toxins that may be in your system; and natural jet-lag remedy pills help you sleeping while boosting your immunity and can avoid you to ruin precious days of sightseeing.
If you enjoyed this blog you might also like to read – Vegan Lake District – My Trip to Keswick.