England

Think of England and you probably picture red double-decker buses, fish and chips, and green hedgerows – but the largest country in the United Kingdom is far more layered than any cliché. A vacation in England combines world city and village green, industrial history and cathedrals, chalk cliffs and moorland. With around 57 million residents, it is home to the vast majority of Britons.

Landscapes Between the Channel and the Scottish Border

In the south, the white chalk cliffs of Dover and the Seven Sisters drop steeply to the English Channel; to the west, the Jurassic Coast in Dorset, with its fossils and rock arches such as Durdle Door, stretches all the way to Devon. Cornwall forms the rocky tip, with fishing villages like St Ives and Mousehole. Inland, the hills of the Cotswolds roll past honey-colored stone houses, and farther north the Pennines run as England's backbone up to the border. The Lake District in Cumbria, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2017, is also home to Scafell Pike, England's highest mountain (978 m). The moors of Yorkshire and Dartmoor, the flat Fens around Cambridge, and the Northumberland coast with its castles show just how varied the country is within a small area.

London and the Major Cities

London is a capital, a financial center, and a cultural powerhouse all in one. The Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, the British Museum, Tate Modern, and the markets of Borough and Camden are often just a few Tube stops apart, and many major museums are free to enter. Birmingham, the second-largest city, has transformed from an industrial center into a city of canals and curry houses – more miles of canal than Venice, locals like to say. Manchester stands for music history from Joy Division to Oasis and for two world-class soccer clubs, Liverpool for the Beatles and a lavishly restored waterfront at the Royal Albert Dock. Leeds and Sheffield are lively university cities, Bristol scores with Brunel's suspension bridge and street art, and Blackpool with its Tower and classic seaside fun, complete with piers and promenade.

Sights in England

Among the best-known sights in England is Stonehenge on Salisbury Plain, a Neolithic stone circle. Not far away lies Bath, with its Roman baths and Georgian architecture such as the Royal Crescent. The university cities of Oxford and Cambridge offer colleges, libraries, and punting on the Cherwell and the Cam. York preserves an almost complete city wall and the Gothic York Minster, while Canterbury has its cathedral, the destination of Chaucer's pilgrims. Hadrian's Wall, running across northern England, recalls the Roman frontier, and Windsor Castle the long tradition of the royal family. If you love gardens, plan a visit to Kew Gardens, Sissinghurst, or Stourhead; stately homes such as Chatsworth and Blenheim Palace show off the splendor of the landed gentry.

Culture, History, and Daily Life

England's history stretches from the Celts and Romans through the Anglo-Saxons and the Norman Conquest of 1066 to the Industrial Revolution, which began here in the 18th century. Ironbridge in Shropshire is considered its birthplace. Shakespeare came from Stratford-upon-Avon, where the Royal Shakespeare Company performs, and Jane Austen lived in Hampshire and Bath. Today, theater in London's West End, music festivals such as Glastonbury in Somerset, and soccer shape everyday life – the Premier League is a global export hit. The pub remains the social heart of many places, from the village inn with an open fireplace to the Victorian city tavern.

Food and Drink

English cuisine is better than its reputation. A full English breakfast includes eggs, bacon, sausages, beans, and mushrooms, and on Sundays the pub serves up a Sunday roast with Yorkshire pudding. Fish and chips taste best in coastal towns like Whitby or Padstow. Cornwall is known for pasties and clotted cream, Devon for the cream tea, Melton Mowbray for pork pies, and Cheddar in Somerset for its cheese. Birmingham is considered the home of the balti curry, and in London the restaurant scene reflects the whole world. Add to that cask ale, cider from Herefordshire, and increasingly English sparkling wine from Kent and Sussex.

Getting Around and Best Time to Visit

London Heathrow and Gatwick, as well as Manchester, are the main airports; Birmingham, Bristol, and Newcastle are also served from Germany. The Eurostar connects London St Pancras directly with Brussels and Paris. Within the country, the train is a comfortable way to travel between cities; for the Cotswolds, Cornwall, or the Lake District, a rental car is practical – remember to drive on the left. German citizens need a passport and an electronic travel authorization (ETA) to enter. The best time to visit England is between May and September, when gardens bloom and the days are long. Rain is part of every season, but spring and fall are quieter and cheaper, and London's Christmas markets and festively lit streets have their own appeal in December.