The UK was the first stop of my three months trip. I had visited London before, so this time I decided to explore more outside of London. I stayed in the UK for 2 weeks this time and had enough time to visit some places I had always wanted to go. See below for more about my trip in the UK!
Worthing
I went to Worthing to visit my friends. Honestly, I had never heard of Worthing before my trip. It’s a small seaside town that’s about 1.5 hours from London and only 20 minutes from Brighton by train. I had the impression that Worthing is a very residential area with a lot of retirement houses built for the elderly. It’s a cute and quite city where you won’t see many tourists. You can enjoy a nice afternoon walk at the beach. My friends and I had a BBQ at the beach one afternoon and I really enjoyed the relaxing atmosphere of the town.
London
Since I had been to London before, this time I didn’t spend much time there and tried to go to places I had never been. Sky Garden is a relatively new spot in London so I decided to take the chance and visit this time. To visit Sky Garden, you need to make a reservation online first. It’s free so it usually gets fully booked quickly, so I recommend you to book as early as possible. Tickets are released on Mondays, three weeks in advance. Book your Sky Garden ticket here.
It’s a very nice garden with 360 degree views over London. Balcony viewing is also available although can be shut during adverse weather. There is also a bar where so you can get a drink and enjoy the views.
Camden Market was another highlights of my short stay in London. It’s a historical market with many shops that sell unique jewelries, clothes, artisans, and delicious food. It’s a very big market with full of choices. I enjoyed exploring the maze of tunnels and shops. It can be overwhelming with its wide diversity of food and shops. I would recommend you to leave a least an afternoon for this place. Regent’s Canal is right by the Camden Market. I had a relaxing afternoon walk along the canal and it was fun to watch the little river boats actually used the locks. Camden Market is definitely place in London!
Bath
Bath is about three hours away from London by bus. Bath is a lovely city with many historic sites. It became a world heritage site in 1987. With its famous Roman Bath, Georgian terraces, cream teas and Jane Austen, Bath attracts millions of visitors a year. the city is named after and known for it most visited site- The Roman Bath. It was founded by Romans as a thermal spa. They believed that the hot spring was sacred to the Goddess Sulis. It’s now a UNESCO site and it’s the only natural hot springs in the UK. Since the Roman Bath is a popular site in Bath, I strongly recommend you to book your ticket first here.
Although one day trip to Bath from London is doable, I stayed a night in Bath because I wanted to visit Stonehenge. Bath is only about an hour drive away from Stonehenge and you can go there by public transportation. You will also need to book a timed ticket to visit Stonehenge. To make things easier, I booked a half day tour to Stonehenge.
Stonehenge is probably the most famous landmark in the UK. It is a prehistoric monument. How and when it was built remains to be answered. The purpose of the monument has been the subject of widespread speculation for centuries. Some think it was an alien landing site. Some believe it was built by ancient Celtics Pagans for religious purpose. The most enduring hypothesis is that it was built to track the movement of the sun and moon and mark the changing seasons. Although some may think it’s boring to go all the way there just to see rocks, I enjoyed my visit there and thought it was cool to see the site.
Cambridge
Cambridge is home to the prestigious University of Cambridge. There are quite a few colleges to visit, so you might feel a bit pressured if you don’t leave enough time in Cambridge. Here are some of the most popular ones of your reference- King’s College is known for its choir and Gothic chaple, Trinity College was founded by Henry VIII, and St John’s is famous for its Great Gate. One popular activity to do in Cambridge is to take a guided punting tour. I highly recommend taking a tour as you will get to learn a lot about the treasure and heritage behind Cambridge while enjoying the view.
Oxford
Another famous college town in England is Oxford. Cambridge and Oxford are three hours apart by bus. Same as Cambridge, there are a few famous colleges to visit. It happened to be Oxford Open Doors when I visited, so I was very lucky to get access to some historic buildings that were usually not open to public.
If you are a museum person, you must visit the Museum of Natural History. The museum is free to visit but t’s good to make some donations, it’s worth it. The museum is fun for both children and adults. Pitt Rivers Museum is at the back of the Museum of Natural History. I was really impressed by Pitt Rivers Museum. The displays are crowed, almost chaotic but in a good way. The museum covers an eclectic collection covering many aspects of human culture. There’s a lot to see. It’s truly a special museum that shouldn’t be missed in Oxford!
Brighton
Brighton was the last city I visited in the UK this trip. Even I didn’t get to spend much time in Brighton, I really enjoyed my short visit there. Brighton is a seaside resort city. It’s a popular weekend getaway destination for Londoners to enjoy the beach and sun. Brighton is also known for being the unofficial “gay capital” of the UK. It has one of the highest gay population in the UK. Brighton Pride is also the biggest pride in the country and attracts thousands of visitors every year. It’s a vibrant city with energetic, liberal, and friendly locals.
I highly recommend The Seven Sisters to nature lovers. It’s one of England’s greatest natural wonders. The Seven sisters is about one hour away from Brighton by bus. A day trip from London is also doable. The Seven sisters are a range of chalk cliffs rising out of the English Channel. They were created when ancient rivers cut valleys into the chalk, creating the epic seven peaks. The astonishing views there make it a popular film and TV production location. I enjoyed a lovely afternoon walk there and the Seven Sisters was a perfect ending to my two-week trip in the UK!
Creative bites 