The UK is so much more than just London and the South East. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are all beautiful and steeped in history and well worth a visit if you have time.
Also, the North of England has a lot to offer as well. Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield and Newcastle are all worth visiting.
Very much so! I originally had just planned this as a Manchester trip to see a friend but the timing didn’t work out last-minute so now I’m scrambling a bit to fill the time. My plan is to guest spot out in the UK next year and use this trip as an opportunity to feel everything out.
I’ll be sure to look into things to do in those places too. Thank you!
For historical cities, York, Manchester, and Chester are good ones that are easy travel from Manchester.
York has a lot of connections with viking history. Some very old building. You have the shambles, which is a good dipiction of how streets used to be in England, you have the Minster, and tour busses that you can hop on and off of at will. Loads to do there.
Manchester, even just the city centre, there is loads to do. There is the oldest library in the English speaking world, Chethams library. Stunning little building but do need to book onto a tour. There is Manchester Museum, housed in one of the old buildings of Manchester University that has all sorts on display, including ancient Egyptian relics. The Science and Industry Museum has a lot about the industrial side of Manchester. This museum is also right next to the remains of an old roman fort.
Chester has a very strong connection to ancient roman history with its city walls being walkable, several museums revolving around the cities history and connection with the Romans, and again, a plethora of old buildings.
There is so much more to do, too, other than what is listed here and many other towns and cities worth visiting.
My main advice, though, is to give yourself time in each place you go to really appreciate what we have over here. A lot of people try cramming so much into their trip that they spend most of their time on public transport than actually exploring.
Another rec for Tudor history - The National Portrait Gallery in London has an exhibition on Henry VIII’s 6 wives all summer: https://www.npg.org.uk/whatson/exhibitions/2024/six-lives
Also the King’s Gallery next to Buckingham palace has an Hans Holbein exhibition on at the moment based on his sketches of the Tudor court!
It also has Henry’s jousting armour in there too so you can get a sense of how massive he actually was.
The North West is pretty good for Tudor history, as it goes. I'd recommend looking into a [National Trust Touring Pass](https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/membership/touring-pass), as the charity owns a lot of historic sites and it might save you money. They also have some sort of US affiliate, if you happen to be from there.
I won't go into every site, as it's [easy to find pretty comprehensive lists](https://www.britainexpress.com/counties/cheshire/houses/index.htm), but some of the bigger ones around Manchester are:
* [Ordsall Hall](https://ordsallhall.com/)
* [Lyme Park](https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/cheshire-greater-manchester/lyme) (looks Georgian outside, has some Elizabethan bits inside!)
* [Speke Hall](https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/liverpool-lancashire/speke-hall)
* [Rufford Old Hall](https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/liverpool-lancashire/rufford-old-hall)
* [Bramall Hall](https://www.stockport.gov.uk/topic/bramall-hall)
* [Little Moreton Hall](https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/cheshire-greater-manchester/little-moreton-hall)
* [Gawthorpe Hall](https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/liverpool-lancashire/gawthorpe-hall?origin=search)
* [Chester](https://www.visitcheshire.com/chester) – the city isn't as authentically Tudor as it looks, but it's definitely got that black-and-white look.
If you go over to Heptonstall to visit Sylvia Plath's grave then you may as well incorporate a trip to [Haworth](https://www.bronte.org.uk/), where the Brontë sisters lived. It's just over the moors, and a lovely little village. Back in Manchester there's also [Elizabeth Gaskell's House](https://elizabethgaskellhouse.co.uk/).
This is just a quick comment – I'd be happy to give you more tips when I have a minute! There's plenty of nature and non-Tudor history about as well.
If you’re in the Manchester area for a while, Little Moreton Hall in Cheshire is a delightful Tudor property. Also worth visiting are Bramall Hall in Stockport and Rufford Old Hall in Lancashire.
In Manchester, you might look at [Chetham’s Library](https://library.chethams.com/) and [John Ryland’s Library](https://www.library.manchester.ac.uk/rylands/?utm_source=rylands&utm_medium=click&utm_campaign=google_my_business).
I assume you mean the John Rylands library on Deansgate. It is being renovated but it is not closed to visitors. Check their website.
Also ditto someone else's advice for Cheetham library. You can sit at the desk that Marx and Engels worked at and that Engels referred to in a letter.
If you’re planning on seeing Sylvia Plath’s grave, I would recommend spending a night or two in Hebden Bridge. It’s a really lovely town, with an interesting history and great walks along the canal or up to hardcastle crags. It’s an easy and pretty train journey from Manchester. You can also visit Haworth and the Brontë parsonage from there, if that’s of interest, including by steam railway!
I used to live in Todmorden down the road and I second this: it's such a lovely area and so often overlooked! If the weather's good and you like walking then take a hike up to stoodley pike and stop for a cold swim at Gadding's Dam on the way! Or see if there's a bike hire and go for a ride along the canal between the towns. Heptonstall itself is lovely and there's some nice walks from Hebden up to the village and back.
Halifax also has a few good museums and is on the trainline if you do stay in the area.
There's a great community in the area so if you wanted company I'm sure some of the local Facebook groups would have people willing to show you round!
Brighton and Bristol will tick your cultural and social vibes, both accessible from London. Would recommend an overnight with a visit to a club/live music to keep you up late.
Less than 2 weeks and already hitting two cities I'd be reluctant to suggest more, but York is an hour and a half from Manchester and an easy recommendation even before the Tudor preference.
10-12 days I'd probably be thinking 6-7 London, 1-2 York, 2-3 Manchester. York could be one busy all-day trip or a relaxed overnighter, gets busy so ideally midweek but not critical as your days are away from main holiday dates anyway.
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/houses-buildings/places-with-tudor-connections (think these are just what's owned by the National Trust so is far from exhaustive).
When you're in London, spend some time in Camden. Lots of tattoo shops (some are crap so have a research before you go). You'll almost certainly find some live music in the area. Lots of shops, a market, loads to see if you just have a wander around.
I see someone has already suggested Brighton. Also a great place to visit and just explore.
Hever castle is a beautiful place - it was the childhood home of Anne Boleyn. Around 40 mins by train from London Bridge station. The gardens are stunning.
If you are interested in Pubs in Manchester then the marble arch, the crown and kettle, the castle, gullivers, the angel, the temple, the peveril of the peak, the britons protection, the salisbury, mulligans, cask, bar fringe, the smithfield market tavern are all good also the peoples history museum is worth a visit and some of the libraries and national football museum as well
SIX is on tour in Sheffield, might be able to get a solo ticket if you are in the area.
https://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/events/six-the-musical-2024
I've not spotted anyone else mention Hampton Court Palace which was one of the main palaces for the Tudors.
It is just over 30 mins from London (South Western Railways from Waterloo) with the nearest station being Hampton Court Station ( Hampton or Hampton Wick are a fair walk away). That said if you go then the walk back to Kingston (or Hampton Wick) either along the river or through Bushy Park (where deer have grazed since Tudor times) is nice in good weather.
One hint for travelling in London is if you have a contactless bank card you can use that on buses, underground and trains (the last just inside the zones https://tfl.gov.uk/maps ) It is cheaper than paper tickets and caps out your spend.
Since you’re flying in and out of Manchester, make sure to check out Chester on your way to or from London! It’s a lovely small city full of history. If you’re into night life and music, go to Liverpool too! It’s only half an hour on the train from Manchester and full of culture.
You're definitely going to want more time in the North. Manchester is an awesome city, and Liverpool is literally 40 minutes away by train. There is plenty of Tudor architecture, culture, and history. Both have massive social scenes. Also, you won't feel like a stranger in the North, like you might in London.
Trainline is good for checking train times and prices, they charge a booking fee if youre booking a train which doesn't leave that day, the fee is small but can be avoided by booking through GWR instead once youve checked what train you want to take on trainline. If you're taking a long train journey RailEasy can suggest some "split ticketing" options to make your journey cheaper.
National Express coaches are good for some routes.
Google maps journey planner can tell you different public transport route options.
The London underground can be used by using contactless payments at the entrance, alternatively you can pay with an oyster card which you can buy at tube stations.
Some places that are an easy train ride from London and would be a nice day trip: Oxford, Bournemouth, Brighton, Winchester, Portsmouth.
I'm 26F who lives in Hampshire (where Winchester & Portsmouth are), I'd be happy to meet up if you come this way, or even do a day trip to somewhere nearby like Oxford or somewhere in London
I'm twice your age (physically, not mentally haha) but if you end up in Hebden Bridge I'd be up for jumping on the train and having a coffee with you. I'm not that far from Hebden xx
Thank you everyone - I haven’t had a chance to read all of the comments/messages and respond yet but will get to it this weekend :) I appreciate all of the input so much!
The UK is so much more than just London and the South East. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are all beautiful and steeped in history and well worth a visit if you have time. Also, the North of England has a lot to offer as well. Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield and Newcastle are all worth visiting.
Very much so! I originally had just planned this as a Manchester trip to see a friend but the timing didn’t work out last-minute so now I’m scrambling a bit to fill the time. My plan is to guest spot out in the UK next year and use this trip as an opportunity to feel everything out. I’ll be sure to look into things to do in those places too. Thank you!
For historical cities, York, Manchester, and Chester are good ones that are easy travel from Manchester. York has a lot of connections with viking history. Some very old building. You have the shambles, which is a good dipiction of how streets used to be in England, you have the Minster, and tour busses that you can hop on and off of at will. Loads to do there. Manchester, even just the city centre, there is loads to do. There is the oldest library in the English speaking world, Chethams library. Stunning little building but do need to book onto a tour. There is Manchester Museum, housed in one of the old buildings of Manchester University that has all sorts on display, including ancient Egyptian relics. The Science and Industry Museum has a lot about the industrial side of Manchester. This museum is also right next to the remains of an old roman fort. Chester has a very strong connection to ancient roman history with its city walls being walkable, several museums revolving around the cities history and connection with the Romans, and again, a plethora of old buildings. There is so much more to do, too, other than what is listed here and many other towns and cities worth visiting. My main advice, though, is to give yourself time in each place you go to really appreciate what we have over here. A lot of people try cramming so much into their trip that they spend most of their time on public transport than actually exploring.
Sheffield I'd probably give a miss. Leeds is nice, surprised you missed that out.
I’m a snooker fan, I have a soft spot for Sheffield. I’ve never been to Leeds to make comment on it.
Don't forget York.
Another rec for Tudor history - The National Portrait Gallery in London has an exhibition on Henry VIII’s 6 wives all summer: https://www.npg.org.uk/whatson/exhibitions/2024/six-lives
Also the King’s Gallery next to Buckingham palace has an Hans Holbein exhibition on at the moment based on his sketches of the Tudor court! It also has Henry’s jousting armour in there too so you can get a sense of how massive he actually was.
The North West is pretty good for Tudor history, as it goes. I'd recommend looking into a [National Trust Touring Pass](https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/membership/touring-pass), as the charity owns a lot of historic sites and it might save you money. They also have some sort of US affiliate, if you happen to be from there. I won't go into every site, as it's [easy to find pretty comprehensive lists](https://www.britainexpress.com/counties/cheshire/houses/index.htm), but some of the bigger ones around Manchester are: * [Ordsall Hall](https://ordsallhall.com/) * [Lyme Park](https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/cheshire-greater-manchester/lyme) (looks Georgian outside, has some Elizabethan bits inside!) * [Speke Hall](https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/liverpool-lancashire/speke-hall) * [Rufford Old Hall](https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/liverpool-lancashire/rufford-old-hall) * [Bramall Hall](https://www.stockport.gov.uk/topic/bramall-hall) * [Little Moreton Hall](https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/cheshire-greater-manchester/little-moreton-hall) * [Gawthorpe Hall](https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/liverpool-lancashire/gawthorpe-hall?origin=search) * [Chester](https://www.visitcheshire.com/chester) – the city isn't as authentically Tudor as it looks, but it's definitely got that black-and-white look. If you go over to Heptonstall to visit Sylvia Plath's grave then you may as well incorporate a trip to [Haworth](https://www.bronte.org.uk/), where the Brontë sisters lived. It's just over the moors, and a lovely little village. Back in Manchester there's also [Elizabeth Gaskell's House](https://elizabethgaskellhouse.co.uk/). This is just a quick comment – I'd be happy to give you more tips when I have a minute! There's plenty of nature and non-Tudor history about as well.
If you’re in the Manchester area for a while, Little Moreton Hall in Cheshire is a delightful Tudor property. Also worth visiting are Bramall Hall in Stockport and Rufford Old Hall in Lancashire.
Added to the list of things to look up, thank you so much!
If you find yourself in Stockport then the air raid shelters are worth a visit
In Manchester, you might look at [Chetham’s Library](https://library.chethams.com/) and [John Ryland’s Library](https://www.library.manchester.ac.uk/rylands/?utm_source=rylands&utm_medium=click&utm_campaign=google_my_business).
I assume you mean the John Rylands library on Deansgate. It is being renovated but it is not closed to visitors. Check their website. Also ditto someone else's advice for Cheetham library. You can sit at the desk that Marx and Engels worked at and that Engels referred to in a letter.
Yes, thank you! Sorry, I did mean that :) I appreciate your advice!
If you’re planning on seeing Sylvia Plath’s grave, I would recommend spending a night or two in Hebden Bridge. It’s a really lovely town, with an interesting history and great walks along the canal or up to hardcastle crags. It’s an easy and pretty train journey from Manchester. You can also visit Haworth and the Brontë parsonage from there, if that’s of interest, including by steam railway!
I used to live in Todmorden down the road and I second this: it's such a lovely area and so often overlooked! If the weather's good and you like walking then take a hike up to stoodley pike and stop for a cold swim at Gadding's Dam on the way! Or see if there's a bike hire and go for a ride along the canal between the towns. Heptonstall itself is lovely and there's some nice walks from Hebden up to the village and back. Halifax also has a few good museums and is on the trainline if you do stay in the area. There's a great community in the area so if you wanted company I'm sure some of the local Facebook groups would have people willing to show you round!
Chester is about an hour away from Manchester and has a lovely medieval city centre. It might be worth a visit.
Brighton and Bristol will tick your cultural and social vibes, both accessible from London. Would recommend an overnight with a visit to a club/live music to keep you up late.
Thank you! This is great!
Less than 2 weeks and already hitting two cities I'd be reluctant to suggest more, but York is an hour and a half from Manchester and an easy recommendation even before the Tudor preference. 10-12 days I'd probably be thinking 6-7 London, 1-2 York, 2-3 Manchester. York could be one busy all-day trip or a relaxed overnighter, gets busy so ideally midweek but not critical as your days are away from main holiday dates anyway. https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/houses-buildings/places-with-tudor-connections (think these are just what's owned by the National Trust so is far from exhaustive).
You could visit Oxford and Blenheim Palace on the way to London. Windsor Castle and Richmond Palace are also worth visiting.
Free day things in London that you'd like are the V&A Museum which is next to National History Museum. 2 for 1.
When you're in London, spend some time in Camden. Lots of tattoo shops (some are crap so have a research before you go). You'll almost certainly find some live music in the area. Lots of shops, a market, loads to see if you just have a wander around. I see someone has already suggested Brighton. Also a great place to visit and just explore.
Hever castle is a beautiful place - it was the childhood home of Anne Boleyn. Around 40 mins by train from London Bridge station. The gardens are stunning.
If you are interested in Pubs in Manchester then the marble arch, the crown and kettle, the castle, gullivers, the angel, the temple, the peveril of the peak, the britons protection, the salisbury, mulligans, cask, bar fringe, the smithfield market tavern are all good also the peoples history museum is worth a visit and some of the libraries and national football museum as well
SIX is on tour in Sheffield, might be able to get a solo ticket if you are in the area. https://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/events/six-the-musical-2024
You should visit the John Ryland's library in Manchester, it's the oldest library in the English speaking world
I've not spotted anyone else mention Hampton Court Palace which was one of the main palaces for the Tudors. It is just over 30 mins from London (South Western Railways from Waterloo) with the nearest station being Hampton Court Station ( Hampton or Hampton Wick are a fair walk away). That said if you go then the walk back to Kingston (or Hampton Wick) either along the river or through Bushy Park (where deer have grazed since Tudor times) is nice in good weather. One hint for travelling in London is if you have a contactless bank card you can use that on buses, underground and trains (the last just inside the zones https://tfl.gov.uk/maps ) It is cheaper than paper tickets and caps out your spend.
Since you’re flying in and out of Manchester, make sure to check out Chester on your way to or from London! It’s a lovely small city full of history. If you’re into night life and music, go to Liverpool too! It’s only half an hour on the train from Manchester and full of culture.
You're definitely going to want more time in the North. Manchester is an awesome city, and Liverpool is literally 40 minutes away by train. There is plenty of Tudor architecture, culture, and history. Both have massive social scenes. Also, you won't feel like a stranger in the North, like you might in London.
Trainline is good for checking train times and prices, they charge a booking fee if youre booking a train which doesn't leave that day, the fee is small but can be avoided by booking through GWR instead once youve checked what train you want to take on trainline. If you're taking a long train journey RailEasy can suggest some "split ticketing" options to make your journey cheaper. National Express coaches are good for some routes. Google maps journey planner can tell you different public transport route options. The London underground can be used by using contactless payments at the entrance, alternatively you can pay with an oyster card which you can buy at tube stations. Some places that are an easy train ride from London and would be a nice day trip: Oxford, Bournemouth, Brighton, Winchester, Portsmouth. I'm 26F who lives in Hampshire (where Winchester & Portsmouth are), I'd be happy to meet up if you come this way, or even do a day trip to somewhere nearby like Oxford or somewhere in London
I'm twice your age (physically, not mentally haha) but if you end up in Hebden Bridge I'd be up for jumping on the train and having a coffee with you. I'm not that far from Hebden xx
Thank you everyone - I haven’t had a chance to read all of the comments/messages and respond yet but will get to it this weekend :) I appreciate all of the input so much!