There’s no doubt that London is an attractive travel destination. It offers a wide variety of sights and the most incredible entertainments for all tastes.
However, what to do if you get bored in the British capital and want to find some new amazing places? It’s simple. Hire a car and start exploring the following destinations outside of the city:
Birmingham
The English city of Birmingham is the second largest in the country in terms of population. Located 2 hours from London, it would be a great idea to drive there in a hire car. The city has many stunning places, such as St. Paul’s Church, the Birmingham Museum with its own art gallery, the Museum of Transport, National SeaLife Center, and Museum of the Jewellery Quarter.
If you are traveling with children, Birmingham also has something special. It’s home to the world famous Cadbury chocolate. Keep your way to Bournville to visit Cadbury World. For £ 16.75 you can spend a full day there and learn how chocolate is made.
Stonehenge
There’s still debate around this historic site. Steeped in secrets and legends, Stonehenge is one of the most recognizable megaliths in the world, so visiting it in a hire car will be a real discovery for those who want to see a prehistoric wonder.
If you want to see modern druids, come to Stonehenge for the summer or winter solstice. At this time, you can admire the mysterious stones up close, but not through the fence. In addition, druids and pagans arrange bizarre dances to enchanting Celtic music – this is just an incredible spectacle.
Brighton
If you have never been to Brighton, plan your trip immediately. Just an hour drive in a hire car and you will find yourself by the sea, in the middle of a pebbly beach and surrounded by seagulls that will try to take donuts from you.
Take a walk along the pier, take a carousel ride, grab fish and chips and head to the nearest bar to listen to the music. Also, you can feel like a local hipster by wandering into a record store or vegan cafe.
Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle is the residence of British monarchs located in Windsor, Berkshire. A hire car will also be a must-have for visiting this place. Therefore, consider Europcar car hire Heathrow, which provides a wide range of cars at a great price in London. This guarantees you an easy and hassle-free road trip.
For over 900 years, the castle has been an iconic symbol of the monarchy, perched on a hill in the Thames Valley. The Queen and other members of the noble family continue to spend most of their free time there. To this day, the castle remains an important place for meetings and solemn visits of heads of foreign states. Its lavish interiors are adorned works of art from the royal collection.
Whitstable
If you were the location director of a romantic film, you would have chosen Whitstable – a cinematically beautiful seaside town. Drive a little over an hour in your hire car – and you’ll get into the secret world of fishing boats, beautiful sunsets and cheap oysters.
All fish restaurants are good in Whitstable, so grab the grilled lobster with fries and ketchup. Then, set off to the local castle. There’s a wonderful garden around it, where you can have a classic five-o-clock tee with traditional English scones.
Leeds Castle and the White Cliffs of Dover
Leeds Castle is an idyllic place in the middle of a lake, surrounded on all sides by forests and parks. After you experience the unique medieval atmosphere of the castle, it’s time to head to the White Cliffs.
This is an iconic landmark in the Great Britain, which once served as a symbol of approaching the shores of England among sailors. On the cliffs is the 800-year-old Dover Castle, nicknamed the “Key to England”. The sight will impress you as much as Leeds Castle.
Eden Project
Heaven on earth exists and it’s located five kilometers from St Austell in Cornwall. The Eden Project is a huge botanical garden where plants from all over the planet grow under futuristic white domes. In closed greenhouses, ecologists have recreated natural biomes characteristic of humid equatorial forests and the Mediterranean climate, while bright sunflowers and other temperate flora grow in the fresh air.
Therefore, in one trip, you will walk among bananas and bamboo, get lost in olive groves and vineyards and breathe in the scent of lavender and tea.
Bath
Long ago, the Celts and ancient Romans steamed in the local baths. In the 17th and 18th centuries, members of the British royal family often rested at the resort. It’s time for you to taste the thermal water with a long history.
On the site of the Roman baths there’s a museum, where you can drink water from ancient sources. Head to Thermae Bath Spa to dip in the pool and soak up the spa. On the roof of the thermal complex, there’s a hot mineral pool with lighting, hydromassage and a view of the Gothic spiers of Bath Abbey. In addition, here you can plunge into the Minerva pool, breathe herbs in aroma saunas and relax with a shiatsu massage.