United Kingdom

A four-in-one destination (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland), the U.K. offers beautiful, memorable, and accessible nature, some of the best museums in Europe, and a flourishing food scene far beyond mushy peas or beans on toast. Its landscapes are unparalleled and diverse—think craggy mountain peaks, ancient forests dripping with moss and ferns, and cool glassy lakes increasingly popular for wild swimming.

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Overview

Planning your trip

Use these articles, resources, and guides to plan and inspire your next trip to the United Kingdom.

Related Guides
READ BEFORE YOU GO
HOTELS
Opened in February 2026, the Newman is an independent hotel that puts guests in the heart of Fitzrovia, a character-rich London neighborhood that visitors often overlook.
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The hotels on this list are as thoughtful about accessibility as they are about design, going beyond compliance to make travel more comfortable and intuitive for disabled guests.
Sleep under the world’s darkest, clearest skies across six continents at one of these 19 dark sky zone hotels.
From Victorian London to Boston and Pasadena, Langham hotels continue to define timeless elegance and modern hospitality.
Afar editors share the 2025 hotel stays they didn’t want to leave—and would happily return to.
Opening in February 2026 just north of London’s West End, the Newman takes cues from Fitzrovia’s bohemian history, balancing thoughtfully designed rooms with street-facing spaces meant to be shared.
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The luxury hotel industry is changing fast. The Langham Hospitality Group CEO Bob van den Oord discusses how his brand is adapting—and what the future holds for high-end travel.
These are the 24 hotels we recommend most for wellness.
RESOURCES TO HELP PLAN YOUR TRIP
In the Scottish Highlands, Queen Elizabeth II could just be Lilibet, walking her dogs and breathing the air of (relative) normalcy.
Once one of Scotland’s historic capitals, Dunfermline has plenty to offer the modern-day traveler, including an 11th-century abbey and Scottish tapas.
Scotland’s scenic terrain is full of hiking opportunities for all levels, with rewarding views that have inspired folklore and famous poems.
Get your fix of the drink and its history on a special tour through Scotland.
Between royal celebrations, the return of large-scale events (ahem, Elton John at Hyde Park), and a flock of new hotels and restaurants, now is the time to hop the pond.
Calling all former Norwegian Air admirers—the bargain-basement transatlantic carrier from Scandinavia has been reborn (sort of) and is offering low-cost flights to Oslo, London, and Berlin.
Following centuries of deforestation, the U.K.’s northernmost territory has invested heavily in rewilding. Now some environmental leaders want to go a step further.
From honoring new beginnings to welcoming the harvest season, here are eight festivals and holidays that celebrate our stately friends.
With these new protocols, the country is largely returning to many of its prepandemic operations.
JetBlue is also celebrating “Twosday” with fares as low as $349 round-trip to London.