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.
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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.
Whether it’s a villa in Italy, a dude ranch in the U.S. West, or a luxury all-inclusive in the Caribbean, here are places where accommodations and experiences are ideal for large family groups with a wide range of ages.
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
Two lucky “Downton Abbey” fans will get the chance to live like the Crawley family at Highclere Castle. Here’s how to book it.
These 8 adventures are perfect for book lovers who want to travel the world like award-winning authors and cherished characters (and not worry about the planning).
Tour the houses of Vladimir Nabokov, Jane Austen, Laura Ingalls Wilder, and other authors to see what inspired them to write their acclaimed books.
The new restaurant offers 25 different British varieties under constant rotation. AFAR visited to sample the cheeses.
These remote beaches across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland afford visitors a crowd-free day by the sea.
The bridge, which crosses a deep gorge, is associated with the legend of King Arthur.
All over the continent, Context Travel’s tours bring the past to life.
What do Clive Owen, man-made waterfalls, pork katsu, and Barry Manilow have in common? They’re all captivating London this summer.
A spa that combines booze and botany on a barge? Here’s what it’s like to get the signature treatment at Monkey Island Estate, one of the U.K.’s most exciting new hotels.
Learn from an expert guide as you go deeper into these must-see spots.