The ULTIMATE UK Bucket List: 30 THINGS TO DO in the UK

If you are interested in applying to study for a media degree in the UK, learn more about the best media universities https://furtherafrica.com/2016/05/25/angola-bna-to-adapt-financial-system-to-international-standards/ (Guardian University Guide 2026) in the UK below. A media and communications degree provides a broad theoretical and practical approach to media studies. Additionally, the rankings may not include all specialist institutions.

Who knew, but Donna Nook on the Lincolnshire coast is home to a colony of grey seals during the winter. With an eerie abandoned feel and a beloved haunt of photographers and artists, this is a truly unique spot you shouldn’t miss. However, it’s the Isle of Wight that clinches the pole position thanks to its great walks, restaurants, historical attractions, top beaches and laidback vibes. Sticking to the south of the country for now, the Sicily Isles and the Channel Islands both make my top list.

Learn about the history and architecture of the greatest spas of the ancient world. While visiting a historically significant place, it doesn’t hurt to understand a bit of history about it. You can also visit some shops selling unique Potter-related items and souvenirs.

• The Mirror (20.9 million) was up 1% month on month but down 5% year on year while the Daily Mail was down 1% and 10% respectively.
• Your May 2026 bucket list of things to do in Britain starts here with adventures in sport, the arts and the great outdoors.
• And while we’re on the foodie theme, you can’t miss out on a bit of UK seaside food while you’re touring either.
• Crossing this city bridge is an experience in itself.
• Embarking on the Otley Run (especially in costume) is a rite of passage for Leeds’s many uni students, but it’s great fun for anyone else too.
• Six of the top ten newsbrands in the UK saw their audience grow both month on month and year on year in January 2026, according to the latest data from Ipsos iris.

UWE Bristol at 2nd: £30,000 and 97% teaching quality

Edinburgh for up-and-coming restaurants and a rich history. Head to Somerset for Glastonbury in June (if you’re lucky enough to get tickets, that is), and go up north for all sorts of cultural happenings at the Manchester International Festival come July. From Cornwall’s crashing surf to Scotland’s rugged peaks, to the buzz of Notting Hill Carnival and secret spots locals whisper about, there’s something for everyone here.

Get a glimpse into the iconic Cambridge University

• Wander around cool, independent shops, cafés and galleries on The Lanes, gawp at the majestic Pavilion and play arcade games on the pier, before pitching up on the pebbly beach for a feast of freshly battered fish and chips.
• Home to stylish hotels, famous street art, lively bars, and the largest free Pride event in the UK, Bristol is a dream destination for LGBTQIA+ travellers.
• Another epic spot in Wales, the Brecon Beacons National Park is a wonderful mountain area awash with great hikes, beautiful waterfalls and some lovely villages too.
• Discover the spots that inspired artists from The Clash and the Sex Pistols, to Queen and David Bowie.

If you want to see who was the Prime Minister at the time you can choose the year from this list. Shakespeare invented over 1,700 words still used in English today, The Beatles transformed popular music, and British authors continue to produce some of the world's most widely read books. The UK has produced notable figures in literature, science, monarchy, sports, and music. There was some question as to whether the Richard Burton listed at No. 96 was the actor or the explorer.citation needed A BBC press release makes clear that the actor was intended. The series included individual programmes featuring the top ten, with viewers having further opportunity to vote after each programme. Great Britons is a television series that was broadcast by the BBC in 2002.

Enter the wizarding world of Harry Potter

• It really is quite an amazing place to see and hike, so make sure you get all details ahead of your visit care of this handy post I wrote.
• The Daily Star has continued its run of strong year-on-year audience growth, more than doubling its audience year on year, according to the latest data from Ipsos iris.
• Extra points if you manage to find a historic pub, many around the country date as far back as the 13th century and beyond!
• Isambard Kingdom Brunel occupied the top spot in the polls for some time due largely to "students from Brunel University who have been campaigning vigorously for the engineer for weeks." However, a late surge in the final week of voting put Winston Churchill into first place.
• The Sun had dropped to sixth place in October but has worked its way back up the ranking.

Located in England, this prehistoric monument was built by the Druids in 2500 BC and is one of the UK’s best-preserved and most iconic sites. Brighton Pier is a popular destination for holidaymakers in England and is UK bucket list material, no doubt. So, if you’re a fan of romantic fairytales and want to get lost in your own narrative, a trip around Welsh castles will do the trick.

Liverpool is a creative hotspot with plenty of LGBTQIA+ events and venues to explore. Seek out the stories from the latest releases and experience the destinations through your own adventure. With great hikes, nature, good food and cosy accommodation, this tour of the North York Moors offers everything you could want from a holiday in Northern England. Sex Education shines a spotlight on the England-Wales borderlands – a nature-rich region where you’ll find far more than just the birds and the bees. Fall in love with Britain as you have your own Bridget Jones experience via the filming locations of this favourite rom-com. Claire and Jamie's romance isn't the only love story in Outlander – fall head over heels for the show's spectacular setting, Scotland.

December 2025

Depending on the month in question, the changing of the guard takes place on different days, so make sure to plan ahead. Crossing this city bridge is an experience in itself. In the alternative, check out our USA Bucket List.

Fourteen newsbrands saw month-on-month growth in August, with Oxford Mail (up 52.3%), The Scotsman (37.6%) and Time Out (13.2%) leading the way, while 30 out of 50 saw year on year growth. It was steady month on month with an audience of 3.1 million, but was up 52.8% compared to August 2024. Meanwhile Kent Online, a new entrant in July, saw an audience of 3.1 million and no change month on month, but a 28.1% increase year on year.

Because not all companies break out their different revenue streams the same way — or at all — the below should be treated as an approximate guide to news media revenue. Most of those accounts are for the 2023 financial year, covering a period when inflation ran at nearly 10% and the UK economy grew by just 0.4%. Collectively the top 50 reported turning over £1.1bn more in their most recent accounts than they had the prior year, representing a 3.3% increase.

Financial Times

J.K. Rowling is the author of the “Harry Potter” series, which tells the story of a young wizard. Rowan Atkinson is a funny actor, best known for his silent character Mr. Bean, who often gets into silly situations. He interviews famous people and says things to make people angry on purpose so that people talk about him.

The capital of Scotland, home to one of the world’s largest fringe festivals and chock full of cobbled street charm – Edinburgh is a must on your UK travel list. Don’t miss the amazing waterfalls in this park or the chance to climb Pen y Fan if you can. Another gem over in the southwest of England, the Cotswolds is famous for its beautiful villages, which are largely composed of cute sandstone cottages. Seen all over this amazing national park, where you can drive or cycle to your heart’s content, the amazing trees and peaceful villages of this region make it a firm favourite.

Swansea University is the best university for media and communication according to the 2027 Unifresher Rankings. For a broader view of how these universities compare, see the Unifresher overall best universities ranking. Its course delivery scores are the strongest double in the entire 79-university field. Bristol is home to BBC Natural History Unit, Aardman Animations, ITV West and a significant independent production cluster — UWE's proximity to these employers directly benefits its graduates' career outcomes. UWE's media programmes combine strong practical production training with well-established industry placement networks in Bristol's active screen and media sector. University of Manchester ranks 32nd with 140 points and produces media and communication graduates earning £40,000 — the highest standard graduate earnings in this ranking, £10,000 above UWE Bristol (2nd).

UK Digital Media Consumption

You’ve got stacks of Michelin-starred joints, understated neighbourhood spots, street food galore and innovative plant-based places pushing the boundaries of cooking. The UK might be small but its countryside is mighty and incredibly diverse, from rolling green hills and ancient woodland to impressive mountain peaks, idyllic lakes and rugged moors. The UK’s biggest music festival takes over a chunk of Somerset countryside most summers with mud, music, mischief, hippies and healing.

Police seek charges for up to 57 people over Grenfell Tower disaster

The White Cliffs of Dover are def one of the best places to visit in Kent and make for an awesome London day or weekend trip – check out my ultimate guide to visiting them here. “There’ll be bluebirds over the white cliffs of Dover” sang Vera Lynn and, stood on the edge of Kent, with France clearly visible just under 22 nautical miles away, you can sing too as you stroll along these iconic limestone giants. The famous black taxi tours in Belfast really are a must when it comes to learning about the complex history of this city.

Why not take a walking tour via South bank to Westminster Abbey, to explore London’s iconic views of the river Thames? We have no doubt at all that after reading our top 30 spots on the UK Bucket List, you’ll want to visit! Sign up to our newsletter so you get travel news articles straight to your inbox every day! Explore unique places full history, intrigure and secrecy – dive in and explore some great hidden gems. Unique experiences to share with your partner, friends, family or colleagues.

• Daily Star continued its streak of strong year-on-year growth, up 80.6% to an audience of 8.2 million.
• British monarchs and leaders have shaped the course of world history for centuries.
• All of the top-ten biggest brands by audience size saw month-on-month growth in March, an improvement from February when the only increase was of 0.8% at The Sun.
• Why not take a walking tour via South bank to Westminster Abbey, to explore London’s iconic views of the river Thames?
• Of the ten sites, the biggest month-on-month growth in minutes spent was at Express sister title the Mirror, up 16% to 236.2 million minutes.

Aisha Majid is a data journalist at Press Gazette and New Statesman, having joined New Statesman Media Group in October 2020. He joined Press Gazette in November 2021 from Newsguard, a US start-up that reviews how far news sites adhere to journalistic standards. Although Hello has a strong print audience, Ipsos iris data indicates the brand reaches 6.1 million people online a month.

The Mirror saw the strongest growth among the top ten both month-on-month (up 6.3%) and year-on-year (up 20%), reaching 22.3 million. The majority of the top ten newsbrands saw month-on-month growth in visitors, with Sky News the only exception (down 2.3% to 17.7 million). Herald Scotland’s audience fell by 6% to 2.4 million (from 2.6 million), while Lancashire Live dropped by 12% to 2.1 million (previously 2.4 million).

Check out the above video where we have a chat with Anisa, a seasoned traveler who explored the historic destination! Comprised of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, this beautiful island nation is top-notch in every sense. She has travelled Europe, Africa, America, Asia and Australia and still claims that wanderlust tempts her daily. Paris Donnatella Callan is an avid writer and traveller. While we have listed 30 incredible spots to visit in the UK to whet your appetite, there may still be some questions left unanswered! Stretching over 154 kilometres (96 miles), the West Highland Way is ideal for experienced explorers who want to see Scotland at its best.

A protected range of grassy mountains and heather-clad hills, the National Park is a gem, boasting walking trails, stunning waterfalls, pretty towns, prehistoric monuments and all the fresh air and wide, open space you could ever wish for. Invented by the city’s Pakistani community in the 1970s, this take on curry is up there with Peaky Blinders, Cadbury’s Dairy Milk and the Industrial Revolution as one of Brum’s most iconic exports. When it comes to literary tourism, Hay-on-Wye is a real bucket-list spot. There are two main routes up – the Mountain Track, which is used by most walkers or Carn Mor Dearg Arête, a more challenging ascent for experienced scramblers and hill walkers which can take more than ten hours to complete. Over the years, the bedazzled stage has played host to everyone from James Blake to The Dare, and on any given night you’ll find edgy art students rubbing shoulders with old indie heads as they dance to the best up-and-coming acts.

If you’re looking to hire a car in the UK, Discovery Cars offers some very competitive rates. Head here for a few days to learn more about how this part of England changed the course of the country’s story forever. And just up the road from Cheddar Gorge is the amazing cathedral city of Wells, which I highly recommend you visit. I’m a massive fan of an old Abbey ruin – probably why I like Yorkshire so much… Bolton Abbey and Fountains Abbey there are amazing!