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Before London was London, it was Londinium. Before York was York, it was Eboracum. Long before the British Empire shaped the world, another empire shaped Britain. And nearly 2,000 years later, its footprints are all around us.
The Roman occupation of Britain lasted almost four centuries (43 AD to 410 AD), leaving behind roads, forts, bathhouses, and cities that form the very bones of modern Britain. Many of the destinations we visit on our Go Tours UK journeys are built, quite literally, on Roman foundations. Here's your guide to the most remarkable Roman sites you can still explore.
Hadrian's Wall, Northern England
One of the ancient world's great engineering achievements, Hadrian's Wall stretches 73 miles across northern England from coast to coast. Built on the orders of Emperor Hadrian in 122 AD, it marked the northern edge of the entire Roman Empire. Beyond it, Rome simply gave up.
Today it's a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most dramatic walks in Britain.
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Housesteads Roman Fort One of the best-preserved forts anywhere in the Roman world. Complete with barracks, a hospital, and Roman latrines that are oddly fascinating. Vindolanda Archaeologists here have unearthed wooden writing tablets, leather shoes, and personal letters from soldiers that read with a warmth and humour that feels surprisingly modern. Worth the visit for the tablets alone. Birdoswald Fort Sweeping Northumberland scenery alongside impressive garrison remains. |
The Roman Baths, Bath
No tour of Roman Britain is complete without Bath, and it's no coincidence that one of our most popular destinations has been drawing visitors for nearly two thousand years. The Romans didn't just find Britain's natural hot springs. They built an entire city around them, calling it Aquae Sulis.
The Roman Baths themselves are among the best-preserved Roman monuments anywhere in the world. You can walk the same poolside stones that Roman citizens once strolled, peer into the same steaming waters, and read the ancient curse tablets visitors threw in to petition the goddess Sulis Minerva. For something more modern, head to the nearby Thermae Bath Spa afterwards: the same thermal waters, rooftop pool, views across the city.
Bath features on several of our UK tours, and there's a reason we keep going back.
London: Rome's greatest British project
Here's something worth pausing on when you arrive in the capital: London only exists because of Rome. Londinium was founded by the Romans around 47 AD as a river crossing and trading port on the Thames, and within decades it had become the most important city in Britannia.
Modern London hides its Roman past well, but it's there if you know where to look. The London Mithraeum in the City, a reconstructed Roman temple to the god Mithras discovered beneath Bloomberg's European headquarters, is free to visit and worth your time. Sections of London's original Roman defensive wall still stand near the Tower of London. Beneath Billingsgate there's an entire Roman bathhouse under the streets.
Next time you're in London with us, look down at the ground. You're walking on Rome.
Fishbourne Roman Palace, West Sussex
Discovered almost by accident in 1960 during construction work, Fishbourne Roman Palace turned out to be the largest known Roman residence in Britain. Dating to around 75 AD, it was almost certainly home to a senior Roman official living in considerable style. The mosaics, particularly the famous Dolphin Mosaic, are some of the finest surviving Roman floor work in northern Europe. The reconstructed Roman gardens give a vivid sense of the luxury and ambition of Roman life in Britain.
Caerleon Roman Fortress, Wales
Just outside Newport in South Wales, Caerleon (Roman name: Isca Augusta) was one of only three permanent Roman legionary fortresses in the whole of Britain, housing up to 5,500 soldiers. The remains are impressive: one of Britain's best-preserved Roman amphitheatres, barracks you can walk through, and a bathhouse complex that gives you a clear picture of what daily life looked like for a Roman soldier stationed at the edge of the empire.
Chester, Cheshire
Chester is one of Britain's best-preserved walled cities, and those walls have Roman origins. The Chester Roman Amphitheatre, the largest known in Britain, once hosted gladiatorial contests and military training. You can stand in its remains today. The Deva Roman Experience brings the city's legionary past to life, and the Roman Gardens feature reconstructed columns and artefacts that give a sense of what the city once looked like. A strong stop on any northern England itinerary.
Verulamium, St Albans
Just a short journey from London, St Albans (Roman Verulamium) was one of the most important cities in Roman Britain and one of the few places outside of Rome itself granted the status of municipium. The Roman walls, a beautifully preserved mosaic hypocaust, and the Verulamium Museum make it a rewarding half-day visit. St Albans Roman Theatre, one of the only surviving Roman theatres in the UK, is a genuine rarity. It's the kind of place that surprises people who've driven past the signs on the M25 for years.
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Walk in their footsteps Many of these sites sit within or alongside the cities and countryside we visit every day on our tours. Whether you're joining us in London, heading west to Bath, or going further afield, there's Roman history around almost every corner. Explore our tours |
