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Planning a trip to Britain? This guide covers everything you need to know before you arrive, from entry requirements and getting around to the best time to visit and what to eat.
We've kept it focused on the parts of the country we know best: the Cotswolds, Cornwall, Bath, Wales, the Lake District, and the Scottish Highlands.
Visa & entry requirements
Citizens from the EU, US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand don't need a visa for stays of up to six months. However, as of January 2025, most non-visa nationals need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before they travel.
It's straightforward to apply for. Head to GOV.UK/ETA or use the UK ETA app. If you're unsure whether this applies to you, the UK government website has a full list of nationalities and requirements.
When to visit
There's no bad time to explore Britain, just different versions of it.
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Spring (March to May) Quietly the best time for many of our tours. The countryside is coming back to life, the villages aren't yet busy, and the light on the Cotswolds in April is something else. Summer (June to August) Peak season. The days are long, the festivals are running, and everywhere is a little busier. Book early. Autumn (September to November) Fewer crowds and the kind of colours that make the Lake District and Scottish Highlands look like a painting. A very good time to travel. Winter (December to February) Cold, occasionally dramatic, and underrated. Scotland in particular has a different kind of beauty when the hills are quiet and the pubs are warm. |
Our day tours run year round (with a short break in January). Our multi-day tours run from March to October.
The places we visit
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The Cotswolds A stretch of countryside in central England that somehow looks exactly like people imagine England to look. Honey-coloured stone villages, narrow lanes, market towns with proper pubs. It's the kind of place you plan to spend an hour in and end up staying all afternoon. Castle Combe, Bibury, Bourton-on-the-Water, Stow-on-the-Wold. Each one worth the detour. |
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Bath One of Britain's most beautiful cities, and compact enough to explore properly in a day. The Roman Baths are the obvious draw, but the Georgian architecture, the independent shops, and the hills surrounding the city make it somewhere you'll want to linger. |
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Cornwall Britain's far southwest. Rugged coastline, fishing villages, cliffs that drop straight into the Atlantic, and a pace of life that feels genuinely different from the rest of England. It rewards those who make the journey. |
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The Lake District England's only UNESCO World Heritage landscape, and the kind of place that makes you understand why Wordsworth never left. Mountains, still lakes, walking paths that go on for miles. Best seen slowly. |
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Wales Undervisited and genuinely worth the trip. Medieval castles, the mountains of Eryri (Snowdonia), wild coastline, and a culture and language entirely its own. The Best of Wales tour covers a lot of ground, because there's a lot worth covering. |
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Edinburgh & the Scottish Highlands Edinburgh is one of Europe's great cities. The castle, the Royal Mile, the sense that history is everywhere you look. Head north into the Highlands and the scale of things changes completely. Loch Ness, Glencoe, the Glenfinnan Viaduct. Wild, ancient, and unlike anywhere else in Britain. |
Getting around
If you're based in London, Edinburgh or Bath, our tours handle all the logistics: pick-up, drop-off, and everything in between. No car hire, no sat nav, no hunting for parking in a village with one lane.
If you're exploring independently, trains connect the major cities well. Book through Trainline and book early for better fares. In cities, contactless payment works on most public transport, including London's Underground. For rural areas, a car gives you the most flexibility, though country lanes can be narrow and occasionally demanding.
Food & drink worth knowing about
A full English breakfast will set you up for a long day on the road. Fish and chips from a proper seaside chippy (ideally in Cornwall) is non-negotiable. A Sunday roast in a Cotswolds pub is the kind of meal that makes you want to move to the countryside. In Scotland, try haggis at least once, and don't leave without a dram of Scotch whisky. In Wales, keep an eye out for local lamb, which is excellent.
Pub culture is worth understanding: you order at the bar, tips are appreciated but not expected, and you're generally welcome to stay as long as you like.
Money & payments
The currency is Pounds Sterling (£). Cards and contactless payments are accepted almost everywhere, including Apple Pay and Google Pay. It's worth having a small amount of cash for markets, smaller cafés, and the occasional village honesty box selling local produce.
A few practical things
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Emergency number 999 Travel insurance Strongly recommended, and a necessary requirement if you join one of our tours. UK healthcare is excellent but private treatment is expensive, and insurance covers a lot of situations beyond medical ones. Driving Britain drives on the left. If you're renting a car and aren't used to this, give yourself time to adjust before attempting a narrow Cotswolds lane. Weather Genuinely unpredictable. A waterproof jacket is not optional. |
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Ready to start planning? Our tours cover the Cotswolds, Cornwall, Bath, Wales, the Lake District, Edinburgh and the Scottish Highlands, with departures from London, Bath and Edinburgh. Browse all tours |
