Britain's Best Places to visit in 2022 | Best of Britain

50 of BRITAIN’s Best Places to Visit in 2022

We've selected our favourite of Britain's most beautiful and interesting places to visit in 2022

36. Staithes Fishing Village

Just along the coastline from Whitby, Staithes is a charming fishing village on the North Yorkshire Coast. It’s made up of narrow cobbled streets and 18th-century harbourside cottages where Captain James Cook once lived and worked.

37. Harrogate

The elegant, Victorian spa town of Harrogate was famous for its healing, mineral spring water. During the 17th and 18th centuries, Harrogate became a spa town destination. Today the town celebrates its history and offers abundant floral gardens, a respected theatre and independent boutiques.

38. Pateley Bridge

Situated in the heart of Nidderdale, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Pateley Bridge is the perfect point to start your exploration of the Yorkshire Dales. Renowned for its beautiful scenery, this market town offers tea rooms, restaurants and quaint boutiques which include The Oldest Sweet Shop in England.

39. Ripon

The city of Ripon, founded 1300 years ago, is located in North Yorkshire on the River Ure. This pretty market town is celebrated as a cathedral city, where monasteries have stood since the 7th century. With a popular market and a famous horse-racing track, Ripon also offers an abundance of boutiques, restaurants and cafés.

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40. Newcastle Upon Tyne

Straddling the banks of the River Tyne, Newcastle Quayside is a vibrant hub filled with swanky bars and restaurants, art galleries and concert halls. Standing against the Quayside skyline are seven iconic bridges but it’s the Gateshead Millennium Bridge that steals the show as this impressive feat of engineering is the only tilting bridge in the world.

41. Hadrian's Wall

Hadrian’s Wall spans 73 miles from the North Sea to the Irish Sea and is a significant part of English heritage. It was constructed back in AD122 as a barrier against the northern frontier of the Roman Empire and is set against a backdrop of the Northumbrian and Cumbrian landscapes. In 1987 the Wall was inscribed as a World Heritage Site and pays testament to life in Roman Britain.

42. Bamburgh Castle

Stealing the limelight on the Northumberland Coast, Bamburgh Castle sits on a volcanic crag and is one of the country’s finest examples of a Norman stronghold. Over 1,400 years of history can be discovered inside the walls of this inhabited castle with its collections of armour, artwork and ceramics. Visitors can step back in time as they explore rooms such as the State Rooms, the Cross Hall, and the King’s Hall.

43. York

York is a picturesque, riverside city brimming with a fascinating history and cosmopolitan charm. Its famous walls, impressive architecture and cobbled streets create an awe-inspiring backdrop. The striking stained-glass windows in the Gothic cathedral captivate visitors with their resplendence.

44. The Shambles

One of the most famous streets in the city of York and the whole of England is The Shambles. Half-timbered, medieval buildings protrude above the narrow, cobbled streets and resemble a scene from a fairy tale. In medieval times, the streets were designed to be narrow so that the butchers’ meat served through the windows would be sheltered from sunlight. Some of the shops still have the meat shelves and hooks outside.

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45. Pickering

Located in the historic market town of Pickering is the themed Pickering Station. The station has a wonderful olde-worlde ambience with its replacement Victorian roof that harks back to the 1840s. Steam trains operate throughout the year and are more frequent during the warmer months.

46. Whitby

Situated at the mouth of the River Esk on Yorkshire's East Coast, Whitby is a traditional seaside resort and port with an interesting history and scenic views. With an active local fishing industry making use of the port, restaurants specialising in seafood and fish and chips are nationally renowned.

47. Robin Hood’s Bay

Robin Hood's Bay is a rustic coastal area in Yorkshire, loved for its rugged and inspiring beauty. Old fishermen's cottages and ancient inns are sprinkled around this scenic bay, which attracts walkers, horse riders and those that enjoy the water. There are also good cafés and restaurants specialising in seafood and cream teas in this area.

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48. Goathland

Goathland is a refreshing moorland village in the centre of the North York Moors National Park. The village has become increasingly popular as a tourist destination due to its role as Aidensfield in the TV series Heartbeat, and features lots of old cars and business names that are the the same as in the series.

49. Burgh Island

Located off the South Devon coastline, Burgh Island is a tidal island home to the remains of a chapel and an Art-Deco hotel. Burgh Island Hotel is a prominent feature and has played host to the famous writer Agatha Christie. The island was once a stomping ground for smugglers and pirates in the 14th century who would hide out at The Pilchard Inn. You can still step inside the inn to enjoy drinks while you bask in the coastal views.

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50. Salcombe

Salcombe is one of Devon’s most beautiful harbour towns, with views over the crystal clear water. Dolphins and a multitude of fishing boats call this scenic location home. Houses in an array of pastel tones form the backdrop, which sits close to the mouth of the sparkling Salcombe-Kingsbridge Estuary.