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25 Stunning British Places You Can Reach From London

Get out of town.

1. Bexhill-On-Sea

Get there via Southeastern train from London Bridge, 30 minutes, from £14 return.

Have a bite at Bistro45 for a splendid view of the channel.

Make sure to see the seaside as top priority if weather permits. If it's a bit damp, Bexhill Museum and De La Warr Pavilion are indoor gems.

Grab a pint at the Royal Sovereign.

2. St Albans

Get there via Southeastern train from St Pancras, 20 minutes, from £12 return.

Have a bite at The Breakfast Club for early birds, or grab lunch or dinner at Lussmann's for a gorgeous view.

Make sure to see the St Albans Traditional Street Market if it's open, plus check out the gorgeous ruins of Sopwell Nunnery.

Grab a pint at the cozy and cool Robin Hood.

3. Windsor

Get there via First Great Western train from Paddington, 30 minutes, from £8 return.

Have a bite at Limes Bakery - great for sandwiches and sweets.

Make sure to see Windsor Castle, of course. For sunny days, the Savill Garden is another must.

Grab a pint at The Duchess of Cambridge, where else?

4. Egham & Runnymede

Get there via South West train from Waterloo, 40 minutes, from £12 return.

Have a bite at The Tudor Room at the beautiful and historical Great Fosters Hunting Lodge Hotel. Caffe Gondola is a great alternative if you're on a budget.

Make sure to see the Runnymede National Trust, where King John sealed the Magna Carta in 1215.

Grab a pint at The Monkey's Forehead, or head back to Great Fosters to class it up at the Cocktail Bar & Terrace.

5. Hever Castle

Get there via Southern train from London Bridge, 45 minutes plus a 20 minute walk from Hever Station, from £20 return.

Have a bite on the castle grounds at Moat or the Guthrie Pavilion, or bring your own picnic.

Make sure to see the entirety of Anne Boleyn's childhood home if you've got the time. Don't miss Hever Lake on the castle grounds, and catching a joust is a necessity.

Grab a pint at the Henry VIII, naturally.

6. Colchester

Get there via Greater Anglia train from Liverpool Street, 1 hour, from £16 return.

Have a bite at Lunch, and don't miss a coffee at The Art Café.

Make sure to see the architecture! Colchester is Britain's oldest recorded town, so the history is rich and varied. Book a walking tour to make it easy.

Grab a pint here because everyone should drink at a pub called The Fat Cat on Butt Road once in their life.

7. Winchester

Get there via South West train from Waterloo, 1 hour, from £34 return.

Have a bite at the cozy and classy Chesil Rectory, and if you're game for a snack or coffee, try the Cornerhouse.

Make sure to see Winchester College, the oldest school in Britain in continuous use. The Winchester City Mill is also very old - this piece of history in the centre of town has been restored by the National Trust and is fully functioning.

Grab a pint at the Mucky Duck.

8. Leeds Castle

Get there via Southeastern train from Victoria, 1 hour, from £21 return. You must walk, taxi, or private hire a shuttle to travel from Bearsted Station to the Castle.

Have a bite in the converted barn that houses the Great British Kitchen.

Make sure to see the Maze on the grounds, built up from 2,400 yew trees. Also, the Dog Collar Museum is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Grab a pint before you catch your train home at the White Horse near Bearsted Station.

9. Blenheim Palace

Get there via First Great Western train from Paddington, 1 hour 20 minutes, from £9 return.

Have a bite at Oxfordshire Pantry or several other options on the palace grounds.

Make sure to see Blenheim Palace's permanent Winston Churchill exhibitions.

Grab a pint at the Killingworth Castle in Woodstock before boarding your return train.

10. New Forest

Get there via South West train from Waterloo, 1 hour 30 minutes, from £20 return.

Have a bite at The Fallen Tree, or be brave and pack a picnic lunch!

Make sure to see some New Forest Ponies! About 3,000 "wild" ponies can be sighted wandering throughout the forest.

Grab a pint before catching your train home at the nearby Foresters Arms.

11. Cambridge

Get there via Greater Anglia train, 1 hour 30 minutes, from £32 return.

Have a bite at Urban Shed, with plenty of selections for carnivores and veggies, and don't miss an afternoon tea at The Orchard.

Make sure to see The Cambridge University Botanical Gardens, and don't miss out on exploring the university campus.

Grab a pint at The Free Press, which housed a printing press before it became a bar.

12. Whitstable

Get there via Southeastern train from Victoria, 1 hour 30 minutes, from £26 return.

Have a bite at Waltshaw's Kentish Pantry. This gem serves delicious handmade, locally and ethically sourced foods.

Make sure to see the sea front. It's great for swimming, and worth walking along in colder weather. Art fans shouldn't miss the Whistable Biennale.

Grab a pint at the Duke, just off the beach.

13. Portsmouth

Get there via South West train from Waterloo, 1 hour 30 minutes, from £36 return.

Have a bite at the top-notch and affordable Soprano’s Ristorante Italiano.

Make sure to see the literary sights. Charles Dickens was born in Portsmouth, and the city has an extensive museum dedicated to his life and works. Also check out the Arthur Conan Doyle Collection, an impressive collection of all things Doyle and Sherlock Holmes.

Grab a pint at the Bridge Tavern on the docks.

14. Salisbury

Get there via South West train from Waterloo, 1 hour 30 minutes from £38 return.

Have a bite at the unique and colourful Fisherton Mill Gallery and Cafe.

Make sure to see Britain's tallest spire and the Magna Carta at Salisbury Cathedral. The famously mysterious Stonehenge is only a half hour away, and Stonehenge Tour busses depart from Salisbury every 15-20 minutes.

Grab a pint at the rustic Wheatsheaf Inn.

15. Brighton

Get there via Southern train from Victoria, 1 hour 30 minutes, from £24.

Have a bite at Thewitchez Photo Design Cafe for one-of-a-kind coffee and treats. For a traditional and hearty meal, Bardsley's is the place for fish and chips.

Make sure to see the world's oldest operating aquarium, Sea Life Brighton. Tickets from £10.

Grab a pint at The Brighton Beer Dispensary.

16. Oxford

Get there via the Oxford Tube bus from Buckingham Palace Road, 1 hour 40 minutes, from £18 return.

Have a bite at Oli's Thai, a charming, affordable, and popular Oxfordian haunt.

Make sure to see the 'witch in a bottle' at the Pitt Rivers Museum.

Grab a pint the Turf Tavern for a slice of history and a great selection.

17. Canterbury

Get there via National Express coach from Victoria, 1 hour 55 minutes, from £13 return.

Have a bite at the trendy Willow's Secret Kitchen on High Street for breakfast or lunch. For dinner, book a table at Salt.

Make sure to see St. Augustine's Abbey, or if you're feeling gimmicky (no shame), take a Canterbury Tales themed walking tour.

Grab a pint at the Thomas Becket, named after the Archbishop of Canterbury, who was murdered in 1170 AD.

18. Gloucester

Get there via First Great Western train from Paddington, 2 hours, from £30 return.

Have a bite at a snacking must, The Hubble Bubble Coffee House. For a full meal, try the tucked-away Lily's or takeaway from On Toast.

Make sure to see Gloucester Cathedral, constructed in the 7th century AD, and the beloved Beatrix Potter Museum.

Grab a pint at the Fountain Inn.

19. Cardiff

Get there via First Great Western train from Paddington, 2 hours, from £37 return.

Have a bite or a coffee at Thé Pot - it's as cute and delightful as its name suggests.

Make sure to see Cardiff Castle. The structure's rich history and large grounds will keep you busy all day.

Grab a pint at the Cottage, and try some traditional Welsh bites while you're there.

20. Dover

Get there via Southeastern train from Kings Cross, 2 hours from £40 return.

Have a bite at the adorable Pines Garden Tea Room.

Make sure to see Deal Castle. Available to explore top to bottom, the castle also links to a cycling path that runs straight to the seaside.

Grab a pint at Rack of Ale, Dover's first micro pub. Careful though, this quirky haunt enforces a phones off policy!

21. Avebury

Get there via First Great Western train from Paddington, 2 hours, from £23 return.

Have a bite at the only inn in the word to be enclosed by an ancient stone circle, the Red Lion.

Make sure to see the Avebury Stone Circle. The circle was likely constructed between 2850 and 2200 BC, and matches Stonehenge in mystery, if not in fame.

Grab a pint back at the Red Lion before heading home.

22. Stratford-Upon-Avon

Get there via Chiltern train from Marylebone, 2 hours and 10 minutes, from £12 return.

Have a bite at The Lazy Cow for a great vibe. For a more veggie friendly menu, try The Aubergine.

Make sure to see a Royal Shakespeare Company production - it's the Bard's hometown after all.

Grab a pint at Old Thatch Tavern, Stratford-Upon-Avon's oldest pub.

23. York

Get there via East Coast train from Kings Cross, 2 hours, 20 minutes from £37 return.

Have a bite at the Blue Bicycle, a charming café that was a 19th century brothel in a past life.

Make sure to see Shambles, a famous alley lined with 15th century shops. Shambles can get quite busy, so for a more low-key historical experience, visit the Yorkshire Museum.

Grab a pint at the House of Trembling Madness.

24. Liverpool

Get there via Virgin train from Euston, 2 hours 30 minutes, from £41 return.

Have a bite at the hip music house, The Baltic Social or go more traditional with Spire.

Make sure to see Albert Dock, the first completely cast-iron construction in London. When you're done admiring the architecture, The Beatles Story museum is close by.

Grab a pint at Ye Cracke. This low key pub was a favourite of John Lennon.

25. Bath

Get there via First Great Western train from Paddington, 2 hours 30 minutes, from £30 return.

Have a bite at The Riverside Cafe for a crowd-pleasing menu and stunning view of Pulteney Weir.

Make sure to see the Roman Baths. The city doesn't get its name for nothing - this well-preserved underground landmark has history dating back to its discovery in 836 BC.

Grab a pint at Bath's smallest pub, the Coeur de Lion. This intimate and traditional pub is too cozy to miss.

Train journey lengths and prices via GoEuro and The Train Line.