This is a post about hidden gems in England.
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Everyone flocks to London, Bath and the Cotswolds. And look, no judgement, they’re all wonderful. But England has SO much more to offer! I love going on impromptu road trips around the country. My last one was about two months ago when my partner and I decided almost overnight to get a puppy all the way in Northern England 😂
As someone who moved to England from Brazil and has been exploring it as much as possible, I’ve developed a deep appreciation for the places that don’t make the front page of every travel magazine. So here are some of my picks; a mix of medieval cities, dramatic landscapes and coastal towns that will genuinely surprise you. Some are easy from London, some require more of a commitment and all of them are absolutely worth it.
Winchester, Hampshire
Winchester was the ancient capital of England before London took over and has never quite gotten over it — in the best possible way. It carries itself with a quiet dignity that says “we were important before it was cool.”
The cathedral is jaw-dropping — one of the longest medieval cathedrals in Europe and home to the grave of Jane Austen, which alone makes it a literary pilgrimage worth making. The high street is lined with independent shops rather than the usual chains and the water meadows along the River Itchen are the kind of place that makes you want to slow down considerably. If you’re a Jane Austen fan, pick up a copy of Persuasion before you go — [Amazon affiliate link] — it’ll make wandering around Winchester feel like stepping into the pages.
Winchester is also incredibly easy to reach from London — just over an hour on the train — which makes it a perfect day trip or weekend break. And unlike Bath, which it often gets compared to, you won’t be fighting through tour groups to see anything.
I’ve written a full Winchester city guide here where you can find more details.
Getting there: Direct trains from London Waterloo, approximately 1 hour. Book in advance on Omio for the best prices.
Where to stay: The Old Vine, if you’re feeling fancy or The King Alfred for traditional English pub vibes.
READ MORE: 19 Best Cities in the UK for Students
Norwich, Norfolk
I feel like people who are not from Norfolk have a very distorted idea of the county and its main city, Norwich. Which is a shame because it’s such a wonderful place. It’s the most complete medieval city in England! More medieval churches than any other city in northern Europe, a Norman castle sitting in the middle of the city centre and a covered market that has been trading continuously since the 11th century.
But what makes Norwich genuinely special right now is its creative energy. The Golden Triangle neighbourhood is full of independent cafés, bookshops and vintage stores. The arts scene punches well above its weight. And the Norfolk Broads are right on the doorstep if you want to add some countryside to your trip. I love how proud they are of their independent commerce.
It’s also one of the most affordable city breaks in England, which if you’re travelling on a budget is not an insignificant detail.
I’ve got a full Norwich guide here with everything you need to know before you visit.
Getting there: Trains from London Liverpool Street, approximately 2 hours. Book ahead on Omio.
Where to stay: Definitely The Maid’s Head!! If it’s booked up, St Giles House.
Lincoln, Lincolnshire
Lincoln is criminally underrated and I will die on this (steep) hill. The cathedral, perched dramatically on a hill above the rest of the city, was the tallest building in the world for over 200 years. Let that sink in. And yet somehow Lincoln rarely makes people’s England bucket list.
The medieval Bail area around the cathedral and castle is extraordinarily well preserved. The Steep Hill (which is exactly what it sounds like) is lined with independent shops, tea rooms and galleries. And, of course don’t forget the Wonky House on Michaelgate, near the top of the hill. Lincoln Castle holds one of only four surviving copies of Magna Carta. And the Christmas market, if you happen to visit in December, is genuinely one of the best in England.
Give it a full day at minimum and ideally a whole weekend. A (free) walking tour is a brilliant way to get your bearings and understand why this city was such a big deal for so long.
Getting there: Trains from London King’s Cross to Newark North Gate then connect to Lincoln. Approximately 2 hours total and worth every minute. Book on Omio for discounted tickets.
Where to stay: The Old Palace Lodge or Charlotte House.
Durham, County Durham
If you showed someone a photo of Durham and asked them to guess which European city it was, most people would say somewhere in Central Europe. The cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, sits on a dramatic rocky peninsula almost entirely surrounded by the River Wear with the castle right next to it. It looks like a film set, but it is not a film set. It is just Durham being quietly magnificent. For me, it was love at first sight.
I think it might be one of the most hidden gems in England! I don’t know, I feel like it’s a place that is mostly known to students wanting to study there and their parents but I could definitely be wrong here.
Durham is a small city with a big, kinda fancy university which means excellent food, good coffee and a surprisingly lively atmosphere for its size. It’s also the gateway to some of the most beautiful countryside in northern England including the North Pennines and the Durham Dales.
A guided walking tour is a great way to experience Durham but of course you can just do it independently as well. The history here goes so deep that having someone explain it transforms the visit entirely.
If you’re planning a trip to the north of England and only have Edinburgh on your radar, please add a Durham stop. You’ll thank me. Also, if you do make it there, be sure to eat at Zen. It’s probably THE best restaurant in Durham!
Getting there: Direct trains from London King’s Cross, approximately 2 hours 45 minutes on fast services. Book on Omio for discounted fare.
Where to stay: Radisson Blu, for sure – great breakfast and perfect location both for the riverside walk AND to walk to Zen for amazing thai food.
READ MORE: Top 10 Things to Do in Edinburgh for a Quick Trip
Hastings, East Sussex
Hastings has had a bit of a moment in recent years and it absolutely deserves it. Long overshadowed by Brighton just down the coast, Hastings has a completely different character. Older, quirkier and genuinely bohemian rather than performatively so.
The Old Town is the heart of it: narrow lanes called “twittens” (yes, really), net huts where fishermen still store their gear, an independent cinema, witchy shops and a genuinely thriving food scene. The Hastings Contemporary art gallery is one of the best outside London. And the beach, while pebbly, has one of the most dramatic backdrop of any coastal town in the South East.
The ruins of Hastings Castle on the West Hill are genuinely cool especially at sunset. Take the funicular railway up: it’s old, slightly terrifying and absolutely worth it.
Looking for beaches near London? I’ve included Hastings in my full guide of the best beaches near London here.
Getting there: Trains from London Charing Cross or St Pancras, approximately 1 hour 30 to 2 hours. Book on Omio for cheaper tickets.
Where to stay: The Artist’s Retreat
Rye, East Sussex
Rye is SUCH a cute town! I spent one of my birthdays there soaking up the sun, walking around and eating lobster rolls. A medieval hilltop town with cobbled streets, half-timbered buildings and a harbour that still has working fishing boats. It looks like someone took every picturesque English village cliché and concentrated them into one very small and very charming place.
Mermaid Street is the most photographed spot. Genuinely one of the most beautiful streets in England! The independent bookshops, the pottery studios, the Mermaid Inn which has been welcoming guests since 1420 and the view from St Mary’s Church tower over the Romney Marsh are all worth your time.
Rye is also excellent combined with Hastings as a day trip or weekend. They’re only 12 miles apart and completely different in character which makes for a satisfying contrast.
Getting there: Trains from London St Pancras to Ashford International then connect to Rye. Approximately 1 hour 45 minutes. Book on Omio for discounted fares.
Where to stay: The House With the Two Front Doors which is literally ON Mermaid Street, The George Inn or Aviemore for a slightly more affordable option. Accommodation in Rye is priceeey (compared to some of the other destinations on this list).
Arundel, West Sussex
A medieval castle dominates the skyline above a small town of independent shops, a cathedral, tearooms and a river with swans on it. It looks almost like a fairytale. Or maybe it’s because it always makes me think of Arendelle in Frozen (which is nothing like Arundel and it’s meant to be in NORWAY 😂).
The castle has been home to the Dukes of Norfolk for centuries and is still lived in today which gives it a very different feel from the average English heritage site. It’s a hybrid of a medieval fortress and a 19th-century Neo-Gothic family home. The town below it is walkable in an afternoon and you’ll find good food, good coffee and the kind of high street that actually has things worth going into.
Arundel is also surrounded by the South Downs National Park so, if you want to add a walk to your visit, the countryside around it is beautiful.
Getting there: Trains from London Victoria, approximately 1 hour 30. You know what I’ll recommend…book on Omio for discounted fares.
Where to stay: The Norfolk Arms
Wastwater, Lake District
Everyone goes to the Lake District. And then they go to Windermere which in peak summer is absolutely heaving with tourists, ice cream queues and traffic jams. Wastwater is the antidote to all of that.
England’s deepest lake sits in the most remote and dramatic valley in the Lake District, surrounded by scree slopes that plunge directly into the water with Great Gable and Scafell Pike visible at the head of the valley. It’s genuinely jaw-dropping. AND, if you wish, you can climb Scafell Pike, England’s highest mountain. Hopefully you’ve got better weather than me when you get to the top (these were my views from the middle and all the way from the top!).
Because it’s harder to reach than Windermere or Grasmere, it stays beautifully quiet even in summer. There’s a small campsite, a pub at Wasdale Head that is one of the most remote in England and some of the best walking in the entire Lake District.
You will need a car for this one. There’s no train access to Wastwater itself. But if you’re doing a Lake District road trip it is absolutely non-negotiable. You can hire a car from Windermere station through Discover Cars.
Getting there: Drive from Keswick (approximately 45 minutes) or from Ambleside (approximately 1 hour). Nearest train station is Windermere.
Where to stay: Bridge End Farm Cottages
READ MORE: 10 Best Hikes Near London by Train for an Adventurous Day Out
Boscastle, Cornwall
Boscastle is probably my favourite village in England! Tucked into a narrow valley where the sea meets the cliffs and it has an energy unlike anywhere else in Cornwall. It screams magic! Most visitors to Cornwall head straight for St Ives or Padstow and Boscastle sits quietly to the side, unbothered and all the better for it.
The harbour is tiny and dramatic, the only natural harbour on the north Cornwall coast between Hartland Point and Tintagel. The walk up to the clifftops above it gives you the most gorgeous views! The village itself is small but full of character: a stream runs through the middle of it while the buildings cluster around it.
And then there’s the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic, which is exactly what it sounds like and is genuinely one of the most fascinating small museums in England. One of the world’s largest collections of artefacts related to witchcraft and folklore, sitting quietly beside the stream.
I’ve written a bit more about Boscastle in my guide to the most magical places in Cornwall here. Well worth reading if you’re planning a Cornwall trip and want to go beyond the obvious.
Getting there: There’s no direct train to Boscastle. The nearest station is Bodmin Parkway or Newquay and from there you’ll need a car or taxi.
Where to stay: The Wellington Hotel right in the middle of it all and make sure to get a pasty from Boscastle Bakery round the corner!!
Tips for Exploring These Hidden Gems
Go by train where you can. England’s rail network connects most of these places to London and booking in advance gets you much better prices. I always use Omio, it’s the easiest way to compare times and prices across all operators in one place and it also gives you bus options.
Go in shoulder season. April to May and September to October are the sweet spots: good weather, smaller crowds and lower accommodation prices. Most of these places are genuinely lovely year-round but summer weekends can get busy even in the less obvious spots.
Stay at least one night. Day trips are possible but you’ll leave wishing you had more time.
Combine destinations. Hastings and Rye make a perfect pairing. Boscastle and Tintagel are close to each other. Durham makes a great stop on the way to or from Edinburgh. Think in routes rather than single destinations and you’ll get so much more out of each trip.
Frequently Asked Questions
Some of the most underrated places in England include Durham, Lincoln and Wastwater in the Lake District. All extraordinary but consistently overlooked by both international visitors and British travellers who tend to stick to the same routes. The places on this list were chosen specifically because they offer something genuinely special without the crowds.
Outside London, Durham and Lincoln are arguably the most surprising hidden gems in England. Both have extraordinary medieval heritage that rivals anywhere in Europe and yet neither appears on most people’s itineraries. Wastwater in the Lake District is the most dramatically beautiful and Boscastle in Cornwall has the most distinctive (aka magical) atmosphere. I’ve gotta say, I’ve got a big soft spot for Norwich!
For a weekend trip from London, Rye and Hastings work brilliantly together. Both under 2 hours by train and completely different in character. Arundel and Winchester are also excellent solo weekend destinations, both under 1 hour 30 by direct train. All four are easy to reach without a car which makes them particularly good options if you’re based in London.
Cornwall as a whole is well known and heavily visited in summer, but within Cornwall there are genuine hidden gems that most tourists never find. Boscastle on the north Cornwall coast is one of the best examples: dramatic, unique, quirky and still beautifully quiet compared to the more famous spots. I’ve written a full guide to the most magical places in Cornwall here if you want to explore beyond the obvious.
Most of the places on this list are reachable by train from London which makes them accessible without a car. The one exception is Wastwater in the Lake District and, in a way, Boscastle. You’ll need to drive or hire a car from Windermere to get there. For everywhere else, booking train tickets in advance is the most convenient and often the most affordable option.
Which of these hidden gems in England have you visited? And which ones are going straight onto your list? Let me know in the comments, I genuinely want to know.
This was a post about hidden gems in England.
