Most people traveling to the UK tend to stick to the tourist hot spot of London and its surrounding area, missing out on the beautiful countryside and enchanting landscape found further afield. The United Kingdom is full of a number of beautiful places that rarely see the clutches of tourism outside of locals and long term residents, but are well worth making the extra journey to see. Here are seven of the most underrated destinations you need to travel to on your next trip to the UK.
The Cotswolds
The perfect introduction to the English countryside at just over two hours drive from the capital, the Cotswolds promises its visitors a picturesque blast from the past. This rural region exemplifies tranquil village life through its rolling hills, far-reaching scenery, and lovely quaint cottages. When searching for hamlets to explore, Lacock comes highly recommended. The picturesque town features a number of old, middle-age buildings and thatched cottages. It's also a popular movie site where filming of Harry Potter took place.
Some of the other villages worth driving to include Bibury and Bourton-on-the-Water, but with such a large number of beautiful quaint towns here, just driving around admiring the scenery is highly recommended.
Isle of Skye
Off the coast of the Scottish Highlands you'll find the Isle of Skye, an island full of dramatic rocky coastline and incredible rising peaks. If you're looking for some of the best scenery the British Isles has to offer then this is it. The island is actually connecting to the mainland via a bridge, making it easier than ever to access. Make sure to check out the incredible rock formations at the Old Man of Storr and the stunning landscape of the Cuillin mountain range.
Chester
A city writhe in history, stemming from its Roman roots in the first century, Chester features a beautiful center of old buildings built in the Middle Ages. Known as the Chester Rows, these streets of beautiful age-old architecture are some of the best preserved medieval houses in Europe and easily the largest old town of its kind.
Tenby
One of the most picturesque coastal towns the country has to offer, Tenby sits on the southwest point of Wales. A popular seaside escape for the locals, The town is not really well known among visitors from abroad, partly owing to its distance from the major cities in the UK. The surrounding countryside and Pembrokeshire coast is stunning however and is well worth making the journey there to see.
Staithes
Another beautiful UK coastal town, this time on the English coast of North Yorkshire. Once one of the most important fishing ports, nowadays Staithes is mostly unknown by all but residents in the Northeast of England. Climbing up the side of a hill on the coast, the town has a charming atmosphere perfect for spending an walking around its quaint cobbled streets.
Isle of Lewis and Harris
Few realize that Scotland actually has some of the best beaches in Europe, if not the world, mostly because throughout the winter it's freezing enough that you wouldn't even think of visiting a beach. Head to Scotland's largest island in the summer however, and you'll still have most of the beautiful seaside spots there sometimes all to yourself.
North Pennines
The popular neighboring Lake District area might have some beautiful landscape, but nearby national parks such as the North Pennines are just as stunning. The area is easy to reach from the Lake District if you're driving around, but most people tend to miss it off their itineraries and just focus on the the more popular regions.
Conclusion
With unique cultures spanning from each of its inner countries, from the beautiful English countryside to the dramatic peaks of the Scottish Highlands, the United Kingdom has a number of incredible sites to visit that hardly see the woes of tourism like many popular European getaways.