50+ things to do and places to go in 2023

Last chance to visit in 2023

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The most visited immersive multi-sensory experience in the world is open until 29th January 2023. See Bradford's Regency Hall festooned with sunflowers and walls swathed in midnight skies as you accompany the famous painter on an artistic journey set to a classical score.

Hailed as one of London’s favourite winter experiences; take yourself to Skate at Somerset House, a winter oasis with its own après ski hangout and rink-side refreshments. From skating lessons to ‘Skate Lates’ with trailblazing DJs, enjoy the fun on ice until 15 January 2023.

Step into the inspirational world of Frida Kahlo at a multi-sensory experience where you’ll hear Kahlo’s story in her own words and be surrounded by colourful projections of her famous artworks at The Reel Store in Coventry. Tickets are available until 29 January 2023 at The Reel Store in Coventry. 

Events and festivals in 2023

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A once-in-a-lifetime event, May 6 brings the Coronation of King Charles III, with all eyes on London. Expect royal-themed events, exhibitions, and celebrations across the country during the weekend and on the extra May bank holiday on the 8th. 

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It’s 10 points for Liverpool in May when the city hosts the Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2023! This spectacular will take place in the Liverpool Arena next to the River Mersey on Saturday 13 May, with Semi-Finals on Tuesday 9 and Thursday 11 May. There will be tickets available for all rounds, but they are yet to go on sale - so keep your eyes peeled for updates. 

Promising to be bigger and better than ever before, it’s the 10th anniversary of TransPride Brighton on 15 July, having established itself as the biggest Trans Pride event in Europe. Join over 10,000 people for a packed programme of fun and insightful events in a safe and inclusive space.

June to September sees the 25th anniversary of the Liverpool Biennial, the UK’s largest contemporary visual arts festival. Taking over unexpected and public spaces, historic sites and art galleries, the Biennial has been transforming the city through art for over two decades.

LEEDS 2023 is a year-long celebration for the City of Culture. Enjoy twelve signature events and a multitude of creative and cultural experiences across the city, from dance to design, art to architecture and poetry to pop. The celebration year kicks off on 7 January with a live show at Headingley Stadium hosted by Gabby Logan. Expect top names in music, literature comedy, dance and much more.

A new addition to the festival scene, ReBalance Bath takes place from 7 to 26 February. It celebrates all things wellness, bringing together venues, hotels, spa therapists and restaurants for three weeks of feel-good activities.

London is rich with stories and vibrant neighbourhoods, and the two-week family-friendly London Festival will celebrate every facet of capital life. Packed with feel-good entertainment, history and culture, take part in this immersive experience in Central London in summer 2023.

Celebrating new music, the inaugural year of Coastella comes to North Shields from 30 June to 2 July. Championing new music, enjoy upcoming acts from the region alongside national touring artists such The Futureheads and DJ Judge Jules.

From 15 August for three days, Falmouth hosts the start of the Tall Ships Race, Magellan-Elcano 2023, for the first time in nine years. Expect several days of festivities to precede the start of the race, including the Parade of Sail and the chance to get aboard some of the ships.

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To mark the completion of the England Coast Path – set to be the longest continuous coastal walking route in the world – there will be a year-long celebration of all things seaside. The Year of Coast will see a year-long programme of events around our shores, from major festivals to local food markets, art trails and water sports.

For five magical days from 16 November, see art light up the city of Durham. Artists from around the world will participate in Lumiere Durham, reimagining the city’s buildings and public spaces with vibrant works that bring magic, joy and light to the darkening nights.

New places to stay in 2023

Open to guests from December 2022 the Art’otel® can be found in one of the newly designed buildings around the historic Battersea Power Station. This 164-bedroom luxury hotel promises a rooftop pool and a bar overlooking the iconic chimneys in addition to exhibitions and cultural events.

For great value without compromising on style, try Bike and Boot’s second outpost in the Peak District in early 2023. Catering to a design loving, outdoorsy crowd where bikes, dogs and muddy walking boots are all welcome, Bike and Boot hotels are relaxed, quirky and inclusive.

Located in lush gardens on the outskirts of Ashford in Kent and with years of stories layered within its 17th-century walls, this beautifully renovated country house has already opened its restaurant and pub and its ten thoughtfully designed boutique suites follow in December 2022.

Mollies, a contemporary hotel and diner chain opens in Manchester’s Granada Studios in 2023. The iconic 1950s studios, which hosted The Beatles and the Sex Pistols, will soon be Mollies third UK outpost. Designed by Soho House, stay at a relaxed, high-spec home-away-from-home for a reasonable price.

Summer 2023 brings the full launch of The Mole Resort, offering 58 luxury eco-conscious lodges in the North Devon countryside. You can expect an all-day café concept, an on-site farm shop packed with local produce and a myriad of activities, including coastal hikes, foraging and horse riding. 

The sustainability-driven 1 Hotels brand debuts its UK flagship, the 1 Hotel Mayfair, in spring 2023. The nine-storey hotel will have 181 guest rooms, a restaurant by two-Michelin-starred chef Tom Sellers and a bespoke fitness and wellness centre overlooking Green Park.

No.42 Margate, with twenty-one bedrooms, a restaurant, rooftop bar and spa, takes over an existing Victorian beachfront hotel in spring 2023. Perfectly placed in the heart of Margate, No.42 is above the main swathe of golden sands, making for some dreamy views across the bay.

Go through the looking glass at The Tempus, a new hotel opening on the grounds of Charlton Hall, north of Alnwick, in spring 2023. The 15 bedrooms are inspired by Lewis Carroll's book and imaginatively designed by the award-winning Jeffreys Interiors, Edinburgh.

2023 sees the anticipated opening of the first London hotel designed by Swedish interior architect Martin Brudnizki (Annabel's, The Wolseley). With a rooftop bar, wraparound terrace, and sumptuous Italian restaurant, many of the forty-seven rooms and nine suites have private balconies over vibrant Soho.

Nature-first holiday home development Silverlake in Dorset is adding a new al fresco spa and restaurant to its inventory in 2023. The new facilities will transform Silverlake's existing wellness offering into an innovative outdoor destination spa - a first of its kind in the UK.

Elmore Court, an award-winning wedding venue, opens to a wider audience in 2023 with a rewilding programme in its estate grounds, including six treehouses. Built with every comfort, enjoy a soak in your outdoor bath and uninterrupted countryside views from the deck of your sleek eco-retreat.

Hedingham Castle has several properties available to stay at, and The Royal Chamber, a new addition for 2023, allows you to spend the night in the castle itself. Expect the royal treatment in this exquisite hideaway at the very top of the castle.

Head to Beamish for many exciting new developments, including overnight accommodation in Flint Mill, original farm buildings and cottages. Immerse yourself in a Georgian-themed overnight experience that includes historical food and drink.

Take a trip to the bright lights for a unique luxury stay at The Sands Venue Resort Hotel and Spa, the town's first five-star seafront hotel. Due to open at the end of 2022, expect sophisticated surroundings, spacious bedrooms and suites, restaurants and bars and luxury leisure facilities.

Opening its doors in late 2023, Hotel Indigo is a welcome addition to Coventry's hottest new development, Friargate. Located near the train station and surrounded by new offerings, including workspaces and restaurants, it's set to be one of the hottest new hotel openings in the city.

New restaurants in 2023

Get set for a brand-new foodie destination and event space in Bristol's Welshback Waterfront in summer 2023. BoxHALL is a food hall stacked full of independent restaurants, street food traders and pop-ups, and will also host live music and special events.

Explore a brand-new museum in Northumberland from Spring 2023. Ad Gefrin Anglo-Saxon Museum and Whisky Distillery is an immersive experience showcasing Northumberland's unique heritage, ancient hospitality, contemporary crafts and produce, and re-awakening the local tradition of whisky distilling.

In autumn, Guinness will bring a historic brewing site back to life in London. The brand-new 50,000 sq ft micro-brewery, with a community, educational and event space and an open-fire kitchen complete with a rooftop venue, will be housed at Covent Garden's Old Brewer's Yard.

The Olivier Award-nominated Alice's Adventures Underground is an immersive theatre show in the tunnels underneath Waterloo station. A big hit, it has returned in a bespoke development, Labyrinth. Bigger and better than before, it also comprises an Alice-themed bar (Underland) and restaurant (The Rosarium).

Calling all Bradford foodies! Bradford's new Darley Street Market will include numerous street food vendors, music performances and community space when it opens in September 2023 as Bradford gets ready for its time as UK City of Culture 2025.

Taking over the site of legendary nightclub Café de Paris, Lío London is a spectacular, experiential dining experience featuring a troupe of singers, dancers and acrobats. Fun and high energy, expect eclectic entertainment, top-notch Mediterranean food and DJs into the small hours (the restaurant transforms into a 715-capacity night club after dinner).

One of Tokyo's most prestigious restaurants is opening its first restaurant outside Japan in Mayfair. Aragawa, first launched in the late sixties in Japan, has forged a reputation for its melt-in-the-mouth Kobe beef. Pricey but a must for carnivores and Kobe fans.

New attractions and places to visit in 2023

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The varied landscape and rich heritage of West Cumbria is the inspiration for a new public art commissions programme, Deep Time, and launches in the spring bringing six permanent art installations to this little-known stretch of the northwest coastline.

A new creative neighbourhood and nightlife spot is opening its doors in the city's Piccadilly East neighbourhood in 2023. Diecast will take over a 120,000-square-foot site on Store Street and house a beer hall, tap room, night market, artisan bakery, new food hall, deli and coffee shop.

Eureka Science + Discovery is a brand-new interactive science and discovery centre designed especially for children and young teens. Located on the banks of the River Mersey, the family-friendly attraction focuses on innovation and connecting the everyday with the extraordinary. Perfect for curious young minds!

New developments at the V&A bring two welcome additions in 2023. The Photography Centre will be the UK's largest permanent gallery dedicated to photography in South Kensington from spring 2023. Come summer, the former V&A Museum of Childhood will reopen as the Young V&A and has been specifically designed by and for young people.

Following an extensive transformation project, Manchester Museum reopens its doors in February 2023 with superb additions to the original building and a brand new exhibition hall. A must for intrepid explorers, the opening exhibition features the UK premiere of Golden Mummies of Egypt.

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There's no business like show business and Blackpool knows show business inside out! Taking place in the new Sands Venue and Resort Hotel and Spa, see Blackpool's thriving entertainment heritage come to life at Showtown. Immersive and fun, this attraction pulls out all the stops to celebrate the performers who brought showbiz to the town.

Gameshow Studios is a brand new experience celebrating the golden age of TV gameshows. In teams of two to six, as a contestant, you answer live questions using all the bygone tech that TV gameshows are famous for. Opens in spring 2023.

June 2023 sees the launch of Factory International, set to be the north's flagship cultural centre. This innovative and ultra-flexible performance space will also be the permanent home of the Manchester International Festival.

The Spode Museum is dusting off their incredibly important ceramics collection for all to enjoy again. To start this huge renovation, pwork has been done on a new museum store which will be reopening in late January 2023.

From January, a series of nine artworks along the North Downs Way National Trail will encourage walkers and cyclists to stop and take some time out to enjoy the views along the trail between Dover in Kent and Farnham, Surrey.

Exhibitions and shows in 2023

A must for all theatre aficionados, Mrs Doubtfire the Musical is coming to London's West End in 2023. Enjoy this hilarious and heartfelt story about holding onto your loved ones against all odds at Shaftesbury Theatre from May.

The Sainsbury Centre in Norwich is featuring its Empowering Art exhibition in spring 2023. A ground-breaking exhibition you will see rich but rarely seen artworks, which bring together exceptional contemporary and historical pieces from across the Northwest Coast of America.

On your marks … The Bake Off tent is coming to the stage! The nation's favourite TV show has become a brand-new musical. Great British Bake Off runs for 12 weeks from 25 February at the Noël Coward Theatre. Expect a scrumptious signature slice of humour and escapism!

As the centrepiece of its centenary celebrations in 2023, Towner Eastbourne will host the Turner Prize 2023 from 28 September 2023. The winner of the world's leading prize for contemporary art will be announced on 5 December 2023.

History and art fuse together at Women in Revolt! for a fascinating exhibition focusing on a hugely diverse range of artists and a wide variety of mediums. Taking place at Tate Britain in late 2023, it explores important issues and historical events that have affected women.