Culture
English culture encompasses everything from vintage fashion to futuristic architecture crowned with swish rooftop restaurants and bars. Culture old and new fuses effortlessly in our big cities, where Victorian museums host cutting-edge modern artists. And you’ll find hoards of cultural activities in the countryside and along the coast too. Follow sculpture trails hidden in woodlands, walk in the footsteps of your favourite fictional characters on a film or literature tour, catch a film screening in the grounds of a Tudor mansion and stop by one of numerous art galleries popping up in seaside resorts on your cultural holidays.
See a play under the stars
Experience theatre performed in the open air, amid the beautiful, green surroundings of Regent's Park.
Location: Regent's Park, Greater London
Murder in the cathedral
Visit one of England's most beautiful cities - and the site of one of its most famous murders
Location: Canterbury, Kent
July events: Open Studios Isle of Wight
It’s a rare opportunity to be invited into an artist’s creative space, but in the Isle of Wight, they’re happy to fling open their doors every July for you to come and take a look.
Location: Newport, Isle of Wight
Discover the mystery of the Rosetta Stone
Visit the British Museum for free and see the famous Rosetta Stone. Dating back to ancient Egypt, the stone was key in the deciphering of hieroglyphs.
Location: London, Greater London
Learn about Jack the Ripper at City of London Police Museum
This museum offers a fascinating insight into the lives of the men, women and animals who have guarded the City since 1839.
Location: London, Greater London
Rainy Day Activities: Visit the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford
All the great civilizations of the world are represented in the Ashmolean Museum’s collections; escape the rain for a whole day, or pop in for five minutes for a quick browse.
Location: Oxford, Oxfordshire
Discover Charles Dickens’ Broadstairs
Go to the quaint part of Kent that was inspiration to novelist Charles Dickens and drew him to return time and time again.
Location: Broadstairs, Kent
Investigate the origins of Sherlock Holmes at Portsmouth Museum
Discover more about the creator of the iconic detective Sherlock Holmes at Portsmouth Museum.
Location: Portsmouth, Hampshire
Retrace the footsteps of John Keats in Winchester
You don’t have to work up a sweat to follow in the footsteps of one of our greatest romantic poets – it’s actually a very pleasant walk!
Location: Winchester, Hampshire
Rainy Day Activities: Explore Oxford's Museum of Natural History
Delve into Oxford University’s scientific archives, housed inside one of the city's most beautiful neo-Gothic buildings.
Location: Oxford, Oxfordshire
Lights, camera, Oxford – a screen tour to remember
From Inspector Morse to Harry Potter, don't miss a stop on this trip through Oxford's greatest screen moments.
Location: Oxford, Oxfordshire
Explore Alexander Fleming's Laboratory
Discover the story of the father of penicillin in his lab in Paddington.
Location: Paddington, London
Enjoy a family day out at Batsford Arboretum
Experience the wild beauty of Batsford Arboretum in autumn and the splendid sight of rare birds of prey soaring above the surrounding Cotswolds Hills.
Location: Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire
Visit the most filmed county in England
Be part of a film set in Buckinghamshire and visit the backdrops of famous film – from Bond to Bridget Jones, Harry Potter to Sherlock Holmes.
Location: Various locations, Buckinghamshire
Get your gourd at Slindon Pumpkin Festival
Take park in this celebration of gourds and squashes, including an unusual form of pumpkin art, within a National Trust village in West Sussex.
Location: Slindon, nr Arundel, West Sussex
Enjoy a Brighton budget break with free attractions and more
It’s easy to enjoy a cheap weekend break in Brighton and Hove, with cheap hostel accommodation and plenty of low cost museums and art galleries.
Location: Brighton & Hove, East Sussex