Central England has the wow-factor when it comes to dramatic countryside. Clamber craggy peaks and moors in the Peak District National Park, bike deep through the National Forest or turn back the clock to the industrial age on the Grand Union Canal. Step into the West Midlands’ cities in style in shoppers' paradise Birmingham and cathedral city Coventry. Enjoy Shakespearean plays at the theatres, discover the Bard’s quaint family homes in Stratford-upon-Avon, and head to Sherwood Forest for adventures with England’s favourite outlaw. Be prepared for a culinary adventure too. Central England has a mouth-watering plethora of specialities from sticky Bakewell tart to sizzling balti curries and Stilton cheese.
Central England
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Discover DH Lawrence country
Discover DH Lawrence country on the edge of Nottingham and follow in the footsteps of the county's most controversial literary hero.
Location: Eastwood, Nottinghamshire
Find Byron's Nottinghamshire on the Byron Trail
Lord Byron was famous during his lifetime as a figure who could inspire love, romance, political change and liberation through his powerful works.
Location: Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
Lose yourself in Neverland at Nottingham Arboretum
The Arboretum just outside Nottingham’s city centre is said to be the inspiration behind J.M. Barrie’s classic children’s tale ‘Peter Pan’.
Location: Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
October events: Get giddy at the Nottingham Goose Fair
The Goose Fair is one of Europe’s largest travelling fairs and is one of Nottingham’s oldest traditions, dating back more than 700 years.
Location: Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
October events: Get merry on local brews at the Robin Hood Beer Festival
With its fine selection of beer and cider stalls, many of which offer local produce, Nottingham's Robin Hood Beer and Cider Festival is a great place for drink connoisseurs.
Location: Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
A shopping weekend in Birmingham
Enjoy great shopping and cutting edge art on a break to this buzzing city.
Location: Birmingham, West Midlands
Explore the beautiful and curious Rushton Triangular Lodge
This place is proof that in England you'll find architectural treasures in the most unlikely places.
Location: Kettering, Northamptonshire
Uncover the story of West Midland’s industrial heritage
Go back to the where it all started, the Black Country Living Museum – home of the Industrial Revolution.
Location: Dudley, West Midlands
Go chocolate crazy at Cadbury World
A must-visit destination for chocoholics of all ages, Cadbury World in Bourneville near Birmingham is full of fun indoor activities and things to do when it rains.
Location: Birmingham, West Midlands
See open-air Shakespeare plays in Lincolnshire
If your only experience of Shakespeare is being bored rigid in a school classroom, then it’s about time you gave the great Bard another chance.
Location: Stamford, Lincolnshire
October events: Laugh out loud at Birmingham Comedy Festival
Watch stand-up performances from some of the world’s top comedians, then learn the tricks of the trade for yourself.
Location: Birmingham, West Midlands
Add Stratford Literary Festival to your list of things to do in April
Be in the company of celebrity authors and best-selling writers at this lively literary event in the UK.
Location: Stratford-Upon-Avon, Warwickshire
Spend the day playing at Lyme Park, House and Garden
Get transported back to Edwardian times, at the mansion and extensive grounds of Lyme Park.
Location: Disley, Cheshire
Rainy Day Activities: Get spooked at Tudor World
Delve into Tudor life with a series of rainy day activities at this interactive indoor museum, found in one of England's most haunted buildings.
Location: Stratford-Upon-Avon, Warwickshire
July events: Warwick Folk Festival
For four days each summer, Warwick is awash with the sights and sounds of folk music from across the world.
Location: Warwick, Warwickshire
July events: Buxton International Festival
Take your seats and enjoy a summer celebration of music, art, opera and literature on the edge of the scenic Peak District.
Location: Buxton, Derbyshire
Climb Broadway Tower
Have a pre-Raphaelite holiday retreat in the Cotswolds.
Location: Broadway, Worcestershire
See a host of military aircraft at Newark Air Museum
Located on a former Second World War airfield, Newark Air Museum is the ideal place to find out about the history of aviation.
Location: Newark, Nottinghamshire
Listen to a survivor at the National Holocaust Centre
Visit the Holocaust National Holocaust Centre near Newark for the rare opportunity to hear from those who survived Nazi atrocities during WWII.
Location: Nr. Newark, Nottinghamshire
December events: Step inside Worcester’s Victorian Christmas Fayre
Worcester's Christmas Fayre is the West Midlands' leading Victorian-themed street market.
Location: Worcester, Worcestershire
Enjoy dinner and a show at Kilworth House Hotel & Theatre
Not many luxurious English hotels come complete with their own open-air theatre, but Kilworth House has always been a little bit special.
Location: Kilworth, Leicestershire
