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.
Uncover the Forest of Dean Sculpture Trail
For lovers of the great outdoors, the Sculpture Trail at Beechenhurst showcases giant pieces created from materials you might find in the Forest.
Location: Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire
Visit the home of the Dymock Poets in the Forest of Dean
In the quiet village of Dymock, literacy history was being made by six of the finest poets of the early 20th century.
Location: Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire
Be inspired by the grand Malvern Hills
Enjoy great views on top of the Worcestershire Beacon and follow in the footsteps of writers and composers including Sir Edward Elgar and C.S Lewis.
Location: Malvern, Worcestershire
Follow in the footsteps of Jane Austen
Explore the city that inspired one of England’s most famous novel writers.
Location: Bath, Somerset
Follow art trails around NewcastleGateshead
Throughout NewcastleGateshead you will discover public art in the most surprising of places from figurative sculptures to conceptual work.
Location: Newcastle, Tyne and Wear
Take in 'Swallows and Amazons' landscapes on a relaxing cruise
Take a trip around the landscape used in the film ‘Swallows and Amazons’ and discover what inspired Arthur Ransome to write his famous book.
Location: Derwentwater, Cumbria
Explore an island of discovery
Explore Portland’s rugged landscape and breathtaking views and discover its history, heritage and natural assets.
Location: Portland, Dorset
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
Rainy Day Activities: Step into history in the Churchill War Rooms
Delve underground into Churchill’s War Cabinet Rooms and uncover the secret location which housed the Prime Minister during WWII.
Location: Westminster, London
Follow in the footsteps of Sherlock Holmes around Bristol
Visit the filming locations in Bristol used in the recent BBC series featuring Benedict Cumberbatch.
Location: Bristol
October events: Enjoy the beauty of words at the Cheltenham Literature Festival
The Times Cheltenham Literature Festival, one of four main Cheltenham Festivals, is one of the longest running literature festivals in the world.
Location: Cheltenham, Gloucestershire