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.
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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
Experience the locations that have inspired great literature
The constantly changing scenery, dramatic landscapes and distinctive character of Yorkshire’s people have all been sources of literary inspiration.
Location: Scarborough, North Yorkshire
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
Celebrate Portsmouth's literary heritage at BookFest
Meet some of the UK's most beloved authors in an annual literary festival for the whole family.
Location: Portsmouth, Hampshire
Spot Poldark at Chavenage House
Come and see 'Trenwith', the Poldark family home, actually 'played' by Chavenage House in Tetbury and you may spot Aiden Turner as Ross Poldark!
Location: Tetbury, Gloucestershire
Take a Notting Hill Walking Tour
Walk in the footsteps of the rich and famous.
Location: London, Greater London
Discover the real Downton Abbey
Re-enact your favourite scenes from the much-loved period drama at Highclere Castle before retiring to London Lodge, a Georgian Grade II-listed gatehouse on-site.
Location: Highclere, Hampshire
Take a London Film Locations Tour
A whizz around London's famous film backdrops, visiting around 40 different locations.
Location: London, Greater London
Discover Laurie Lee Country
Take inspiration from the BBC adaptation of the classic novel ‘Cider with Rosie’ and follow in the footsteps of author Laurie Lee through the Slad Valley.
Location: Slad village near Stroud, Gloucestershire
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
Have yourself a Famous Five adventure
Follow in the footsteps of Enid Blyton’s Famous Five with some castle capers and a seaside adventure by steam railway.
Location: Corfe Castle, Dorset
Visit a movie star house
Discover Bathsheba's 'Everdene Farm' from Far From the Madding Crowd in Dorset.
Location: Beaminster, Dorset
Explore the West Bay coastline as seen on TV’s Broadchurch
Soak up the picture-perfect setting used in the TV series Broadchurch as you explore West Bay on Dorset’s Jurassic Coast.
Location: West Bay, Dorset
Enjoy a luxurious camping trip at Crafty Camping
Luxury glamping in a beautiful forest setting alongside Guy Mallinson’s Woodland Workshop, featured in the BBC Mastercrafts series.
Location: Holditch, Dorset
September events: Live the sense and sensibilities of Jane Austen’s Bath
Step into a Georgian world and explore the City of Bath that inspired one of England’s most famous writers.
Location: Bath, Somerset
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
Eat and drink by the riverside, at The Trout pub, Wolvercote
Sample local Oxfordshire food at this famously good pub on the banks of the River Thames.
Location: Wolvercote, Oxford
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
