The 15 best places to visit in the UK in 2024 named by Time Out – and it’s Bristol that’s No.1, followed by Hull and the Isles of Scilly
- Time Out says the list features ‘picturesque seaside towns and buzzing cities’
- The list includes Falmouth, Wrexham and the spot where Wills met Kate
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The city with the longest strip of independent shops in Europe has been declared by Time Out as the best place to visit in the UK in 2024.
Bristol’s Gloucester Road helped it snare the crown ahead of London and Newcastle upon Tyne.
Time Out said: ‘The full list of 15 UK destinations features picturesque seaside towns, buzzing cities and other-worldly islands, demonstrating that Brits don’t need to travel far to experience some of the best food, drink, culture and attractions in the world.
‘The list was curated by Time Out’s network of editors and contributors, who ranked the places based on their current dining, drinking and arts scenes, as well as exciting new openings and big events in the year to come.’
Chiara Wilkinson, Features Editor at Time Out UK, said: ‘With its vibrant cultural scene set to get even bigger next year, Bristol was a deserving winner – but it was also great to see underrated destinations like Hull, Wrexham and Falmouth take their spots in the top 15. If you need an excuse to book a staycation, surely this is it.’ Scroll down to see the top 10 in reverse order, with the full list presented at the bottom.
10. Manchester
L’Enclume chef Tom Barnes is opening his first solo restaurant, Skof, in Manchester in spring
‘Manchester never fails to serve up a cultural banquet,’ says Time Out, pointing to the ‘rescue of grassroots gig venue The Snug and the long-awaited reopening of Manchester Museum’ in 2023.
The guide says that 2024 is going to be ‘another big one’.
It explains: ‘The star of the show will be the huge, innovative Co-op Live, which is opening in April, [is] backed by Bruce Springsteen and Harry Styles and already has the likes of Liam Gallagher and Oilvia Rodrigo lined up to perform.
‘And in much-anticipated news for its food scene, L’Enclume chef Tom Barnes is opening his first solo restaurant, Skof, in the Noma district in spring.’
9. Falmouth
Time Out reveals that Falmouth’s ‘late night credentials have shot up’
‘Falmouth has always been Cornwall’s cooler town,’ says Time Out. ‘Home to Exeter and Falmouth university campuses, student life here has brought a bit of vibrancy and edge to the quiet cobbled streets – but there’s always been a glaring gap when it comes to the question of nightlife.
‘Recently, though – thanks to new music venue The Cornish Bank – its late-night credentials have shot up.’
A perfect day there? Time Out says: ‘Start with a paddle at Gyllyngvase Beach, then warm yourself up with a coffee at Gylly beach cafe. Then check out the independent boutiques and galleries on the high street.’
8. Newcastle
‘You might just want to pack up and move to Newcastle,’ says Time Out
Newcastle has plenty to shout about, says Time Out. ‘The city’s food scene already had a pretty good reputation,’ it says, ‘but new openings in 2023 have really seen it thrive, like natural wine and pizza spot Bawn and new brunch spot Cafeteria: a sort of posh style greasy spoon, which seem to be all the rage now.’
The guide adds: ‘Pair this with a load of great galleries and pubs, the legendary Wylam Brewery and Tyneside Cinema and seriously reasonable prices, and you’ve got a cracking weekend away. Or you might just want to pack up and move there. It happens.’
7. Lewes
Lewes features ‘charming wonky streets’ and is home to ‘the most bonkers pub in the UK’
Lewes, notes Time Out, is home to ‘charming wonky streets’; a brand-new cultural space called Charleston; the former home of Anne of Cleves, Lewes Castle; a ‘hodgepodge of artisan stores and delicious foodie spots’ – and ‘the most bonkers pub in the UK, the Lewes Arms’.
A perfect day there, the guide says, would include ‘a veggie burger at Bun and Bean and a pastry dessert from Flint Owl Bakery’.
6. St Andrews
The ‘coastal gem’ of St Andrews is where Prince William met Kate Middleton
‘A coastal gem in the Kingdom of Fife, St Andrews is home to an ancient university, three stunning beaches, botanic gardens, multiple pubs, a famous golf course and not much else,’ says Time Out, ‘but it’s also beautiful, extremely walkable and very peaceful.’
The guide continues: ‘St Andrews has also been tipped to be a hit set-jetting destination for 2024, with the town featuring heavily in the final season of The Crown, thanks to it being where Prince William met Kate Middleton while at university. Fans, come this way.’
5. Belfast
A perfect day in Belfast ‘begins with a wholesome morning stroll’, says Time Out
Time Out declares that Belfast is ‘criminally underrated’, adding: ‘If you’re yet to discover its welcoming warmth and cultural vibrance, 2024 is the year to change that.’
A perfect day there, the guide suggests, ‘begins with a wholesome morning stroll through the Botanic Gardens, followed by a hefty brunch at Output’.
Afterwards, opt for a ‘wander through the parliament buildings at Stormont and the monumental Titanic Belfast museum’.
4. London
New restaurants and gorgeous hotels add to the allure of London for 2024
‘Ah, good old London. No matter how many times you’ve visited or how long you’ve lived there, you’ll always find new things to discover in the capital,’ says Time Out.
‘There are a tonne of new restaurants to feast at, all sorts of gorgeous hotel openings and plenty of fresh cultural things to do. Most notably, in 2024, you can dance at Drumsheds, the mammoth warehouse club housed in a former IKEA, catch a blockbuster exhibition – like Yoko Ono at the Tate Modern or The World of Tim Burton at the Design Museum – and see epic new West End performances.’
3. Isles of Scilly
‘A lot of people say the Isles of Scilly are the British version of the Caribbean,’ reveals Time Out
Justifying the bronze medal for the Isles of Scilly, Time Out points to the archipelago’s ‘white stretches of sandy beaches, turquoise waters and opportunities for dolphin spotting’ that lead ‘a lot of people to say that the Isles of Scilly are the British version of the Caribbean’.
A perfect day? That would involve ‘hiring bikes and exploring the coastal trails of St. Mary’s islands before taking a transfer boat to St. Agnes to visit the Turks Head for a hearty pub lunch’, says Time Out.
2. Hull
Hull gets the silver medal thanks in part to a ‘thriving’ LGBTQ+ scene and an enormous aquarium
As well as its ‘thriving’ LGBTQ+ scene, Time Out remarks that this former city of culture has got ‘The Deep, an enormous aquarium with 3,000 species, a picturesque old town which survived the city’s relentless WWII bombings, and lots of up and coming indie art galleries like Ground and Artlink’.
The perfect day in Hull? The itinerary should include a caffeine fix at Two Gingers Coffee House, says Time Out, plus a pint at Ye Olde White Hart.
1. Bristol
With a ‘cultural scene just as exciting as London’s’, Time Out awards Bristol the crown
And it’s a drum roll for… Bristol. The city that Time Out notes ‘everyone is apparently moving to’.
So what’s so enticing about it?
Time Out says: ‘Its cultural scene is just as exciting as London’s… it has picture-perfect streets and bustling, diverse nightlife.’
Coming in 2024, says the guide, is Boxhall, ‘a street food, beer and events space by the same people who behind London’s Boxpark’; Undershed, a new immersive gallery, and a musical adaptation of the 2006 film ‘Starter for Ten’ is coming to the Old Vic theatre.
A perfect day in Bristol? Time Out recommends perusing the shops on Gloucester Road, ‘the largest strip of independent retailers in Europe’, and hopping on a Bristol Ferry water bus tour to see the city from the water.
For more visit www.timeout.com/uk/things-to-do/best-places-to-visit-in-the-uk-2024.
TIME OUT’S 15 BEST PLACES TO VISIT IN THE UK IN 2024
1. Bristol
2. Hull
3. Isles of Scilly
4. London
5. Belfast
6. St Andrews
7. Lewes
8. Newcastle
9. Falmouth
10. Manchester
11. Ramsgate
12. Norwich
13. Alnmouth
14. Ullapool
15. Wrexham
Source: Time Out
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