Bunny’s Highlights of England
Bunny fell in love with England when she spent some time in her younger years studying in Manchester. Manchester was a cool and happening place back then and Bunny was super excited to live there.
Since her wild college days, Bunny has been coming back to England regularly, revisiting some of her favourite places and discovering new gems along the way.
Check out Bunny’s favourite places and experiences in England below.
London
London is one of the most exhilarating capitals in the world so naturally it finds itself at the top of Bunny’s list. There’s so much to see and do, even not to mention the first-class dining or limitless entertainment options.
Bunny’s London recommendations include a spin in the London Eye with a glass of Prosecco in hand. The bird’s eye 360-degree view of London is spectacular, particularly at night, and you can avoid the queues by booking your ride in advance.
Bunny also likes the Natural History Museum for its dinosaurs, whale skeletons and other interesting mammals (not so much the insect and snake sections). For history and tradition, there is the infamous Tower of London, the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace and the entrance of Downing Street 10 for a peek of Boris.
If it’s a sunny day (that does happen), a picnic in Hyde Park is hard to beat. And Bunny has a great option for those rainy afternoons as well: a London tour aboard the Afternoon Tea Bus!
And do not forget about the bookshops. Bunny’s clubbing days are a thing of the past, so nowadays she instead raves about London’s bookstores. They are simply the best in the world.
Where to Stay
As exciting as London is, it is nonetheless important to also invest in a quality hotel stay, Bunny says.
Bunny’s favourite London hotels include The Hari, Ampersand Hotel and Hotel 41. All are elegant, first-class hotels in good locations, with luxurious rooms, great service and cool common spaces.
Lake District
The Lake District National Park is Bunny’s favourite hiking in England. It has gorgeous lakes, quaint villages, lofty mountains, green hills, cute waterfalls, beautiful gardens, haunting old cemeteries, stone churches, plenty of literary associations and hiking paths galore.
The Lake District is also a perfect place for outdoor photography, Bunny says. The moody weather adds to the atmosphere and there are plenty of inviting pubs and cafes to visit when a heavy downpour surprises you.
Bath
Bath has been famous since the ancient Roman times and for good reason too. Bunny loves this beautiful town for its well-preserved Roman ruins, Jane Austen legacy, gorgeous architecture and quaint cobblestone streets.
Bath is a perfect day trip destination from London (or elsewhere) as it is easy to get to and totally walkable between the various sights and attractions. Bunny has compiled the perfect one-day itinerary for anyone interested in doing Bath in a day.
Stonehenge
Ever since learning about the prehistoric wonder of Stonehenge in her history class at school, Bunny had wanted to see the place for herself. Last year, she finally did.
As Bunny didn’t want to join throngs of tourists at the site, she booked a special Stone Circle Access visit. This not only allowed her to explore Stonehenge in the luxury of a small group but also meant she could get up close to the stones themselves. On a normal visit, you are restricted and must stay behind a roped barrier quite far from the formations.
Bunny found her visit to Stonehenge enchanting and highly recommends the Stone Circle Access to anyone interested in a cool experience at a mysterious prehistoric site.
The Cotswolds
The Cotswolds in southern central England represents the epitome of English charm to Bunny.
The Cotswolds is all about gently rolling hills, pretty villages, honey-coloured stone cottages and general cuteness overload. Walking among the old villages is a quintessential English experience, Bunny says.
This region is a particularly well-suited destination for a romantic weekend. It has some excellent accommodation options, whether you’re looking for a cozy stone cottage or a manor house with a fabulous spa. If the latter is more to your taste, check out The Greenway Hotel & Spa.
Downton Abbey
Not far from the Cotswolds, you can find another English gem: the Highclere Castle. It is a must-see for any fan of the television series Downton Abbey which was filmed predominantly at this location.
In real life, the castle is a family home and it is seldom open to the public. Bunny managed to visit last year for a self-guided tour around the exquisite house and the beautiful grounds.
You can learn a lot about life at an English estate home while you peek around familiar (from the TV series) corners and gawk at the eccentricities of the castle. Sadly, no photography is allowed inside. But at least you can enjoy delicious afternoon tea in the garden and peruse the gift shop afterwards.
Jurassic Coast
Bunny’s favourite coastline in England has to be that of the Jurassic Coast. This gorgeous 95-mile stretch of Dorset and East Devon coastline has some of the most dramatic scenery on the island.
As the name suggests, the landscape here was formed a long time (some 200-250 million years) ago. There are a lot of beautiful cliff walks, stunning bays and geological wonders and fossils to explore. Don’t miss the Durdle Door - a natural limestone arch near Lulworth - which is a great photo opportunity. There are some great beaches for swimming here as well, not to mention myriad picnic opportunities.
York
York is Bunny’s favourite Northern town, although Manchester comes close for sentimental reasons.
York is perhaps England’s most medieval city and they take their credentials seriously. There is the imposing York Minster, the old city walls, a Viking Centre, haunted walks on cobbled streets, York Castle, dungeon experiences and more.
The famous Shambles neigbourhood with its picturesque cobbled streets, cute little cafes and great pubs is a lovely, albeit very busy, area of the town.
Where to Stay
The Bunnies stayed in a wonderful little boutique hotel, The Parisi, which was ideal for a romantic mini-break in the city, complete with a free-standing bathtub in the middle of the room. Bunny just loves those kinds of details in a hotel.
Afternoon Tea
Enjoying Afternoon Tea is one of the essential experiences in England (along with downing a pint, or seven, in a traditional English pub) whilst visiting the country. Bunny herself is a huge fan of the Afternoon Tea tradition.
The ritual was introduced in England in the 1840s and it quickly evolved into a mini meal, consisting of mouth-watering sandwiches, sweet pastries, delicious cakes and traditional scones served with clotted cream and jam.
It is wonderfully indulgent to stuff yourself with delicacies over a hot cup of tea in the afternoon, Bunny says.
Afternoon Tea in its various forms can be enjoyed virtually anywhere in England today, but Bunny’s top choice would be one of London’s luxurious hotels that make an art of the tradition.
What Else?
Obviously, Bunny’s list of things to love about England is not exhaustive. The lovely university towns of Oxford and Cambridge surely deserve a mention too. As does the Peak District National Park, another gem of a hiking destination in northern England.
As for Bunny’s bucket list, there are many places in England she still definitely wants to visit… The Isles of Scilly are up there for sure! Just Google it and you’ll understand why. This archipelago off the Cornish coast has some dreamy-looking sandy beaches that would not look out of place in a tropical setting.
Another English destination on Bunny’s bucket list is The Holy Island of Lindisfarne. She doesn’t know much about the place, but it looks intriguing - a bit like Mont-Saint-Michel in France, so she is determined to check it out one day.
What are your highlights of England? Let Bunny & friends know in the Comments below!
