Ask a tourist to picture England, the typical image includes the famous red telephone kiosks, the London riverside wheel, and the King's palace. But venture a short twenty-mile distance from the metropolis, and an entirely separate world emerges. England is a nation, not a single urban hub; picture soft green hills, broken-down ancient castles, warm scones with jam and cream, and ocean edges that have stirred the creative soul for centuries on end. A wealth of knowledge on essential UK travel safety advice can be found through our web portal.

The Cotswolds. This represents the picture-perfect England of tourist literature: houses built from warm golden limestone, entryways draped in climbing roses, and charming settlements bearing monikers such as Castle Combe and the Venice of the Cotswolds. The recommended approach is automobile exploration or leg-powered traversal of the Cotswold Way. Make time for the classic West Country refreshment: freshly baked scones accompanied by rich, spreadable cream and fruit jam, still, prepare yourself: the question of which topping precedes the other has divided families and fueled friendly rivalries across the southwest.

Brighton & The Seven Sisters. A short sixty-minute journey from central London, Brighton presents a delightfully strange holiday destination on England's southern shore. Go for a walk on the iconic West Pier's surviving neighbor — the Palace Pier, eat fish and chips wrapped in paper, and take a tour through the whimsical Royal Pavilion, a building as bizarre as it is beautiful. A minor eastern drive lands you at the base of the celebrated white cliffs that appear on a thousand album covers — magnificent white rock faces that climb dramatically from the shoreline into the air. Take a footpath along the cliff's upper edge for vistas so beautiful you will forget what you were saying.

The Lake District. Home to a UNESCO World Heritage designation and widely considered the country's best destination for open-air activities. This region served as the living backdrop for Wordsworth's most beloved poem about daffodils and floating clouds.

Climb Scafell Pike, the tallest peak in all of England, glide over Windermere's famous waters, which stretch for nearly eleven miles, or if exertion does not appeal, choose the pub option — settle into a warm seat, raise a glass of local bitter, and appreciate the famous Lakeland precipitation from indoors. When you count yourself a fan of the thousand-year period between the fall of Rome and the Renaissance, put York at the top of your list. Stroll atop the medieval fortifications that have protected York since Roman times, get lost in the Shambles (a narrow street that inspired Diagon Alley), and tour the breathtaking York Minster, which ranks among the most voluminous Gothic churches on the European continent.

If you prefer your history with a side of terror, sign up for a late-night supernatural walking tour. York claims to be the most haunted city in Europe. Situated conveniently near the northern cities of Manchester and Sheffield, the the national park showcases rugged open moors, gleaming reservoirs, and idyllic villages — do not miss Bakewell, the spiritual home of the Bakewell pudding (different from the Bakewell tart). It is perfect for a weekend of hiking and pub lunches.

Venture to England's southwestern tail, and you will swear you have crossed an international border. Expect jagged coastal rock faces, astonishingly blue-green ocean water (the color genuinely approaches Caribbean shades), and world-class wave riding in the town of Newquay. Put St. Ives on your itinerary — the town offers a winning combination of coastal art (including works by Barbara Hepworth) and incredibly fresh fish and shellfish, marvel at the Minack Theatre, where rows of seating have been chiseled directly from the living rock, with the ocean as a permanent backdrop, and hunt for traces of the legendary King Arthur at Tintagel Castle, the medieval fortress famously associated with Arthur's conception.

Cornwall is also the home of the pasty—a baked pastry filled with beef, potato, and swede. Eat it with your hands.