An American couple who spent eight months exploring the UK have revealed their top 10 favourite places to visit in England.
London isn’t on the list (as visitors are expected to go there as a matter of course), but there are places with hidden bars, stunning sea arches and some of the best fish and chips in the country, as well as a city “you wouldn’t expect to see on a travel bucket list”.
The couple, Cara Atwell and Jeremy Davis, currently based in Portland, Oregon, revealed their ranking in a video on their YouTube channel ‘Magic Geekdom’.
So far, it has received 83,000 views.
Read on to see the full ranking, in reverse order. And vote for YOUR favorite spot in our poll.
10. Lincoln
Cara Atwell and Jeremy Davis spent eight months exploring the UK and have revealed their top 10 favourite places to visit across England. Lincoln “won us over,” says Cara, “with its incredible cathedral (above)” and a “postcard-perfect” street.
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“Lincoln completely won us over,” says Cara, “with its incredible cathedral, fascinating history and charming charm.” Fancy a visit? Get ready for some calf-burning hills.
Cara adds: “It’s a city with a very steep slope – in fact, the main street is called Steep Hill.”
It’s worth addressing, though, as Cara declares it “postcard perfect.”
9. Newcastle upon Tyne
“We seem to talk to strangers more when we’re in Newcastle,” Cara said.
Cara told MailOnline that Newcastle upon Tyne exceeded her expectations.
She said: “It’s probably not a place you’d expect to see on a travel bucket list. We have friends who live there and didn’t know much about it before visiting, but it’s a wonderful city.
‘We were pleasantly surprised by the amazing variety of food, the fantastic views of the pier and how friendly everyone there seems to be.
“We seem to talk to strangers more when we’re in Newcastle.”
8. Bathroom
Bath is one of England’s “most memorable” cities, Cara said
Bath, says Cara, is “without a doubt one of the most beautiful cities in England.”
He adds: “We were truly captivated by it. Throughout all our travels, it remains one of the most memorable cities.”
The Roman Baths in Bath are a must-see attraction, says Cara, adding that the museum there contains “so much wonderful information”.
Other sights the couple enjoyed included Bath Abbey, “an architectural marvel,” and Pulteney Bridge, “adorned with quaint shops and restaurants.”
7. Manchester
Jeremy describes Manchester as a “cool, creative” city
In Manchester, the couple visited a hidden bar called The Washhouse, which is entered through a fake laundromat.
Jeremy says the bar encapsulates everything that’s great about Manchester: it’s “cool and creative”.
He also recommends visiting the “stunning” Manchester Cathedral and the market-style Afflecks shopping centre.
Jeremy adds: “It’s an eclectic city with a mix of industrial vibe and modern trends.”
6. Jurassic Coast
The couple said they “enjoyed every minute” of their time on the Jurassic Coast.
Cara describes the Jurassic Coast as a “must-see UNESCO heritage site”.
She adds: “We spent several days exploring the incredible region and enjoyed every minute.”
Highlights for the couple included Old Harrys Rocks, dinosaur footprints at Keates Quarry and the limestone sea arch at Durdle Door.
5. Cornwall
According to the couple, Cornwall is home to “some of the most spectacular coastline in England.” Above: St Michael’s Mount, near Penzance
Jeremy describes Cornwall as a “classic destination with distinctive culture and cuisine.”
“It has some of the most spectacular coastline in England and picture-perfect fishing villages,” he adds.
4. The Cotswolds
According to the couple, the Cotswolds are full of “the prettiest villages”. Above is Painswick, one of the highlights of their visit to the area.
Cara says the Cotswolds will make you feel like you’re living in an English fairytale.
It is a place, he says, full of “the most charming villages” and “rolling hills.”
One of the highlights for the couple was visiting the village of Painswick, where they walked through the cemetery, an experience Cara likens to “stepping into a storybook setting”.
3. Whitby
“We were really surprised by Whitby because it was so different to anywhere else we’d been,” Cara told MailOnline.
The couple were “blown away” by Whitby’s architecture and raved about the number of places there “with stunning views”.
Also notable are the spectacular abbey – ‘one of the best places in town’ – and the fish and chips.
“If you get fish and chips from one of Whitby’s famous fish and chip shops, you can’t go wrong,” Cara says in the video.
She told MailOnline it was the place that surprised them the most.
The vlogger explained: “Whitby really surprised us because it was so different to anywhere else we’d been. It was one of the first seaside towns in England we visited and from the moment we arrived we were just blown away by the scenery. The layers of red roofs with the abbey ruins floating above the cliffs are stunning.”
2. The Lake District
The Lake District’s ‘stunning scenery’ helped the area secure second place in the rankings.
The Lake District, Cara says, is home to some of the country’s “most stunning scenery”.
The couple were fascinated by Lake Buttermere, enchanted by “charming” Keswick and in awe of Ambleside, home of the fairytale Bridge House, a curious building that stands above a river.
Another highlight was Bassenthwaite Lake Station, which serves afternoon tea in a restored train station, with some tables set in a replica of an Orient Express carriage. “A special experience,” says Cara.
1. York
York is the couple’s must-visit place in England. Above is the medieval Shambles. “It’s like nothing we’ve seen before,” Jeremy said.
Cara Atwell and Jeremy Davis spent eight months exploring the UK
“There’s no place like York,” says Jeremy. “It’s a city that has a perfect combination of history and charm and has a quintessentially English feel to it.”
The couple visited York Minster, “one of the most impressive Gothic cathedrals in the world,” and strolled along the Shambles, which they say is often considered the best-preserved medieval street in Europe.
“It’s like nothing we’ve seen before,” says Jeremy. “And we loved browsing the quirky independent shops.”
And he concludes: “York is the kind of city where I just want to wander around and get lost.”
Cara and Jeremy post on social media as The Magic Geekdom. They can be found at www.instagram.com/themagicgeekdom; twitter.com/magicgeekdom; www.tiktok.com/@themagicgeekdom; www.youtube.com/@TheMagicGeekdom and www.facebook.com/themagicgeekdom.
