Find places to visit in Britain by name, location, type of attraction, or other keyword.
This listings directory of over 950 entries is being phased out.
It now excludes places and things of interest in the North of England, including Yorkshire.
These can be found in ABAB’s Places.
Places to visit in England’s East Midlands are currently being moved to ABAB’s Places.
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The pretty Cornish village of Polperro has been a fishing port since at least medieval times and a magnet for visitors, including artists, for as long as anyone can remember. Narrow streets between quaint old flower-decked cottages mean that tourists are not able to drive their cars to the harbour, but there are carriages available – and boat trips too, when you get there. The village’s name probably derives from the old Cornish ‘porth’ for ‘harbour’ and means ‘harbour of a man called Pyra’, but what is certain is its notoriety for smuggling in the 18th and 19th centuries – which has contributed to a rich folklore and is illustrated in the Polperro Heritage Museum of Smuggling and Fishing overlooking the harbour. Pilchards, apparently, were once a particular speciality for Polperro’s fishermen, while other members of the family were employed in processing them. It is still a working fishing port as well as a popular tourist destination. There is an annual Art Festival in June and the village has a renowned Fishermen’s Choir.
NB Don't rely on your Sat Nav - park outside the village and walk or take a carriage to the harbour.
Portmeirion is a fantasy village in North Wales created by architect Clough Williams-Ellis from 1925-1976. It has no other purpose than as a place of enjoyment, where you can just wander about, have something to eat, attend an event, or stay. There is an Italian feel to the village, which has mostly been constructed from scratch but which also includes structures moved from other locations. It was made famous as the setting for the 1960s TV series, 'The Prisoner'.
Note - dogs are not welcome at Portmeirion, except guide dogs. Children are allowed in, though...
Penrhyndeudraeth
Shere is a picturesque, much admired (perhaps over-visited), historic village – some say quintessentially English – just off the A25 between Guildford and Dorking. It was mentioned in Domesday and there is a plethora of timber-framed, tile-hung, old brick and stone and plant-festooned houses, with a little stream, the River Tillingbourne, running through the centre of the village – much loved by ducks and children. Some of the buildings are by Edwin Lutyens, designer of the Cenotaph and Thiepval Memoral. Shere has a couple of tearooms, two pubs, a museum, an interesting medieval church (St James’s) and the village even boasts its own car park. The surrounding countryside is attractive (the Surrey Hills is an official Area of outstanding Natural Beauty), and popular. Famously, Shere has featured in films, including Bridget Jones: Edge of Reason and The Holiday.
Thorpeness began as a whimsical fantasy holiday seaside village, the brainchild of Glencairn Stuart Ogilvie in the early part of the 20th century. There's a lot of mock Tudor architecture. It is famous for its House in the Clouds. There is a boating lake, a pub, golf course, tennis courts, walking - a very quiet, gentile, kind of place.
Probably Dorset's most famous lost village, frozen in time. In 1943, the villagers were ordered to leave their homes so that the area could be used for training; they never returned. Only empty buildings remain, plus the preserved school and church, offering a fascinating insight into life in isolated communities in the first half of the 20th century, together with an evocative air of sadness.
Check opening times carefully - the area is still used for military training.
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