The 15 best places to visit in the UK in 2025 named by Time Out – and it’s Folkestone that’s No.1, with Birmingham and STRATFORD in the top 10. Do YOU agree with the ranking?

The 15 best places to visit in the United Kingdom in 2025 have been named and ranked by Time Out – and it’s the Kent seaside town of Folkestone that takes the gold medal.

The other spots on the list? Culture-packed cities, remote Scottish islands and… Stratford, the East London area that’s shaking off its reputation as being nothing but a giant shopping mall with a canal and football stadium.

‘Time Out is delighted to share our ranked list of the 15 best places in the UK to visit in 2025, packed with carefully curated suggestions from expert local writers around the country,’ said Chiara Wilkinson, Deputy UK Editor, Time Out. 

‘Some might raise a few eyebrows, but we can guarantee that all of these destinations are well worth a trip this year, boasting dramatic natural beauty, landmark arts festivals, new theatre openings and more. 

‘We’ve also shared the best time to visit and our favourite personal recommendations, so you can start planning now and keep the January blues at bay.’

Scroll down for the full list, presented in reverse order, and vote in our poll for YOUR favourite city from the list. 

15. Glasgow, Scotland

Time Out notes that Glasgow saw a 47.3 per cent increase in visitors in 2023, according to the city’s tourist board.

What has got tourists flocking to the city?

Time Out says: ‘Major sporting events, world-class concerts, great arts and culture venues, and an up-and-coming food and drink scene, that’s what.’

The guide adds that the city is ‘surprisingly green’ and that the ‘impossibly chic’ Outlier bakery is a ‘don’t miss’.

Free for a visit between March 12 and 30? Then check out Glasgow’s comedy festival, says Time Out. Headliners include Frank Skinner, Ed Gamble and Elaine C Smith.

14. Belfast, Northern Ireland

Belfast ‘is a city with a fascinating history, lively bar scene and thriving music community’, says Time Out.

It adds: ‘In recent years, local band Kneecap have brought it further attention with their outspoken Irish rap music and semi-autobiographical film, which showcases the city as if it were a character itself.’

Any ‘don’t miss’ activities? Time Out Commercial Editor Georgia Evans says: ‘One of my favourite memories of Belfast was the Touring Around Belfast Black Cab Tour.

‘Billy is an excellent guide who seems to know everything about his hometown, and he even threw in the odd poetry recital during our two-hour whizz around the city.’

13. Norwich, Norfolk

Norwich is small but ‘has a lot packed in’, says Time Out.

It continues: ‘It’s perched on the River Yare and its banks are lined with pretty houses and pubs, but it’s also home to landmarks dating back to the Norman invasion, like Norwich Castle. The site has been closed since 2020 for a £15 million refurbishment, but the first phase finally reopened in July 2024 and the second phase will do so in 2025, with a new immersive experience of Norman living.’

Anything for the ‘don’t miss’ section of the itinerary?

Time Out Writer Liv Kelly says: ‘I’d recommend heading to Maker’s House for a cocktail, then booking a table for a cracking vegetarian dinner at The Bicycle Shop, before nipping across the road for a bottle of wine (and some incredible homemade mint liqueur) at The Corkscrew.’

12. Liverpool, Merseyside

‘Liverpool has been undergoing some serious renovations over the past couple of years,’ notes Time Out, ‘and 2025 is when they will all be revealed.

‘Not only did the city recently welcome the UK’s first floating sauna, but it will soon see the reopening of the Tate Liverpool, and host the Liverpool Biennial, a huge arts and culture festival.’

The guide lists Lark Lane as one of the city’s ‘don’t miss’ locations, explaining that it’s ‘filled with quirky shops, wine bars, and is home to the deliciously popular Lunko bakery’.

11. Newlyn, Cornwall

Time Out says that ‘there’s more than meets the eye to this quaint fishing village on Cornwall’s south coast’.

It declares that ‘most exciting for 2025 is its burgeoning foodie scene’, with ‘must try’ restaurants including Argoe ‘for its seafood small plates and natty wines’, and the Tolcarne Inn, ‘a more trad-leaning seafood-oriented gastropub’.

Your Newlyn to-do list should also include the Newlyn Filmhouse, ‘one of the county’s best indie cinemas’.

10. Birmingham, West Midlands

Birmingham? Yes, Birmingham.

It’s in the top 10 because it’s ‘teeming with nightlife, nature and culture’.

Time Out explains: ‘The centre is defined by top-class shopping and winding canals, but it’s the outskirts that really shine: pick out a diamond in the historic Jewellery Quarter, catch a top-flight match at Aston Villa’s hallowed ground or indulge your Wonka fantasies at Bournville’s Cadbury factory.’

9. Cardiff

Time Out says: ‘Small in size but mighty in its ambition, Cardiff has long had big dreams: to become one of Europe’s most “liveable” cities and to be a hotspot for musical development.

‘In recent years, the Welsh capital has achieved both accolades.’

Time Out writer and Cardiff expert Sophie Williams reveals that the Castle Quarter is her ‘don’t miss’.

She says: ‘This “city of arcades” contains more than 100 independent retailers, selling everything from brogues to dino fossils alongside housing the world’s oldest record shop.’

8. Whitby, North Yorkshire

‘Whitby remains a gem in the crown of North Yorkshire’s tourism scene,’ says Time Out. ‘And why shouldn’t it?

‘With everything from beachside fish and chips to Gothic ruins, there’s something for everyone in the seaside town made famous by Dracula.

‘Despite its rich shipping heritage and streets filled with history, Whitby continues to build on its cultural offerings with micropubs, breweries, distilleries and even a state-of-the-art spa just down the road.’

7. York, North Yorkshire

Time Out notes that thanks to its ‘historic heritage and cultural vibrancy’, York has made it to the Unesco shortlist, adding that 2025 ‘will be a big year for the city’.

This is in large part because of Railway 200, which celebrates the 200th anniversary of the modern railway that Britain gave birth to.

What’s on the calendar of celebrations? The ‘iconic’ Railway Museum is reopening its revamped Station Hall, notes Time Out, and there will be ‘unique trips across the Moors and scenic journeys to the coast’.

6. Southampton, Hampshire

‘While Southampton is often overlooked by holidaymakers,’ says Time Out, ‘Europe’s cruise-ship capital is more than just a passing place.

‘From a walking tour of its 14th-century walls, to the preserved Tudor house museum… it’s a must-visit for any history buff.’

The guide points out that the city this year is celebrating the 250th birthday of former resident Jane Austen, with statues, exhibitions and a comedic performance of Pride and Prejudice at Mayflower Theatre.

Time Out contributor Annie McNamee suggests using Southampton ‘as a base as well as a destination’, adding: ‘I loved visiting the local Manor Farm, a petting-zoo-agricultural-museum hybrid with a very cute café. You can also easily zip across to the Isle of Wight or wander through the New Forest – both are equally easy to get to.’

5. Bradford, West Yorkshire

Bradford has been a ‘slow burner when it comes to the UK’s best cities’, admits Time Out, but insists that ‘2025 is its time to shine’.

Time Out’s Eibhlis Gale-Coleman explains: ‘Just three hours by train from London, it’s an accessible weekend getaway brimming with industrial-era architecture, a thriving performing arts scene and revered Middle Eastern and South Asian cuisine. As the UK’s City of Culture 2025, it’s embracing a jam-packed calendar of exciting openings and events from the get-go. First up was the National Science and Media Museum (NSMM), which threw open its doors on January 8 after heavily-anticipated renovations. Later, spring will welcome the brand-new Darley Street Market.’

4. Orkney, Scotland

Orkney is ‘not exactly conveniently located’ notes Time Out, but states that if you make the effort to get there, you’ll find yourself in an ‘archipelago of 70 islands [with] a cultural identity so unique it feels like it’s in a world of its own’.

The guide continues: ‘Hike wind-battered coasts, oggle over neolithic archaeology and feast on a food and drink scene punching well above its weight. From July 12 to 18, the islands will host the free-to-attend 2025 International Island Games, with athletes from 24 island groups from across the world competing in sports, from swimming to gymnastics. It’s also set to be a great year to spot the Northern Lights.’

3. Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire

Stoke-on-Trent, notes Time Out, has been a ‘proper city’ for 100 years this year – ‘and there’s frankly no better time to visit’.

The guide argues: ‘For a long time Stoke has been unfairly dismissed as one of Britain’s more downtrodden cities, but it’s time our opinions changed.

‘Few corners of the country are as packed full of culture and heritage as the Potteries, and yet somehow, despite being world-famous for ceramics (and a nickname to boot) Stoke still doesn’t quite get the attention it deserves.

‘The city’s six towns are a trove of odes to pottery-making past and present, from museums like the mighty Gladstone and all-encompassing Potteries Museum & Art Gallery to visitable working factories like Middleport and factory outlets for Royal Stafford, Wedgwood and Duchess China.

‘On the non-ceramics front, tuck into one of many varieties of oatcake, a local delicacy, and venture out to nature spots like Trentham Estate, Manifold Valley and the Peak District.’

2. Stratford, London

Time Out’s ‘Things To Do Editor’, Rosie Hewitson, in addressing Stratford’s silver medal, writes: ‘I know what you’re thinking, but there’s a hell of a lot more to Stratford than an overstimulating shopping mall mainly frequented by secondary school students and lairy blokes on the way to a West Ham match.

‘Thirteen years on from its starring role in the 2012 Olympics, the spotlight is back on this east London neighbourhood thanks to the imminent completion of two major new cultural institutions. First to arrive is Sadlers Wells East, a 550-seater sister venue to Islington’s hallowed centre of contemporary dance, which will more or less double the number of contemporary dance productions appearing on London stages when it opens in February. Just a few months later comes the V&A East Storehouse, a purpose-built venue housing more than 1000 archives from the V&A’s vast collections.’

Rosie’s ‘don’t miss’ spot? The stretch of canal by creative hub Here East, where ‘there are several cute little bars and cafés where you can perch outside and enjoy the sun, including retro arcade bar Four Quarters, brunch spot the Breakfast Club and sporty boozer the Lock Inn’.

1. Folkestone, Kent

Folkestone has ‘cemented its rep as a top-tier seaside spot’, declares Time Out, thanks to its colourful, cobbled Old High Street of indie shops, its ever-growing culinary scene, its balmy, sweeping beach and surrounding areas of natural beauty’.

This year, adds the guide, the town will be packed full of public artworks as part of its triennial celebrations, and the Leas Lift funicular railway will return after restoration.

And don’t miss ‘walking from Sandgate down the seafront all the way to the Warren Nature Reserve, then back along the top’ and having a pint at harbourside pub the Ship Inn.

For more visit www.timeout.com/uk/things-to-do/best-places-to-visit-in-the-uk-2025.