9 Best Day Trips from London

If you have enough time during your visit to London or have already visited the British capital on previous occasions, set off to discover the wonders that await you just a few hours from the city.

I'll never forget when my parents took me to see Stonehenge during a stay in England. I was quite small, but seeing this immense stone monument over 5,000 years old is something that really impresses and is never forgotten because of the mysterious stories surrounding its construction.

For this tour to Stonehenge you will need to schedule a full day as the total duration is 6 hours 30 minutes (almost 2 hours drive), with 3 hours to visit the monument, its museum and visitor centre, where a replica of a stone age settlement is on display. The tour includes an audio guide in 9 languages, including English, and a return bus ride from London.

Why I like this tour

To this day, it remains incomprehensible how, in an age with little engineering knowledge or tools, these 30 stone blocks of over 4 metres and 25 tonnes could be erected to form a circle 30 metres in diameter. It is understood that it had a funerary use and was related to the movement of the sun during the solstices. This is why Stonehenge is a World Heritage Site and a place you should not miss.

On this organised tour, you can come and go in the same day in total comfort and without having to keep an eye on public transport timetables. For me, it's a super different day out, which makes you forget about the traffic and chaos of the big city and makes your trip to London much more complete.

What does the Stonehenge tour include?

Stonehenge tour itinerary

If you have time and want to make the most of a day trip out of London, a great option is to go back hundreds of years in time to see the impressive and mysterious megalithic site of Stonehenge and the beautiful 700-year-old Gothic Salisbury Cathedral.

Salisbury is of great importance because it is also home to the best extant copy of the Magna Carta which, signed in 1215 by King John, influenced the US Constitution and still provides the basis for common law around the world today.

The total duration of this day trip to Stonehenge and Salisbury Cathedral, with about three hours set aside to see each of these monuments, which are located about two hours from London.

Why I like this tour

This is a tour that allows you to make the most of your day out of London. Stonehenge is a must-see for its impressive significance and scenery, but Salisbury is definitely one of the most charming places in the country (and the cathedral is simply stunning). To be able to visit both sites in one day and in total comfort seems to me a perfect combination.

What is included in the Stonehenge and Salisbury Cathedral tour?

Itinerary of the Stonehenge Tour

and Salisbury Cathedral

If you prefer to see more sites rather than spend more time at each of them and you have a free day to spend outside London, the Windsor Castle, Stonehenge and Oxford tour is a good idea for its convenience and the variety and spectacular monuments it includes.

Windsor

This tour of Windsor, Stonehenge and Oxford begins in Windsor, a magnificent medieval town just 45 minutes from London and featuring the famous Windsor Castle, home to the British Royal Family for over 900 years and one of the best preserved in the world.

When booking this tour you can choose to include entry to Windsor Castle or go at your own pace and see the beautiful streets and surroundings of the building. However, while you're there, I recommend you take the option with entrance and enjoy such wonders as the Royal Apartments, adorned with paintings by Van Dyck and Rubens, and St George's Chapel, where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were married and which houses the tombs of prominent monarchs.

Stonehenge

Afterwards you can view from the outside and take photos or access, with the option of entry included, the interesting 5,000 year old megalithic complex of Stonehenge.

Oxford

You will continue your journey to Oxford, almost two hours from London and famous for being home to Britain's oldest and most prestigious university. There you can take a walking tour of its picturesque cobbled streets with a professional guide who will take you to places such as the Bodleian Library, one of the oldest in Europe, and the Sheldonian Theatre.

Oxford will also delight the little ones when they discover how the most important of its 40 colleges, Christ Church College, was the setting for the Harry Potter films and that several of the city's locations are evoked in the book of "Alice in Wonderland".

Why I like this tour

This tour maximises the time of the day and takes you on a journey through England's history, from the ancient Stonehenge to the modern-day University of Oxford and the living history of its royalty at Windsor. This tour is all about contrasts, beautiful scenery and the deep-rooted culture of England's university world. Plus, fun for all ages is guaranteed.

What does the Windsor Castle, Stonehenge and Oxford tour include?

Windsor Castle, Stonehenge and Oxford Tour Itinerary

Another option to make the most of a day out of London and see amazing places less than 2 hours from the capital is the Windsor Castle, Stonehenge and Bath tour, very similar in operation and duration, but visiting Bath instead of Oxford and being able to choose between the tour that includes tickets to two of these monuments or the one that gives you the possibility to access all of them.

Windsor

You'll start your tour in the medieval town of Windsor, where you'll see the majesty of its castle, one of the oldest in the world. You might even get lucky and see the royal standard flying from the mast of the castle's Round Tower, which means Queen Elizabeth II herself is inside. Don't miss an inside visit to the medieval gothic St George's Chapel.

Salisbury

You'll then continue west of London to Salisbury, home to the most popular megalithic monument on the planet, Stonehenge. Its spectacular nature and the mystery surrounding the history of its construction will captivate you.

Bath

Your adventure will end with a visit to one of Britain's most beautiful cities. Bath is famous for its elegant Georgian architecture, as exemplified by its Royal Crescent, a row of 30 terraced houses dating from 1774 and arranged in a crescent pattern, and the famous Pulteney Bridge, one of only four in the world with shops on both sides and along its length, like Florence's famous Ponte Vecchio.

It also excels in Gothic architecture with Bath Abbey, an Anglican parish church that was originally a Benedictine monastery in the 7th century. Plus, you'll have the chance to explore another World Heritage Site with the best-preserved Roman spa in the ancient world, the Roman Baths of Bath, where the city's unique hot springs are born.

Why I like this tour

Like the previous tour, this tour makes the most of your time and takes you to several key points in the country, with Bath being the highlight. I recommend this option if, like me, you're more into classical history, as you'll be visiting a city founded by the Romans twenty centuries ago and with many reminiscences of their culture.

What does the tour to Windsor Castle, Stonehenge and Bath include?

What is not included in the tour to Windsor Castle, Stonehenge and Bath?

Itinerary of tour from London to Windsor Castle, Stonehenge and Bath

The day trip to Oxford, Cotswolds, Stratford-upon-Avon and Warwick Castle is one of the most complete day trips I recommend if you are looking for some peace and quiet and nature after a few intense days in central London, as it includes some of the most beautiful places in the English countryside.

Warwick Castle

During your day you'll enjoy a visit to a medieval castle, Warwick Castle, set on 26 hectares of rolling hills and manicured gardens on the banks of the River Avon. Here you can learn about its history through a multi-sensory attraction and live performances of medieval sports, such as jousting and archery tournaments, and explore the castle's opulent decor, including its 17th-century Great Hall.

Stratford-upon-Avon and the Cotswolds

You'll visit the birthplace of one of the world's literary greats in Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare, whose house you can visit, and then wander the cobbled streets of another cradle of learning as the world's second oldest university, Oxford.

You'll end your adventure with a visit to the Cotswolds, a natural area of rolling hills that will show you England at its most bucolic.

Why I like this tour

If you're looking to literally escape the noise and concrete of the city, this is the tour for you. It takes you deep into the photogenic English countryside and the country's most romantic villages, so get ready for a real day in the countryside and the great outdoors.

What's included in the tour to Oxford, Cotswolds, Stratford-on-Avon and Warwick Castle from London?

Itinerary of the tour to Oxford, Cotswolds, Stratford-on-Avon and Warwick Castle from London

Wandering the cobbled streets, parks and canals of these cities is like a journey back in time. This day trip to Oxford and Cambridge allows you to see in person the magnificent buildings that house two of the world's longest-running and most notable universities.

Oxford

Oxford is also known for its distinctive architecture, comprising notable examples of every architectural period since Saxon times. Here you can enjoy a visit to one of Europe's oldest libraries, the Bodleian Library, and its most famous college, Christ Church, where some of the scenes from the famous Harry Potter saga were filmed and where the likes of Lewis Carroll, Bill Clinton and David Cameron studied.

Cambridge

Newton, Stephen Hawking and Sylvia Plath are the names of other distinguished students from the University of Cambridge, a beautiful city that you will visit during the tour, as well as its impressive library, the Cavendish Laboratory and King's College Chapel.

What's included in the Oxford and Cambridge tour from London?

Itinerary of the excursion to Oxford and Cambridge from London

Southwest of London, about 250 km from the capital, there are two more interesting towns to visit on a day trip. I'm talking about Glastonbury and Cheddar, two places full of unique landscapes, which you can reach on a full day trip from London with transport included.

Glastonbury

Known for its legends about King Arthur among others, the town of Glastonbury will surprise you with its mysticism. Glastonbury is home to the famous Glastonbury Abbey, which is accessible with the included entrance ticket, and where you can admire the ruins and the huge green meadow that surrounds it. It's a magical place where your tour guide will stop to tell you all the stories of medieval times that surround the town.

Cheddar Gorge

The next stop on this tour is Cheddar Gorge, another spectacle of nature you won't want to miss. These are prehistoric limestone caves or gorges where the earliest remains of man were found in Britain. Thanks to your guide, you'll be able to tour this natural wonder, understand its historical significance and enjoy the breathtaking scenery. And yes, the rich cheddar cheese has its origins here...

If you've been to London several times and want to escape the bustling city and enjoy more rural landscapes, then a 5-day trip to the medieval villages of the Devon and Cornwall regions might be just the thing for you.

Take the opportunity to lose yourself in the countryside of beautiful villages such as Exeter, Tintagel, Glastonbury and Dartmoor. Over the course of five days, you can take a guided tour of the ruins, castles and other monuments, while enjoying the fresh air of the landscapes that this area of the south of the United Kingdom has to offer.

Nor will you miss Stonehenge, where you will dedicate one of the days to discover its monolithic formations.

Forget about travelling between cities and enjoy the comfort of having a driver-guide take you to see every corner in an air-conditioned vehicle and with small groups. You'll also be able to relax as four nights' hotel accommodation with breakfast is included in the package.

How about taking advantage of your trip to London to visit another great European city like Paris? Travelling to the City of Light from the British capital is possible thanks to the high-speed train that links the two great metropolises.

But without a doubt, to avoid headaches, the best thing to do is to sign up for an excursion organised for small groups, which includes a return train ticket, a bus tour of Paris, a cruise on the Seine, lunch and all accompanied by a tour guide.

After a comfortable 4.5-hour train ride, you'll arrive in the beautiful city of Paris, where you'll take a bus tour of the city' s most emblematic sites, such as the Sacré-Coeur district, the Champs Elysées and Place de la Concorde.

To soak up the purely Parisian atmosphere, this excursion includes a cruise on the Seine, from where you'll see must-see monuments such as the Eiffel Tower. During the boat trip you can also enjoy a three-course lunch with champagne. Pretty complete, isn't it?

If you haven't yet decided on a specific tour or simply prefer to organise your time in the capital, here are some articles and guides I've been writing that can help you decide which attractions, tours or places you'd most like to visit. I hope you find them useful! You can start with Top 10 Tours and Excursions in London and also read about London Eye Tickets and Tours o Madame Tussauds in London Tickets and Tours.

If you prefer to visit as many attractions as possible, I recommend you to make your trip more efficient by buying a tourist card (in this article about the best ones). London Tourist Cards I advise you which ones are the best) or book a ticket for the tourist bus, a fast and comfortable way to move around the city. Read more information in this article: London Hop-On Hop-Off Buses.