Today we’re planning your trip to one of the most exciting countries in Europe! Buckle up and hop on this UK itinerary for 10 days.
I lived in the UK for a while and visited the country on numerous occasions so my bags are filled with countless tips. From the best towns to how to get around the country as well as costs and many other things that I’ve included below.
This itinerary is designed to work for those who want to use only public transportation or rent a car. I’ve included all the details on how you can get from one place to the next using a car, bus or train.
I highly recommend booking your hotels and tickets (especially in the bigger towns) in advance, as those places are usually packed with tourists all year round.
Grab a cup of tea and let’s start!
Quick Picks for Your Stay
Here’s a short list with the main things to consider for your UK trip:
Days: 10
Cost: US$1000 if traveling on a tight budget & around US$1500 for mid-range travelers, and for luxury the prices can go as high as possible
Transportation: train, bus, car
Best luxury hotels in the itinerary: London, Cardiff, Manchester, York, Edinburgh, Glasgow
Best mid-range hotels: London, Cardiff, Manchester, York, Edinburgh, Glasgow
Best budget accommodation: London, Cardiff, Manchester, York, Edinburgh, Glasgow
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Check out this map that will help you visualize all the places that I mention in this UK itinerary for 10 days:
Day 1: Get settled in London & start exploring
● Distance & travel time: –
● Why visit: lots of activities & historic attractions
● Key activity: Westminster Abbey
● Estimated daily budget: US$80
● Where to stay: Hotel 41 ($$$), The Z Hotel Covent Garden ($$), The Belgrave Hotel ($)
London is the ultimate place to start your UK adventure!
The capital city is packed with fun attractions that will introduce you to the country’s history, from palaces to museums and iconic streets!
After you get settled at your hotel (check the section below if you need help picking one) you’ll probably want to start exploring.
NOTE: If you arrive earlier than the check-in time you can leave your bags in a storage locker. There are tons in the city, so just look for one in your area. If you’re staying in Central London, here’s one in Soho (map).
You can start your first day in the city, in Central London with a stroll in the Covent Garden area, where you’ll find countless shops, bars, restaurants and some museums too. Since you only have 2 days, I’d recommend spending around 1h max here.
From Covent Garden you can walk for 10 min to Trafalgar Square (map), where you can chill for a bit and if you’re lucky you might even find some street musicians there! Right near the square, you’ll find the National Gallery, which is one of my favorite spots! You can visit it for free, so definitely don’t miss it!
Depending on how much time you spend there, you’ll probably get to visit 1 or 2 more attractions. So I’d say, walk from the museum towards St. James’s Park (map), it takes 10 min to get there on foot. Stroll a bit around the park, and then head to Buckingham Palace (here’s a post on how to get tickets). Or you can just pass by it and admire it from outside!
From Buckingham, there’s only a 15 min walk to the Westminster area, set on the banks of the River Thames. There you have 3 major attractions, the Abbey, the Palace of Westminster and Big Ben. Here you can decide which attraction you’d prefer to explore!
I’d definitely go for the Abbey since it’s so gorgeous but it’s totally up to you!
By the way, if you’re spending more than 2 days in the city, check out our post on things to do in London, you’ll find many other attractions there and fun activities.
Once the sun sets, you can head to Soho, an area where you can enjoy the city’s nightlife as there are tons of bars and pubs. To get there you can walk or take the 159 Oxford Circus bus from Westminster Stn / Parliament Square Stop A (map).
Make sure you also check out our London itinerary post if you have a couple of extra days in the city!
Where to stay in London
Looking for some amazing hotels in the city? Then have a look at the short list below, or if you want to see more options, check out our post on where to stay in London, where you’ll find all the main areas and many other hotels:
- Hotel 41 ($$$)
- The Z Hotel Covent Garden ($$)
- The Belgrave Hotel ($)
Day 2: Visit more museums & parks
● Distance & travel time: –
● Why visit: lush parks
● Key activity: V&A Museum
● Estimated daily budget: US$90
Alright, your second day in London promises even more fun than the first one!
While I lived in London, I loved exploring all the city’s parks, which are so beautiful! You can start your second day with some coffee in Hyde Park (map) which is set in the West part of the city.
This park is huge so you can just explore it for hours, but I’d recommend setting your Google Maps and heading towards Kensington Gardens (map), which sort of merges with the park.
That’s where you’ll also find the Kensington Palace, which you can see where Queen Victoria grew up and where Princess Diana lived. We have a whole post on how to buy tickets for Kensington, so definitely check it out as you’ll find some amazing tips!
Now you’re near West London and can visit more attractions here! From Kensington Palace, you can walk for 20 min and you’ll reach the V&A Museum! This is one of my favorite museums, with so much art from paintings to sculptures, statues and clothes!
NOTE: Right near it you’ll also find the Natural History Museum, which is a pretty fun place to visit especially if you’re traveling with kids! So if you have time, or you’d rather skip the V&A, you can check out this one.
West London is home to one of the most popular areas in the city, Notting Hill! To get there, from the museum, you can take the Circle Line via High Street Kensington, from South Kensington Station (map) and get off at Notting Hill Gate (map).
Notting Hill became super famous after the movie Notting Hill with Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts made it to the big screen. You can actually check out some of the locations where the movie was shot, like the Notting Hill bookshop (map) which is actually a gift shop, the Blue Door house (map) and the Coronet Theatre (map).
If you’re in town on a Saturday, then definitely arrange this itinerary so that you can visit Notting Hill on that day and attend the famous market on Portobello Road (map), which takes place from 8 AM until 11:30 AM.
You’ll find countless stalls with food, jewelry, clothes, anything your heart desires! If you’re not visiting on that day, you’ll still find plenty of souvenir shops, so don’t worry! If you want to explore this area in more depth, check out our post with the best things to do in Notting Hill!
By the way, this area is also known for its colorful houses and as you walk and explore around you’ll easily spot them! But if you want to go straight there, here are some streets where you can find them: St Luke’s Mews (map), Farm Place / Hillgate Place (map), Lancaster Road (map) and Pencombe Mews Streets (map).
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Day 3: Leave London & head to Oxford
● Distance & travel time: 1h by train, 2h by bus & 2h by car
● Why visit: unique architecture
● Key activity: Bodleian Library
● Estimated daily budget: US$100
● Where to stay: Old Bank Hotel ($$$), Courtyard by Marriott ($$), Henry’s ($)
Next stop is beautiful Oxford! I’ve visited this city a few times and, honestly, you definitely need to include it on your itinerary!
To get to Oxford from London you can take the train from Paddington station (map) and get there in 1h (find tickets on trainline) or if you’d prefer a more affordable option, you can take the bus (you can check National Express for tickets). Or, if you’re renting a car, you can just drive and get there in around 2h.
PRO TIP: I’d recommend buying train or bus tickets in advance, as they can get more expensive if you book close to your date and with buses you risk not finding a spot at the time or on the day that you’d prefer.
Definitely leave London super early so that you can have more time in Oxford. If you arrive early and can’t do the hotel check-in yet, you can leave your bag in a storage locker, so that you can explore around. Here is one that I found, called Stasher Luggage Storage (map).
Oxford is a dreamy place, one where Lewis Carroll wrote “Alice in Wonderland” and where J.R.R Tolkein worked on The Lord of the Rings.
Home to the famous Oxford University, this city has one of the most beautiful architecture I’ve seen and countless attractions.
Luckily, most of the attractions are set in the City Center, so you can easily walk around and pop in.
PRO TIP: Book your attractions tickets in advance, especially for sites like the Bodleian Libraries, where tickets are always sold out if you want to buy them on the spot.
So, some places that you could visit here are, as I already mentioned, the Bodleian Library (which is the UK’s second largest library), the Hall of Christ Church College and the Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology.
Harry Potter fans will be happy to know that some of the scenes from the movies were filmed in the Bodleian’s Divinity School and inside Christ Church College, so definitely check them out!
If you’re looking for a nice place to drink some coffee and eat some yummy pastries, head to the Covered Market (map) which is filled with fresh goodies!
After that, you can walk around and admire the architecture and by the end of the day, you’ll probably want a drink! Luckily, Oxford is home to some of the oldest pubs in the world! If you’re looking for some cool ones you can check the Turf Tavern (map) and the Bear Inn (map).
Where to stay in Oxford
Here are some amazing hotels in the city, which are set centrally. If you’re looking for other options or areas, check out our post on where to stay in Oxford, you’ll find plenty of choices there!
- Old Bank Hotel ($$$)
- Courtyard by Marriott ($$)
- Henry’s ($)
Day 4: En route to Cardiff, the Welsh capital
● Distance & travel time: 2h 30 min by train, 2h by car, 5h by bus
● Why visit: to immerse in the Welsh culture
● Key activity: visiting Cardiff castle
● Estimated daily budget: US$80
● Where to stay: Hotel Indigo ($$$), The Coal Exchange Hotel ($$), Cardiff Sandringham ($)
Ready for a new adventure? Next stop on our itinerary is the Welsh capital, Cardiff!
To get to Cardiff, from Wales you can jump on a train and get there in 2h. Check trainline for tickets), or you can take the bus (tickets on National Express), or rent a car.
Again, leave early in the morning to save as much time as possible and once you get there, leave your bags at the hotel or if it’s too early and your room isn’t ready, leave them in a storage facility (map).
Then you’ll be free to roam around Cardiff! And what better place to start than the City Center?
There you can visit the famous Cardiff Castle which dates back to the 11th century, the National Museum Cardiff where you can see some amazing artifacts. And, you should definitely pop in at the Cardiff Market (map) and grab some yummy pastries and souvenirs!
You’ll probably finish around sunset with all of that, so you can head to Cardiff Bay (map), which is known as one of Europe’s largest waterfront developments! There are lots of restaurants there like Bill’s Cardiff Bay Restaurant (map), from where you can grab some dinner.
Where to stay in Cardiff
Looking for some fab places to spend your night in Glasgow? Check those 3 amazing hotels I’ve included below, or if you’d like to see all the main areas in the city, check this post on where to stay in Cardiff:
- Hotel Indigo ($$$)
- The Coal Exchange Hotel ($$)
- Cardiff Sandringham ($)
Day 5: Jump on a train/bus to Manchester
● Distance & travel time: 4h by train, 6h by bus & 4h by car
● Why visit: unique architecture
● Key activity: touring a football stadium
● Estimated daily budget: US$80
● Where to stay: King Street Townhouse ($$$), Wilde Aparthotels Manchester ($$), Motel One Manchester ($)
Do I have any football fans among my readers? If so, then this city will become your favorite one in the UK!
To get to Manchester from Cardiff you can take the train and get there in 4h or you can also go on the bus (which is cheaper usually) and get there in 6h. For those renting a car for this road trip, it’ll take you around 4h to get to Manchester from Cardiff.
Once there, you can get settled in! If you’re looking for a place where you can leave your luggage (in case your room is not ready) you can try Stasher Luggage Storage (map) which is pretty central.
Manchester is one of the biggest cities in the country, so there are lots to see! That’s why I’d recommend spending 2 days here, especially since you’ll arrive around mid-day.
You’re probably famished after being on the road, so you could grab a meal at one of the many restaurants in the city, Sam’s Chop House (map) is a really nice spot.
After you’ve regained your strength, you can start exploring the City Center where you’ll find some amazing attractions that you can visit today, like the Manchester Art Gallery, Manchester Cathedral (map), and Market Street (map) which is the area’s main avenue where you’ll find countless shops.
You can also just walk around and admire the architecture in the City Center, it’s so beautiful! By the time you visit those 2 attractions and get acquainted with the city, it’ll probably be late so I’d recommend getting a drink at one of the many pubs and then heading to your hotel to rest.
Peaky Blinders Manchester (map) is a great spot and if you’re a fan of the famous Tv show, you’ll definitely want to get there!
The crew filmed a lot of the scenes in Manchester, especially in the Castlefield area! So hop on there when you have the time and see if you recognize any spots.
Where to stay in Manchester
Here is a short list of some of the top spots to stay in the city! I’ve included an option for each price range but if you want to see more options, check our post on where to stay in Manchester!
Day 6: Tour the football stadiums & visit more museums
● Distance & travel time: –
● Why visit: learn more about the sport history
● Key activity: visiting a football stadium
● Estimated daily budget: US$80
When you think about Manchester the word “football” immediately comes to mind, right?
While you’re in the city you can really immerse yourself in the culture and history of this much-loved sport.
I’d definitely recommend touring the Manchester City Stadium (also known as Etihad Stadium) and Manchester United Stadium (also known as Old Trafford Stadium). Or just one of them, depending on who’s your favorite.
If you’re looking for some tours, here’s a really great one of the Etihad Stadium that lasts 1h 30 min and costs US$35. During the tour, you’ll go into the change rooms, walk through the tunnel to the pitch and learn more about the club.
After you tour the stadium, you could head to the National Football Museum, which has around 140,000 football-related items, including the 1966 World Cup ball. If you’re a fan you should definitely check it out!
For those of you who aren’t that much into football, there are some other places you could check out, like the art galleries. There are 2 amazing ones that you could visit, Whitworth Art Gallery (which has works by Degas, Van Gogh and William Blake) and Manchester Art Gallery (which has paintings by Dante Gabriel Rossetti among many others).
To end these 2 amazing days in Manchester, I’d recommend heading to one of the pubs and enjoying some beer! City Road Inn pub (map) is a great spot and they serve some delicious pies and one of the best Guinness in the city.
Day 7: Immerse yourself in the history of York
● Distance & travel time: 1h 20 min by train, 2h by car, 3h by bus
● Why visit: its rich history
● Key activity: York Castle Museum
● Estimated daily budget: US$60
● Where to stay: The Dean Court ($$$), Hedley House Hotel & Apartments ($$), Georgian House & Mews ($)
If there’s one thing I love about this country, it is that they have so many towns with a rich history! Once you arrive in some of these places you’ll feel as if you’ve time-traveled!
York is one of the oldest towns in Europe and in order to get there, from Manchester you can take the train (the journey lasts 1h and 20 min) or you can take the bus but it will take you around 3h to get there. For those renting a car, it’ll take you 2h to get there, depending on the traffic.
NOTE: If you’re not traveling by train I’d still go to the train station (map) as it actually made an appearance in one of the Harry Potter movies!
Once you arrive in York, prepare to be amazed by the gorgeous and very old architecture and all the cute little shops!
You probably know the procedure by now! But if you can’t check in yet, leave your bags at this storage locker (map) so you can explore the city in peace.
Since you only have this day in York, I’d recommend sticking to the City Centre, since most of the attractions are set there anyway. Start your adventure on Shambles Street (map), one of the most popular streets in town!
You’ll find countless souvenir shops there, and not too far from it, there’s also Shambles Market (map) where you can find everything from clothes to food and crafts!
As for attractions, depending on how much time you have left, I’d definitely head to the York Castle Museum and to the nearby Clifford’s Tower. York Cathedral is also gorgeous so you can stop by there as well.
PRO TIP: Make sure you check the closing times for each of those attractions so that you can prioritize which ones to visit first. I’d leave the shopping and street sighting for later in the day and rather start with the museums and cathedral since those are probably closing earlier.
Where to stay in York
Here’s a short list with the best hotels in the city for all budgets, if you’d like a few more options, check out our post on where to stay in York, which has many other options!
- The Dean Court ($$$)
- Hedley House Hotel & Apartments ($$)
- Georgian House & Mews ($)
Day 8: Go to Edinburgh, Scotland’s exciting capital
● Distance & travel time: 2h 30min by train, 4h by car
● Why visit: amazing architecture & attractions
● Key activity: Edinburgh Castle
● Estimated daily budget: US$90
● Where to stay: The Balmoral Hotel ($$$), Stewart by Heeton Concept ($$), High Street Hostel ($)
We’re leaving York and heading to Scotland’s exciting capital and one of my favorite cities in the UK.
Edinburgh has it all, magic, a rich history and plenty of attractions where you can learn all about Scottish culture.
You can get there by train from York, it’ll take you around 2h 30min, or by car, which will take you 4h. I wouldn’t recommend taking the bus, as the journey is around 7h, so basically you’ll waste almost an entire day, and the price difference is that big.
Get settled in and leave your bags in the storage (map) if you can’t check in at the hotel yet.
For your first day, I’d recommend heading down to the Royal Mile (map), which is set in the Old Town. This is the city’s main avenue where you’ll find countless souvenir shops, restaurants and cafes.
If you’re in desperate need of a cup of coffee and some yummy pastries, head to the Milkman (map), set only a 3 min walk away, which is a super cozy place that I found while I was visiting.
One of the attractions that you can check out today is Edinburgh Castle (here’s a post on how you can buy tickets). The fortress is huge, and once you head inside the premises, you’ll get some amazing views of the city!
Another attraction I’d suggest for this day would be St. Giles Cathedral (map), set only a 5 min walk away from the Castle, which you can visit for free and it won’t take you that long.
Harry Potter fans will have a blast in this city! There are lots of places that served as inspiration for J.K. Rowling and you can even head to the cafe where she wrote at times. It’s called the Elephant House (map).
Then you can end the day with a stroll on Victoria Street (map), which is also part of the Old Town. This street was the inspiration for the famous Diagon Alley from the books. There’s a cool store, called Museum of Context (map) filled with Harry Potter merch, from wands to owls (not the real ones though).
Where to stay in Edinburgh
Sleep like a baby in one of the hotels from this list. I included an option for all budgets, or if you’d rather check other areas and accommodations have a look at our post on where to stay in Edinburgh:
- The Balmoral Hotel ($$$)
- Stewart by Heeton Concept ($$)
- High Street Hostel ($)
Day 9: Fall in love with Edinburgh’s unique style
● Distance & travel time: –
● Why visit: learn more about the Scottish culture
● Key activity: Palace of Holyroodhouse
● Estimated daily budget: US$80
Grab some coffee and let’s start your second and last day in Edinburgh!
For those of you who are Harry Potter fans, there’s one more spot you should check out (better in the morning than evening). It’s the Greyfriars Kirkyard Cemetery (map) where J.K. Rowling got her inspiration for many names from the books (although she changed them a bit).
It’s a spooky spot but definitely fun to look around and search for the names.
We have a whole post on things to do in Edinburgh, so if you’re staying for more than 2 days or you want to check other attractions, have a look at the post and you’ll definitely find something!
From there you can walk for around 10 min to see the famous Scott Monument, built in the honor of Sir Walter Scott! You can climb the 287 steps to the top if you want and enjoy the views!
Right near the monument, there’s Princes Street (map) where you can do a bit of shopping if you want.
PRO TIP: This is another important avenue in the city so definitely avoid it during rush hours (around 9ish AM and 5ish PM when it’s absolutely packed with locals and tourists).
After you end your stroll on Princes Street you can head over to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Scottish residence of the royal family, which all history lovers will adore!
Apparently the Palace is haunted by quite a few ghosts including that of Agnes Sampson, a woman who was accused of witchcraft. Although I didn’t see any ghosts, there was a weird atmosphere there!
Once you’re done with the spooky palace, I’d highly recommend hiking up to Arthur’s Seat (map) in Holyrood Park, which forms the largest part of the big extinct volcano that once stood in Edinburgh (with the other parts being Castle Rock and Calton Hill).
PRO TIP: You’ll need comfortable shoes, they don’t have to be for hiking but something that you can climb in.
The hike isn’t too difficult and it takes around 50 min depending on how many times you stop. It’s so worth it since once you get to the top you’ll get some stunning views of the city!
Day 10: Spend your last day in Glasgow
● Distance & travel time: 50 min by train, 1h by car, 1h 30min by bus
● Why visit: Art Nouveau architecture
● Key activity: Glasgow Cathedral
● Estimated daily budget: US$80
End this amazing trip in the UK, with a last and final day in Glasgow!
You can reach Glasgow pretty fast from Edinburgh. It takes around 50 min to get there by train, 1h by car and 1h 30min by bus. So if you leave in the morning you’ll have the entire day to explore around.
Leave your bags in a luggage storage facility (map) if you can’t check in and head out to grab some coffee!
Riverhill Coffee Bar (map) is a great spot in the center, which also serves yummy pastries.
After that, you can start exploring and admire the Victorian and Art Nouveau architecture! The first stop can be Glasgow Cathedral (map) which looks so beautiful! From there you can walk towards the Gallery of Modern Art, which is a 20 min walk away.
If you’re into museums, you could also visit the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, which has art pieces from lots of local artists!
Since this is your last day, I’d imagine you’ll mostly want to stroll around and maybe get some last-minute souvenirs. Luckily the City Centre is packed with stores so you’ll find plenty of spots!
Where to stay in Glasgow
Looking for some amazing hotels in Glasgow? Then check out this short list or have a look at our post on where to stay in Glasgow:
- Kimpton Blythswood Square Hotel & Spa ($$$)
- ibis Styles Glasgow Central ($$)
- Point A Hotel Glasgow ($)
📅 How many days: | 10 |
🤩 Best town: | Edinburgh |
🏨 Best hotel: | The Balmoral Hotel |
🌞 When to visit: | April to early June |
Itinerary for 2 weeks in the UK
I made this itinerary only for 10 days, but if you’re planning on staying longer, here’s how you can explore the country in 2 weeks:
- Day 1: Arrive in London
- Day 2: Explore London
- Day 3: Day trip to Cambridge from London
- Day 4: Leave London & head to Oxford
- Day 5: Take a day trip from Oxford to Bath
- Day 6: Leave Oxford for Cardiff
- Day 7: Day trip from Cardiff to Swansea
- Day 8: Leave Cardiff for Manchester
- Day 9: Explore Manchester
- Day 10: Leave Manchester for York
- Day 11: Head to Edinburgh from York
- Day 12: Explore Edinburgh
- Day 13: Leave for Glasgow
- Day 14: Take a day trip to the Highland from Glasgow
Transportation in the UK
Luckily, public transport in the UK is super reliable so you can easily use the train and buses.
NOTE: There are some train strikes from time to time, which could affect the schedules but generally you can get around fine.
It’s true that trains tend to be more expensive but they will get you pretty fast to anywhere you want to go, while buses may take longer.
When I visited the country, I mostly used trains and buses to get around and I always got where I needed on time.
As I mentioned in the text, you can use trainline, National Express and Flixbus to get tickets.
If you are renting a car, make sure you’re comfortable driving on the left side of the road.
FAQs about UK itinerary 10 days
🤔 Can you do the UK in 10 days?
Yes, you can totally visit the UK in 10 days. I’d recommend sticking to the big cities and using trains so you can get from one place to another faster.
📅 Which month is best to visit the UK?
The best time to visit the UK is from April to early June, the weather is somewhere in the middle, not too cold or too hot and the prices are cheaper than traveling in the summer months.
⏱️ Is 2 weeks enough to travel to the UK?
Yes, in 2 weeks you can see a lot of the country!
Final thoughts on UK itinerary 10 days
Phew, this was a long one!
I hope that this UK itinerary for 10 days, helped you decide how to organize your trip in this stunning country!
As always, I’m around for questions and since I lived here for a few years and visited the country on numerous occasions, don’t hesitate to drop me a message below if you’re not sure about something.
I recommend booking your tickets and hotels in advance, especially for the big cities which are visited by lots of tourists all year round!
Have fun!
Happy exploring,
Victoria
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