5 Stunning UK small towns

I love UK. Probably learnt a lot of its people and culture during my graduate studies in London, I always wanted to visit UK again and again. Besides London, where I went back a couple of times a few years ago, there are apparently other brilliant destinations that one traveller could always plan a trip for. Putting aside larger cities such as York, Edinburg, Manchester or  Birmingham, these 5 UK small towns listed here are equally stunning.

Padstow

Padstow is a market town on the north coast of Cornwall. It’s very much the archetypal coastal town: it has a harbour, plenty of nearby beaches and it famous for its seafood. Famous chef Rick Stein has a seafood restaurant there (alongside a cooking school, delicatessen and patisserie) that draws so much attention that Padstow is given the affectionate name “Padstein”. It’s also very close to some fantastic surfing locations like Treyarnon bay and Trevone bay.

Photo credit: The market place at Padstow (from Tony Atkin via Wikimedia commons)

Alnwick

Given the prevalence of beautiful market towns in Northumberland like Hexham, Corbridge and Berwick, the fact that Alnwick can claim to be the nicest of them all is a spectacular achievement. Why is it that Alnwick comes out on top? For starters, it has a renowned Castle (that was used in the filming of the Harry Potter film series) with expansive gardens that make for a cracking family day out. The castle doesn’t necessarily overshadow the rest of the town, which has an unbeatable atmosphere, and Alnwick is extremely close to a number of other attractions on the Northumberland coast. Local holiday cottage company Stay Northumbria have experience of the area and have put together a comprehensive list of these attractions on their website.

Photo credit: A snow scene in Alnwick (John Sutton via.Wikimedia Commons)

Portmeirion

Walking down one of Portmeirion’s streets and looked at the palm trees adorning the streets and Mediterranean architecture is a wonderful but unsettling experience. Designed in an Italian style and built over 50 years, this colourful tourist village feels incredibly out of place on the north coast of wales. It comes as little surprise that Portmeirion was famously used as the creepy setting for the 1968 sci-fi television show The Prisoner. It’s situated on the north coast of Wales, which is is a stunning area and fantastic holiday material. Be sure to pay this beautiful (if a little bizarre) town a visit.

Photo credit: Portmeirion (Ben Salter vis Wikimedia Commons)

Keswick

Situated on the banks of Derwent Water in the Lake District, the quaint town of Keswick has ran unobstructed as a market town for seven hundred years, and consequently it has a great atmosphere and a sense of community spirit. There are a plethora of attractions around Keswick given its gorgeous and mountainous location.  There are a number of trails to walk and mountains to climb that allow hikers to admire the scenery, but the simplest way to witness Derwent water’s beauty is a cruise around the lake on a rowboat or tour run by the Keswick launch company.

Photo credit: The town of Keswick next to Derwent Water (Wikimedia Commons)

Stratford Upon-Avon

The birthplace of Shakespeare has always been an extremely popular tourist destination, and today Shakespeare’s legacy lives on in Stratford in the form of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and several preserved Tudor buildings that were related to Shakespeare’s life (the most popular being Shakespeare’s birthplace). Not all of Stratford’s attractions are Shakespeare related: the town is home to a gorgeous canal, great shopping and the beautiful Bancroft Gardens.

Photo credit: The high street in Stratford Upon-Avon (Tony Hisgett via wikimedia commons)

Next year could be a great year to visit UK and Europe when Milan host the World Expo. I’m anticipating great offers from airlines so I could head back to the continent where another thrilling travel experience is awaiting me! 🙂 – Travel Feeder

About The Author

Cecil Lee

The author is an avid traveler and photography hobbyist who loves to share with others his travel and photo-taking experience in many popular tourist destinations around Europe, Asia and Australasia. Read the exciting stories with many photos captured on his journeys.