The top 15 UK attractions for 2025 revealed…including six which are totally FREE for the summer holidays
With so many attractions across the country, let alone the rest of the world, it can be hard to know what to choose to do for a day out.
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Now, Tripadvisor has rounded up the top 15 attractions across the UK based on visitor reviews including a dark city cemetery with famous graves and a number of free places to explore.
1. Royal Yacht Britannia, Edinburgh
The Royal Yacht Britannia has been named as the number one tourist attraction in the UK, according to Tripadvisor.
This historical vessel allows visitors to see behind the scenes of the luxury liner used by the British royal family for their travels.
Tripadvisor said: "Queen Elizabeth II's former floating palace, now docked in the capital's Leith harbour district, boasts over 18,000 five star reviews."
Tickets cost from £20 per person.
2. Bodleian Library, Oxford
First opened in 1602, the Bodleian Library is one of the oldest libraries in Europe and houses more than 13million printed items.
The Weston Library is free to enter, however if you want to see the Old Library or Radcliffe Camera - Britain's first circular library - you will need to book onto a guided tour.
Tours of the library costs from £10 per person.
3. Highgate Cemetery, London
Third on the list is a rather unusual choice for a day out, but still fascinating to explore.
Highgate Cemetery in North London is a burial site for around 170,000 people.
Many travellers head to the Grade I listed cemetery to explore the unique architecture by Stephen Geary but for most it is the famous names laid to rest that are the reason for a visit.
Historic figures buried in the cemetery include philosopher and father of modern communism, Karl Marx, as well as the founder of Crufts dog show Charles Cruft.
Also buried in elaborate graves are the wife of author Charles Dickens, Catherine Dickens and novelist George Eliot.
It is also the last resting place for the legendary singer-songwriter George Michael.
Tickets to visit Highgate Cemetery cost £10 per adult and £5 per child.
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4. The British Museum, London
Another free spot on the list is the British Museum in London.
The museum is home to a permanent collection of eight million works - making it the largest in the world.
Across the entire museum, it tells the story of human culture from its beginnings to the present.
The museum also hosts many free additional exhibitions and events throughout the year.
5. Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh
Up in Scotland again, Edinburgh Castle makes up the final spot in the top five UK attractions.
Edinburgh Castle sits high above the city, with breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape.
And even the rock it stands on has a grand history.
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Castle Rock dates back to the Iron Age and there has been a castle on the rock since the reign of Malcolm III in the 11th century.
It then continued to be a royal residence until 1633.
Tickets to the castle cost from £21.50 per adult and £13 per child.
6. Tower Bridge, London
One of the capital's iconic landmarks also makes the list - Tower Bridge.
Spanning the River Thames in the centre of London, travellers can wander across the bridge for free.
But for a sky high view, climb the North Tower to stroll across the high-level walkways 137ft above the Thames or brave the glass floor that allows a thrilling view of the traffic passing on the bridge below.
Tickets to Tower Bridge, including access to climb the towers, discover the Victorian Engine Rooms and cross the glass floors cost from £16 per adult and £8 per child.
7. The Roman Baths, Bath
Heading to Somerset, the Roman Baths are home to "one of the great religious spas of the ancient world", according to Tripadvisor.
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The baths feature natural thermal springs which were used by the people of Roman Britain to worship the goddess Sulis Minerva.
Tickets cost from £28 per adult and £21 per child.
8. National Maritime Museum, London
Back in the capital, the National Maritime Museum is the largest museum of its kind in the world.
Across different galleries and displays, visitors can discover ships and boats, relics from the Titanic and even the uniform Nelson was wearing when he was shot at the Battle of Trafalgar.
Running until January is also a great exhibition for kids who love pirates.
The Pirates exhibition explores piracy in popular cultures including fictional characters such as Captain Hook and Captain Jack Sparrow to real pirates from historical events.
Admission to the museum is free, but if you want to head to the Pirates exhibition it will cost £15 per adult and £7.50 per child.
9. Natural History Museum, London
Another of London's free museums to feature on the list is the Natural History Museum. in South Kensington.
Hope the blue whale soars over mighty dinosaur skeletons and Darwin's personal collection.
See priceless gems, ancient meteorites, and the first bird fossil, revealing Earth's incredible history.
Right now, the museum is hosting 'Our Story with David Attenborough' - a 360-degree cinematic experience.
Tickets to the experience cost from £20 per adult and The Sun recently visited to see if it is worth the money.
10. National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh
Jumping back to Edinburgh again, this time to a free museum with the National Museum of Scotland securing the tenth spot on the list.
The museum documents Scottish history and culture with thousands of objects across numerous galleries.
The unique architecture of the museum is just as fascinating, make sure to check out the expansive hall at its heart with a glass ceiling.
11. Stonehenge, Wiltshire
Heading to Wiltshire, Stonehenge is one of the world's most famous places, according to Historic England.
The mysterious stone circle is believed to have been created thousands of years ago by prehistoric people.
At the site, there is also a Neolithic village to explore with houses and historical information on the area.
Tickets cost from £30.90 per adult and from £20 per child.
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12. York Minster, York
York Minster in York is a masterpiece of medieval Gothic architecture and stunning stained glass.
The cathedral dates back to 627 and features an ornately decorated Gothic nave and The Great East Window is the largest expanse of medieval stained glass in the world.
One of the largest cathedrals of its kind in Northern Europe, the Central Tower soars up 325ft and visitors who climb the 275 steps to the top are rewarded with fabulous views across the city.
Children under 17 are free when accompanied by an adult. Tickets for adults cost £20.
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13. National Railway Museum, York
Also in York is the National Railway Museum which celebrates its 50th birthday this year - and the 200th anniversary of the railway.
Completely free to enter, visitors can marvel at record-breaking locomotive legends like Mallard and Japan's Bullet Train.
Explore opulent royal carriages and Stephenson's Rocket, a working replica of the 1829 loco that set the template for steam engines.
For children, there are also a number of interactive exhibits to discover bringing the science and stories of the railway to life.
14. Spinnaker Tower, Portsmouth
Soaring over the coastal city of Portsmouth, the Spinnaker Tower is a 170metre architectural marvel close to the harbour.
The tower has three viewing decks, including a glass Sky Walk, with panoramic views.
There are also a number of interactive displays and a cafe.
Tickets cost from £18.95 per adult and £14.95 per child.
15. Eden Project, Cornwall
Securing the final spot on the list is the Eden Project in Cornwall.
Set in a reclaimed china clay pit, this spectacular global garden features two giant domes housing the world's largest indoor rain forest and a fragrant Mediterranean landscape with thousands of plants.
Tickets cost from £38 per adult and £12 per child.
Full list of top UK experiences according to Tripadvisor
THE top UK experiences have been named by Tripadvisor, including walking and taxi tours.
London Small Group Tour of Historical Pubs
Edinburgh Castle: Guided Walking Tour with Entry Ticket
The Manchester City Stadium Tour
Canoe Aqueduct tours Llangollen
Original Harry Potter Locations Tour in Edinburgh : Guided Tour
Air Raid Shelter and St. Nicholas Market Walking Tour in Bristol
Windsor, Stonehenge and Bath Day Trip from London
The Chocolatarium Chocolate Tour Experience in Edinburgh
Chelsea FC Stadium Tours and Museum
Full-Day Trip: Loch Ness, Glencoe & The Highlands from Edinburgh
Tennent's Brewery Tours Ticket in Glasgow
Isle of Skye and Eilean Donan Castle Day Tour from Inverness
The Great British Rock and Roll Walking Tour
Guided Celtic Park Stadium Tour, Scotland
Cab Tours Belfast Famous Black Taxi Tours
London Jack The Ripper Guided Walking Tour
Loch Ness Cruise, Outlander & Urquhart Castle Tour from Inverness
The Deathly Dark Tour of York
A History of Terror - Belfast City Centre Walking Tour
Tripadvisor has also revealed the top UK experience - and it is a pub crawl.
Plus, The Sun's Alice Penwill tried out the new Race Across the World experience – fans of the BBC TV show will love it.
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I climbed the Steep Hill, cheered on by hardened locals, and stumbled breathlessly upon the mighty façade. Lincoln Cathedral lends itself to romance, presenting the perfect marriage of complexity and size: it was once the world's tallest building, until its central spire collapsed during a storm in 1548. Every architectural feature seems enriched with armies of gargoyles or fields of carved foliage. Something captures your attention with every glance. The cathedral represents its city: self-assured, punching above its weight. I visited Winchester in January with bookish friends. Its cathedral commands attention: the endless nave, the soaring arcades, Gormley's sculpture in the perma-flooded crypt. We stumbled upon Jane Austen's grave, started discussing books, as we often did, and spent the rest of the day on the Austen trail, visiting her old stomping grounds. A few weeks later, I went to another great literary cathedral, the oldest cathedral in England, Canterbury, host to Chaucer's pilgrims and Edward, the Black Prince. My mum and I, after a few midday wines, stared at Becket's shrine and slurred about British history. The climax of Canterbury is its stained glass, the best I've seen: the south window seemed never-ending, showing off the most ancient glass in England. Canterbury is a marvel. My mum and I left feeling giddy, perhaps because of the wine, more likely because of the windows. Cathedrals are not designated by size, age or style. Function alone defines their status. A cathedral is the principal church of a diocese, a geographical area overseen by a bishop and distinguished by the presence of the bishop's cathedra, the Latin word for seat or throne. Cathedrals were once linked to the granting of city status, which explains why relatively small places such as Ely, Wells and Salisbury are cities, while larger places such as Reading and Northampton are not. As I ticked off the places close to home, places I'd been before, I noticed new details. St Paul's is an exercise in symmetry, an exposé of mathematical precision, a work of architectural genius. Or so I'm told. My memory of that day belongs largely to a Chinese tourist, probably mid-thirties, clinging to the rails, afraid to move near the top of the dome. She laughed nervously. She could not speak a lick of English, but managed to hold out a hand. I looked over my home town, standing proud in the jewel of its skyline, staring out at the Shard, the Tate and Thames. I'd been saving one cathedral, hoping to make it my last: Durham. The best view comes from the train. Legend dictates that John Betjeman pleaded for the stationmaster job because of that view. The cathedral watches over the city, the Wear protects the cathedral. I rushed over cobbles, heading down and climbing up, until I found its feet. The inside of Durham matches the beauty of the outside: the gigantic nave, rib-vaulted ceilings, the scale of Norman ambition. I spent two hours strolling with neck craned. You could spend a lifetime in Durham and barely scratch the sandstone. I saw the miner's memorial on my way out, two angels holding up a coal-black slate. The last colliery closed in 1993 but the memorial stands as a testament to Durham's history: the cathedral and the pits, two symbols of a stoic city. Durham challenged Lincoln but fell just short. My story does not have a happy ending. Time seemed to slip away and so far I've visited only 36 of the 42. I missed out on some apparent unsung heroes: Bradford, Carlisle, Ripon, Truro, Wakefield and Wells — a delight, so I'm told. I plan to visit them soon. It's nice to know there's always more to see. In England's Cathedrals, Simon Jenkins writes that, in the course of building, 'masons reflected the lives of the communities around them'. I found that many cathedrals represented their people: St Paul's felt prodigious, a little arrogant; Lincoln seemed self-assured and proud; Durham proved complex and stoic; and Worcester was welcoming to humans and dogs. But that sentiment felt unfair to other places: the people of Rochester, Bristol, Coventry, Newcastle and many other towns and cities, unlike their cathedrals, remain remarkable. The joy of visiting English cathedrals is visiting England, spending time with its brilliant characters.
