Great Britain itinerary

Britain's capital city will be your first stop if you travel by train from continental Europe. Rub shoulders with some of its nearly 10 million residents, as you take in iconic attractions, like Big Ben, Buckingham Palace and the Shard. Then get out of the hustle and bustle and take the Tube to taste local life in neighborhoods like Camden, Shoreditch and Hackney.

• Take a spin in the London Eye, celebrating its 25th birthday in 2025, for some of the best aerial views of the city.
• See something new at one of London's many free museums, from whales skeletons at the Natural History Museum to trailblazing art at Tate Modern.
• Head to the West End to browse shops on Oxford and Regent Streets by day and catch a world-class musical or play at the theater by night.

York, in northern England, is an ideal city to discover Britain’s rich history of settlers and conquerors. The Romans founded it as Eboracum and made it the capital of Roman Britain. Later, it was at the center of Britain’s Viking invasion and renamed Jorvik. Nowadays, it is a charming city with many historical buildings within its medieval walled center. 

• Take in the historical granduer of York Minster, one of Europe's largest Gothic cathedrals, then walk the city walls, the longest of their kind in England.
• Visit the Jorvik Viking Centre to learn more about life during Britain's viking period.

The capital of Scotland is Britain's festival city, host of 11 international festivals throughout the year, showcasing literature, movies, dance and, of course, comedy and theater at the summer Fringe. Visiting when you can't get lost at a festival? Get lost amongst the tenements, cobbled closes and stairways of the UNESCO World Heritage Old Town.

• Summit one of Edinburgh's (extinct) volcanic hills for panoramic views of the city. Hike up Arthur's Seat if you fancy a countryside workout, climb up Calton Hill for a sunset picnic, or stroll into Edinburgh Castle for some history.
• Come face to face with Scottish history and Dolly the Sheep at the National Museum of Scotland.
• Stroll along the Royal Mile through the heart of Old Town, all the way from the Castle to the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

Scotland’s largest city is famous for its art nouveau and Victorian architecture and riotous nightlife, centred around George Square. Glasgow is also the gateway to Scotland's wild nature, with ScotRail trains headed north towards Loch Lomond, the Highlands and the Hebridean islands.

• Art lover? Visit Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum and the Gallery of Modern Art, before hunting down eye-catching street murals.
• Head to the River Clyde to see Glasgow’s sleek modern side, including the Riverside Museum of transport, the SSE Hydro and Glasgow Science Centre.
• Take a 3 hours 50 minutes train to Fort William to see or ride across Britain's most famous stretch of railway: the Glenfinnan Viaduct of Hogwarts Express fame.

The small town of Windermere sits on the banks of Lake Windermere, the largest of 16 lakes that make up England's Lake District National Park. Take in the scenery that inspired some of England's greatest writers and artists by hiking amongst England's highest mountains, exploring nearby villages by bus, or just relaxing lakeside.

• Get on the water by hiring all manner of boats: motor boats, canoes, dingies or paddleboards. Or just take a lake cruise!
• Reignite childhood memories or create new ones with your family at The World of Beatrix Potter, a museum dedicated to the Lakes-based writer of Peter Rabbit and other animal tales.
• Scale Scafell Pike, England's highest mountain, or take on one of the national park's "Miles without Stiles" accessible rambling routes.

For The Beatles, of course. But Liverpool is a maritime city with much more to offer, from its historical city center to the renovated Royal Albert Dock and Waterfront, as well as a couple of rather well-known football teams.

• Beatles fan? Head to The Beatles Story Museum by day, then see who's playing the hallowed Cavern Club by night.
• Fan of music in general? The British Music Experience traces the development of the British record industry, with memorabilia from Bowie, Adele, Oasis and more.
• Crown your visit with a tour of the Royal Liver Building. You can climb its tower (topped by the city’s Liver bird) for 360 views. 

Get the classic British seaside experience in the Victorian resort town of Llandudno, complete with a promenade, pier and games arcade. Just grab some fish and chips to eat on the beach! Llandudno is just a short train ride or drive away from Eryri National Park (Snowdonia), where magnificent mountains and mining towns are connected to the sea by heritage railways.

• Take a quiet walk along Llandudno's West Shore Beach and Great Orme headland or, if you’re feeling energetic, head into Eryri (Snowdonia) for a trek up Wales' highest mountain, Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon).
• Imagine the life of royals and nobles at pristine medieval castles in Conwy and Caernarfon. 

The capital of Wales is the hub for all things Welsh, with a spectacular city center castle, world-class rugby stadium and impressive Millennium Centre for the arts. The open-air St Fagans National Museum of History and even more castles are just out of town.

• Walk the opulent interior of the famous Cardiff Castle, which dates back to the 11th century.
• Visit Cardiff Bay, a regenerated marina with modern and historic buildings side-by-side, and catch an opera, choir or musical at the Millennium Centre.
• Rugby fan? Watch a game at the National Stadium of Wales for a truly Welsh experience.

Southwest England's biggest cities are the gateway to the Devon and Cornwall coasts and the villages of the Cotswolds. But Bristol and Bath themselves have a lot to offer too, set amongst rolling hills, with culture and history aplenty, and just 11 minutes apart by train!

• Bath is best for history, with its namesake, the Roman Baths, and a Georgian historic city center which was home to Jane Austen. 
• Bristol is best for its vibrant culture in both arts and music, home of Banksy street art and Aardman Animations (Wallace and Gromit, Chicken Run). 
• Round off your British trip with a walk across Clifton Suspension Bridge.

Theo Stell is a content writer at Eurail, based in Rotterdam, Netherlands, but hailing from the southwest of England, not far from Bath. During his youth, he was lucky to see much of his home country, from Yorkshire to Lancashire and Scotland to North Wales, before hopping across the North Sea to continue his travels in continental Europe by train.