United Kingdom
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Northern Europe · GBR
Editorial Snapshot
Why Go To United Kingdom
The United Kingdom is one of the easiest long-haul and intra-Europe choices for travelers who want major cities, museums, smaller historic towns, and enough regional contrast to justify repeat visits. It can be built around London, a rail-heavy England and Scotland route, or a more focused trip centered on the Cotswolds, Edinburgh, or the coast.
Popular For
Things To See
- London
- Edinburgh
- Bath
- Cotswolds
- Lake District
- York
Best Months
Know Before You Go
- Late spring through early fall is the easiest window for rail trips, walking-heavy city itineraries, and countryside stays.
- The UK is better approached as London plus one or two regions rather than trying to do England, Scotland, and Wales all in one trip.
- High-demand London hotels, major exhibitions, and popular summer routes are easier to handle with advance booking.
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Flights
Hotels & Accommodations
Compare stays across major booking options
Open hotel and accommodation options for United Kingdom.
Guidebooks
Rick Steves England
Rick Steves
Comprehensive guide to England with insider tips, strategic itineraries, and practical advice.
View on Amazon →
Fodor's Essential England
Fodor's Travel Guides
Full-color guide to England's top attractions with expert recommendations.
View on Amazon →
Fodor's Essential Great Britain
Fodor's Travel Guides
Comprehensive guide covering England, Scotland, and Wales with curated attractions and dining.
View on Amazon →Tours & Activities
Country Data
Stats At A Glance
Practical travel, safety, climate, and quality-of-life stats for United Kingdom.
Quick Facts
- Capital
- London
- Population
- 69,281,437
- Area
- 244,376 km²
- Region
- Northern Europe
Languages
- English
Currency
British pound (£)
GBP
1 USD = 0.73 GBP
Cost of Living (World Bank)
84.9
Price level index (US = 100)
- Groceries
- 62.8
- Restaurants
- 72.9
- Rent
- 32.1
Safety & Peace
higher score = safer everyday environment · derived from World Bank homicide data
lower score = more peaceful · 1.0–3.5 scale
Monthly Climate Averages
These weather averages are based on data for London (51.50°N, 0.08°W).
LGBTQ+ Friendly
82/100
Traveler LGBTQ score
- Legal protections
- 90/100
- Lived safety
- 66/100
This traveler-facing score is lower than the legal protections score because lived-safety context is weaker, based on broader traveler safety and development conditions.
This score blends legal protections with lived-safety context so strong laws alone do not automatically push a country to the top of the ranking.
- Homosexuality legal✅
- Relationship recognitionMarriage
- Adoption recognition✅
- Anti-discrimination laws✅
- Employment protections✅
- Legal gender recognition✅
- Conversion therapy ban❌
Human Development Index (UNDP)
0.946
Very high human development
- 5-year change
- +0.010
- 10-year change
- +0.015
- Trend
- stable
- Data year
- 2023
- Gender Dev. Index (GDI)
- 0.979
- Gender Inequality Index (GII)
- 0.083
- Planetary-adjusted HDI (PHDI)
- 0.827
UNESCO World Heritage Sites (35)
- 🌿
The Flow Country
Inscribed 2024
- 🏛️
The Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales
Inscribed 2021
- 🏛️
The Great Spa Towns of Europe
Inscribed 2021
- 🏛️
Jodrell Bank Observatory
Inscribed 2019
- 🏛️
The English Lake District
Inscribed 2017
- 🏛️
Gorham's Cave Complex
Inscribed 2016
- 🏛️
Moravian Church Settlements
Inscribed 2015
- 🏛️
The Forth Bridge
Inscribed 2015
- 🏛️
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal
Inscribed 2009
- 🏛️
Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape
Inscribed 2006
- 🏛️
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Inscribed 2003
- 🌿
Dorset and East Devon Coast
Inscribed 2001
- 🏛️
Saltaire
Inscribed 2001
- 🏛️
New Lanark
Inscribed 2001
- 🏛️
Derwent Valley Mills
Inscribed 2001
- 🏛️
Blaenavon Industrial Landscape
Inscribed 2000
- 🏛️
Historic Town of St George and Related Fortifications, Bermuda
Inscribed 2000
- 🏛️
Heart of Neolithic Orkney
Inscribed 1999
- 🏛️
Maritime Greenwich
Inscribed 1997
- 🏛️
Old and New Towns of Edinburgh
Inscribed 1995
- 🌿
Gough and Inaccessible Islands
Inscribed 1995
- 🏛️
Tower of London
Inscribed 1988
- 🌿
Henderson Island
Inscribed 1988
- 🏛️
Canterbury Cathedral, St Augustine's Abbey, and St Martin's Church
Inscribed 1988
- 🏛️
Blenheim Palace
Inscribed 1987
- 🏛️
Palace of Westminster and Westminster Abbey including Saint Margaret’s Church
Inscribed 1987
- 🏛️
City of Bath
Inscribed 1987
- 🏛️
Frontiers of the Roman Empire
Inscribed 1987
- 🏛️
Ironbridge Gorge
Inscribed 1986
- 🏛️
Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd
Inscribed 1986
- 🏛️
Durham Castle and Cathedral
Inscribed 1986
- 🏛️
Studley Royal Park including the Ruins of Fountains Abbey
Inscribed 1986
- 🏛️
Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites
Inscribed 1986
- 🌿
Giant's Causeway and Causeway Coast
Inscribed 1986
- 🌍
St Kilda
Inscribed 1986
Natural Beauty (World Bank)
- Protected land area
- 28.4%
- Forest cover
- 13.3%
Source: World Bank.
Wildlife & Birdwatching
- Threatened mammal species (IUCN)
- 4
- Threatened bird species (IUCN)
- 11
Source: World Bank / IUCN Red List. Higher counts indicate richer biodiversity, typically in tropical rainforest, island, and savannah ecosystems.
Food & Cuisine
73/100
Food and dining score
Built from two layers: dining-scene breadth and open prestige signals. We combine restaurant density, cuisine diversity, distinguished restaurants, and gastronomy-city recognitions from open data sources.
Winter Sports
36/100
Ski infrastructure & alpine pedigree
Combines ski resort depth, ski resort density, and Winter Olympic skiing results. Separate from climate comfort.
Luxury Infrastructure
51/100
Luxury & premium accommodation score
Based on OpenStreetMap luxury hotel density and World Bank international tourism receipts.
US Travel Advisory
Reissued after periodic review with minor edits. Exercise increased caution in the United Kingdom due to terrorism. Country Summary: There is risk of terrorist violence, including terrorist attacks and other activity in the United Kingdom. Visit the U.S. Department of State's country reports on terrorism to learn more. Terrorist groups continue plotting possible attacks in the United Kingdom. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, local government facilities, hotels, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, parks, major sporting and cultural events, concerts, educational institutions, airports, and other public areas. There is also risk of isolated violence by dissident groups in Northern Ireland, focused primarily on police and military targets. Read the country information page for additional information on travel to the United Kingdom. If you decide to travel to the United Kingdom: Be aware of your surroundings when traveling to tourist locations and crowded public venues. Follow the instructions of local authorities. Check local media for breaking events and adjust your plans based on new information. Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency. Review the Country Security Report for the United Kingdom. Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the Traveler’s Checklist. Visit the CDC page for the latest Travel Health Information related to your travel and return to the United States. We highly recommend that you buy insurance before you travel. Check with your travel insurance provider about evacuation assistance, medical insurance, and trip cancellation coverage.
Read full advisory →Data current as of May 2026 and subject to change. Travel advisory information is sourced from the U.S. State Department and reflects conditions at the time of data collection, not real-time conditions. Do not rely solely on this information for travel decisions. Always check current government advisories for your nationality. Terms of Use · About our data