Things to do in England

Travel to England

As soon as I finished university I hop-footed it to England and ended up staying for two and a half years. There is something irresistible about a country so rich in history, myth, fashion, art and scenic hills and dales, not to mention punk rock, the Beatles and Twiggy. When it comes to popular travel destinations, England is a tried and true favourite and you'll never run out of things to do.

The bigger issue is to narrow it down. To help you, here are some of England's top tourist attractions, many are in London, but you'd be missing out if you stick to the capital. In every corner of this fascinating British country, it seems as if there is something new and intriguing to see.

Here are some of the top things to do in England:

• Visit the British Museum in London: Located on Great Russel Street in the historic literary centre of London, the British Museum is dedicated to human history, art and culture. Top things to see include the Rosetta Stone, the Parthenon sculptures (also known as the Elgin Marbles) and the Royal Game of Ur.

• See the Tower of London: If you love the Tudors and scandalous royal history, there is no better destination than the Tower of London in the east end. You can do a Yeoman Warder Guided Tour, see the exquisite Crown Jewels or just imagine the tragic stories of Anne Boleyn, Lady Jane Grey and so many others as they walked to the block on the Tower Green.

Make a day trip to Windsor Castle, the oldest occupied castle on the planet. The family residence of the British royals for more than 1,000 years, Windsor Castle is still home to the Queen, who spends many weekends here. Who knows? When you're touring the castle you just might run a royal and get invited in for tea. Er, maybe not.

• Take a trip to Stonehenge. Located 8 miles from Salisbury in Wiltshire, this ancient stone circle is one of the most famous mythic sights in the world and more than 5,000 years old.

• Tour the Roman Baths in Bath. From Celts and Romans to Jane Austen and the Georgians, touring the Roman Baths in the exquisite city of Bath is a step into England's liquid history.

• Check out Oxford University. Dating back to the 11th century, Oxford University is the oldest university in England and a mighty symbol of learning and scholarship. Here you can tour the Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology that opened in 1683 and tour the famous Bodleian Library.

• Head north to Hadrian's Wall, the ancient Roman wall that spans 73 miles from sea to sea. Dating back to 122, Hadrian's Wall was built to defend the Roman province of Britannia.

• Make a pilgrimage to Canterbury. A UNESCO World Heritage Site and the focus point of Geoffrey Chaucer’s classic Canterbury Tales, this British town is dripping with history, and not all of it good - Canterbury Cathedral was the site of Thomas Becket’s murder in 1170.