Ditto with this gorgeous beach – it’s just a short drive from Flamborough and also Robin Hood’s Bay, a classic bit of English seaside.

8. Brighton

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Because it’s hard to beat a traditional, retro day out on Brighton’s coastline.

9. Newquay

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Who can resist a trip to Cornwall on a hot summer’s day?

10. Lulworth Cove

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The Dorset spot attracts over 500,000 visitors a year, and we can totally see why.

11. Whiterocks Beach

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This Northern Irish town is popular with surfers and walkers alike, and we don’t blame them – we’d want to take in those views every day if we could.

12. Luskentyre Bay

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It might take you rather a while to get there (it’s a 15 hour drive from London), but the peace and quiet you’ll experience will more than validate the journey.

13. Traigh Mhòr

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This Scottish beach may be hard to pronounce, but it’s easy to fall in love with.

14. Porthcurno

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This beautiful village in West Cornwall is popular with families and surfers alike.

15. Barra

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This island in the Outer Hebrides in Scotland has the sort of sandy beaches you’ll find it hard to drag yourself away from.

16. Pentle Bay

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This beach is, surprisingly, not located in a far-flung, tropical land but in the Scilly Isles.

17. West Wittering

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This West Sussex beach is quiet, remote, and exactly where we want to wile away our Sunday afternoons this summer.

18. Compton Bay

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We could spend months on this bay in the southwest section of the Isle of Wight, with two miles of sands to stroll on at sunset.

Britain has many stereotypes, mainly that its inhabitants are polite but repressed, love tea and thrive in a constantly grey and rainy environment. While it’s a common joke that Britain gets about two weeks of sun throughout a whole year (and to some extent true), there’s a lot to love.

There are beautiful landscapes and picturesque towns that look as though they belong in more exotic destinations around the world, so we’ve rounded up these eleven places you won’t believe are in the UK.

1. Kynance Cove, England

One of the most stunning beaches in the UK (if not the world) is Kynance Cove, on Cornwall’s Lizard Peninsula in the southwest of England. The cliffs overlooking the cove are part of the South West Coast Path, which connects Somerset to Dorset and the cove itself has been the source of inspiration for many, including poet Alfred Tennyson. Not to mention that’s been used as a location for multiple TV series time and time again.

2. Portmeirion, Wales

Photo credit: MrFreekie via VisualHunt.com / CC BY-ND

The colour and architecture of Portmeirion make this village perhaps one of the most surprising places to discover is actually in the UK. You wouldn’t be blamed for thinking it would fit in better in mainland Europe, as it was designed in the style of an Italian village and is well known for its gardens, cottages and coastal walks. Don’t bring your dog, though, they’re sadly not allowed in Portmeirion.

3. Jurassic Coast, England

Photo credit: Kyle Taylor, Dream It. Do It. via Visual Hunt / CC BY

Stretching roughly 95 miles from Devon to Dorset in southern England, the Jurassic Coast is as exciting as it sounds. As you might have guessed, it’s named because of its significance in unveiling the Earth’s history across 185 million years, including fossils, which you’re still able to come across on some beaches.

Do you want to travel in England being part of a small group tour? Check our options here.

There are bundles of beautiful places on the Jurassic Coast to check out, like Durdle Door near Lulworth, a natural limestone arch adjoined to a beach and vibrant blue water.

4. Norfolk Lavender Fields, England

Photo credit: Karen Roe via Visualhunt / CC BY

Norfolk is a county in England that has multiple charming, picturesque villages, beaches and even lavender fields. No need to head to Provence in France, Britain has the wonderfully scented flowers only two hours from London. Norfolk Lavender has over 100 acres of lavender fields, a lavender oil distillery, an animal garden and a tearoom and restaurant, where you’ll find an array of lavender-themed treats, like scones and cake.

5. Isle of Skye, Scotland

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The Isle of Skye has a lot of love from publications like National Geographic, notably being rated as one of the world’s top 50 Tours of a Lifetime. It’s easy to see why, as this largest and northernmost island of Scotland’s Inner Hebrides is utterly striking, with dramatic mountainous scenery covering the landscape.

Make sure you look for The Storr, Neist Point and Mealt Falls, the latter of which has a resemblance to Venezuela’s Angel Falls – or if you’d rather, Paradise Falls in Disney’s Up.

6. Bidean nam Bian, Scotland

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Bidean Nam Bian, apart from being super fun to say, is a stunning mountain near Glencoe in Scotland and part of a breathtaking landscape. It’s the highest mountain of the range at 3,770 ft and is steep and rocky to climb, so if you’re up for the challenge, come prepared. You’ll be rewarded with amazing views which will make you realise how British scenery can continue to surprise you, again and again.

7. Blue Lagoon, Wales

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The site of a former slate quarry, the Blue Lagoon in Pembrokeshire is a unique reminder of Wales’ industrial past. Over the past century, the outer wall was breached and now the sea water has pooled into the area to form a picturesque blue lagoon. Although it’s obviously not used in the slate industry anymore, it still gets put to use as a swimming hole and cliff-diving site from the rocks above.

8. Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, Northern Ireland

Photo credit: portengaround via VisualHunt.com / CC BY-SA

First created by salmon fishermen in 1755 as a platform from which to cast their nets into the Atlantic Ocean, the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge is now a tourist attraction in County Antrim for those daring enough to tread the rickety structure.

It’s suspended almost 100 ft (30 m) above sea level and offers awesome views for the brave souls who choose to cross it. At only £7 for an adult, this adrenaline rush is a bargain! It’s also close to the phenomenal Giant’s Causeway, so well worth a stop.

9. The Dark Hedges, Northern Ireland

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This tunnel-like avenue made of intertwined beech trees in Ballymoney can be eerie, romantic or just simply fascinating, depending on how you look at it. You might sway on the spooky-but-beautiful side, considering that this road was used as a filming location in Game of Thrones – plus, the name ‘The Dark Hedges’ doesn’t exactly convey rainbows and butterflies. Head there early as most travellers arrive in the afternoon, and pro-trip, the best photo opportunities are from the south end.

10. Isles of Scilly

An archipelago off the southwestern tip of Cornwall in England (and officially the southernmost location in the United Kingdom), the population of the Isles of Scilly isn’t much more than 2,000, keeping this beautiful location pretty successfully under wraps so far.

The view from the plane (you’ll have to fly from Newquay, Exeter or Land’s End to get here) will have you believing your flight diverted to the Caribbean once you glimpse those electric blue waters. Once there, admire the Tresco Abbey Gardens (real palm trees in Britain – this is not a drill!) and snorkel with seals in St Martin’s.

11. Royal Pavilion, Brighton, England

Photo credit: Leonski via VisualHunt / CC BY-ND

Brighton is a fairly well-known place outside of the UK, and an extremely popular city within it. However, the grandeur of the Royal Pavilion is often taken for granted: in this laid-back, artsy city stands the majestic building that isn’t too dissimilar to the Taj Mahal.

As a matter of fact, it was built for King George IV in the Indo-Saracenic style popular in 19th century India. Throughout history, the Royal Pavilion has also been a military hospital during the First World War.

What is the most photographed in England?

The London Eye. Offering stunning views against the backdrop of London's iconic skyline, it's no wonder this giant wheel is the most photographed location in the UK, according to Instagram data. ... .

Big Ben. ... .

Tower Bridge. ... .

Buckingham Palace. ... .

Stonehenge. ... .

Natural History Museum. ... .

Edinburgh Castle. ... .

Tower of London..

What is the most iconic picture in English history?

1 Titanic. This iconic photograph in history was taken on April 10, 1912, by the Scottish photographer Francis Godolphin Osbourne Stuart. On this day, the Titanic—one of the largest ships of the 20th century—departed from Southampton port, heading for New York.null10 Famous Photographs In The UK And The Commonwealthjetsettimes.com › inspiration › advice-hacks › 10-famous-photographs-in-t...null

What is the best view in England?

10 Best Viewpoints in the UK.

Durdle Door. An iconic archway on England's south coast. ... .

Beachy Head. Enjoy the view from Britain's tallest chalk sea cliff. ... .

See also. 9 Best Summer Destinations for UK Travellers. ... .

Snowdonia National Park. Stand on the top of Wales. ... .

Arthur's Seat. ... .

Giant's Causeway. ... .

Cheddar Gorge. ... .

White Cliffs of Dover..

What is the oldest picture taken in England?

The oldest photograph of London This still familiar view of Whitehall is usually reckoned to be the earliest surviving photograph of London. It was taken by Frenchman Monsieur de St Croixin in 1839 using the technique pioneered by Louis Daguerre a few months before.nullWhat's The Oldest Picture Of London?londonist.com › art-and-photography › oldest-photograph-drawing-londonnull