Time Out has released its list of the 15 best places to visit in the UK in 2024, with the English city of Bristol taking the top spot for its combination of picture-perfect streets, a bustling nightlife scene and its cultural offering going from strength to strength in 2024.

Hot air balloons over the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol (credit: VisitBritain / Eric Nathan)

This year’s list, which features picturesque seaside towns, buzzing cities and other-worldly islands, was curated by Time Out’s network of editors and contributors, who ranked the places based on their current dining, drinking and arts scenes, as well as exciting new openings and big events in the year to come. Time Out is a global online publication which aims to inspire and enable people to discover and experience the best of the world’s cities.

According to Time Out, there’s something for everyone in Bristol, in south west England. Its cultural scene is as exciting as London’s, it has picture-perfect streets and buildings and a bustling, diverse nightlife. Undershed, a new immersive gallery, is on track to launch in spring; Boxhall, a street food, beer and events space from the people behind London’s Boxpark contemporary shopping and eating mall, will also open its doors, and DIASPORA, a brand-new festival showcasing global ethnic artists across theatre, dance, music, visual and digital arts, as well as poetry and spoken word, is launching in May.  

The Deep in Hull, one of the most spectacular aquariums in the world

Next on the Time Out list comes Hull, on the east coast of Yorkshire in northern England, which has become a surprising capital for the UK’s LGBTQ+ community, with an influx of new bars and clubs in the city’s ‘Freedom Quarter’. In addition, there is a picturesque old town plus lots of independent art galleries and a world-class aquarium.

The Isles of Scilly complete the top three, the UK’s answer to the Caribbean with stretches of white sandy beaches and plenty of opportunities for island hopping. There’s more too: local ales at seaside pubs and a celebrated annual food festival.

St Mary’s Old Town Beach, Isles of Scilly © Visit Isles of Scilly

Chiara Wilkinson, Features Editor at Time Out UK, said: “We’re over the moon to share our Time Out list of the best places to visit in the UK in 2024. These destinations have buzzy new openings, excellent food and drink offerings and pinch-me-moment landscapes. With its vibrant cultural scene set to get even bigger next year, Bristol was a deserving winner – but it was also great to see underrated destinations like Hull, Wrexham and Falmouth take their spots in the top 15.”

London, the vibrant UK capital, was fourth on the list – a perennial favourite that’s always worth a visit on a trip to the UK. Belfast, the up-and-coming capital of Northern Ireland came in fifth, and is crammed with state-of-the-art attractions, friendly pubs, and cultural landmarks, as well as being surrounded by some of the most beautiful countryside in the United Kingdom.

Titanic Belfast © Northern Ireland Tourist Board

Scotland was represented twice on the list. The friendly seaside resort of St Andrews was in sixth place. While perhaps best known as the home of golf, the town regularly tops the list of the best seaside destinations in Britain. Ullapool, on Scotland’s north east coast, has been described as one of the most underrated travel destinations in Europe, but is well worth a visit for its fabulous scenery, delicious seafood and thriving music scene.

Ullapool Harbour © VisitScotland / Kenny Lam

Wrexham in Wales completes the list, and what a few years it has been for the city! Awarded with city status in 2022, Wrexham is reaching the attention of an international audience thanks to the acquisition of its football club by a couple of Hollywood stars, and the accompanying TV documentary series, Welcome to Wrexham. It’s not just soccer fans that are flocking to the city though, as growing numbers of travellers head to Wrexham and the wonderful surrounding countryside.

Wrexham – Wales’s newest city © Hawlfraint y Goron / © Crown copyright (2023) Cymru Wales

Janet Redler, Managing Director of Janet Redler Travel, said: “The Time Out list demonstrates once again just how much diversity and dynamism there is in the United Kingdom and visitors to our shores can expect to experience some of the best food, drink, culture and attractions anywhere in the world.”

The full list of Time Out’s Best Places to Visit in the UK in 2024 can be found here: timeout.com/uk/things-to-do/best-places-to-visit-in-the-uk-2024

1. Bristol
2. Hull
3. Isles of Scilly
4. London
5. Belfast
6. St Andrews
7. Lewes
8. Newcastle
9. Falmouth
10. Manchester
11. Ramsgate
12. Norwich
13. Alnmouth
14. Ullapool
15. Wrexham

If you or your group would like to enjoy a tailor-made tour of the United Kingdom in 2024, including visits to some – or all – of the destinations identified by Time Out, please do contact our friendly team today.