How to see things differently in Britain in 2025
Introduction
There are celebrations galore in Britain in 2025 – and you’re invited! Join us to mark the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth, crown Bradford as the UK City of Culture and welcome top talent for the Women’s Rugby World Cup.
Throw into the mix some exciting new openings, from art galleries to boutique hotels, and the return of some old favourites. Backdrop to many a film and TV show, Britain’s breathtaking landscapes are firmly in the spotlight in 2025 – see them for yourself on a fun-filled locations tour, or head on a behind-the-scenes studio visit for a glimpse of movie magic. And pleasure-seekers, you’re in luck: whether you’re into stargazing or spa-going (or both), there’s plenty to discover on these shores.
A packed year awaits… Here’s how you can see Britain differently in 2025.
See Britain differently in 2025
Embrace the arts
Take a bow, Bradford: our new UK City of Culture for 2025, with a 1,000-strong events programme. And welcome back to the city’s National Science and Media Museum, which reopens after a once-in-a-generation transformation.
You won’t need any Persuasion to make a literary pilgrimage to the south of England, as we mark 250 years since the birth of Jane Austen. The great author’s life and literature will be remembered in the places she so loved, like Bath and Hampshire.
Part-museum, part-research centre, V&A East opens in London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park with ‘The Music Is Black: A British Story’. Other major exhibitions in the capital in 2025 include Wildlife Photographer of the Year at the Natural History Museum and Turner and Constable at Tate Britain. In fact, this year also marks J.M.W. Turner’s 250th birthday – head to the Turner Contemporary in the seaside town of Margate to see the gallery which bears his name, or explore Harewood House as it hosts a celebratory exhibition of the great painter.
Travel back in time
Did you know that it’s been 200 years since the modern railway was born – and it happened right here in Britain? Railway 200 marks this milestone with nationwide celebrations: a highlight is County Durham’s Locomotion museum opening its New Hall, where it’ll display an extra 47 locomotives from its top-notch collection. The National Railway Museum in York will also reopen its Station Hall after a three-year transformation.
Head to south-east London for another bumper birthday. The Greenwich Royal Observatory toasts 350 years in 2025 with a host of events, including the launch of its First Light project.
Brand-new for 2025 in Britain is the Inverness Castle Experience, which will take visitors on an interactive journey through this historic building while weaving in Scotland’s rich history and culture. Reopening this year is the Newport Transporter Bridge and visitor centre in south Wales, Leicester’s Jewry Wall Museum and Hull Maritime Museum.
Get starry-eyed
Telescopes at the ready: the North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales Dark Skies Festival is celebrating its 10th anniversary in spring with stargazing talks, night-time fell running and astro-photography. There’s more dark skies fun to be had at Welsh Dark Skies Week and the Cumbrian Dark Skies Festival.
It’s 20 years since the New Forest became a National Park, so why not experience this rural idyll on a farm stay? And 60 years after the Pennine Way was born, this long-distance trail along England’s rocky spine still makes a great getaway for adventure-seekers.
No matter the season, Britain’s gardens are a joy to behold. You can find these green treasures in our cities, or head to one of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS)’s five major gardens: RHS Harlow Carr in Harrogate celebrates its 75th anniversary this year. Got green fingers? The RHS’s garden festivals beckon: this year, the Society’s northern show moves from Cheshire’s Tatton Park to Wentworth Woodhouse, South Yorkshire.
Have a ball
In August, all eyes turn to our rugby pitches as the Women’s Rugby World Cup arrives in England. Our proud host cities are Brighton & Hove, Bristol, Exeter, London, Manchester, Northampton, Sunderland and York.
Experience the excitement of a football game when the Premier League season kicks off in August. Don’t despair if you’re not visiting on a match day – there are a range of stadium tours and experiences to enjoy too. And if you binge-watched Welcome to Wrexham, you’ll want to make a pilgrimage to The Racecourse to see Phil Parkinson’s men in action.
There’s more – other highlights of Britain’s overflowing sporting calendar include horse-racing at Royal Ascot, the Henley Royal Regatta, the Great North Run, the Formula 1 British Grand Prix and the Boat Race.
Put your feet up
Recharge your batteries in Britain this year with some sparkling new accommodation options. Hotel Gotham is opening in Bristol and Newcastle, The PIG on the Farm arrives near Stratford-upon-Avon and The Gallivant pitches up at East Sussex’s Littlestone Beach. In Scotland, the 300-room Ruby Hotel gives guests easy access to popular Princes Street, Edinburgh, while in north Wales, the Ty Gwyn Hotel offers luxury accommodation in sea-breezy Abersoch.
For more rest and relaxation, look no further than Britain’s spa scene. Take to the waters in the historic surroundings of Bath, or opt for a more unusual dip – how about Glasgow’s Gin Spa, the UK’s first beer spa in Norfolk or a seaweed soak in a whisky barrel at Halen Môn on Anglesey?
Put flavour first
If you’re after variety, you can experience the diversity of Britain’s dining scene at one of its food halls. Britain’s hunger for food halls shows no signs of slowing down. White Cloth Hall in Leeds recently welcomed its first diners, while we can look forward to Market Place St Paul’s in London and Preston’s Animate in 2025.
For fine dining, don’t miss Gordon Ramsay’s biggest venture yet at 22 Bishopsgate, London, where he’ll open five new restaurants – including the capital’s highest eatery. And the latest slew of Michelin-starred restaurants is revealed in the spring – the guide is a handy companion when planning your gourmet adventure around Britain.
In the drinks world, London Wine Festival will put the city’s wine scene in the spotlight, while beer fans should head west for Bristol Craft Beer Festival. Don’t worry, gin lovers – we’ve got you sorted: check out the Gin to my Tonic Craft Spirit Show in Glasgow.
Beyond the big screen
You’ve seen it on screen – now come and experience the best of Britain for yourself! Britain’s landscapes provide the backdrop for some of our best-loved films and TV shows. New releases in 2025 starring Great Britain include Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part II , the Peaky Blinders movie and The Salt Path.
Embark on a guided tour of Bridgerton’s Bath or Peaky Blinders’ Liverpool, or lose yourself in the worlds of Harry Potter or Paddington. You can even follow in the pawprints of Gromit, of Wallace and Gromit fame, in Bristol, where Aardman’s Gromit Unleashed sculpture trail will take over the streets.
It’s been 80 years since David Lean’s romantic drama Brief Encounter won hearts. Visit Carnforth Station Heritage Centre, where the film was shot, or embark on your own heritage railway adventure – from the Welsh Highland Railway to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, your carriage awaits.
A summer of festivals
Britain is a nation of party lovers and you’re never far from a festival here. Enjoy the Great British festival experience at the biggest music events on our calendar, including Reading and Leeds Festival, Isle of Wight Festival or TRNSMT in Glasgow. For an event with brilliant eco-credentials, look no further than Green Man Festival, while in beautiful Northumberland, Lindisfarne Festival marks its 10th anniversary in 2025. And with Oasis returning to the stage too, why not see what’s on at Britain’s top music venues during your visit?
Portsmouth gears up to host UK Pride in 2025, and you can also find some of Britain’s biggest LGBTQIA+ celebrations at Brighton & Hove Pride, Manchester Pride and Pride Cymru.
Have a royally good time
Congratulations to Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla on their 20th wedding anniversary in 2025! What better time to visit Highgrove, their rural idyll in the Cotswolds, where visitors can tour its manicured gardens? There’s not only Highgrove to explore: enjoy tours across royal Britain, from London’s Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.
If you’re visiting us in summer, don’t miss Scotland’s Highland games. Experience a true taste of Scotland’s heritage and community spirit at these fun-packed events, famous for their caber toss and folk dancing – and you might spot a member of the Royal Family.
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