5 underrated British summer destinations for less crowds and authentic culture

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Whether it’s from your English acquaintance or the overly confident tourist who’s ever been to England and hopped on a day-long hurried bus tour of Oxford, we’ve all heard the same phrase:

“You haven’t really seen Britain if you’ve only seen London.”

As annoying as it sounds, We can’t exactly argue with that.

London is a multicultural, fast-paced melting pot of cultures at its best, and amid its sprawling cosmopolitanism you may struggle to find anything traditionally English in places like Soho or Shoreditch.

Summers in London are fast and lively, but head to the British coast, where the salty breeze and seagulls circle overhead, and you might just fall in love with Britain for something slower and, well, more quintessentially English.

Away from the noise of London Town, here they are 5 underrated British destinations for less crowds and more authentic British culture this summer:

PLUS: We’ve created an interactive quiz for you at the end of this article to help you find your perfect match!

Isle of Wight

Island In England

Isle of Wight, England’s largest island, located off the country’s south coast, is a tranquil summer holiday resort known for its dramatic cliffs, lighthouse views and an abundance of sandy beaches.

Note: this isn’t the Mediterranean, so keep that in mind before you jump straight into the water at Shanklin, but on the odd blistering hot summer day, the icy North Atlantic Ocean can feel quite refreshing. Just like a scoop of ice cream from The Salix Cafe, right on the sand.

Speaking of Shanklin, don’t miss the village’s cute, colorful beach huts, thatched cottages and picture-postcard streets.

Apart from the picturesque beaches, the Real must-sees on Isle of Wight in summer? Easy: the needles. These are a wild series of chalk piles juts straight out of the sea on the western edge of the island. If the Cliffs of Dover impressed you, just wait… The Needles hit differently.

Fancy a bit of culture? Head to Osborne House, just outside East Cowes. It’s the former home of Queen Victoria, with huge gardens and sea views that go on and on. Nice and grand, but relaxed enough to wander around at your own pace.

And honestly, one of the coolest things you can do on the island? Hop on the Isle of Wight steam train. You drift through this lush, green landscape as if you have traveled back in time a hundred years.

Truro

Cornwall

St Ives/Penzance may be the unofficial summer capital of Britain, but if you want to experience some real Cornish culture without the chaos and avoid those weekend campers, the region’s capital, and one and only city, is where you need to be.

Think of charming Georgian-era streets filled with boutiques and real old-fashioned pubsa relaxed seaside atmosphere without all the madness, and of course the architectural showstopper that anchors it all: Truro Cathedral, a Gothic stunner with three spires, which is actually quite rare in Britain.

The center of Truro is a little inland, but it’s an easy 15-20 minute drive to some of Cornwall’s most beautiful beaches, including Perranporth, a surfing hotspot, Gyllyngvase (in Flamouth), known for its golden sands and swimmable waters, and Loe, lake for chilling out and admiring the mooring boats.

In practice, Truro is the perfect base to reach Cornwall’s best beacheswithout being stuck in a busy seaside resort.

Oh, and for the foodies among us: don’t sleep on Lemon Quay. On Wednesdays and Saturdays it hosts the Truro Farmers Market, the place to try local Cornish delicacies such as Cornish pasties and freshly caught mackerel.

Wondering how safe Britain is to visit right now? Travelers have reported in our Safety Index, giving it a current score of 88/100. Help other travelers by voting below:

Llandudno

North Wales

For those who don’t mind a long five-hour drive from London, or who are already near Liverpool or Manchester, for example, Llandudno in Wales is the perfect long weekend getaway if you’re in desperate need of breathing in that fresh sea breeze.

It happens to be one of the best preserved and most beautiful, if we may say, in Britain Victorian coast resorts. Think less tacky hotels, arcades and neon signs, and more old-world charm: a wide promenade, pastel-colored townhouses and sweeping coastal views.

Llandudno Pier is the classic British pier that extends far into the sea, lined with small shops and snack stalls, while North Shore Beach is the main swimming spot in town.

It is mainly pebbles, with a few patches of sand here and there, but it is close to the city center, and super convenient to reach on foot.

Now for that wide sandy beach at low tide, head to West Shore Beach. Ideal for peaceful walks, sunset watching and swimming if you can brave the cold Irish Sea. Again, this isn’t the Med, so temper your expectations.

You don’t come to a British seaside resort to spend a whole day on the beach, dipping in and out of the warm water.

Even if the sea is stormy and it’s black above Bill’s mother’s, your weekend won’t be ruined at all: take the Great Orme Tramway and drive up the hill of the same name for stunning views over the city and the Irish Sea, or wander the windswept headland for that real rugged coastal feeling.

Saint Andrew

Scotland

If you’re ever in Edinburgh or Glasgow and the heavy traffic and sheer crowds wear you out, know that there’s a quiet, unassuming, underrated university town right on the shores of the North Sea, just a short car journey away.

Saint Andrew is the A kind of Scottish Oxfordexcept by the sea: a super traditional university town where the occasional strange, idiosyncratic royal family is a guest. Prince William and Kate met there when they were both studying at university.

Located on the North Sea coast, West Sands Beach is a seemingly endless ribbon of sand that changes character depending on the tides and weather, from golden tranquility to wild and cinematic Scottish weather.

On the edge of the city, the ruins of St Andrews Cathedral are the real showstopper. It rises above the headland with its broken arches and crumbling towers that still dominate the skyline despite the centuries that have passed.

Nearby is the equally ruined but equally picturesque St. Andrews Castle, right on the edge of the cliff, with waves crashing at the foot of its defensive walls.

In the heart of the city, the century-old University of St Andrews breathes the steady hum of student life into what would otherwise be sleepy cobbled streets, and the quirky bookshops and cafes, nestled among century-old buildings, only add to its understated charm.

Whitby

Yorkshire

Within easy reach of York, in northern England, Whitby is an English coastal treasure sure to delight Dark Academia visitors. It literally looks like it it jumped straight from the pages of a gothic novel that forgot to end.

It is located right at the point on the Yorkshire coast where the picturesque River Esk meets the North Sea, with two sides of the town separated by a harbor and connected by a swing bridge.

On one side you will find an informal fishing village, with narrow streets, chippies everywhere and boats floating around the harbour. On the other side, the alleys climb quickly up a cliff, into a pile of weathered detached houses and pubs.

At the very top is the real drama: the ruins of Whitby Abbey, perched on a headland with its ruined arches and sweeping views over the coast. Apart from the coastal scenery and salty air, the abbey is the main reason people travel to Whitby: it is moody, atmospheric and slightly spooky.

Bram Stoker actually visited Whitby while writing his timeless novel Draculaand used the abbey ruins and cliff as inspiration for parts of the story.

It’s not an English weekend getaway without a historic train journey, so if time permits, take the North Yorkshire Moors Railway from Whitby to Pickering.

A Harry Potter-esque steam locomotive that travels through the lush countryside, past beautiful rolling moors and quaint villages, with full vintage carriages and a wood-panelled interior.

Take this quiz now to find your perfect match!

Vinicius Costa

Vini, our senior head writer at Travel Off Path, has over 60 countries to his name (and is currently weaving stories from Paris!), and a knack for turning off-the-beaten-path experiences into informative stories that will have you packing your bags.