There’s more to England than the castles, their posh accent, and the Royal Family. There’s also fish and chips, bangers and mash, and shepherd’s pie. But aside from these, you’ll get entranced with the scenery, history, and culture. London has some of the best museums in the world and it is also included in the top 4 fashion capitals of the world.
Aside from that, they have an extremely wide variety of tea. At least once in your lifetime, you have to add a music festival in England. Most of the world-famous bands and musicians hail from this place. England is the largest country in the UK both in population and landmass.
When it comes to exploring the natural and wilderness, England also has something to offer. There is the Lake District in Cumbria which is not far from the border of Scotland. All of this is just the tip of the iceberg as there are many things to see in England. This itinerary will help you plan a vacation for 3 weeks in England.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE GOING TO ENGLAND

Here are some tips that you need to know before we jump right into the itinerary. These tips can help you plan and write your itinerary for England to ensure that your vacation will have little hassle as possible.
Perhaps you want to make your vacation a 3-weeks in the UK and Ireland trip instead. If you feel like 20 days in England is too much time, you can upgrade your vacation to 3 weeks in the UK.
When is the best time to go to England
England’s peak season is from July to August. The best time to visit depends on what you plan to do. June to August is England’s warmest month, perfect for people who are fond of the beach and watersports.
While their winter season is from November to March, for those who are planning on skiing or trying out activities involving snow. England’s. The spring season is from March to May. It’s the time for sudden rain showers so make sure to always bring umbrellas or rain gear if you decide to come and their peak season is from July to August.
Are 3 weeks enough for England
3 weeks in England is plenty of time. You can travel a little slower and explore places that most tourists don’t get to see. Instead of focusing on London only, you can not just day trips to southern and northern England. You can actually go to those locations and spend a few nights.
What to pack
Regardless of when you plan to visit England, it’s vital that you bring an umbrella or a raincoat since it can pour any time of the year. But other than that, pack according to what season you plan to visit.
England has some really great hiking trails. So, If you want to go hiking, you should bring hiking shoes or boots. Check out our what to pack for a 3-week trip and look at the sample packing list. We also have a summer packing list for a 3-week holiday.
Average cost of 20 days in England
On an average budget, a 20-day trip to England could cost roughly $2,500-$3,500 per person. This includes mid-range accommodations, meals at casual restaurants, public transportation, and regular tourist attractions.
For backpackers, expect to spend around $1,200-$1,800. This involves staying in budget accommodations like hostels, eating at inexpensive eateries or self-catering, using public transport, and focusing on free or low-cost activities.
A luxury 20-day trip could cost from $5,000 to $8,000 per person, incorporating upscale accommodations, fine dining, private or first-class transportation, and premium experiences like guided tours or high-end shopping.
Note that costs could vary significantly depending on personal preferences and lifestyle. Plus, it doesn’t include your flights to and from England and travel insurance.
How to get around
Getting around England is fairly easy due to its size and well-built public transportation. It is very recommended to rent your own car if you plan to stay for 3 weeks in England. It will give you plenty of freedom and control of your time than waiting and trying to catch the bus or the train.
Another way to travel in England is by taking the train, especially for long journeys and the cheapest way is by coaches. You can also travel by car or through their coasts and waterways. You can move around by car, railway, bus, or rent a push bike for moving around the cities.
Language and Currency
England’s currency is the pound sterling (GBP). Debit cards, credit cards, and contactless payments are common in Britain. You will be able to find ATMs in almost every corner of the country. If you plan to carry cash about £100 in total would be plenty.
The main language in England is English. In some iconic landmarks, you might see things written in different languages, although rare.
Visa and COVID-19 protocol
Visitors with passports from North America, Latin America, Europe, East Asia, and some Oceania don’t need a visa to enter and travel to the UK for 180 days. If you are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, you don’t need to present a negative test result, but for an unvaccinated tourist, you might have to undergo a test or quarantine. You can find more information here.
Other travel tips
Arranging flights, hotels, and other travel arrangements is done online now. Knowing which sites you can book these things without paying too much is very helpful. I use these travel tools whenever booking my accommodations and transportation.
PINNED MAP OF MUST-SEE PLACES IN ENGLAND
Click the enlarge button on the top right corner. Credit: map data: Google
3 WEEKS IN ENGLAND ITINERARY
Exploring England means visiting many historical spots and iconic landmarks and structures, including Big Ben, London Bridge, London Eye, Stonehenge, and the red phone booth, to name a few.
England is passionate when it comes to sports, and the locals take them very seriously. This includes football, cricket, tennis, and rugby. If England is not enough for you, you can always make an itinerary that covers entire western Europe for 3 weeks.
London for 5 days
3 weeks in England have to include London especially if you haven’t been here before. There are so many things to see in London, including the world’s largest library, exquisite architecture, museums, and exhibition spaces. They also have an extensive theatre scene and diverse food and cuisine option
. When you are in London, you must see a theatre show at least once. I also recommend you get a hop-on hop-off bus ticket to make moving around a little easier.

Things to see in London
- Tower of London and Crown of Jewels – you can book a tour
- Tower Bridge and Big Ben
- Join a fun Harry Potter guided walking tour and get a ticket to Harry Potter Warner Bros Studio
- The British Museum
- Kensington Palace – you can join a sightseeing tour
- Buckingham Palace
- Book a spooky Jack the Ripper tour
- Westminster Abbey – hop on a boat cruise from Westminster to Greenwich
- The National Gallery
- London Eye – you can get a fast-track ticket to save time
- Picadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square
- Madame Tussauds – visit one of the most popular museums in London, get your entry ticket
- Windsor Castle – get your admission ticket
- The Shard – you can get a ticket to enjoy a panoramic view
Accommodations in London
- Affordable: Hootananny Hostel or Dover Castle Hostel or The Phoenix Hostel
- Mid-range: Central Hotel or Keystone House or Studios2Let
- Luxury: The Londoner or The Ampersand Hotel or One Hundred Shoreditch
Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield, Leeds for 5 days
Manchester is where the first professional football league was formed. You could also enjoy traces and the legacy of the 25 Nobel prize awardees throughout the place. On the other hand, Liverpool is famous for its ferry trips, the Liverpool Cathedral, and Royal Albert Dock, among others.
Sheffield is one of the greenest cities in the UK despite being coined steel city because it produces steel. They have Sheffield Legends Plaques, the counterpart of Hollywood’s Walk of Fame.
Leeds is famous for housing the oldest commercial railway in the world, having the world’s most significant animal armour, and having the longest-running West Indian Carnival in Europe.
While exploring Northern England, you can base yourself in Manchester or Liverpool, which has plenty of hotels. Getting from these cities to other parts of this region is very easy.

Things to see in these cities
Manchester:
- Explore Manchester on a city bus – get your ticket
- Castlefield Canals
- Science and Industry Museum
- Coronation Street – explore with a local guide
- Manchester Cathedral
- National Football Museum – check the tour itinerary
- The Whitworth
- Book a canal cruise – check the tour price
- Enjoy a day trip to the North of Wales, Snowdonia, and Chester or a day trip to the Lake District and Windermere
- Sign up for a food tour or Cheese crawl
Liverpool:
- Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields
- Tate Liverpool
- World War II Museum – get your ticket
- Merseyside Maritime Museum
- Mersey River – book a cruise
- Croxteth Hall
- Enjoy a Beatles tour / Beatles Story – blue route bus tour or a private taxi tour
- Birkenhead Park
- Liverpool Football Stadium (Anfield) – join a tour
- Peaky Blinders filming locations – tour with a guide
- Book a ghosting walking tour – look at the itinerary
Sheffield:
- Peak District – you can do a Scavenger hunt
- Sheffield Botanical Gardens
- Graves Park
- Kelham Island Museum
- Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet
- Sheffield Town Hall
- Beauchief Abbey and Ancient Woodlands
Leeds:
- Book a walking tour with a local guide
- Civic Quarter
- Leeds Castle – you can book a day trip from London
- The Headrow
- Briggate
- Book a food tour – read the reviews
- The Royal Armories Museum
- Harewood House
- North Yorkshire Cruise – 1-hour cruise or a cruise with afternoon tea
- Leeds Industrial Museum
- Harrogate – there’s a food tour you can join
- The National Coal Mining Museum
Accommodations in Manchester
- Affordable to Mid-range Hotel: Church Street or The Gardens Hotel or Yotel Deansgate
- Luxury: Stock Exchange Hotel or CitySuites Aparthotel or Hotel Gotham
Bristol for 3 days
Bristol is truly an astounding place filled with different forms of art and creative outlets, which vary in each area. Stokes Croft is filled with vintage stores, indie cafes, and street art, Clifton has a variety of concept stores, and Bedminster is where the Upfest Art Festival is held.
The perfect duration of stay here for those spending three weeks in England would be about three days.
If you are coming from Leeds, you could reach Bristol by boarding a train, riding a bus, using rideshare, driving, or even flying. The most recommended option is to ride the train; the bus is the cheapest. Driving would take more or less three hours to reach your destination.
Things to see in Bristol
- Explore Bristol through its street art – hire a guide
- Bristol Floating Harbour
- St. Mary Redcliffe
- Brunel’s SS Great Britain
- Clifton Suspension Bridge and Vaults – book with a tour guide
- Cheddar Gorge
- Try axe throwing – check what’s include
- Bristol Old City
- Learn how to make a cocktail
Accommodations in Bristol
- Affordable: The Full Moon Backpackers or The Washington
- Mid-range: The Alma Taverns Boutique Suites or Arnor Manor Hotel
- Luxury: Leonardo Hotel or Number 38 Cliffton or Clayton Hotel
Brighton for 3 days
Brighton is known for festivals that showcase not only local but also international talents. Some of the world-famous festivals include the Fringe Festival and The Brighton Festival, among dozens of other festivals and live shows. Brighton is also well-known for its beaches and shoreline paths, where people can easily walk and cycle.
For those who want to go to Brighton from Bristol, you can take the train, ride the bus, or drive, with the most recommended option being boarding the train, and the cheapest option would be riding a bus. Driving is about three hours before reaching your destination (this is the fastest option).
When you get to Brighton, make sure to get a hop-on-hop-off bus ticket. The bus stops at famous attractions in Brighton. This will make your exploration much easier.
Things to see in Brighton
- Royal Pavilion and Brighton Museum – reserve your ticket
- Brighton Fishing Museum and Marina
- Explore Brighton on a guided walking tour
- The Lanes and North Laine
- I360 Viewing Tower – get your ticket in advance
- Regency Square and Houses around it
- Brighton Toy and Model Museum
- Exciting day trip to Seven Sisters and South Downs – see tour price
- Try zipline along the beach
- Book a Drag Queen Show on a bottomless brunch – check the price
- Day trip to Stonehenge and Bath from Brighton
Accommodations in Brighton
- Affordable to Mid-range: EI8HT Brighton or Selina Brighton or The Beach Hotel
- Luxury: Drakes Hotel or The Charm Boutique Hotel & Spa or Jurys Inn Waterfront

Cambridge for 3 days
Cambridge is usually known as the world-famous university under its namesake. But aside from that, this city has so much to offer. It has dazzling architecture, museums, retail markets, and tons of lush greeneries.
To get to Cambridge from Brighton, you can either take the train, bus or drive on your own. It takes 2 and a half hours to reach Cambridge. There’s also a hop-on-hop-off bus for touring around Cambridge.
Things to see in Cambridge
- Visit top attractions in Cambridge on a walking tour
- Anglesey Abbey, Gardens, and Lode Mill
- King’s College – explore with an alumni guide
- Mathematical Bridge
- Cambridge University Botanical Garden – you can also enjoy the popular punting tour or the Uni Tour
- The Fitzwilliam Museum
- Cambrige Central Mosque
- National Horse Racing Museum
Accommodations in Cambridge
- Affodable to Mid-range: YHA Cambridge or Rectory Farm or The Tas Suites
- Luxury: West Court or Gonville Hotel or Centennial Hotel
SUMMARY OF 3 WEEKS IN ENGLAND ITINERARY
If you think we’ve already covered everything England offers, you’re in for a wild ride because this isn’t even the tip of the iceberg. England is a country full of eccentricities, and what’s great about them is that they embrace their quirkiness. Their strangest sport is chasing cheese down the hill. They also have a ceremony called apple wassail, wherein they bless apple trees to produce good crops, which would then be used in making cider. England has a traditional folk dance called Morris Dancing.
Witnessing all of these up close would make your trip worthwhile. And that’s it, you have now reached the end of this itinerary about staying for 3 weeks in England. We hope that you enjoyed this article.
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