If you’ve everspent ages queuing in South Ken’s Museum District or squeezing through a sea of people along the South Bank, it’ll come as no surprise that London attractionsare some of the most visited in the UK.
And if you don’t believe us, just take a look at the numbers. Tourist spots in the capital absolutely dominate this year’s ranking of the country’s most visited attractions, put together by the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions(ALVA).
In 2021 and 2022 the Crown Estate in Windsortook the top spot, but for 2023, a different London landmark swooped into first place. With over 5.8 million visitors, the British Museum was the UK's most popular attraction. That’s a 42 percent increase on its footfallfrom the previousyear. You can read more about the British Museum’s triumph here.
The Natural History Museum came second with 5.7m people walking through its halls, while the Crown Estate dropped to third and saw a 3 percent decline in visitor numbers. Still, it was the only attraction outside of the Big Smoke in the top ten.
After the Crown Estate, the National Museum of Scotlandin Edinburgh emerged as the most visited site for the rest of the UK, with 2.2m tourists walking through its doors. Two other Edinburgh landmarks also came high up on the list —EdinburghCastle saw 1.9m visitors and the National Gallery Scotlandwelcomed 1.8m.
The UK's most popular tourist attractions, according to the ALVA
In 2021 and 2022 the Crown Estate in Windsor took the top spot, but for 2023, a different London landmark swooped into first place. With over 5.8 million visitors, the British Museum was the UK's most popular attraction. That's a 42 percent increase on its footfall from the previous year.
The UK's most-visited tourist attraction last year has been revealed, with a surge in visitors compared to 2022. The British Museum finished number one and saw a total of 5.8 million visitors in 2023, a 42 per cent jump on the previous year, according to trade body the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (Alva).
It is Europes tallest cantilevered observation wheel and is the most popular paid tourist attraction in the United Kingdom with over 3 million visitors annually and has made many appearances in popular culture.
Spain is the most popular travel destination for Brits, with 17.8 million trips made in 2023. France, Italy, Greece and Portugal make up the rest of the top 5 travel destinations for Brits – all of the top 5 are in Europe.
London is the most visited city in the United Kingdom, and some of the smaller town and cities attract a significant number of tourists. The country's other large cities such as Manchester and Liverpool draw large numbers, and some smaller cities have major tourist attraction landmarks.
The Natural History Museum was the most visited free attraction in 2022, attracting 4.7m visitors, up 196% on 2021. The Tower of London was the most visited paid for attraction in 2022, attracting 2.0m visitors, up 284% on 2021.
Breaking this down further, the top three countries of residence for visitors to the UK were the USA (4.6 million visits), France (2.8 million) visits and Ireland (2.5 million).
International visitors are even more concentrated in a small number of UK cities. As a share of the total, Edinburgh receives the highest proportion of international visits at 68 per cent. London comes in second, then Oxford, Belfast, Glasgow, and Cambridge.
The United Kingdom is a country that boasts a rich history, diverse culture, and stunning natural landscapes. From the bustling city of London to the rugged coastlines of Scotland, the UK has something for everyone.
Perhaps best known as the strongest contender for America's most Irish city, Beantown also makes a good case for being its most British. For the history buffs among us, this will probably come as no surprise.
There are some British people living in the US, but most of them who sound British are first generation immigrants. Many of them live in Boston, New York City, and the San Francisco Bay area.
Britons' favourite country is not, in fact, their own – although the Union Jack can still be found in its flag. The honour of Britain's favourite country actually goes to New Zealand, with 80% of us saying we have a positive opinion of the nation.
We've reviewed our travel advice for the United Kingdom and continue to advise exercise a high degree of caution. We advise: Exercise a high degree of caution in the UK due to the threat of terrorism.
The United Kingdom is a country that boasts a rich history, diverse culture, and stunning natural landscapes. From the bustling city of London to the rugged coastlines of Scotland, the UK has something for everyone.
Introduction: My name is Pres. Carey Rath, I am a faithful, funny, vast, joyous, lively, brave, glamorous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.
