About the book

Synopsis

Time Out's experts have travelled the length and breadth of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in search of the country's most perfect places, selecting 30 of its most inspiring destinations and showing readers the loveliest hotels, best places to eat and drink, and most compelling sights and landscapes. Also included are the most vibrant cities, from Glasgow to London, as well as beautiful small towns, and the most spectacular parts of the British coastline.

SNAPSHOTS

Glasgow - Modern Glasgow has put its tough reputation aside to remodel, redirect and rebrand itself - often in proud, progressive opposition to its prettier sister city of Edinburgh. The city today is a wildly sociable arts hub, home to classic Charles Rennie Mackintosh architecture, a forward-looking restaurant scene and a vibrant nightlife.

Isle of Wight - A quintessential version of England in miniature, the Isle of Wight has avoided becoming plain old-fashioned by a welcome upgrading of hotels and the opening of new restaurants. Add in the natural beauties that abound here - the crumbling chalk cliffs, the downs, the creeks, the Needles and more - to create the perfect British getaway.

Shropshire hills - The rugged and little-explored region dividing England and Wales - lie the Shropshire Hills Area of Natural Beauty, comprising a series of distinctive hills ideal for walking. Long Mynd is a seven-mile ridge, with walks through bracken and gorse leading to heights of around 1,700 feet; views from its peaks stretch far into both countries. Wenlock Edge is a striking, tree-covered, limestone escarpment stretching for 15 miles, while the unmistakeable outline of Stiperstones, a quartzite ridge, is nearby.

St Ives - This picture-perfect, miniature gem of a town, perched on the north Cornwall coast, now has a new generation ofchic restaurants and shops to add to its traditional attractions - the small harbour lined with tiny golden-sand beaches, the pint-sized fishermen's cottages and narrow, winding lanes. Longthe centre of a lively art scene, the town is now home to a branch of the Tate.