UK to Ireland: 6 must-have cultural experiences

Deep dive into the UK and Ireland with these epic experiences that will highlight this part of the world’s unique history and culture.

1. Have afternoon tea in London

Travelling with: Emma Ventura

Leave it to the ever-inventive city of London to first refine the quintessentially English institution of afternoon tea – and then turn it on its head. For purists, a table at the opulent Palm Court at The Ritz London – with a flute of Barons de Rothschild Brut, of course – will always be unsurpassed. But if you like your tea ritual shaken and stirred, the UK capital now offers tons of alternatives; think Japanese-inspired bites at Nobu London, trompe-l’œil creations from French pastry chef Cédric Grolet at The Berkeley’s twist on the classic, Goûtea, and – curiouser and curiouser – Sanderson London’s Mad Hatters Afternoon Tea. White Rabbit pastries, anyone?

Partake in an afternoon tea at Nobu London. (Image: James Moyle)

2. Go wild swimming across the UK

Travelling with: Emma Ventura

A bit chilly it may be, but the British are increasingly taking to their waters, thanks to a boom in wild swimming, as it’s known in the UK. Soak up the experience in the cooler months with added creature comforts at Yorkshire’s Broughton Sanctuary, where bracing lake swims in the beautiful grounds of the 16th-century estate are offset by its woodland sauna and fire temple experience. Or try Cornwall’s Three Mile Beach, where a cold-water package includes your own stunning pastel-hued beach house with sauna and hot tub, guided coasteering, surfing and ice baths – plus the chance to enjoy the county outside of the madding summer crowds.

Go wild swimming in the UK. (Image: Broughton Sanctuary)

3. Party at Glastonbury Festival

Travelling with: Imogen Eveson

In the summer of 1970, Somerset dairy farmer Michael Eavis held an event in his fields near the small village of Pilton. The Pilton Pop, Folk & Blues Festival cost £1 to attend (the ticket price included free milk) and saw 1500 young hippies gather to see bands such as headliner Tyrannosaurus Rex. Fast-forward 54 years and the event that locals still call Pilton is going strong.

Glastonbury Festival has grown to be one of the biggest festivals of music and performing arts in the world – in numbers and reputation. Today, more than 200,000 people converge on 600 hectares of countryside in England’s bucolic South West in June to see headline acts storm the legendary Pyramid Stage – built on a ley line and in sight of nearby Glastonbury Tor – and to explore the weird, wild and wonderful of more than 100 other stages that encompass everything from music to dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and beyond.

Glastonbury Festival is one of the biggest festivals of music and performing arts in the world. (Image: Alamy/Joanne Newman)

4. Uncover Scottish history at Perth’s new museum

Travelling with: Elizabeth Whitehead

Scotland’s culture is inflected by its wild landscapes, from the glittering lochs to the rugged Highlands. Housed in a heritage Edwardian building in the nation’s former capital, the newly opened Perth Museum pieces together Scotland’s cultural identity through a series of artefacts.

Unearth Scotland’s culture at Perth Museum. (Image: Greg Holmes)

Think silver 16th-century swords, medieval stone sculptures and a 3000-year-old log boat. The central piece is the Stone of Destiny, a ritual stone that’s been used in the coronation of monarchs since 840 CE. The museum’s opening in March of this year marked the return of the stone to Perthshire for the first time in more than 700 years.

The Stone of Destiny has been used in the coronation of monarchs since 840 CE. (Image: Rob Mcdougall)

5. Rekindle your love of books in Hay-on-Wye

Travelling with: Taylah Darnell

As much as any bookworm loves their local library or bookshop, I’m betting many would happily renounce their membership if it meant a visit to Hay-on-Wye (myself included).

This Honesty Bookshop runs on the grounds of Hay Castle. (Image: Alamy/Jeff Morgan 14)

Nestled in the historic county of Brecknockshire in Wales, this small community has been heralded the first ‘Booktown’ of the world thanks to the 20-plus bookshops that call it home – roughly one for every 100 of its population.

It’s impossible to stroll the streets without spotting a collection of paper spines, from shelves built into brick walls and a bibliotheca on almost every corner to the annual Hay Festival – one of the world’s biggest celebrations of literature.

Pick books from shelves built into brick walls. (Image: Alamy/Loop Images LTD)

6. Trace your family roots in Ireland

Travelling with: Kassia Byrnes

I’ve just arrived in Cobh, a harbour town on the south coast of County Cork. This was the very last sight of Irish shores beholden by great-great-great grandfather, 18-year-old Thomas Byrnes, while he was “chained ankle-to-ankle” onboard a British naval ship in 1836.

Thomas Byrnes (second from right) arrived in Australia as a convict at the age of 18.

I’m hoping to trace his story at Cobh Heritage Centre, a museum that’s compiled resources to help guests search for their long-dead relatives. I’ve already started my search to connect the threads of my ancestral past at the EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum in Dublin. Through rental and land records dating back to 1858, I’m able locate to the exact plot of farmland that my great-great-grandfather lived on, and one week later, I’m standing there. I’ve never visited this place before. And yet, I feel so connected to it.

Cobh was the final glimpse of Ireland for many Irish convicts. (Image: Alamy/Geog Photos)

This round-up of cultural experiences is part of our curated list of 100 Cultural Experiences, explore the full list here.