England, United Kingdom: Towns to Explore on Foot

England is a country within the United Kingdom, occupying the central and southern two thirds of Great Britain as well as more than a hundred smaller islands. Its coasts, historic cities, rolling plains and higher landscapes make it one of Europe’s most varied destinations. Neywo offers free audio guides for 113 cities in England, with 13,940 narrated places in total.

What to see and do in England

Explore England’s changing landscapes

England’s setting is shaped by water: the North Sea lies to the east, the English Channel to the south and the Irish Sea to the west. Scotland borders the country in the north and Wales in the west. The centre and south are characterised mainly by low hills and plains, while higher ground appears in the north and west, including Dartmoor, the Lake District, the Pennines and the Shropshire Hills.

The climate is temperate and maritime, usually mild, damp and changeable. January and February are generally the coldest months, while July is normally the warmest. National nature reserves protect important wildlife, natural features and geological formations, adding natural areas to a country whose population is concentrated around London and other major urban centres.

Discover London

London is England’s largest centre of history, government, culture and learning. Neywo’s guide includes 2,439 narrated places in the city, among them St Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Cathedral, Hampton Court Palace and the Royal Opera House.

London is also one of the places where England’s institutions are most visible. The country’s parliamentary system has influenced governments elsewhere, while the English legal system became the basis of common law systems in most Commonwealth countries and in the United States, apart from Louisiana.

Visit Oxford and Cambridge

The University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge are the two oldest universities in the English-speaking world. Their colleges, museums and historic buildings offer a way to explore England’s long connection with scholarship and scientific discovery.

In Oxford, Neywo narrates 168 places, including the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford University Museum of Natural History, Christ Church Cathedral and the Bodleian Library. Cambridge has 91 narrated places, including the Fitzwilliam Museum, St John’s College Bridge, the Leper Chapel and Clare College Bridge.

England later became a leading centre of the Scientific Revolution. Its scientific tradition is associated with Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Alan Turing and Stephen Hawking.

Follow England’s Roman and medieval history

England’s human history reaches far beyond the medieval period. Modern humans lived in the area during the Upper Paleolithic, and evidence of Homo antecessor dates to about 780,000 years ago. Roman forces invaded under Emperor Claudius and conquered much of Britain, creating the province of Britannia.

The country’s medieval heritage is especially visible in its cathedrals, castles and old urban centres. Canterbury brings together Canterbury Cathedral, St Augustine’s Abbey and St Martin’s Church. In Durham, the guide includes Durham Cathedral and Durham Castle. Lincoln combines Lincoln Cathedral, Lincoln Castle, Stonebow and Guildhall, and Lincoln Museum.

Other destinations offer different perspectives on England’s past. York has 890 narrated places, including York Minster, Ripon Cathedral, Knaresborough Castle and St Wilfrid’s Church. Colchester includes Colchester Castle, Layer Marney Tower, Boxted Airfield Museum and Castle House.

Experience historic cities and industrial heritage

England’s modern urban landscape was shaped in part by the Industrial Revolution. Many major urban areas in the Midlands, the North West, the North East and Yorkshire developed as industrial regions during the nineteenth century.

Birmingham has 361 narrated places, including Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, Aston Hall, Soho House and Sarehole Mill. Manchester includes Manchester Cathedral, the Queen Victoria Monument, St Ann’s Church and the Peel Statue. In Sheffield, the guide covers 222 places, among them Sheffield Cathedral, Burbage Brook Bridge and the Church of St Oswald, St James, Norton.

For a different view of the country’s industrial past, Derby has 435 narrated places, including Haddon Hall, Chatsworth House, Derwent Valley Mills and Creswell Crags.

See England’s cathedrals, museums and cultural landmarks

England’s cultural life extends from religious buildings and museums to theatres and galleries. Bath includes Bath Abbey and the Victoria Art Gallery among its 82 narrated places. Bristol has 187, including Bristol Cathedral, SS Great Britain and Red Lodge Museum.

In Stratford-upon-Avon, visitors can explore the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Holy Trinity Church, Hall’s Croft and Shakespeare’s Birthplace. Liverpool offers the Walker Art Gallery alongside Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, Liverpool Cathedral and The Oratory.

Visit England’s coastal towns

England’s coastline gives its towns distinct maritime identities. Brighton includes the Royal Pavilion, West Blatchington Windmill, St John the Baptist’s Church and the British Engineerium. Blackpool has 722 narrated places, including the Museum of Local Crafts & Industries, Lytham Windmill, Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery, and Haworth Art Gallery.

Further along the coast, Dover’s guide includes Dover Castle, Deal Castle and Walmer Castle. Portsmouth is home to HMS Victory, Portsmouth Cathedral and Southsea Castle, while Falmouth includes Pendennis Castle, Falmouth Art Gallery and the National Maritime Museum Cornwall.

Smaller seaside destinations offer a more local perspective. Aldeburgh includes Slaughden Martello Tower and the Scallop. Margate combines Turner Contemporary, Shell Grotto and the Crab Museum. Whitby’s narrated places include Cholmley House, the RNLI Whitby Lifeboat Museum, Pannett Art Gallery and the Captain Cook Museum Whitby.

Understand how England became England

The country’s name comes from the Angles, a Germanic people who settled in Britain during the early Middle Ages. Their Old English name for the land, Englaland, meant “the land of the Angles”. Saxons, Jutes and Frisians were also among the settlers who arrived from north-western continental Europe after Roman military forces withdrew.

England eventually became a unified state. In 1707, the Acts of Union joined the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland to create the Kingdom of Great Britain. England ceased to be a separate sovereign state, although its language, law, religion and institutions continued to influence places far beyond its shores.

The Anglican branch of Christianity also originated in England. The Church of England left communion with Rome in the 1530s, during the reign of Henry the Eighth. Today, England remains part of the United Kingdom, a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system. Unlike Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, it does not have its own devolved parliament; the United Kingdom Parliament creates legislation for England.

Explore England with Neywo’s free audio guide

Neywo has free audio guides for 113 cities in England, with 13,940 narrated places and 236 walking tours. Narration is available in 11 languages. The available city guides range from London’s thousands of narrated places to smaller destinations such as Aldeburgh, Avebury, Glastonbury, Rye and Wells.

Download Neywo and explore at your own pace: the app tells the story of each place as you reach it, with no group and no schedule.