What to book before you travel to United Kingdom?

Most visits can be booked on the spot. A few sell out days ahead. Here they are, stop by stop, with what you can do without booking underneath. Keep the rest of your time free.

Trip length

Weekend One week Two weeks

8 activities to book · about €334 per person

London

Days 1-2

Days 1-2Tower of London and the Crown Jewels2h30A royal fortress, prison and armoury for nine centuries, with the coronation regalia kept under guard inside.€35Book on GetYourGuide →

Days 1-2London Eye at sunset30 minOne slow thirty-minute turn of the big wheel on the South Bank, 135 metres up at the top, timed for the last light.€32Book on GetYourGuide →

No booking needed: The British Museum · Westminster and Big Ben · Camden Market · Hyde Park and Buckingham Palace

All activities in London on GetYourGuide

Edinburgh

Days 3-4

Days 3-4Edinburgh Castle2hThe fortress on Castle Rock, home to the Honours of Scotland, the oldest crown jewels in the British Isles.€22Book on GetYourGuide →

Days 3-4Scotch whisky tasting2hA guided tasting that sets the smoky malts of the islands against the softer ones of Speyside.€30Book on GetYourGuide →

No booking needed: The Royal Mile and the Old Town · Walking up Arthur's Seat · Calton Hill · Dean Village

All activities in Edinburgh on GetYourGuide

The Highlands and Glencoe

Day 5

Day 5Ben Nevis and Glencoe day tourFull dayA day through the western Highlands, with stops in Glencoe and at the foot of Ben Nevis.€55Book on GetYourGuide →

Day 5The Jacobite steam train and the Glenfinnan ViaductHalf dayThe steam train from Fort William to Mallaig, over the curved viaduct made famous by the Harry Potter films. It runs in the warmer months only and sells out early.€60Book on GetYourGuide →

No booking needed: Glencoe · Loch Lomond · Steall Falls · Highland villages

All activities in The Highlands on GetYourGuide

Isle of Skye

Days 6-7

Days 6-7Skye tour: the Old Man of Storr and the QuiraingFull dayA day around the Trotternish peninsula, its rock pinnacles and its great landslip, without driving the single-track roads yourself.€65Book on GetYourGuide →

Days 6-7Seal-watching boat trip1h30A short trip out to the rocks where common and grey seals haul out, with seabirds overhead.€35Book on GetYourGuide →

No booking needed: The Old Man of Storr · The Fairy Pools · The Quiraing · Neist Point and its lighthouse

All activities in Isle of Skye on GetYourGuide

Indicative prices per person, checked when written. The button opens the GetYourGuide search for the activity and the town, on the days of the stop once your dates are known. Some links are affiliate links: we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.

Frequently asked questions

How much do the activities to book in United Kingdom cost?

€334 per person if you do them all, across 8 bookings. The most expensive is "Skye tour: the Old Man of Storr and the Quiraing" at €65, the cheapest "Edinburgh Castle" at €22. Prices checked when written: confirm them when you book.

What can you do in United Kingdom without booking anything?

16 visits on this itinerary need no ticket or time slot, starting with The British Museum, Westminster and Big Ben, Camden Market, Hyde Park and Buckingham Palace. They make up most of your days: booking ahead only concerns a handful of sites with limited places.

At which stop should you book earliest?

London, with 2 activities to book, against 2 at the quietest stop. That is where slots go first.

How long do these activities take?

From 1h30 for the shortest to Full day for the longest. Fit them into your days before filling the rest: a guided visit often takes half a day.

The rest of the trip

📒 The free printable United Kingdom guide: itinerary, map, where to sleep→ 🗓️ Best time to visit United Kingdom, month by month→ 🎟️ What to book: all our destinations→