The UK’s best 15 places to visit in 2024, according to Time Out – and Hull is number two

Bristol grabbed the top spot for 2024

Bristol was crowned number one for 2024 (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The 15 best places to visit in the UK for 2024 have been selected by Time Out – and some entries might surprise you.

The publication focused on sifting through domestic destinations to find those with new launches and openings for next year, as well as using “expert knowledge of cultural scenes around the country”.

The resulting list is made up of some of the country’s most buzzing and vibrant cities, idyllic Cornish islands, coastal towns packed with culture, and even tranquil fishing villages.

In at number one was the southwest city of Bristol, thanks to a “cultural scene just as exciting as London’s”, plus its “picture-perfect streets and bustling, diverse nightlife”.

It was named best in class for 2024 thanks largely to an extended arts offering, including a musical adaptation of the 2006 film Starter for Ten at the Old Vic theatre; DIASPORA!, a new festival championing BIPOC global ethnic majority artists; and a new immersive gallery called Undershed.

In at number two is Hull, picked for its increasingly LGBTQ+-friendly scene, with spaces including Monroe’s, Unit 49 and Cherry’s (named in honour of Ru Paul’s Drag Race star Cherry Valentine).

Picked for their otherworldly landscapes, the Isles of Scilly came in third. This archipelago off the coast of Cornwall made the cut thanks to its “largely unspoilt... white stretches of sandy beaches, turquoise waters and plenty of opportunities to go island hopping and dolphin spotting.”

Unsurprisingly, the UK capital is in at number four. London boasts a host of new hotel openings and restaurant launches for 2024, plus a warehouse club housed in a former IKEA, Drumsheds, and exhibitions including Yoko Ono at the Tate Modern and The World of Tim Burton at the Design Museum.

The top five is rounded out by Belfast, which Time Out calls “criminally underrated.” The Northern Irish capital is delivering a project called “Belfast 2024”, featuring 24 large-scale commissions and over 200 events, workshops and activities.

UK’s top places to visit 2024

1. Bristol
2. Hull
3. Isles of Scilly
4. London
5. Belfast
6. St Andrews
7. Lewes
8. Newcastle
9. Falmouth
10. Manchester
11. Ramsgate
12. Norwich
13. Alnmouth
14. Ullapool
15. Wrexham