Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission. 

World's best travel experiences revealed: From a Berlin bike ride to a Tuscan cooking class

The inaugural awards aim to recognise the world’s best rated experiences

Joanna Whitehead
Thursday 28 June 2018 09:46 BST
Comments
A cooking class at a farmhouse in Tuscany took the top spot
A cooking class at a farmhouse in Tuscany took the top spot (istock)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

A cooking class at a Tuscan farmhouse and local market tour is the best experience in the world, according to TripAdvisor.

The activity came top in the travel review site’s first-ever Traveller’s Choice awards, which aim to highlight the world’s best rated experiences.

Closer to home, an inner circle access tour of Stonehenge, including a guided tour of Bath and a trip to the medieval village of Lacock, was rated the best experience in the UK.

The awards recognise 345 experiences, tours and activities globally.

Winners are also broken down by country and category, including day cruises, private sightseeing, cultural experiences, day trips, multi-day tours, hop-on hop-off tours, and food, beer and wine experiences. Winners were determined using an algorithm that took into account businesses’ reviews, opinions and popularity with travellers over the last year.

“Travel is all about new experiences and these awards, decided by reviews and ratings from the TripAdvisor community, showcase some of the best things to do around the world for every type of traveller,” said TripAdvisor spokesperson James Kay.

“Whether it’s a cooking class at a Tuscan farmhouse, a glow worm cave tour in New Zealand, or exclusive inner circle access at Stonehenge, these awards highlight fantastic ways for travellers to immerse themselves in the local culture while also inspiring local residents to experience something new right on their doorstep.”

Top 10 experiences in the world

Top 10 experiences in the UK

  1. Inner Circle Access of Stonehenge including Bath and Lacock Day Tour from London – London, England, from £139 per person
  2. Loch Ness, Glencoe, and the Highlands Small Group Day Trip from Glasgow – Glasgow, Scotland, from £41 per person
  3. London Rock Music Tour – London, England, from £35 per person 
  4. Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter – London, England, from £77 per person 
  5. Loch Ness, Glencoe and the Highlands Small-Group Day Trip from Edinburgh – Edinburgh, Scotland, from £46 per person
  6. Tower of London Entrance Ticket Including Crown Jewels and Beefeater Tour – London, England, from £26 per person
  7. The Original London Sightseeing Tour: Hop-on Hop-off – London, England, from £32 per person
  8. City Sightseeing Edinburgh Hop-On Hop-Off Tour – Edinburgh, Scotland, from £15 per person
  9. Tower of London, Changing of the Guard, Thames Cruise with Harrods Cream Tea or London Eye Upgrade – London, England, from £99 per person
  10. Giant’s Causeway Day Trip from Belfast, Northern Ireland – Belfast, Northern Ireland, from £20 per person

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in