United Kingdom Travel Guide

Let East Coast trains whisk you away on a romantic break this spring. Perhaps you’d prefer to follow in the footsteps of courting Wills and Kate in St. Andrews, or snuggle up to watch an operatic love story in London? Our guide stretches the length of the country so wherever you choose, we’ll deliver you to the heart your destination along with that special someone.

Board an East Coast train to Leuchars and visit nearby St. Andrews where Wills and Kate met and fell in love. Walk in the royal couple’s footsteps around St. Andrew’s University, Scotland’s oldest, and see the thorn tree allegedly planted by Mary Queen of Scots in 1565 at the peaceful St. Mary’s College. Cosy up in a top-class spa for a weekend of pampering and relaxation at the Old Course Hotel, located on the world-famous golf course. End the day with a stroll with your partner to the ruined 900-year-old St. Andrews Castle: you’ll need to hold hands even tighter for its famous, spooky ‘bottle dungeon’. 

The spa town of Harrogate, nestling on the cusp of the Yorkshire Dales, makes a perfect romantic getaway. In the 58-acre RHS Harlow Carr, smell fragrant red roses in the Scented Garden and find rare plants along the Streamside Garden – you can get tips from the experts and plant them back home. For something more quirky, follow in the footsteps of Charles Dickens and 19th-century Russian royalty at the Royal Pump Room with Europe’s strongest sulphur wells. Yorkshire is famed for its hospitality and tea. Enjoy both by the bucketful at historic tea rooms Bettys, for fresh scones and tea for two while the pianist plays softly in the background. 

In London, take a hand-in-hand Thames-side stroll along the South Bank before heading to the London Eye observation wheel for your 30-minute ‘flight’. If you want to buy a romantic gift, choose from exquisite jewellery in Bond Street’s prestigious stores, or a vintage jacket in Camden Town’s quirky Stables Market. Feel the passion of a heart-rending opera on stage at the magnificent Royal Opera House – you can get tickets from as little as £10.

Relax in a Quiet Coach on your East Coast train to Edinburgh for a romantic getaway. Gaze in awe at Edinburgh Castle brooding over the city on a volcanic crag, and inside enjoy some solitude at 12th-century St. Margaret’s Chapel, always filled with fresh flowers. Take a peaceful riverside stroll along the Water of Leith dotted with wildflowers, spotting six life-size sculptures by Anthony Gormley submerged in the river. Once you reach Leith, feast on a cosy dinner of fresh Scottish mussels while overlooking the old harbour.