England train holidays

The best time to visit England is during the shoulder seasons, May to June or September to October. Weather is generally mild, popular sights are less crowded, and accommodation tends to be more widely available and better priced than in peak summer. There are highlights year-round: the Chelsea Flower Show and blooming gardens mark spring, Wimbledon and Henley Royal Regatta take over the summer social calendar, autumn brings golden countryside walks and harvest festivals, and winter turns cities including Bath and York into Christmas market destinations.

The best things to do in England include exploring historic cities like Bath, York and Oxford, and walking in the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales.

• Exploring Bath's Roman Baths and Georgian architecture

• Punting on the River Cam in Cambridge

• Exploring Stonehenge and the ancient sites of Salisbury Plain

• Visiting Canterbury Cathedral and the medieval city walls

• Walking York's Roman walls and browsing the Shambles

• Visiting Oxford's colleges and the Cotswolds' market towns

• Hiking the Lake District fells or the Yorkshire Dales

• Sea swimming and heritage railways along the Cornish and Norfolk coasts

• City breaks in London, taking in landmarks like the Tower of London, the British Museum and the West End's theatres

England is reachable by train from London and major cities across the UK, including the Caledonian Sleeper from Scotland with onward connections. From Europe, Eurostar connects directly to London, and ferry crossings from the continent link with UK rail services for those wanting a train and ferry route.