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Whether it’s from your English acquaintance or the overly confident tourist who’s been to England once and hopped on a rushed bus tour of Oxford for the day, we’ve all heard the same sentence before:

“You haven’t really seen Britain if you’ve only seen London”.

Annoying as it may sound, we can’t exactly argue with that.

London’s a multicultural, fast-paced melting pot of cultures at its best, and amidst the sprawling cosmopolitanism, you might struggle to find anything remotely traditionally English in places like Soho or Shoreditch.

Summers in London are fast-paced and vibrant, but head out to the British seaside, where salty breezes and gulls circle overhead, and you might just end up falling in love with Britain for something a little slower and, well, more quintessentially English.

Away from the noise of London Town, here are 5 underrated UK destinations for fewer crowds and more authentic British culture this summer:

PLUS: We’ve created an interactive quiz for you at the end of this article to find your perfect match!

Isle of Wight

Island In England

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The largest island in England, lying off the country’s southern coast, the Isle of Wight is a low-key summer getaway known for its dramatic cliffs, lighthouse views, and a plethora of sandy beaches.

Now, this is not the Mediterranean, mind, so keep that in mind before you go jumping straight into the water at Shanklin, but on the odd sizzling-hot summer day, the ice-cold North Atlantic can actually feel pretty refreshing. As does a scoop of ice cream from The Salix Cafe, right on the sand.

Speaking of Shanklin, don’t miss the village’s cute, colorful beach huts, thatched cottages, and postcardy streets.

Scenic beaches aside, the real must-sees on the Isle of Wight in summer? Easy: The Needles. These are a wild series of chalk stacks jutting straight out of the sea off the island’s western edge. If the Cliffs of Dover impressed you, just wait… The Needles hit different.

Craving a bit of culture? Head over to Osborne House, just outside East Cowes. It’s the former home of Queen Victoria, with massive gardens and sea views that just keep going. Proper grand, but relaxed enough to wander around at your own pace.

And honestly, one of the coolest things you can do on the island? Hop on the Isle of Wight Steam Railway. It chugs through this lush, green countryside as if you’ve time-traveled a hundred years back.

Truro

Cornwall

St Ives/Penzance might be the unofficial summer capital of Britain, but if you’re trying to soak up real Cornish culture without the chaos and dodge those weekend camper vans, the region’s capital, and its only proper city at that, is where it’s at.

Think charming Georgian-era streets lined with boutique shops and proper old-school pubs, a laid-back seaside vibe without all the madness, and of course, the architectural showstopper anchoring it all: Truro Cathedral, a Gothic stunner with three spires, which is actually pretty rare in the UK.

Downtown Truro is slightly inland, but it’s a short 15-20 minute drive to some of the most scenic Cornish beaches, like Perranporth, a surfing hotspot, Gyllyngvase (in Flamouth), known for its golden sands and swim-friendly waters, and Loe, more for chilling and admiring the mooring boats.

In practice, Truro is the perfect base to hit all of the best beaches in Cornwall, without getting stuck in a crowded seaside resort.

Oh, and for the foodies out there, don’t sleep on Lemon Quay. On Wednesdays and Saturdays, it hosts the Truro Farmers Market, the go-to spot for trying local Cornish treats, like Cornish pasties and freshly caught mackerel.

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Llandudno

North Wales

For those who don’t mind a bit of a long 5-hour drive from London, or who are already nearby, say, Liverpool or Manchester, Llandudno in Wales is the perfect long-weekend getaway when you’re in desperate need of breathing that fresh sea breeze.

It just happens to be one of the UK’s best-preserved, and prettiest, if we may say, Victorian seaside resorts. Think less tacky hotels, arcades, and neon signs, and more Old School charm: a wide promenade, pastel townhouses, and sweeping coastal views.

Llandudno Pier is the classic British pier stretching far out into the sea, dotted with little shops and snack stands, while North Shore Beach is the main swimming spot in town.

It’s mostly pebbly, with a few patches of sand hither and thither, but it’s right in the vicinity of the town center, and super convenient to reach on foot.

Now, for that wide, sandy stretch at low tide, head over to West Shore Beach. Great for peaceful strolls, sunset watching, and swimming if you can brave the chilly Irish Sea. Again, this is not the Med, so temper your expectations.

You don’t come to a British beach town for a full day out at the beach dipping in and out of warm water.

Even if the seas are stormy and it’s black over Bill’s mother’s, your weekend isn’t at all ruined: take the Great Orme Tramway traveling up the namesake hill, for sweeping views of town and the Irish Sea, or wander the windswept headland for that proper rugged-coast feel.

St Andrews

Scotland

If you’re ever in Edinburgh or Glasgow and the buzzing traffic and huge crowds are wearing you out, know there is a quiet, unassuming, underrated university town right on the shores of the North Sea, just a short scenic drive away.

St Andrews is the Scottish Oxford of sorts, except by the sea: a super traditional university town known to host the odd wayward royal from time to time. Prince William and Kate actually met there while they were both students at the university.

Straddling the North Sea coast, West Sands Beach is a seemingly endless ribbon of sand that changes character depending on the tides and weather, from golden calm to wild and cinematic Scottish weather.

On the edge of town, the ruins of St Andrews Cathedral are the real showstopper. It rises above the headland with its broken arches and crumbling towers that still dominate the skyline despite the centuries that have passed.

Nearby, the equally ruined but just as scenic St Andrews Castle sits right on the cliff edge, with waves crashing at the foot of its defensive walls.

In the heart of town, the ancient University of St Andrews breathes a steady hum of student life into what would otherwise be sleepy cobbled streets, and the quirky bookshops and cafés tucked between centuries-old buildings only add to the understated charm.

Whitby

Yorkshire

Within easy reach of York, in northern England, Whitby is an English seaside treasure that’s certain to appeal to the Dark Academia attendees. It literally looks like it’s jumped straight out the pages of a Gothic novel that forgot to end.

It sits on the exact point of the Yorkshire coast where the picturesque River Esk meets the North Sea, with two sides of town split by a harbor and linked by a swing bridge.

On one side, you’ll find a casual fishing village, with narrow streets, chippies everywhere, and boats bobbing about by the port. On the other, the lanes climb shurply up a cliff, in a stack of weathered detached houses and pubs.

At the very top is the actual drama: the ruins of Whitby Abbey, perched on a headland with its decaying arches and sweeping coastal views. Coastal scenery and salty air aside, the abbey is the main reason people journey to Whitby for: it’s moody, atmospheric, and slightly haunted.

By the way, Bram Stoker actually visited Whitby while writing his timeless novel Dracula, and used the abbey’s ruins and cliff as inspiration for parts of the story.

It’s not an English weekend escape without a heritage train ride, so time permitting, ride the North Yorkshire Moors Railway from Whitby to Pickering.

A Harry Potter-esque steam locomotive traversing the lush countryside, passing beautiful rolling moorland and quaint villages, it has full vintage carriages and wood-paneled interiors.

Now take this quiz to find your perfect match!

Vinicius Costa

Vini, our senior lead writer at Travel Off Path, has over 60+ countries under his belt (and currently weaving tales from Paris!), and a knack for turning off-the-beaten-path experiences into informative stories that will have you packing your bags.