The Midlands & the Marches

If you're searching for quintessentially English countryside – green valleys, chocolate-box villages of wonky black-and-white timbered houses, woodlands steeped in legend such as Nottinghamshire's Sherwood Forest, and stately homes that look like the last lord of the manor just clip-clopped out of the stables – you'll find it here in the country's heart.

You'll also find the relics of centuries of industrial history, exemplified by the World Heritage–listed mills of Ironbridge and the Derwent Valley, and by today's dynamic cities, including Britain's second-largest, Birmingham: a canal-woven industrial crucible reinvented as a cultural and creative hub, with striking 21st-century architecture and vibrant nightlife. Beyond them are tumbling hills where the air is so clean you can taste it. Walkers and cyclists flock to these pristine areas, particularly the Peak District National Park and the Shropshire Hills in the Marches, along the English–Welsh border, to vanish into the vastness of the landscape.

Explore The Midlands & the Marches

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Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout The Midlands & the Marches.

  • Cathedral

    Lincoln Cathedral

    Towering over the city like a medieval skyscraper, Lincoln's magnificent cathedral is a breathtaking representation of divine power on earth. The great…

  • Cathedral

    Hereford Cathedral

    After Welsh marauders torched the original Saxon cathedral, the Norman rulers of Hereford erected a larger, grander cathedral on the same site. The…

  • Historic Building

    Chatsworth House

    Known as the 'Palace of the Peak', this vast edifice 3 miles northeast of Bakewell has been occupied by the earls and dukes of Devonshire for centuries…

  • Castle

    Lincoln Castle

    One of the first castles erected by the victorious William the Conqueror, in 1068, to keep his new kingdom in line, Lincoln Castle offers awesome views…

  • Castle

    Warwick Castle

    Founded in 1068 by William the Conqueror, stunningly preserved Warwick Castle is Warwick's main attraction.

  • Factory

    Morgan Motor Company

    Morgan has been handcrafting elegant sports cars since 1909. You can see the mechanics at work on two-hour guided tours of the unassuming shedlike…

  • Cathedral

    Lichfield Cathedral

    Crowned by three dramatic towers, Lichfield Cathedral is a Gothic fantasy, constructed in stages from 1200 to 1350. The enormous vaulted nave is set…

  • Brewery

    National Brewery Centre

    Burton-upon-Trent grew up around its 7th-century abbey, which was famed for its healing spring waters. Brewing began here around 1700 and in the early…

  • Cathedral

    Coventry Cathedral

    The evocative ruins of St Michael's Cathedral, built around 1300 but destroyed by Nazi incendiary bombs in the Blitz, stand as a memorial to Coventry's…

  • Library

    Library of Birmingham

    Resembling a glittering stack of gift-wrapped presents, the Francine Houben–designed Library of Birmingham is an architectural triumph. The 2013-opened…

  • Museum

    Cosford Royal Air Force Museum

    This famous aerospace museum 13 miles east of Ironbridge is run by the Royal Air Force, whose pilots steered many of these winged wonders across the skies…

  • Museum

    Coventry Transport Museum

    This stupendous museum has hundreds of vehicles, from horseless carriages to jet-powered, land-speed-record breakers. There's a brushed-stainless-steel…

  • Cathedral

    Worcester Cathedral

    Rising above the River Severn, Worcester's majestic cathedral is the final resting place of Magna Carta signatory King John. The strong-legged can scale…

  • Historic Building

    Burghley House

    Set in more than 810 hectares of grounds, landscaped by Lancelot 'Capability' Brown, opulent Burghley House (bur-lee) was built by Queen Elizabeth's chief…

  • Historic Site

    Shakespeare's New Place

    When Shakespeare retired, he swapped the bright lights of London for a comfortable town house at New Place, where he died of unknown causes in April 1616…

  • Cathedral

    Leicester Cathedral

    Pride of place at this substantial medieval cathedral goes to the contemporary limestone tomb atop the vault where the remains of King Richard III were…

  • Bridge

    Iron Bridge

    The arching Iron Bridge, which gives the area its name, was built to flaunt the new technology invented by the pioneering Darby family. At the time of its…

  • Historic Building

    Shakespeare's Birthplace

    Start your Shakespeare quest at the house where the renowned playwright was born in 1564 and spent his childhood days. John Shakespeare owned the house…

  • Gallery

    Barber Institute of Fine Arts

    At the University of Birmingham, 3 miles south of the city centre, the Barber Institute of Fine Arts has an astonishing collection of Renaissance…

Top experiences

Whether it’s a guided tour of a historic landmark, private tasting of local delicacies, or an off-road adventure — explore the best experiences in The Midlands & the Marches.