Location: Kent, south-east England
What’s the damage? Adult £7
It is hard to conceive of a more majestic mother church for Anglicanism than this splendid early Gothic cathedral. A reservoir of more than a 1,000 years of Christian history, it resonates with spellbinding stories and is crammed with imposing architecture – although its walls also whisper audibly of warfare and bloodshed.
One of England's most notorious warmongers, Edward the Black Prince, was buried here in 1376. And as every schoolchild knows, the gruesome murder of Archbishop Thomas Becket happened right here at the altar – propelling him to sainthood and converting the cathedral into one of Europe's top pilgrimage sites.
The cathedral is the centrepiece of the city's World Heritage site, but there’s plenty more to see beyond its walls – not least the 1,400-year-old remains of St Augustine's Abbey and some of the region’s finest pubs.
British wonders: 14 St Paul’s Cathedral
Location: Central London
What’s the damage? Adult £10
With a dome second only in magnitude to St Peters in Rome, St Paul’s Cathedral is not only one of London’s most striking architectural gems but also one of the most enduring symbols of Great British grit.
Sir Christopher Wren rebuilt it from the ashes of its predecessor in 1675, following the Great Fire of 1666. Then it miraculously dodged the bombs of the WWII blitz, making it a national icon of resilience.
Climb to the dome for fabulous views outside, and while inside test out the so-called Whispering Gallery, where if you talk to the wall on one side, your words should carry 32m to the opposite side.
British wonders: 15 National Gallery
Location: Central London
What’s the damage? Free
With more than 2,300 European masterpieces, dating back around 800 years, the National Gallery must fall near the top of every art-lover’s list. Situated in the heart of London’s tourist district, above Trafalgar Square and a short walk from Buckingham Palace, its star attractions include works by da Vinci, Van Gogh, Turner, Monet, Seurat, Botticelli, Constable, Cézanne, Raphael, Rembrandt and Michelangelo … the list goes on and on.
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