From chocolate-box villages to windswept beaches by way of rolling green hills and 2,000 year old Roman towns – here are ten places to escape the hustle and bustle of London life.

Seaside towns for a day trip

1. Brighton

Bohemian, eccentric and effortlessly cool – you’d have to have been living under a London-shaped rock to have not heard of Brighton (double points for the Graham Greene ref).

Visitors have flocked here for centuries. And it’s not just for the famous pebble beach and pier combo (or the added adrenaline rush of evading seagulls trying to nick your fish and chips). The self-proclaimed LGBTQ+ capital of the UK and still one of the only places with a Green Party elected MP, it’s no surprise that this is considered one of England’s most liberal and diverse towns. After all, this is the kind of place where you’ll be rubbing shoulders with some fabulous drag queens one minute then raving with pensioners and hippies the next. There’s loads to see and do here – from exploring the warren-like cobbled Lanes, to scoring vinyl and vintage garms, and eating fancy seafood.

Train time | London to Brighton is about 1 hour.

2. Margate

Somewhat saltily known as Hoxton-on-Sea for the East London hipsters that have permanently migrated here: Margate is a typical art deco seaside town in Kent.

As well as some pretty gorgeous golden sandy beaches (Botany Bay: looking at you) it’s got a thriving art scene and is home to none other than Tracey Emin thank-you-very-much. There are also some fantastic boozers here, a world-famous lido, and some really good restaurants where you can still grab oysters for under a fiver. Not to mention Dreamland – a Grade II*-listed theme park dating back to 1880 which doubles as an event and gig space in the summer months. Gorillaz, Noel Gallagher and Fatboy Slim have all played here in recent years.

Train time | London to Margate is about 1 hour 35 minutes. Top tip | Consider doing the 10km clifftop walk from Margate along the Viking Trail and getting the train back from Broadstairs instead. The not-quite-comparable-UK-equivalent of Sydney's famous Bondi to Coogee walk, this nevertheless stunning coastal walk above the golden sands and surf beaches of Botany Bay, Joss Bay and Kingsgate Beach is a corker. And is helpfully dotted with pubs and beach cafés.

3. Whitstable

A neighbouring gem on the north Kent coast: while Margate has retro arcade appeal and late-night gigs in spades, cute and compact Whitstable has bucketloads of historic coastal charm.

Traditional fishing village vibes with a Farrow & Ball paint job, Whitstable is one of the most quintessential day trips from London. It's home to a great harbour market, arty high street, and a working pebble beach handily dotted with seafood stalls and oyster shacks in summer. Don't forget to pack your swimmers, call in for a pint on the beach at The Neptune pub, and queue for fish and chips at Ossie's.

Train time | London to Whitstable is about 1 hour 20 minutes.

4. Rye

Characterised by cobbled lanes, wonky medieval houses, and streets with names like ‘Mermaid Street’, you’d be forgiven for thinking Rye was taken straight from a fairytale.

You wouldn’t be far off to be honest, as this enchanting town really is pretty magical. Grab a pint or two at the olde inns dotted about, pay a visit to the Grade I-listed Ypres Tower which dates all the way back to the 13th century, or head out on one of the many gorgeous walks located just out of town.

Train time | London to Rye is about 1 hour 30 minutes. Top tip | If the sun is shining and you can find some transport, take a picnic to the wide golden beach at Camber Sands – about three miles away. Big enough to escape any family holiday crowds, Camber is one of the UK’s most beloved beaches.

Historic cities for a mini break

5. Oxford

Billed as the ‘City of Dreaming Spires’, Oxford is most famous for its namesake university, which is the oldest in the English-speaking world.

But there’s more to this ancient city than just the university – as fantastic as it is. Prestigious museums go hand-in-hand with world-class restaurants, bookshops galore, and one of the best botanic gardens in the whole of the UK. Top tip: Go punting under the Magdalen Bridge and get snap happy – you’ll see why it gave inspiration to Lewis Carroll’s legendary novel ‘Alice in Wonderland’.

Train time | The train from London to Oxford is about 1 hour 20 minutes.

6. Bath

As the only city in the UK designated as a UNESCO heritage site, Bath’s reputation pretty much precedes it as one of the most beautiful and historic places in England.

The city itself takes its name from the Roman Baths which date all the way back to, well, the Roman times in AD 43 – and there’s over 2,000 years’ worth of history here for you to uncover. But if you can pry your eyes away from the magnificent Georgian architecture or the Palladian-style Pulteney Bridge, you’ll find there’s plenty of other things to see and do in this frankly lovely place. Follow in the footsteps of acclaimed novelists Mary Shelley and Jane Austen who both resided here, take in the panoramic views from atop the mighty Bath Abbey, or soak your stresses away in one of those photogenic spas. You’re on a getaway after all, remember?

Train time | The train from London to Bath is about 1 hour 15 minutes.

7. York

Recently voted as the UK’s ‘most popular city’ by a YouGov poll, York is a picturesque little cathedral city that’s steeped in both Roman and Viking history.

While every building here is pretty darn photogenic, the jewel in York’s crown is arguably the magnificent York Minster – one of the world’s most magnificent Gothic cathedrals which soars up to heights of 72 metres and dates all the way back to the 7th century. You’ve also got The Shambles, one of the best-preserved medieval shopping streets in Europe, and the award-winning National Railway Museum of York. Add in 365 different boozers – one for every day of the year – and you can see why it's one of the jewels of northern England.

Train time | Determined to not ignore the north of England, this one just snuck in at 2 hours 3 minutes (!) on the fast train from London. Top tip | As it is a bit more of a trek 'up north', try and spend a bit longer up in Yorkshire. Home to dramatic landscapes, historic seaside towns, and fun-loving music-mad cities – it's not called 'God's own country' for nowt (Or 'nothing' to you and I).

Countryside scenes for a getaway

8. The Cotswolds

Now, if you were challenged on picking a quintessentially English scene, then the chances are that the Cotswolds would come out top of the list. If you're picturing The Holiday right now – you're about there.

Chocolate box-esque villages, rolling green hills, thatched cottages and medieval churches are all synonymous with this charming pocket of England, which stretches across six different counties. It’s an Area of Outstanding National Beauty, and for good reason – it really is that beautiful. And while it’s all pretty bloomin’ lovely, the charming market town of Stow-on-the-Wold would be our top pick of places to visit while you’re in the region. Once the centre of the wool trade, it’s now a treasure trove of antique shops, fashionable art galleries, and cosy pubs like ‘The Porch House’ – the perfect spot to pull up a pew with a pint in front of a roaring fire.

Train time | The train from London to Moreton-in-Marsh is about 1 hour 37 minutes. However, to truly appreciate the stunning pastoral scenes and ancient stone villages of the Cotswolds, consider getting a car for the weekend.

9. The Norfolk Broads

Sprawling across 117 square-miles in rural Norfolk, the Broads National Park is Britain’s largest protected wetland and covers reed-lined marshes, ancient woodland and a whole host of flooded waterways.

The Norfolk Broads is also home to more than a quarter of the UK’s rarest species, including birds like the bittern, and is best explored by boat, which can easily be rented from towns like Stalham, Wroxham and Hoveton. Cruising down the waterways while the sun’s shining with pit stops at various pubs, windmills and quirky museums – what's not to love?

Train time | You can catch the train to the historic cathedral city of Norwich in around 1 hour 45 minutes. Designated England's first UNESCO City of Literature, Norwich is a weekend break in itself and is packed with 1,000+ years of Anglo-Saxon history, medieval architecture and riverside walks. To get to the Broads, it's around a 20-minute local train to Wroxham.

10. The New Forest

Despite the somewhat misleading name, the New Forest is actually some super ancient woodland which dates back well over 12,000 years.

The woods once covered the entirety of southern England, but now all that remains is the namesake national park – measuring some 220 square-miles. You really feel like you’re off the map here, and it’s famous for its horse riding, hiking and mountain biking trails – not to mention the wild ponies and deer which call the protected swathes of forest home. If you’re craving a bit of civilisation, then base yourself at Brockenhurst – a charming village which is full to the brim with quaint cafés, boutique shops and more B&Bs than you can shake a walking stick at.

Train time | The train from London to Brockenhurst is about 1 hour 40 minutes.

So, there you have it. Just ten of the places you can visit if you're on a UK working holiday in London or doing a London internship.