If you ask any visitor to imagine England, you will hear about vintage red telephone kiosks, the capital's giant Ferris wheel, and the monarch's London home. But escape twenty miles beyond the urban sprawl, and you encounter what feels like a different land altogether. England is a nation, not a single urban hub; picture soft green hills, broken-down ancient castles, warm scones with jam and cream, and ocean edges that have stirred the creative soul for centuries on end. Comprehensive details on tourist safety guide for the UK can be found on the portal.

The Cotswolds. This is the England of postcards: warm ochre stone dwellings, rose-wrapped entrances, and picturesque hamlets named Castle Combe and Bourton-on-the-Water. You will want to navigate either with a car engine or with hiking poles along the Cotswold Way. Pause to enjoy a traditional Devon-style tea featuring warm scones served with thick, clotted cream and sweet strawberry preserves, however, a word of caution: the great West Country debate rages on — Cornwall insists on jam then cream, while Devon demands cream then jam.

Brighton & The Seven Sisters. Just an hour from London, the coastal town of Brighton provides an eccentric beachside retreat. Walk the Victorian pier, dine on golden-fried fish and chunky potato wedges, presented in a paper wrapping, and explore the exotic Royal Pavilion. Traveling a brief distance eastward by car leads you to the famous chalk cliffs known as the Seven Sisters — stunning pale cliffs that appear to glow against the blue water and green grass above. Hike the crest of the cliffs to enjoy scenes that silence any attempt at description.

The Lake District. A UNESCO World Heritage site and England's ultimate outdoor playground. It was among these peaks and waters that Wordsworth experienced the solitude he transformed into "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud".

Climb Scafell Pike, the tallest peak in all of England, enjoy a cruise on the broad waters of Windermere, England's most expansive lake, or alternatively, find a cozy inn, order a full pint of Cumbrian-brewed beer, and spend a contented hour observing the rain cascade across the surrounding hills. For those who find themselves drawn to the Middle Ages, York demands a place on your itinerary. Explore the city's perimeter from above, looking out over rooftops and gardens from the medieval ramparts, wander without direction through the Shambles, a famously tight medieval lane that provided direct visual inspiration for Harry Potter's Diagon Alley, and admire the stunning York Minster, whose Great East Window is the largest expanse of medieval stained glass anywhere on the planet.

If the idea of encountering restless spirits appeals, make time for a dusk-to-evening paranormal tour. York's tourism board — and its ghost tour operators — will tell you that this is the spirit capital of the entire continent. Lying just a short drive from both Manchester and Sheffield, the you will find in the Peak District expansive moorland plateaus, reservoir lakes created to supply water to nearby cities, and beautiful villages — among them Bakewell, famous for its namesake confection. It is perfect for a weekend of hiking and pub lunches.

England's southwestern tip feels almost like a different nation. Rugged cliffs, turquoise waters (yes, turquoise), and excellent surfing in Newquay. Spend time in St. Ives, home to the Tate St. Ives gallery, countless independent art spaces, and a seafood scene that rivals any coastal town in Britain, climb down into the Minack Theatre, a breathtaking example of one woman's vision realized in concrete and stone against a dramatic coastal setting, and explore Tintagel Castle, where a recent discovery of a 6th-century slate has reignited the Arthurian connection and where a dramatic footbridge now connects the mainland to the island.

The county also gave the world the Cornish pasty — a D-shaped baked crust packed with a savory mixture of meat, potatoes, and the root vegetable swede. Consume it without utensils, holding the thick, crimped crust which functions as a built-in handle.