If you thought the current batch of British royals were an eccentric bunch, just wait until you see Brighton's crowning jewel, the Royal Pavilion. The exotic palace-cum-playpad of Prince George, later Prince Regent then King George IV, is one of the most self-indulgently decadent buildings in England and an apt symbol of Brighton's reputation for hedonism.

Even the forest of Indian-style domes and minarets outside is only a prelude to the palace's lavish oriental-themed interior, where no colour is deemed too strong, dragons swoop and snarl from gilt-smothered ceilings, gem-encrusted snakes slither down pillars, and crystal chandeliers seem ordered by the tonne.

The palace was commissioned by Prince George, eldest son of King George III, in 1787 and in 1815 converted to reflect the current fascination with all things Eastern. George finally had a palace suited to his outlandish tastes, and to boot he was now the king. His brother and successor, William IV (1765-1837), also used the pavilion as a royal residence, as did William's niece Victoria (1819-1901). But the conservative queen never really took to the place and in 1850 sold it to the town, but not before stripping it of every piece of furniture. Thankfully, many original items were later returned and the palace is restored to its former glory.

It's hard to imagine a more imposing mother church for Anglicanism than this majestic early Gothic cathedral. Though ominous undertones of violence and bloodshed whisper from its walls, it's an overwhelming edifice filled with enthralling stories, striking architecture and a very real and enduring sense of spirituality.

This great antique war machine is chock-a-block with monuments commemorating the nation's battles. Also here is the grave and heraldic tunic of one of the nation's most famous warmongers, Edward the Black Prince (1330-76). And of course, it was here that saintly Archbishop Thomas Becket met his grisly end at the altar. You'll find the very spot that has drawn pilgrims for over 800 years in the northwest transept, marked by a lit candle and striking modern altar.

The doorway to the crypt is beside the altar. This cavernous space is the cathedral's highlight, an entrancing 11th-century survivor from the cathedral's last devastating fire in 1174, which destroyed the rest of the building.

When you leave the cathedral, go round the eastern end and turn right into Green Court, surrounded on the eastern side by the Deanery and the northern side (straight ahead) by the early-14th-century Brewhouse and Bakehouse, which now house part of the very exclusive prep school, King's School. In the northwestern corner (far left) is the famous Norman Staircase (1151).

The Victorian symbols - shrouded urns, obelisks, upturned torches (life extinguished) and broken columns (life cut short) - the eerily overgrown graves and the twisting paths of the western side of Highgate Cemetery weave a creepy kind of magic. On the other, less atmospheric side you can visit the graves of Karl Marx and George Eliot.

Yorkshire has a great selection of spooky, majestic castles but none more so than this 1070 heap. It's had many uses through the years, including a stint as a prison for conscientious objectors during WWI. Legend has it that King Arthur rests beneath the keep. The best part of a visit is the view from the top of the remarkably well-preserved 30m-high tower.

These monumental remains are some of the best preserved in Britain. The city's steaming soul is the bath-and-temple complex built by the Romans over one of Bath's three natural hot springs from the 1st century AD. You can usually avoid the worst crowds by visiting early on a midweek morning or outside the peak months (July and August).

An audioguide (read by the bestselling author Bill Bryson) is included in the admission price.

Shakespeare's Globe was originally built in 1599, burned down in 1613 and immediately rebuilt. The Puritans, who regarded theatres as dreadful dens of iniquity, eventually closed it in 1642. American actor and director Sam Wanamaker fought to rebuild it last century, sadly dying before the opening night in 1997.

The visit includes a tour of the theatre, where you learn interesting snippets like where the audience used to go to the loo in the absence of lavatories (take a wild guess) and what theatre was like in Shakespeare's time, plus a fascinating exhibition on Elizabethan London and the rebuilding of the theatre.

Plays are still performed in this faithful replica with thatched open roof and actors wear traditional costumes (made by painstaking traditional methods). See the website for upcoming performances. During summer matinee performances the guided tour visits the nearby site of Rose, Bankside's first theatre.

One of the most important prehistoric sites, the ancient ring of monolithic stones at Stonehenge has been attracting pilgrims, poets and philosophers for the last 5000 years. Despite the constant flow of traffic, and the huge numbers of visitors, Stonehenge still manages to be a mystical, ethereal place - a haunting echo from Britain's forgotten past.

A reminder of a lost civilisation who once walked the many ceremonial avenues across Salisbury Plain, Stonehenge is also still one of Britain's great archaeological mysteries: although there are countless theories about what the site was used for, ranging from a sacrificial centre to a celestial timepiece, in truth no one really knows what drove prehistoric Britons to expend so much time and effort on its construction.

For such a celebrated site, Stonehenge has seen a surprising amount of upheaval over recent years. The tense stand-offs between solstice-goers and police have been replaced by a fresh controversy over the alleged mismanagement of the World Heritage site. Hemmed in by busy roads and wire barricades, jammed with visitors throughout the summer, and underscored by a cacophony of roaring traffic, it's a long way from the haven of peace and spiritual tranquillity most visitors expect to find, and was even described by one government department as a 'national disgrace'. Thankfully, plans are afoot to reinvent the Stonehenge experience.

This former power station is home to the tremendous Tate Modern, Europe's most successful contemporary art gallery and one of the South Bank's most exciting attractions. By the end of the museum's first year it had attracted 5.2 million visitors, making it the second-favourite attraction in London.

Following the Tate's first re-hang since opening in 2000 the permanent collection is now organised by period so you can stroll through Cubism, Futurism and Vorticism; Surrealism and Surrealist tendencies; Abstract Expressionism and European Informal Art; and Minimalism. The vast Turbine Hall is as dramatic as it's always been and a real highlight of any visit; and the temporary exhibitions are still enticing.

Another attraction is the view from the top-floor restaurant and cafe.

Westminster Abbey is one of the most sacred and symbolic sites in England. With the exception of Edward V and Edward VIII, every sovereign has been crowned here since William the Conqueror. It's a beautiful building, full of morose tombs and monuments, with an acoustic field that will send shivers down your spine when the choirboys clear their throats.

The abbey is a magnificent and arresting sight. Though a mixture of architectural styles, it is considered the finest example of Early English Gothic (1180-1280) in existence. The original church was built during the Dark Ages by the King (later St) Edward the Confessor in the 11th century, who is buried in the chapel behind the main altar. Henry VII's huge and magnificent chapel was added in 1519.

Unlike St Paul's, Westminster Abbey has never been a cathedral. It is what is called a 'royal peculiar' and is administered directly by the Crown.

The interior is less impressive than the exterior but there are many highlights including the incongruously ordinary-looking Coronation Chair, the late perpendicular-style Henry VII Chapel, the Royal Air Force (RAF) Chapel, the octagonal Chapter House, the Pyx Chamber and the Abbey Museum with death masks of generations of royalty.

Free concerts are held once a week from end-July through August in the 900-year-old College Garden. Next door to the Abbey is the smaller St Margaret's Church, the House of Commons' place of worship since 1614. There are windows commemorating churchgoers Caxton and Milton and Sir Walter Raleigh is buried by the altar.

Sitting snugly between the brooding North York Moors to the east and the dramatic Lake District to the west are the Yorkshire Dales (from the Viking word dalr, meaning 'valleys'), a marvellous area of high hills and moors, cut through by rugged stone walls and spotted with extravagant houses and the faded, spectral grandeur of monastic ruins.

Thankfully, nature's feast has been protected as a national park since the 1950s, assuring its status as a walker's and cyclist's wonderland. But the fabulous scenery attracts plenty of four-wheeled visitors, making the roads very crowded - especially during the summer. If you can't avoid busy summer weekends, try to come by bus or train, and even then it's well worth getting off the beaten track.

The 683 sq mi (1769 sq km) Yorkshire Dales National Park divides into two parts: in the north, two main valleys run west to east - broad expansive Wensleydale (home of the famous cheese) and narrow secretive Swaledale. In the south, the main valleys - Ribblesdale, Malhamdale, Littondale and Wharfedale - all run north-south and are the most popular areas for tourists.

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Source: Lonely Planet