The highlights of United Kingdom, planned day by day

A highlights trip to United Kingdom draws on all three: Ox, Belfast Political Taxi Tour. Choose laid-back for two things a day, or packed for four.

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Price bands are thirds of what United Kingdom itself charges, not a fixed dollar figure - the cheapest third in Vietnam and in Norway are nowhere near the same number. Flights and accommodation are not included.

Your 5-day highlights plan for United Kingdom

Where you stayBelfast 3 nightsGlasgow 2 nightsabout 175 km between them

5 days · packed · 10 of 19 bookable now · activities from about $623

  1. Day 1 Belfast

    1. Ox in Belfast, United Kingdom

      morning

      Ox

      Belfast

      Restaurant in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

    2. Belfast Political Taxi Tour in Belfast, United Kingdom

      afternoon

      Belfast Political Taxi Tour

      Belfast · from $61

    3. Belfast Hop-On Hop-Off City Sightseeing Bus Pass in Belfast, United Kingdom

      evening

      Belfast Hop-On Hop-Off City Sightseeing Bus Pass

      Belfast · from $36

    4. Giant's Causeway and Titanic Distillers Tour from Belfast in Belfast, United Kingdom

      evening

      Giant's Causeway and Titanic Distillers Tour from Belfast

      Belfast · from $77

    Where to eat

    • Breakfast

      St George's Market

      The last surviving Victorian covered market in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

      Belfast · 0.4 km away

    • Lunch

      Ox

      Has had a Michelin star since 2016.

      Belfast · 0.0 km away

    • Dinner

      The Muddlers Club

      Awarded a Michelin star in the 2020 Michelin Guide Great Britain & Ireland.

      Belfast · 0.4 km away

  2. Day 2 Belfast

    1. WWT Castle Espie Wetland Centre in Belfast, United Kingdom

      morning

      WWT Castle Espie Wetland Centre

      Belfast

      Nature reserve in United Kingdom.

    2. Titanic Belfast Tickets in Belfast, United Kingdom

      afternoon

      Titanic Belfast Tickets

      Belfast · from $51 · 16.4 km from WWT Castle Espie Wetland Centre

    3. St George's Market in Belfast, United Kingdom

      evening

      St George's Market

      Belfast · 1.6 km from Titanic Belfast Tickets

      Market hall. Dates from 1899. Grade B+ listed building.

      Just turn up
    4. Carrickfergus Castle in Belfast, United Kingdom

      evening

      Carrickfergus Castle

      Belfast · 15.0 km from St George's Market

      Irish castle near Belfast.

    Where to eat

    • Lunch

      Northern Whig

      A bar housed in a historical building at 2-10 Bridge Street in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

      Belfast · 0.7 km away

    • Dinner

      Kelly's Cellars

      Built on March 14, 1720, it is one of the oldest pubs of Belfast.

      Belfast · 0.7 km away

  3. Day 3 Belfast

    1. Deanes in Belfast, United Kingdom

      morning

      Deanes

      Belfast

      Restaurant located in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

    2. Botanic Gardens in Belfast, United Kingdom

      afternoon

      Botanic Gardens

      Belfast · 1.5 km from Deanes

      Botanical garden. Dates from 1828.

      Just turn up
    3. Game of Thrones, Westeros & Giant's Causeway Day Tour from Belfast in Belfast, United Kingdom

      evening

      Game of Thrones, Westeros & Giant's Causeway Day Tour from Belfast

      4.589 reviewsBelfast · from $47

    4. Titanic Experience and Giant's Causeway Tour from Belfast in Belfast, United Kingdom

      evening

      Titanic Experience and Giant's Causeway Tour from Belfast

      Belfast · from $113

    Where to eat

    • Lunch

      Crown Liquor Saloon

      A pub in Great Victoria Street in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

      Belfast · 0.1 km away

  4. Day 4 Glasgow

    1. Travel day

      Belfast to Glasgow

      About 175 km by train · allow around 2h 30m

      Journey time is an estimate rather than a timetable - check the operator before you book anything tight on either side of it.

      Book direct
    2. Strathclyde Grain distillery in Glasgow, United Kingdom

      afternoon

      Strathclyde Grain distillery

      Glasgow

      Whisky distillery in Glasgow, Scotland, UK. Dates from 1927.

      Just turn up
    3. Loch Lomond, the Trossachs and Stirling Castle Tour from Glasgow in Glasgow, United Kingdom

      evening

      Loch Lomond, the Trossachs and Stirling Castle Tour from Glasgow

      Glasgow · from $94

    4. Glasgow City Centre Walking Tour in Glasgow, United Kingdom

      evening

      Glasgow City Centre Walking Tour

      Glasgow · from $23

    Where to eat

    • Breakfast

      Bridgeton Cross Retail Market

      A morning market, open 10am to 3pm.

      Glasgow · 0.9 km away

    • Lunch

      Horse Shoe Bar, 17-21 Drury Street, Glasgow

      The Horse Shoe Bar (or Horseshoe Bar) is a public house on Drury Street, Glasgow, Scotland.

      Glasgow · 1.6 km away

  5. Day 5 Glasgow

    1. Willow Tearooms in Glasgow, United Kingdom

      morning

      Willow Tearooms

      Glasgow

      Tea house. category A listed building.

    2. Glasgow Botanic Gardens in Glasgow, United Kingdom

      afternoon

      Glasgow Botanic Gardens

      Glasgow · 2.5 km from Willow Tearooms

      Botanical garden. Dates from 1817. Inventory Garden and Designed Landscape.

    3. Glasgow Street Art Walking Tour in Glasgow, United Kingdom

      evening

      Glasgow Street Art Walking Tour

      Glasgow · from $23

    4. Stirling, Loch Lomond & Outlander Day Tour from Glasgow in Glasgow, United Kingdom

      evening

      Stirling, Loch Lomond & Outlander Day Tour from Glasgow

      Glasgow · from $99

Prices are indicative and in Australian dollars. Flights and accommodation are not included. Distances between stops are straight-line, so a walking or driving route will be longer, and they are shown only where both stops have a known location. Items marked also worth doing sit outside the highlights theme and are there because they are among the best things to do in United Kingdom.

Before you fly to United Kingdom

The part an itinerary app leaves out. These are United Kingdom's rules for Australian passport holders, re-read from the official source and dated below.

Entry

No visa, but Australians need an approved UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before boarding.

United Kingdom visa and entry rules

Passport

Check your passport covers the whole trip with room to spare. A fare is non-refundable long before a passport renewal is.

Check your passport against this rule

Your checklist

21 things to sort for United Kingdom, built from these same rules, 3 of them essential.

United Kingdom travel checklist

  • Passport valid - valid for the duration of your stay
  • Apply for your UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA)
  • Take out travel insurance

Last reviewed 2026-10-24. Entry requirements change without notice. Always confirm with the official sources below before you book or fly.

Sort these before you go

The two things worth having arranged before a highlights trip to United Kingdom, compared on price.

United Kingdom travel insurance

EKTA

Gold

2k
Overseas medical expenses to US$150,000No excess to pay on a claimSold per day, so a long trip costs proportionally
$36.48 AUD

Klook

Travel insurance

Priced per destinationMedical, cancellation and baggageAdventure cover options
Set at quote

Fast Cover Best value

Standard Saver

9k
Overseas medical expensesTrip cancellationLuggage & personal items
$18.10 AUD
Compare only

United Kingdom eSIM plans

Airalo

1GB · 7 days

32k
Works in United Kingdom1GB of data7 days validity
$8 AUD

Saily Cheapest 10GB

10GB · 15 days

6k
Works in United Kingdom10GB of data15 days validity
$14 AUD

Airalo Recommended

10GB · 15 days

32k
Works in United Kingdom10GB of data15 days validity
$15.50 AUD

Prices are indicative, shown in AUD and refreshed from provider APIs where available. Always confirm the final price on the provider's site - it is the price that applies. We may earn a commission if you buy through our links, which never changes what you pay. Partners are listed before providers who pay us nothing, as our terms set out; sorting by price ignores all of that and orders on the number alone. How we make money.

Highlights trip questions

What goes into a highlights plan?

It rotates between wellness, sightseeing and food items rather than clustering them, so no single day is three museums or three meals. If you would rather lean one way, switch the theme at the top of the page and the plan rebuilds.

Can I change the plan once it is built?

Yes. Pace and length are controls on the page, and changing either rebuilds the plan instantly. The itinerary is deterministic, so the same choices always produce the same plan - you can send someone the link and they will see what you see.

Other ways to do United Kingdom

Highlights trips in other countries

Still deciding where to go? These are built the same way - real activities, in an order that works, with the entry rules for Australians attached.

All highlights itineraries

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