The United Kingdom is four nations on one set of islands: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Distances are short, trains reach most cities, and within a few hours you can go from London's museums to empty hills, castles and long stretches of coast. The weather is mild and changeable rather than extreme, and Greenwich, in London, is the reference point for the world's time zones.
The UK for visitors
Most trips start in London, which has enough museums, theatres, parks and neighbourhoods to fill a week on its own. From London, Oxford, Cambridge, Bath, Brighton and Canterbury are easy day trips by train.
England beyond London
York, with its medieval walls and minster, and the cities of the north, such as Manchester and Liverpool, are a couple of hours away by train. For walking, the Lake District in the north-west and the Peak District in the middle of the country are the best-known national parks. The Cotswolds are a belt of stone villages west of Oxford, and Cornwall and Devon in the south-west have the warmest coast in the country, with beaches, fishing harbours and coastal footpaths.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
Scotland's two big cities are Edinburgh, with its castle and old town, and Glasgow, the larger and livelier of the two. North of them the Highlands and islands are wild, thinly populated and spectacular: mountains, lochs and single-track roads. Ben Nevis, the highest peak in the UK, is near Fort William.
Wales has Cardiff, its compact capital, the mountains of Eryri (Snowdonia) in the north, and the Pembrokeshire coast in the south-west. Many road signs are in both Welsh and English. Northern Ireland, with Belfast as its main city, is best known to visitors for the Causeway Coast and the Giant's Causeway, and it is easy to combine with a trip to Ireland.
Getting around
Trains link all the main cities, and London is the hub of the network. Fares vary a lot with how early you book and the time of day, so it pays to plan ahead for long journeys. Coaches are slower and cheaper. In the Highlands, rural Wales and the national parks, a car gives you far more freedom; remember that the UK drives on the left. Domestic flights mainly make sense between London and the north of Scotland or Northern Ireland.
Time in the UK
The whole UK has one time zone, Europe/London, and is on UTC±0 right now. In winter it keeps Greenwich Mean Time (UTC±0), and in summer it moves one hour ahead to British Summer Time (UTC+1). The clocks go forward on the last Sunday in March and back on the last Sunday in October ([1]). The next change forward is on 28 March 2027, and the next change back on 31 October 2027.
The UK changes on the same dates as the European Union, so the one-hour gap with France, Germany and most of the continent holds all year. Right now London is 1 hour behind Paris, 5 hours ahead of New York and 4 hours behind Dubai. The United States changes its clocks on different dates, so for a few weeks in spring and autumn the gap with New York is an hour smaller than usual.
Britain has tried other arrangements. From 1968 to 1971 it kept the clocks an hour ahead of Greenwich all year, with no change in winter, before returning to the usual pattern ([2]). Our guide to GMT, UTC and the world's time zones explains how Greenwich became the reference point.
Flights from Asia usually land in the morning; flights from North America often land early in the morning after a short night. Daylight is the best cure for jet lag, so try to stay outside on your first day.
Climate and weather
The UK has a temperate oceanic climate, kept mild by the Atlantic and the warm North Atlantic Drift. Winters are cool and damp rather than freezing, and summers are pleasant rather than hot. The weather comes mostly from the west, so it changes quickly: sunshine, a shower and a cool wind in one afternoon is normal in any season.
Where you are matters. The west, especially the mountains of Wales, the Lake District and western Scotland, is much wetter than the east. The south-east, including London, is the warmest and driest region. Scotland is cooler than England, and the Highlands get snow every winter, while snow in southern cities is occasional and rarely lasts.
In London, average highs range from 9°C in January to 24°C in July. The city gets about 615 mm of rain a year, spread over many light, showery days, and October is London's wettest month. Sunshine changes far more than rain through the year: London averages 55 hours of sunshine in December and 218 in July.
Day length swings widely because the UK lies so far north. In London the shortest day has about 7 h 49 min of daylight and the longest about 16 h 38 min; in northern Scotland summer nights barely get dark, while winter days are very short.
Best time to visit the UK
Late spring and early autumn are the best balance for most trips: May, June and September bring long days, mild temperatures and fewer crowds than the school holidays. Summer is the warmest and lightest season and the best time for the Highlands, the islands and walking holidays, but it is also the busiest and most expensive, especially at the coast and in Edinburgh during its August festivals. In the Scottish Highlands, midges can be a nuisance on still summer evenings.
Autumn turns wetter and windier from October, though the colours in the parks and hills can be beautiful. Winter is dark and damp, but it is a good season for city breaks, museums, theatre and the Christmas lights in December, and the quietest time for the big sights.
School holidays, especially from late July to the end of August, and bank holiday weekends fill trains, roads and coastal towns.
Practical facts
- Capital: London.
- Population: about 69 million (UN World Population Prospects 2024, 2023 estimate).
- Currency: British pound sterling (GBP). Cards and contactless payment are accepted almost everywhere, including on London's buses and Underground. Scotland and Northern Ireland issue their own banknotes, which are valid throughout the UK, although some shops in England look at them twice.
- Language: English. Welsh is widely used in Wales, and Scottish Gaelic in parts of the Highlands and islands.
- Calling code: +44.
- Tipping: a modest tip is usual in restaurants with table service, unless a service charge has already been added to the bill. Tipping in pubs, where you order at the bar, is not expected.
- Driving: on the left.
- Emergency numbers: 999 or 112 for the emergency services ([3]).
Plan your trip with hoyoopin
- London city guide: the weather month by month, the truth about April showers, what to pack, and how GMT and British Summer Time work.
- World Clock: UK time next to your own and other cities.
- Weather: live conditions and the forecast for Edinburgh, Cardiff, Belfast or any other UK town.
- Europe: time zones and key facts for every country on the continent.
- Before you go: how to pack for any weather, which matters in a country where four seasons can turn up in a day.
Frequently asked questions
What time zone is the UK in?
The UK uses Greenwich Mean Time (UTC±0) in winter and British Summer Time (UTC+1) in summer, with the IANA identifier Europe/London. Right now it is on UTC±0.
When do the clocks change in the UK?
They go forward one hour on the last Sunday in March and back on the last Sunday in October. The next changes are on 28 March 2027 and 31 October 2027.
Is the UK on the same time as the rest of Europe?
No. The UK is one hour behind France, Germany and most of the continent all year, because both sides change their clocks on the same dates.
Does it rain all the time in the UK?
No, but rain is possible on any day. In London it is usually light and showery, and the east and south-east are much drier than the west and the mountains.
Which side of the road do people drive on in the UK?
On the left, as in Ireland.
Sources
- GOV.UK: When do the clocks change?: clocks go forward on the last Sunday in March and back on the last Sunday in October; GMT in winter, British Summer Time in summer.
- tz database, Europe file (mirror): Europe/London on BST (one hour ahead) with no summer-time rule from 27 October 1968 to 31 October 1971, under the British Standard Time Act 1968.
- GOV.UK: 999 and 112, the UK's national emergency numbers: 999 and 112 are the national emergency numbers; 112 can be used in the UK.