Hertfordshire is a historic English county rich in heritage, cultural landmarks, and natural beauty, blending Roman sites, Tudor architecture, modern film studios, and scenic countryside within easy reach of London.
Houghton House
Houghton House is a ruined Jacobean mansion in Bedfordshire, owned by English Heritage and open for free public access during daylight hours. Visitors can explore the outdoor remains of this historic Grade I listed building situated on elevated land with scenic countryside views.
Ascott House
Ascott House is a Grade II* listed English country house with a rich Rothschild family history, featuring extensive gardens, notable art collections, and a historic cricket ground on its estate. Visitors can explore both indoor historic rooms and art, as well as extensive outdoor gardens and grounds.
Berkhamsted Castle
Berkhamsted Castle is a historic Norman motte-and-bailey castle ruin in Hertfordshire, England, originally built in 1066. It features extensive earthworks and medieval deer park grounds, and offers outdoor exploration of its significant historical remains and scenic location. Managed by English Heritage, it is open daily for free public visitation.
The Mall (Luton)
Luton Point is a large indoor shopping centre in Luton, Bedfordshire, offering a wide variety of retail stores, ample parking, and dining options. It features modern retail space with easy access via escalators, located centrally with a notable entrance at St George's Square.
De Grey Mausoleum
The De Grey Mausoleum in Flitton, Bedfordshire, is a significant historic mausoleum housing many monuments to the De Grey family, featuring architecture from the early 17th to 18th century. It is open to the public under English Heritage and is a Grade I listed building and scheduled monument.
The Spires Shopping Centre
The Spires Barnet is a shopping centre in north London featuring twin spires from a former church, open-air atria, cafes, and a large multi-storey car park, offering a convenient and historic shopping experience.
Woburn Safari Park
Woburn Safari Park in Bedfordshire offers a 360-acre drive-through safari experience with a wide range of animals including lions, elephants, and rhinos. It includes a Foot Safari area with smaller animals and interactive exhibits, as well as leisure amenities such as a family restaurant and play zones, making it suitable for visitors of all ages.
Dunstable Downs
Dunstable Downs, the highest point in Bedfordshire, is a chalk escarpment in the Chiltern Hills offering outdoor activities like gliding and kite flying, with rich natural history and ancient archaeological sites. It is managed by the National Trust and accessible via walking trails.
Atria Watford
Harlequin Watford is a large indoor shopping centre in Hertfordshire featuring over 145 stores, a cinema, restaurants, and extensive parking, providing a comprehensive retail and leisure experience.
Edmonton Green Shopping Centre
Edmonton Green is a large indoor shopping centre in north London featuring over 100 stores, a covered market, a large ASDA supermarket, and various facilities including a library and offices. It offers a vibrant shopping experience with a mix of retail and market stalls in a structure dating back to 1967 with notable brutalist architectural elements.
Verulamium
Verulamium was an ancient Roman town near modern St Albans, featuring extensive Roman ruins including city walls, a theatre, forum, and hypocaust. The nearby Verulamium Museum displays mosaics and artefacts from the settlement. The site offers both indoor museum experiences and outdoor archaeological remains.
Shaw's Corner
Shaw's Corner is the preserved home of George Bernard Shaw in Hertfordshire, showcasing his Edwardian Arts and Crafts house, original interiors, garden, and unique writing hut.
The Broadwalk Centre
The Broadwalk Centre is a single-storey shopping centre in Edgware, Greater London, featuring over 40 shops including major retailers and facilities such as a car park and public meeting room, conveniently accessible near public transport.
Smithcombe, Sharpenhoe and Sundon Hills
Smithcombe, Sharpenhoe and Sundon Hills is a National Trust Site of Special Scientific Interest featuring chalk grassland with rare plants, an Iron Age hill fort, and medieval rabbit warrens, offering a rich outdoor natural and historical experience.
Whipsnade Tree Cathedral
Whipsnade Tree Cathedral is a 9.5-acre garden in Bedfordshire laid out in the form of a cathedral using various tree species. It serves as a living tribute and a place of reflection with chapels for each season and is managed by the National Trust.
Howard Centre
The Howard Centre is a large indoor shopping centre in Welwyn Garden City featuring over 50 stores including major retailers like Boots and WHSmith, spread across two floors. It opened in 1990 and offers extensive retail space for a wide range of shopping needs.
Waltham Abbey Church
Waltham Abbey Church is a historic parish church in Essex with origins dating back to the 7th century, renowned for its Norman architecture and its connection to King Harold Godwinson. Visitors can explore the church's rich history, impressive architectural features, and significant heritage as a pilgrimage site and a Grade I listed building.
Pitstone Windmill
Pitstone Windmill is a historic 17th century post mill in Buckinghamshire, known as the earliest windmill dated in the British Isles. Visitors can explore the outdoor site and learn about traditional corn milling. The National Trust manages the site, which is open to the public on summer Friday afternoons.
Hertfordshire Zoo
Hertfordshire Zoo is a long-established zoological park in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, home to over 800 animals across themed habitats with interactive experiences, conservation efforts, and media presence.
Wrest Park
Wrest Park is a Grade I listed country estate in Bedfordshire featuring a historic English country house with early Rococo Revival interiors and extensive formal gardens with notable landscaping by Capability Brown. Visitors can explore both indoor historic interiors and outdoor formal gardens, with the estate also serving as a filming location for various productions.
Ashridge
Ashridge is a National Trust country estate in Hertfordshire featuring a notable early Gothic Revival stately home, extensive woodlands, gardens designed by Humphrey Repton, and the Bridgewater Monument. The estate also hosts the Hult Ashridge executive education program within the house.
Old Gorhambury House
Old Gorhambury House is a ruined Elizabethan mansion near St Albans, Hertfordshire, dating from the 16th century, with adjoining 18th-century Palladian house. The site includes historic gardens and water features and is free to visit as maintained by English Heritage.