The UK’s best crowd-free day trips

The best seaside town in the country, according to our survey of thousands of Which? members, is also one of the most peaceful.

That Bamburgh was rated so highly - and still gets five stars for peace and quiet - shows that not all of the country's most beautiful places have been overrun by tourists.

We've found lovely villages, spectacular historic buildings, and fascinating museums that were all praised for their lack of crowds in our surveys. Even better, some are free or got five stars for value for money.

Here are our suggestions for the perfect - crowd-free - day out.

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Day trips to the least crowded seaside towns

We rated 118 of the best and worst seaside towns in our latest survey - these are the highest-rated destinations to receive five stars for peace and quiet.

Bamburgh, Northumberland

The little village of Bamburgh made headlines when we named it the best UK seaside destination for the third year running. Despite the repeated acclaim, it still receives five stars for peace and quiet.

With two miles of sand, beneath a rocky outcrop on which sits Bamburgh Castle, it has more than enough space for everyone - and spectacular views.

Check with booking.com to easily compare and find accommodation deals in Bamburgh.

Aldeburgh, Suffolk

'It isn't your run-of-the-mill seaside town,' was one comment in our survey about this Suffolk favourite. Fishermen still sell their latest catch from huts along the shingle beach, while the Victorian houses lining the promenade are resplendent in bright pastels.

Composer Benjamin Britten - Aldeburgh's most famous resident - adored the peace and quiet. The music festival he founded still takes place every summer at nearby Snape Maltings in June.

Check with booking.com to easily compare and find accommodation deals in Aldeburgh.

Day trips to the least-crowded historic UK attractions

We rated 63 of the best historic UK attractions in our latest survey and these were rated the best overall - as well as getting five stars for peace and quiet.

Fountains Abbey, Yorkshire

There are few places more peaceful - or romantic - than Fountains Abbey in Yorkshire, especially on mornings when mist hangs over the gardens around its magnificent ruins. It's unusually well-preserved for a medieval monastery and you can still see the exquisite detail in its masonry. Entrance also includes the Studley Royal Water garden, one of the best surviving examples of a Georgian water garden in England.

Entry is free to National Trust and English Heritage members. Adults pay £19 and children £9.50 Visitors gave it four stars for value for money in our latest survey.

Find out more about Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Water Garden.

Royal Yacht Britannia, Edinburgh

This floating palace retired from active duty in 1997 and has been permanently moored on the Firth of Forth ever since, where it has become one of our best-loved attractions. Part of the charm is the thrill of nosing around somebody else's property - in this case the late Queen Elizabeth II. 

She described it as her 'country house at sea' and the decor reveals her own tastes and preferences - the chintzy furniture in rooms where she entertained Prime Ministers and Presidents and the elegant mahogany and white walls.

Adults pay £19.50, children £9.25. It has five stars for value for money in our survey.

Find out more about the Royal Yacht Britannia.

Day trips to least-crowded museums

We rated 48 of the best UK museums and galleries. The two below were the highest-rated destinations to get five stars for lack of queues and crowds. They're both free to enter.

St Fagans: National Museum of History, Cardiff 

Welsh history has been brought to life through 40 buildings from different historical periods at St Fagans. It stands in the 100-acre grounds of St Fagans Castle and gardens and explores how Welsh people have lived throughout history.

The recreations include a clog-maker’s house, a school built in the 1880s, as well as a typical general store from South Wales complete with original packaging. 

Find out more about St Fagans

National Railway Museum, North Yorkshire 

The National Railway Museum offers a fascinating day out where you can immerse yourself in the history, as well as the future of train travel. As one reader put it: ‘This place is a must for all rail enthusiasts and educational for those who are not’.

Inside, you’ll find locomotives from steam engines to bullet trains and the engineering behind the machines. Readers rated it five out of five for how engaging it is in our historic attractions survey.

Find out more about the National Railway Museum

Day trips to least-crowded UK cities

We rated 62 of the best and worst UK city breaks and the two below were the highest-rated big and small city, respectively, to get four-stars for lack of crowds.

Liverpool

The best place in the UK for a city break, Liverpool is nevertheless much less crowded than other, more obviously touristy destinations. Although the nightlife is buzzing in the Ropewalks area and the Cavern quarter, museums and galleries such as Tate Liverpool or the Walker Art Gallery are more peaceful than their London equivalents. 

Take a walk around the Albert Dock or, to really avoid the crowds, seek out the St James garden behind the Anglican Cathedral. Formerly a cemetery it's now a haven of perfect peace right in the centre of the city.

Check with booking.com to easily compare and find accommodation deals in Liverpool.

Wells, Somerset

England's smallest city (after the City of London) is also one of its prettiest. Yet it doesn't attract the same visitor numbers as other famous Cathedral cities and it's a joy to wander around. 

A stroll from Vicar's Close - supposedly the oldest residential street in Europe - past the gothic cathedral, to the moat and gardens of the Bishop's Palace would take about five minutes if you were in a hurry. But you won't be. Take it slow and enjoy everything this charming enclave has to offer.

Check with booking.com to easily compare and find accommodation deals in Wells.