Two of the greatest ‘experiences’ in the world in 2026 are here in Britain

It’s easy to complain about life in the UK. Sure, the skies are grey and Freddos can be 50p now, but according to the experts at travel publication Lonely Planet, two of the 25 best experiences in the entire world can be found in England.

Lonely Planet, a travel website and guidebook publisher, has just released its ‘Best in Travel 2026’ lists. One list is for places to go and the other is for experiences – and though Britain didn’t feature at all in the list of the top spots to visit, it is apparently home to two world-beating experiences.

Alongside things like ‘tracking desert elephants’ in Namibia and ‘riding horses in the Andes’, immersing yourself in English art and football are officially two of the best things to try on Earth. The list is in no particular order, so the publication clearly thinks all 25 of the entries are worth your while. Here’s a bit more on why Lonely Planet chose each experience. 

Take a street art tour of Bristol

Lonely Planet’s top pick for ‘art lovers and neighbourhood wanderers’ was discovering Bristol’s famous painted streets. The birthplace of the world’s most famous graffiti artist, Banksy, it’s no surprise that ‘Bristol’s penchant for colour is clear on arrival, with the rainbow row of houses on Richmond St visible from the Temple Meads station platform’.

If you want to see work from the big man himself there are several still several Banksys on show in his hometown. Lonely Planet recommends starting your trip in ‘the subversive Stokes Croft’ which Time Out named among the coolest neighbourhoods in the world last year, ‘for a glimpse at Banksy’s earliest work, including The Mild Mild West on the Jamaica St junction and Rose on a Mousetrap on Thomas St’. The third work hangs over a bridge on Park Street.

But there’s more to Bristol’s street art than Banksy. The city centre is home to ‘some fascinating neck-craning murals giving character to brutalist buildings that have no business being so interesting’, and any good tour guide will be able to show you the less-famous, but equally stunning, works that are dotted around town.

As someone who lived in Bristol for four years, I can confirm that the street art, and the brightness it brings to the streets, is one of the most magical things about the city. The best of it is around the Gloucester Road/Stokes Croft/St Paul’s area, which is also full of delicious food and the finest charity shops I’ve ever had the honour of rifling through.

Attend a Premier League football match

There’s no doubt that heading to a football match is one of the most entertaining, and most British, experiences you can have in the UK. As Lonely Planet explains; ‘Going to a match is not just visiting a stadium; it opens a window into the country’s passions and character that you’d struggle to see doing anything else.’

Football fans are certainly passionate about their teams, but a lot of them are also passionate about keeping the game accessible to local supporters. Ticket prices have soared in recent years, meaning that many long-time fans can no longer go and watch games, with tourists being some of the only people who can actually afford the inflated costs. Some also argue that stadiums full of one-time visitors make for pretty lacklustre crowds, which is the worst thing that can happen at a match (other than losing).

For that reason, football tourism is pretty contested amongst fans. If you or someone you know does travel to the UK for a game, at least make sure you’ve brushed up on the chants and are ready to break a vocal chord or two if your team scores a goal.

You can read Lonely Planet’s full list of the world’s best destinations and experiences in 2026 here.

Did you see that this nature-packed British market town is the second-best underrated destination in Europe?

Plus: The massively underrated British seaside city that has been named one of the best places to visit in the world in 2026.