Travel & experiences for expats in the UK
Moving to a new country is the beginning of a much bigger adventure. Once you arrive, the UK offers more to explore than most people realise — guided tours into the Scottish Highlands, coastal cottages a short drive from anywhere, thousands of local experiences in every city, and easy access to the rest of Europe. The services here help you make the most of it from day one.
Browse providers ↓Explore the UK and beyond from day one
From small-group guided tours of Scotland to hotel comparison, holiday cottages and thousands of bookable experiences across the UK.
4 providers listed
Edinburgh-based small-group tour operator running guided mini-coach tours across Scotland, the rest of the UK, Ireland and selected European destinations. Maximum 16 people per tour, led by expert driver-guides. Day trips and multi-day tours departing from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness and Aberdeen. Certified B Corp, founded 1993, Which? recognised. Ideal for expats who want to explore the Scottish Highlands, Skye, Orkney and the islands without a car.
A hotel price comparison platform that searches across booking sites to find the best available rate for over five million properties worldwide. Enter your destination and dates to compare prices from multiple channels side by side. Useful for expats booking hotels for visiting family, planning breaks across the UK, or finding temporary accommodation while waiting for a permanent property. Trivago directs you to the booking site with the best price for your chosen property.
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One of the UK's leading self-catering accommodation platforms, listing holiday cottages, farmhouses, lodges, coastal retreats and rural properties across England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Useful for expats wanting a base to explore a specific region, hosting visiting family from overseas, or discovering parts of the UK away from the major cities. Properties range from one-bedroom retreats to large group accommodation, with verified guest reviews throughout.
A global tours and experiences marketplace listing over 300,000 activities in 2,500 destinations. In the UK, Viator covers London sightseeing tours, Scottish whisky distillery visits, Stonehenge day trips, food and drink experiences, walking tours, boat trips, Harry Potter studio tours and much more. A practical way to discover and book structured activities in a new city — particularly useful for expats still learning what their region has to offer, and for planning activities with visiting family.
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Getting to know your new home: travel and exploration for new arrivals
One of the unexpected pleasures of moving to the UK is discovering how much there is to explore — and how accessible most of it is. The country is compact by the standards of most expats' home countries, the rail network is extensive, and major natural and cultural landmarks are rarely more than a few hours from any of the major cities. The challenge for new arrivals is usually knowing where to start and having the confidence to navigate somewhere unfamiliar. That is where guided tours, curated experiences and a good accommodation comparison tool earn their keep.
For expats based in or visiting Scotland, guided small-group tours are one of the most efficient and rewarding ways to see the country. The Scottish Highlands, Skye, Glencoe, the Orkney Islands and the Outer Hebrides are spectacular but logistically complex without a car — single-track roads, ferry timetables and limited accommodation in remote areas make independent travel challenging for newcomers. A small-group tour from Edinburgh or Glasgow removes all of that, delivering you to the highlights in a single day or over several days, with a guide who knows the history, folklore and practical details of every stop.
Exploring beyond the cities
The UK's cities — London, Edinburgh, Manchester, Bristol, Glasgow, Birmingham — are where most expats land, and they offer enough to keep anyone busy for months. But the countryside and coast are where many people find the UK at its most distinctive. Self-catering cottages through platforms like Cottages.com let you spend several days in a region — the Cotswolds, Pembrokeshire, the Yorkshire Dales, the Scottish Borders, the North Devon coast — at your own pace, with the flexibility of a base to return to each evening. For expats hosting family from overseas, a cottage break is often a more comfortable and memorable option than a hotel, and gives visiting relatives a genuine experience of the British countryside rather than a city-centre stay.
Structured experiences in a new city
Even in familiar cities, structured tours and experiences help you discover things you would miss on your own. Food tours reveal the restaurant scene and local produce of a neighbourhood in a way that wandering alone rarely does. Walking tours of historical areas provide context that transforms a street into a story. A whisky distillery visit in Scotland, a gin experience in London, a literary walk in Edinburgh — these are the kinds of experiences that help a new place start to feel like somewhere you know rather than somewhere you have moved to. Viator's catalogue covers all of this and more across UK cities, with the ability to filter by interest, duration and price.
Whether you have been in the UK for a week or a year, there is always more to discover. The services on this page are a starting point — tools that make exploration easier, more comfortable and better value than going it entirely alone.
More services for life in the UK
View all categories →Travel & Experiences in the UK — FAQs
The UK is compact enough to explore extensively by train, and a railcard can reduce the cost significantly. Guided small-group tours are one of the most efficient ways to see regions like the Scottish Highlands, the Lake District or coastal Wales without needing a car. Day trip operators such as Rabbie's run regular departures from Edinburgh and Glasgow. For longer breaks, self-catering cottages through Cottages.com give you a base in a region to explore at your own pace. For experiences and activities — from food tours to castle visits — Viator lists thousands of options across UK destinations.
Rabbie's is an Edinburgh-based guided tour operator founded in 1993, specialising in small-group mini-coach tours across Scotland, the rest of the UK, Ireland and selected European destinations. Tours are limited to a maximum of 16 people and are led by expert driver-guides. Rabbie's offers day trips and multi-day tours departing from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness and Aberdeen. The company is a Certified B Corporation and is particularly well regarded for tours of the Scottish Highlands, Skye, Orkney and the islands.
Trivago searches across booking sites to find the best available price for a given property. Enter your destination, dates and number of guests to see available hotels with prices from multiple booking channels side by side. It covers over five million properties worldwide. Trivago does not process the booking itself — it directs you to the booking site offering the best price for your chosen property.
Cottages.com is one of the UK's leading self-catering accommodation platforms, listing holiday cottages, farmhouses, lodges, coastal retreats and other self-catering properties across England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Properties range from one-bedroom rural retreats to large properties suitable for groups and families. It is particularly useful for expats who want to explore a specific region over several days, or for hosting visiting family from overseas.
Viator is a tours and experiences marketplace listing over 300,000 activities in 2,500 destinations worldwide. In the UK, Viator covers London sightseeing tours, Harry Potter studio visits, Scottish whisky distillery tours, Stonehenge day trips, food and drink experiences, walking tours, boat trips and much more. A practical way to discover and book structured activities in a new city, particularly for expats still learning what their region has to offer.
Not necessarily. The UK has an extensive rail network and a railcard can reduce fares by up to a third. For rural areas — particularly the Scottish Highlands, the Lake District, the Cotswolds and coastal Wales — having a car or joining a guided tour is more practical. Guided small-group tours like those offered by Rabbie's are specifically designed for travellers without cars, providing transport from city departure points to otherwise hard-to-reach destinations.
Scotland is worth visiting year-round. May and June offer long days, green landscapes and fewer crowds. July and August are the warmest months and coincide with the Edinburgh Festival, but accommodation books up well in advance. September and October bring dramatic autumn colours and quieter roads. Winter can be atmospheric in the Highlands, though some attractions have reduced availability. Rabbie's runs guaranteed departures throughout the year on most routes.
Yes. Viator operates in 2,500+ destinations worldwide, so it is useful both for discovering experiences in your new UK home and for booking activities when visiting family abroad or travelling during UK holidays. It covers major destinations in Europe, North America, Asia, Australia and beyond, making it a consistent tool for expats who travel frequently.
Check the property's proximity to what you want to explore, whether it has parking (essential in rural areas), the cancellation policy, and whether linen and towels are included. Booking well ahead is advisable for school holidays, bank holiday weekends, and summer in popular regions like the Cotswolds, Cornwall, the Lake District and the Scottish Highlands. Cottages.com shows verified guest reviews alongside listings to help with the decision.
For regions that are difficult to access without a car — particularly the Scottish Highlands, Orkney and the Outer Hebrides — a guided small-group tour is often the most practical option for expats who have not yet got a UK driving licence or car. Beyond accessibility, expert local guides provide historical and cultural context that enriches the experience considerably. Rabbie's tours, limited to 16 people, offer a more personal experience than large coach tours, with flexibility to make unscheduled stops when conditions allow.
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