Light filters through the blinds onto your pillow early in the morning. Birds start singing their day away long before you get out of bed. The golden hour catches you on your way back from the office as you head to the nearest park and, before you know it, you are filled with the energy, desire to socialize, and optimism you have lacked for the past six months. With the thermometer set to hit much balmier temperatures and unbroken sunshine promised to grace the British capital for, yes, a full day, spring is more than on its way — it's here already. If the last five years in England have taught me anything at all, it's that, when that happens, you got to act fast. And so it's goodbye best London hotels, hello best day trips from London.
You have been there yourself: good weather is finally back but it has all happened too abruptly to have anything planned for you to be able to enjoy it. Suddenly, you are stuck in the city as it sheds its winter layers to come back to life, fighting your way onto overcrowded trains in a desperate attempt to reach the first patch of greenery where to give in to this totally unanticipated — yet instantly contagious — state of collective euphoria. That is, if you manage not to get trapped in the doors.
But what if I told you there is no need to sacrifice yourself for a slice of Hampstead Heath, and that I have spent time researching the best day trips from London to revel in awe-inspiring nature, art, and design? To make it all even more enticing, I might have even selected strikingly crafted restaurants and hotels to complement your outings, so that if you feel like turning your one-day excursions into weekend getaways from London, all the essential stops on the trail are already laid out. As for the actual attractions of these urban escapes, expect anything from dotted-in-sculptures, thriving gardens, and legendary artist studios to futuristically designed galleries immersed in vegetation, timeless National Trust houses, and more.
1. Henry Moore Studios & Gardens. Much Hadham, Hertfordshire
Henry Moore and Gemma Levine in the Bourne Maquette Studio in May 1983. One of the images part of the forthcoming exhibition Encounters.
Day Trip 1
Dane Tree House, Perry Green, Much Hadham SG10 6EE
Tucked away in Much Hadham, a picturesque village nestled in the wide open spaces of England's Hertfordshire, less than a two-hour train ride from London, the Henry Moore Studios & Gardens capture the vigorousness, scope, and poetry of the modern sculpture pioneer (Castleford, 1898-Perry Green, 1986)'s work across his decades-spanning career.
Surrounded by sweeping grounds, this celebrated cultural site allows visitors to step inside the artist's former home, studios, and galleries, and familiarize themselves with the monumental, semi-abstract bronze statues he is best known for. Constellating over 70 acres of gardens and rolling fields, these sublime, softly shaped sculptures sew the gap between humans and the outdoors, much like the institution housing them does between Moore's genius and those who come here to witness it first-hand.
How to get here: By train: direct lines from London Liverpool St and Stansted Airport to Bishop's Stortford, the nearest station, or Harlow Town, which is a 20-25-minute taxi drive away. By car: 20-minute drive from M11's junction 8 and the A10.
Plan your visit to the Henry Moore Studios & Gardens. *Please note the institution is temporarily closed and scheduled to reopen on April 16
See
Henry Moore's Sheep Piece (1971-72) is one of the many bronze sculptures you will be met with upon your arrival to his Perry Green house and studios.
Not only do the Henry Moore Studios & Gardens grant you access to his many platforms for experimentation, including the-stuffed-with-sculptural-studies-and-natural-forms Bourne Maquette Studio and the wrapped-in-tapestries Aisled Barn, but it even hosts interdisciplinary exhibitions and archive explorations addressing the relationship between the artist and those who have either crossed paths or shared the spotlight with him in his lifetime.
Coinciding with the site's seasonal reopening, Encounters (April 16-November 2) offers an intimate look at the "transformative encounters between Henry Moore and the people, objects, and ideas in his orbit during his active career and beyond". Reuniting archival documentation of his exchanges with world-leading artists, architects, and culture disruptors, as well as capturing the master sculptor's interactions with his assistants, the event will restitute a nuanced portrait of Moore as both the artist and the man.
Spanning audio, visual, and plastic art, the showcase won't simply invite the audience to retrace Moore's life in sculpture, but it will actively probe his legacy through brand-new commissions from contemporary creatives, intergenerational dialogues, narrated tours, and more.
Eat
A family-owned, award-winning restaurant outside of Hitchin, The Farmhouse at Redcoats puts a spin on traditional rural getaways with elevated farm-to-fork dining and vibrant accommodations.
The Farmhouse at Redcoats, Redcoats Green, Hitchin SG4 7JR
With expansive green areas, multiple studios, and a whole house to explore, many travelers will want to take their time to make the most of their day trip to the Henry Moore Studios & Gardens before returning home. To those of you who aren't ready to head back to London just yet once completed the sculptural walks, I recommend indulging in a culinary feast that lives up to the bucolic atmosphere of their main attraction.
In the countryside of Hitchin, a 40-minute taxi drive from the Henry Moore park, family-owned, farm-to-table eatery The Farmhouse at Redcoats cooks up soul-nourishing delicacies from the organic produce of its grounds, with fresh seafood sourced from North Norfolk fishermen. This AA 2 Rosette restaurant reinvents British and Mediterranean staples through imaginative pairings and meticulous presentations that delight both the tastebuds and the eye. Its wood-drenched private dining rooms and pavilion are the epitome of modern rustic decor, and if you feel the atmosphere is just right, you can even spend the night.
Book your table or stay at The Farmhouse at Redcoats.
Stay
With its quirky, retro-fueled decor accents, St Albans' Sopwell House infuses playful, contemporary design flair into the cathedral city.
Sopwell House, Cottonmill Ln, St Albans AL1 2HQ
If you thought that great design only belongs in metropolises, and that, therefore, the world's best design hotels are all to be found in conventional destinations, the whimsical chicness of St Albans' Sopwell House will prove you wrong. This under-the-radar stay remains a 40-minute drive from the Henry Moore Studios & Gardens, and less than half an hour away from The Farmhouse at Redcoats, making an ideal overnight stop for your weekend getaways from London.
A Sparcstudio creation, this 4-star luxury retreat comes with 12 acres of peaceful gardens to get lost into, but it's what lies within it that will stick with you most. Home to an eclectic range of sophisticated furnishings and textiles, and imbued with an irreverent essence, Sopwell House's 126 guestrooms and suites give modern farmhouse the design treatment. With communal areas punctuated by 1970s interiors nods and crafty additions, a Brasserie making fine dining instantly accessible, and a paradisiac wellness center with nothing to envy from the best spas in the UK, you will regret not extending your day trips from London into an holistic, rejuvenating hideaway.
Book your stay at Sopwell House.
2. Charleston. Firle, Sussex
Day Trip 2
Firle, West Firle, Lewes BN8 6LL
Visiting Charleston, the Sussex home of 20th-century artists Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant, and the wider creative colony for the revolutionary circle of thinkers, authors, designers, and creatives that came to be known as the Bloomsbury Group, won't feel like any other of your previous day trips from London (it will take you about two hours to get there). Instead, particularly if, as is the case for me, art and design define your world, it will be more like entering a suspended-in-time dimension.
What was once the domestic environment and testing ground of some of the most influential cultural personalities of Britain's past century — from Bell's own sister, legendary writer Virginia Woolf, and influential art critic and painter Roger Fry to economist John Maynard Keynes — today stands pretty much untouched in its house museum configuration. Brought to life by a spectacular art collection and even more eye-catching furniture, objects, and ephemera, Charleston is a pastel-shaded dream that proves just how much our most personal spaces can mean for and reveal about us.
How to get here: By train: regular train services run from London Victoria to Lewes. By car: Charleston lies halfway between Brighton and Eastbourne, six miles east of Lewes, and clearly signposted off the A27.
Plan your visit to Charleston.
See
Koak's The Dreamer (2025) offers a modern take on the Sleeping Beauty archetype, while charging it with some tension.
In its heyday, Charleston itself served as a canvas onto which artists Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant manifested their creative vision, which straddled mediums as varied as painting, textiles, pottery, illustration, mural work, and interior and product design. It is a process documented by the house's instinctually painted walls, where abstract and figurative motifs still reside, its ornate furnishings, and its eclectic array of objects, all of which make Charleston a must-see to this day. But it doesn't end there.
Part of its rotating program of exhibitions and talks, Vanessa Bell: A World of Form and Colour (through September 21), the largest ever dedicated to the pioneering artist, organized by Charleston in partnership with MK Gallery, gathers more than 100 pieces between canvases, textile works, furniture designs, ceramic pieces, and book covers in a long-overdue celebration of her chameleonic craft.
Meanwhile, Izumi Kato (through November 2), the Japanese multidisciplinary artist's debut institutional UK show, traces the continuum between archaic and futuristic art in a series of haunting paintings and sculptures that, reminiscent of the Bloomsbury Group's skillfulness across multiple materials as well as of its signature palette, exemplifies the movement's influential legacy. The same is tangible in San Francisco-based artist Koak's new presentation at Charleston's town center space in Lewes, The Window Set, where soft, rounded lines and vivid colors are used to render the contrasting essence of womanhood in hypnotically surreal vignettes of life heavy with emotion.
Book your tickets for Vanessa Bell: A World of Form and Colour and Izumi Kato.
Eat
Expect locally-sourced cuisine at the restaurant by Richard Falk.
Fork, 14 Station St, Lewes BN7 2DA
Could I ever let you take a day trip from London without ensuring you can fill up on food and aesthetic inspiration somewhere nearby? Of course not. Designed by Raefe Studio, Fork, a fairly recent addition to Lewes' town center, brings Japandi-style minimalism to a Grade-II listed, 2,000-square-foot Georgian shop located 15 minutes away by car from Charleston and right opposite Lewes train station.
Led by co-owner and chef Richard Falk, who cut his teeth at Notting Hill's two-Michelin-starred The Ledbury and Robin Gill's Dairy in South London, Fork's culinary offering looks as good as its interiors. Powered by a love of the finest ingredients and a flair for gastronomic innovation, this dynamic restaurant transforms locally sourced meat, vegetables, fruit, and cheeses, as well as fish from Newhaven, into mouthwatering plates you'll hardly forget.
Stay
Situated a 34-minute drive from Charleston on the scenic coast of Eastbourne, Port Hotel is the design-forward hideout you didn't know you needed.
Port Hotel, 11-12 Royal Parade, Eastbourne BN22 7AR. The George in Rye, 98 High St, Rye TN31 7JT
As the weather warms up, our eagerness to swap our day trips from London for more organized getaways is only bound to grow — as is our desire to be closer to the beach. Should an impromptu seaside break speak to you, then the Californian-style, sandy ambiance of Eastbourne's Port Hotel, a gem of contemporary interior design crafted by Imraan Ismail, might be right up your street.
Sited on the city's Royal Parade, this 19-bedroom stay is filled with sprawling maritime views and natural light, letting the laidback, peaceful essence of the surrounding area in through its windows. Inside, futuristic sculptural furniture, curated collectibles, terrazzo flooring, and an emphasis on shape, color, and craftsmanship prevail, with the hotel feeling like a wunderkammer for art and design-obsessed travelers. Plus, the accommodation's proximity to most local cultural attractions, including the experimental Towner Gallery, makes sojourning here even more worth it.
Book your stay at Port Hotel.
3. Packwood House & Baddesley Clinton. Solihull, Warwickshire
Day Trip 3
Packwood Ln, Solihull B94 6AT, Baddesley Clinton, Solihull B93 0DQ
Interiors-conscious travelers used to taking regular day trips from London will be familiar with the frozen-in-time charm of England's National Trust houses. Still, even compared to the ones I have managed to visit so far, Packwood House and Baddesley Clinton, two pristinely preserved manor houses dating back from the 16th and 15th centuries, respectively, are something else. The attention to detail and artistry manifested by these sites is a testament to the enduring power of craftsmanship, and their leafy outdoors are just as worthwhile as what lies within.
How to get here: By train: Hourly train services run from London Marylebone to Dorridge (1 hr 46 minutes). From there, get a taxi or a bus to Hockley Heath (6 minutes), then enjoy a scenic walk to Packwood House and Baddesley Clinton. Alternatively, you can board the Chiltern Railways service to Lapworth from London Marylebone and savor a 3-kilometer walk to the National Trust institutions, complete with picturesque canals and breathtaking countryside views.
By car (1 hr 45 to 2 hrs): Packwood House — For Packwood House: Exit the M40 at Junction 16 (Henley-in-Arden exit). From there, follow the A3400 towards Hockley Heath, then follow signs for Packwood House. The property is well-signposted from the main roads. Baddesley Clinton — Exit the M40 at Junction 15 (Warwick exit). Follow the A4141 towards Knowle and then follow signs for Baddesley Clinton. Alternatively, you can also exit at Junction 16 and follow local roads if visiting both sites on the same trip — they are only about 2 miles apart.
Plan your visit to Packwood House and Baddesley Clinton.
See
While dating back centuries, the Ireton Bathroom at Packwood House captures the beauty of a quirkily decorated, tiled bathroom — a trend that never ceases to come back and surprise.
A Tudor manor house, Packwood House was originally built by the Fetherston family in the late 16th century. Inside, you will find an antique collector-worthy selection of 17th-century carved furniture, rich tapestries, and meticulously crafted interiors. Among Packwood House's highlights are its dramatic Great Hall, boasting tall, beams-detailed ceilings, cerulean blue, mythical textiles, and sumptuous wooden accents, the Long Gallery, where coffered ceilings and mesmerizing homewares lead the way into the house, and a choreographically designed garden with a lake and hypnotic woodland trails.
At Baddesley Clinton, situated minutes away on foot from the other house, a maze unfolds across secret passages concealed by medieval and Tudor lavish designs, oak-paneled rooms, a bucolic library, and the reflections cast by the site's spectacular stained-glass windows. Once the home of the Brome family, Baddesley Clinton is where Elizabethan Era England comes back to life. Imbued with the mysteries and allure of that long-gone time, thanks to its wide art collection, it is an under-the-radar landmark for painting lovers, with its tranquil gardens offering an ethereal refuge from the bustle of the city.
Eat
"KYND is a produce-led restaurant, which celebrates the joy of food through simple, thoughtful cooking" — KYND
KYND at Hampton Manor, Shadowbrook Ln, Hampton in Arden, Solihull B92 0EN
With so much to see at Packwood House and Baddesley Clinton, we wouldn't blame you if you were starving by the end of your tour. But that's nothing to worry about: jump on a taxi to gastronomy-led estate Hampton Manor, situated a short drive away, to pamper yourself with an invigorating meal at the newly opened KYND. Led by Michelin-starred chef David Taylor, who also orchestrates the magic at the hotel's sibling fine dining destination, Grace & Savour, this ingredients-focused eatery strips it back to the essentials to celebrate British produce, heritage, and flavor in their most genuine form.
Immersed in the textural, rustic Scandinavian design of KYND, guests will get to taste produce from Hampton Manor's fruitful Walled Garden, with kilometer-zero meat cuts coming directly from the stay's rustic home. Earthy, nourishing, and visually striking, each of the plates on the restaurant's three-course menu stays true to the comfort and warming essence of British cuisine while simultaneously embodying a commitment to low-waste, farm-to-table cooking practices and a desire to evolve. Oysters are paired with mussel cream and fermented kohlrab. Flat Irons come with black garlic, miso butter, and rainbow chard while their sharable 'tipsy' cake is soaked in organic Welsh rum and topped with brown butter ice cream — you know it will be fun.
Do
Inspired by nature and its fruits, Hampton Manor is a holistic retreat encouraging a slower, more conscious lifestyle through low-waste, farm-to-table cuisine, gardening, and community-building activities.
More energetic travelers will find food for thought — whether metaphorically or literally — in Hampton Manor's interdisciplinary workshops. Whether you are keen to learn the ins and outs of pasta making, experiment with different fermentation techniques, or have a go at crafty activities like candle-making, wood carving, and gardening, the team at the estate will guide you through this and more. And if bread and butter are your, well, bread and butter, be ready to get your hands dirty and roll!
Book your workshops at Hampton Manor.
Stay
Whether you are looking for William Morris-esque, bucolic motifs or hip mid-century modern furniture, Hampton Manor's individually designed rooms will have something for you.
Hampton Manor, Shadowbrook Ln, Hampton in Arden, Solihull B92 0EN
One thing stopping me from organizing more day trips from London is the thought of missing out on weekend relaxation. Luckily for you, Hampton Manor is less than 15 minutes away from both Packwood House and Baddesley Clinton by car, and less than an hour and a half from the British capital by train (Euston to Coventry; Coventry to Hampton-in-Arden). With a total of 24 guest bedrooms available on-site, including a four-bedroom, whimsically decorated cottage, and two soul-regenerating restaurants to try during your stay, your weekend getaways from London have never been easier to organize.
Scattered across three areas, namely The Manor House, The Walled Garden Suites at Grace & Savour, and Manor Cottage, the accommodations range from romantically designed, farmhouse retreats plastered in floral motifs and wood to generously luxurious, eclectic suites, and playful, colorful rooms. If The Walled Garden Suites stand out for their immersive, oaky interiors and sculptural cement bathtubs, the Manor Suites, with their William Morris-inspired prints, velvet details, and retro-fueled tiled bathrooms are a masterclass in time-traveling decor (my current favorite two are the Sarah Ireland and De Mountford ones). Created with care to foster repose and contemplation, each Hampton Manor retreat is a break in the fast-pacedness of life — much like the Arts and Crafts movement that inspired the hotel.
Book your stay at Hampton Manor.
4. Yorkshire Sculpture Park. Wakefield, West Yorkshire
Daniel Arsham's Unearthed Bronze Eroded Melpomene (2021), as seen on the grounds of the Yorkshire Sculpture Park.
Day Trip 4
Yorkshire Sculpture Park, West Bretton, Wakefield WF4 4LG
Can't get enough of large-scale sculpture after visiting the Henry Moore Studios & Gardens? We have got you covered. At the Yorkshire Sculpture Park (YSP), reachable by both train and car within some three hours, 500 acres of greenery and over 100 monumental sculptural works and installations await. A constellation of masterpieces scattered across the rolling hills of Wakefield, the totemic bronzes and mixed-media pieces present on-site capture the breadth of experimentation of era-defining artists like Barbara Hepworth, Ai Weiwei, Andy Goldsworthy, Sophie Ryder, Daniel Arsham, Damien Hirst, and Niki de Saint Phalle besides, of course, Henry Moore himself. Once you are done exploring the grounds, step inside the YSP galleries to catch more impressive projects by some of the most thought-provoking talents of yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
How to get here: By train: Direct trains from London King's Cross or London St Pancras to Wakefield Westgate (approx. 2 hrs) then a 15-minute taxi or bus ride to Barnsley. By car: Drive toward the park via the M1 (approx. 3 to 3.5 hrs), exit at Junction 38, then follow the brown tourist signs to YSP.
See
"It is my goal to bring some intrigue into both natural and built environments, creating work that may serve as a reminder that nature can still surprise us" — Laura Ellen Bacon
Not only does the Yorkshire Sculpture Park house some of the most extraordinary large-scale bronzes and installations ever realized, but with its program of exhibitions, it even allows you to get closer to the talents that are currently reshaping the art scene from within, with more intimate displays presented in its adjacent galleries and talks and events happening regularly on-site.
Currently, there are seven coinciding shows open at YSP. These include Alchemies, an evocative presentation dedicated to the mythology-inspired, monumental craft of London-based artist and sculptor Bharti Kher (through May 5), Elizabeth Frink's three-dimensional exploration of the link between nature and the human world, titled Natural Connection (through March 23), as well as outdoor displays of totemic sculptures by critically acclaimed artists Daniel Arsham (through March 30) and Damien Hirst (ongoing). Coming up next are a Yorkshire re-edition of Felicity Aylieff's recent Kew Gardens solo show, Expressions in Blue (April 5-September 14), made of colossal china porcelains, an uncannily beautiful, captivating installation made of woven willow branches called Into Being, crafted by Derbyshire-based artist Laura Ellen Bacon and unfolding in the venue's Chapel, and an ambitious exhibition honoring the genius of South African artist William Kentridge, The Pull of Gravity (June 28-April 19, 2026).
Plan your visit to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park.
Eat
Conceived by award-winning architectural film Feilden Fowles, the Yorkshire Sculpture Park's restaurant, The Weston, allows you to soak in natural views from indoors.
The Weston, Bretton, Wakefield WF4 4LG
You know coming to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park for one of your day trips from London is a great idea when you realize you don't even need to book another taxi, or drive anywhere else yourself, to find an inspiring place to eat. Part of the institution's sleek visitor center and gallery, The Weston, YSP's restaurant and café blends harmoniously with the spellbinding nature of its surroundings. Featuring minimalist design by Feilden Fowles Architects, it boasts floor-to-ceiling windows, natural stone walls, and a green roof, expanding on the organic feel of the destination without disrupting the view.
Furnished with linearly beautiful, bright wood Scandinavian design pieces, the restaurant isn't just the ideal place to feel restored after a day in the park, but thanks to its expansive outdoor patio and locally sourced, breakfast and lunch menu, it will transform your brief getaway into a culinary feast.
Book your table at The Weston.
Stay
The brainchild of Martin Hulbert Design, No. 1 by Guesthouse has to be one of the quirkiest, most beautiful stays in York.
No. 1 by Guesthouse, York, 1 Clifton, York YO30 6AA
We know what you're thinking: why drive 50 minutes north all the way to the city center of York when you could be wrapping up your outing without venturing any further? While I am aware not everyone might be up for the trip, I know a quick glance at the intricately stunning, nostalgia-soaked decor of No. 1 by Guesthouse will imbue every die-hard interior obsessive with the motivation necessary to make it come true.
The work of Martin Hulbert Design, this hidden-in-plain-sight, stylish boutique hotel finds its home in a Grade II listed Regency townhouse in the beating heart of York. With 38 individually crafted bedrooms filled with all sorts of collectibles, roll-top bathtubs, and four-poster beds alongside truly outstanding transitional style decor, a weekend getaway from London has never looked better. Modern art and sculptures set the inspired atmosphere of its communal areas, comprising a characteristic restaurant and bar, while the subterranean spa, drenched in earthy, terracotta tones for a suffused ambiance, will cocoon you throughout the stay.
5. Hauser & Wirth Somerset. Bruton, Somerset
A masterpiece by Dutch garden designer Piet Oudolf, the grounds at Hauser & Wirth Somerset seek to unleash the unruly yet beautiful feel of "a real garden" by incorporating a perennial meadow and contrastingly harmonious elements into the scheme.
Day Trip 5
Hauser & Wirth Somerset, Durslade Farm, Dropping Ln, Bruton BA10 0NL
People who don't miss out on any of the best art and design exhibitions in London will already have Hauser & Wirth, one of the world's leading galleries, on their radar. But not even some of its most devoted visitors will have found the time to make their way to its Somerset outpost. In case you haven't done it yet, let me tell you: it is totally worth the hassle. Hosting an ever-changing calendar of exhibitions, talks, and more, Hauser & Wirth Somerset is an optimal window into the now and next in the creative world. Sited within historic farm buildings in Bruton, the gallery, which also includes a library, an education space, a restaurant, a bar, and a bookshop on top of the exhibition spaces, all designed by Laplace, as well as outdoor areas signed by Dutch garden designer Piet Oudolf, is as much of a discovery as the artworks it holds.
How to get here: By train: Train from London Paddington to Castle Cary (approx. 1 hr 40 mins) then a 15-minute taxi drive to Hauser & Wirth Somerset. By car: Take the M4 westbound toward South Wales, exit at M5 southbound (toward Exeter), continue on M5, and then take the A371 toward Bruton. Follow the signs for Hauser & Wirth Somerset from then on.
See
Similarly to the Henry Moore Studios & Gardens and the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Hauser & Wirth Somerset too presents an ever-changing artistic offering, whether inside its galleries or outdoors. Among the unmissable appointments from this spring's program are the ongoing group show An Uncommon Thread (through April 21), which explores the potential of unconventional materials to channel deeply complex narratives that connect us all, featuring contributions from burgeoning contemporary artists like Charlotte Edey, Max Boyla, Tai Shani, and Nour Jaouda; and Niki de Saint Phalle and Jean Tinguely: Myths & Machines (May 17-February 1, 2026), a forthcoming show that portrays the unique bond between disruptive artists Niki de Saint Phalle (1930-2002) and Jean Tinguely (1925-1991), whose open-air, extravagant sculptures and amusing inventions reflect their uncompromising spirit in both life and art.
Plan your visit to Hauser & Wirth.
Eat
Named for and inspired by Artfarm co-founder Iwan Wirth's maternal grandfather, a native of Italy's Rivamonte Agordino, a small mountainous town in the Veneto region, Da Costa brings a slice of authentic Italian hospitality to Somerset.
Da Costa at Hauser & Wirth, Durslade Farm, Dropping Ln, Bruton BA10 0NL
As an Italian-born-and-raised Lifestyle Editor with a boundless love of all things food and, particularly, nostrano food, I couldn't but mention Hauser & Wirth Somerset's in-house restaurant, Da Costa, as one of the potential highlights of these day trips from London. Characterized by the warmth and laid-back energy of traditional osterias or, even better, agriturismi (Italian farm-to-table restaurants), the eatery gets its moniker from Iwan Wirth's maternal grandfather, who, having emigrated from Northern Italy to Switzerland in the early 20th century, went on to open a small-scale, beloved restaurant known for its down-to-earth, honest fare.
With such premises, stepping inside Da Costa is bound to be a journey through space and time, with nostalgic alpine influences woven throughout its rustic decor and artworks sourced from Hauser & Wirth's star-studded roster of talents adding occasional splashes of color to the wood. Focusing on freshly grown, seasonal ingredients from Durslade Farm and the surrounding area, the restaurant is where quintessential Englishness and Italian flair collide under the bold leadership of Executive Chef Ben Orpwood.
Stay
At HOLM Somerset, modern cuisine and hospitality meet — and the result is memorable.
HOLM Somerset, 28 St James's St, South Petherton TA13 5BW
In case you didn't know already, restaurants with rooms are trending, and so is the imaginatively designed HOLM Somerset — an on-the-rise gastronomic destination coupling sublime food experiences with overnight stays in one of its seven, spirited ensuite bedrooms. Located a 33-minute drive away from Hauser & Wirth's Bruton gallery in South Petherton, this quirky-chic accommodation, rising in a former high street bank from 1830, got to be one of the most imaginative contemporary getaways I have come across in a while
Against its exposed lime-plastered walls and polished concrete floors (both of which prove that brutalist interiors are, indeed, back in vogue), a number of pastel-shaded abstract compositions, sculptural mid-century furniture, and bespoke pieces handmade by local artisans absorb guests in a welcoming, inspiring atmosphere, at once comforting and unexpected. Muted, earthy tones bring the surrounding foliage in through design, as do the monikers of the bedrooms themselves, each taking the name of a different tree. Complete with lavish freestanding bathtubs or beautifully crafted walk-in showers, every suite at HOLM Somerset is a gateway to indulgent relaxation, with chef Nicholas Balfe's local agricultural heritage-inspired restaurant as the cherry on the cake.
Book your stay at HOLM Somerset.
Now that you have got five of the best day trips from London for an arty, gastronomic break covered, why not continue feeding your wanderlust by diving deep into our Travel Trends 2025 Report? Who knows what other getaway ideas that might spark.
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