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LONDON, UK, 26 June 2018 – TripAdvisor®, the travel planning and booking site, today announced the winners of its first-ever Travellers’ Choice® awards for Experiences. The awards recognise 345 experiences, tours, and activities globally, highlighting the world’s bestrated experiences overall.
An Italian experience - a cooking class at a Tuscan farmhouse and local market tour - is the global winner. UK experiences were also favoured among travellers, with an Inner Circle Access of Stonehenge, Bath, and Lacock from London day trip and a tour of Loch Ness and the Highlands from Glasgow, both placing within the world top 25 Travellers’ Choice winners for Experiences.
“Travel is all about new experiences and these awards, decided by reviews and ratings from the TripAdvisor community, showcase some of the best things to do around the world for every type of traveller,” said James Kay, A TripAdvisor spokesperson. “Whether it’s a cooking class at a Tuscan farmhouse, a glow worm cave tour in New Zealand, or exclusive inner circle access at Stonehenge, these awards highlight fantastic ways for travellers to immerse themselves in the local culture whilst also inspiring local residents to experience something new right on their doorstep.”
The awards are also broken down by country, and by category, including day cruises, cultural experiences, day trips, multi-day tours, hop-on hop-off tours, and food, beer, and wine experiences. Winners were determined using an algorithm that took into account a business’s reviews, opinions and popularity with travellers over the last year.
TripAdvisor is the world’s largest provider of bookable experiences, with more than 100,000 bookable activities, tours and attractions worldwide.
Top 10 Experiences in the UK:
Travellers will enjoy exclusive access to one of England’s most renowned sites on this day trip from London to Stonehenge, Bath and Lacock. The day begins or ends at Stonehenge where visitors can explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site from inside its inner circle - an exclusive experience only available to this group. The day continues with a trip to the medieval village of Lacock and a guided tour in the historic city of Bath - including visits to the Bath Abbey and Roman Baths. “Arriving for our exclusive private visit, our tour group was permitted access while it was still closed to the general public. Our views of Stonehenge on this special tour were relatively unobstructed and simply unforgettable!” said one TripAdvisor reviewer.
Glasgow’s close proximity to the Scottish Highlands makes it easy for travellers to explore the region with this hassle-free day trip to Loch Ness and the Cairngorms National Park. Ideal for history buffs and nature lovers, this guided tour visits historic battle sites and ancient castles, and showcases the region’s gorgeous natural landscapes. The experience has plenty of free time built in, so travellers can explore each destination comfortably. “Fantastic tour, really good value for money,” commented a TripAdvisor reviewer. “Our guide was very pleasant and helpful, and gave us lots of information about the history of Scotland and the places we visited. We saw as much of Scotland as possible in 12 hours and learned a lot about the country.”
Travellers can delve into London’s legendary rock music history with this tour. A coach bus leads travellers through the capital as they check off some of rock ‘n’ roll’s top landmarks, from ‘Tin Pan Alley,’ where the Rolling Stones cut their first record, to the famous Abbey Road zebra crossing. “There was never a dull moment as our guide filled every stop on the tour with witty and relevant information, much of which I hadn't heard before and I've been a rock-obsessive fan for 40-plus years,” said one TripAdvisor reviewer.
For Harry Potter fans, this day trip is an absolute must. On a self-guided tour of the studios, tour-goers can explore the world famous sets for Diagon Alley, Platform 9 ¾, and the Great Hall, discovering details that make the films so magical. “This is an amazing tour, everything ticks the boxes! If you're a Harry Potter fan, or even a movie and art fan, you should come here. The art direction detail that was put into these films and is now displayed in the studios is amazing. It's so fun and fascinating and the staff are lovely!” noted one TripAdvisor reviewer.
Ideal for visitors with limited time, this small-group tour transports travellers to Loch Ness and other Highland highlights with ease and efficiency. Stops at Glencoe, Cairngorms National Park, and Fort Augustus along the way, let travellers explore the beautiful Scottish landscape at their leisure. “We heard and learned so many fun facts, and made a lot of stops to wander and take photos. This tour is absolutely recommended for someone who doesn't have a lot of time in Scotland,” offered a TripAdvisor reviewer.
Travellers can bypass the long lines at the Tower of London to make the most of their tour through this dark and infamous complex. Along the way, visitors can view the remarkable Crown Jewels and visit the White Tower, Traitors’ Gate and Tower Green, where Anne Boleyn met her grisly end. “So much history and wonderful insight by the Beefeater guide. The jewels are amazing and the whole fortress is interesting to explore. Leave yourself plenty of time to spend there,” suggested a TripAdvisor reviewer.
Travellers can discover London at their own pace with a hop-on hop-off Original London sightseeing tour. Family-friendly and flexible, a 24- or 48-hour ticket lets travellers set a personalised sightseeing itinerary that covers all of London’s major landmarks. The ticket also includes a Thames River cruise and access to three London walking tours, making it a great value package. One TripAdvisor reviewer commented, “A must for any London visitor, a 48-hour tour would be better to fit it all in. Very informative and great way to see the city. ”
An Edinburgh city sightseeing bus tour means travellers can enjoy all the benefits of a guided tour—including hassle-free transport and on board audio commentary—but still explore the sights at their own pace. The ticket is valid for 24 hours, and lets travellers hop on and off at attractions such as Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Mile, Holyrood Palace, and Arthur’s Seat, or stay on board and take in the views from an open-top double-decker bus. “The tour was excellent and the information the tour guides gave was wonderful. We loved being able to get off and spend time at the sites we wanted to see,” commented one TripAdvisor reviewer.
London is bursting with centuries-old landmarks, and this full-day tour provides a convenient way to discover all the highlights. Traveling by comfortable coach, travellers will visit Westminster Abbey and St. Paul’s Cathedral, tour the Tower of London (and see the Crown Jewels), witness the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, and relax on a Thames cruise. There’s even an option to upgrade to enjoy cream tea at Harrods or a ride on the London Eye. “This tour was amazing,” said one TripAdvisor reviewer. “We saw and learned so much about London. Our guide was very knowledgeable and you could tell how much she loved London and its history.”
Travellers will visit the Old Bushmills Distillery, Giant’s Causeway, and Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, all in one day on this guided tour by coach bus from Belfast. Enjoy commentary from your guide and learn about local legends as you climb the rocks at the UNESCO-listed Giant’s Causeway. “This tour was incredible! Everyone who goes to Northern Ireland should take this tour. Our guide was great! He drove and told us so many stories and facts about Northern Ireland,” said one TripAdvisor reviewer.
Top 10 Experiences in the World:
For all of the 2018 Travellers’ Choice award-winning experiences, as well as the latest reviews, go to www.tripadvisor.co.uk/TravelersChoice-Experiences. Travellers can also follow the conversation on Twitter at #travellerschoice.
Note to editors
Prices may vary due to seasonality. Prices listed are accurate as of 25 June 2018.
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