Tourism in England
National Rank Site Location Visitor count ( 2009 )
1 Tower of London London 2,389,548
2 St Paul 's Cathedral London 1,821,321
3 Westminster Abbey London 1,449,593
4 Roman Baths Bath 1,196,481
5 Canterbury Cathedral Canterbury 1,013,118
6 Stonehenge Amesbury 990,705
7 Palace of Westminster London 963,362
8 York Minster York 797,100
9 Chatsworth House Chatsworth 652,969
10 Leeds Castle Maidstone 646,801
11 Hampton Court Palace London 541,646
12 Blenheim Palace Woodstock 537,120
13 Portsmouth Historic Dockyard Portsmouth 532,158
14 Stourhead Mere 356,816
15 Beaulieu Palace House and Abbey Beaulieu 351,975
Most visited sites -- Most visited historic sites
Tourism plays a significant part in the economic life of England. The United Kingdom as a whole is the 10th most visited country. London, Bath, Oxford, Cambridge, York, and Canterbury remain popular historic tourist destinations. England's long history and pervasive culture, make it (and especially London) a popular tourist destination. Many tourist spots have witnessed great events of history that have shaped England and the greater world. Many of England's tourist attractions have also inspired work of poets, novelists, folk writers, and artists for thousands of years. The city of Manchester, famous for being the first industrialised city, and Liverpool, the famous birthplace of The Beatles are also popular tourist destinations that show the more modern side to England.