Travel
Cobbled lanes, waterfront views and candy-coloured homes: behold Britain's prettiest streets
By Helen Booth
Updated 8 years ago
From picturesque Scottish fishing villages to hidden lanes in London and Victorian terraces splashed with pastel paint, our fair isle is filled with streets that have serious kerb appeal.
After wandering down these roads on a sunny afternoon you'll dream of making the addresses your own - and they guarantee Instagram gold.
Come take a look and start planning your next great British break.
Images: iStock
Princes Gate Mews, London
West London is famous for its many pretty mews streets.
The colourful cobbled side streets are scattered through upmarket areas like Kensington, Chelsea and Notting Hill, often hidden behind arched entrances draped in ivy.
For an alternative day of sightseeing, wander from Princes Gate Mews in South Kensington (pictured) to St Lukes Mews in Notting Hill (featured in Love Actually).
The St, Castle Combe
With streets like this, it's no surprise that this little village on the southern-most edge of the Cotswolds is often referred to as 'the prettiest village in England'.
The historic market town sits on Wiltshire's winding Bybrook river, and many of the buildings on the main street date back to the 14th and 15th century.
Winkle Street, Calbourne
This picturesque country lane, situated in the Isle of Wight village of Calbourne, is known for its Instagram-worthy thatched cottages.
With only a post office, garage, church and local pub, the quiet village is the ultimate destination for a quiet island getaway.
Quay Walls, Berwick-upon-Tweed
This waterside pathway, packed with beautiful stone built buildings, looks over the River Tweed and its breathtaking viaduct bridges.
Situated in the northernmost town in England and right next to the East Coast Mainline, it's a great place to visit by train.
Shoregate, Crail
This beautiful cobbled street in the Scottish fishing village of Crail leads down to a charming miniature harbour.
From there, you can join the Fife Coastal Path - a walkway which winds northwards up to St Andrews and travels as far as Kincardine to the south.
Blaker Street, Brighton
Take a stroll down Brighton's Blaker Street for a seafront view flanked by some of the brightest houses you'll ever see. The road is a short walk from the famous Lanes of Brighton, which are equally scenic.
Riverfront, Canterbury
Not technically a street, but the manicured riverfront paths which line Canterbury's River Stour are the perfect place to wander on a sunny day.
The Kent cathedral city, known for its beautiful architecture and impressive history, is consistently one of the most-visited UK cities.
Caledonia Place, Clifton
This Bristol street has an undeniably romantic vibe thanks to the iconic wrought iron balconies of its pretty terraced homes.
Even the lamp posts have an old-timey feel.
Quay Parade, Aberaeron
This pretty seaside town in west Wales has pastel-hued homes on almost every street, but it's the harbour-side Quay Parade that draws the most visitors.
Baileys Lane, St Ives
The far flung town of St Ives is a popular weekend getaway destination for good reason - its dainty streets are some of the most attractive in Cornwall.
Tourists flock to Baileys Lane, a street lined with beautiful B&Bs and seafood restaurants.
Victoria Street, Edinburgh
Just a stone's throw from Waverley train station, Victoria Street lies at the heart of Edinburgh's Old Town. Filled with vintage clothes shops, restaurants and cafes, it's especially busy during the Edinburgh Festival.
Mermaid Street, Rye
Rye in East Sussex has it all: Georgian houses, sloping cobbled streets, a pretty harbour and quirky shops.
Mermaid Street, flanked by half-timbered and ivy-covered homes, is its most famous address.
Denbigh Terrace, London
Notting Hill in west London is famed for its candy coloured homes. The lucky residents of Denbigh Terrace have Portobello Road on their doorstop, too.
The Shambles, York
York's narrow, gloriously higgledy-piggledy Shambles inspired the set design for the film version of Harry Potter's Diagon Alley.
Filled with sweet shops and bakeries, the real life version isn't far from the screen version.
Gold Hill, Shaftesbury
If this countryside idyll looks familiar, you might recognise it from an iconic Hovis advert. The sleepy and sloping Dorset lane was used in their most famous ad, filmed back in 1973.
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