Five beautiful photos of places you won’t believe are in the UK

From colourful towns to white-sand beaches, these local spots are surprisingly close to home

Wales or Italy? (Sony Xperia 5 II)

Longing for a holiday to sunnier climes but put off by all the conflicting advice?

Pictures of the UK have been released that could help you scratch the foreign travel itch without having to leave British shores.

Lonely Planet and Sony Mobile have shared a photo series of beautiful shots that showcase domestic destinations that it’s hard to believe are actually in the UK.

From windswept white-sand beaches to tropical gardens, the snaps showcase some of the country’s most photogenic, yet often overlooked spots.

The turreted, rose-pink Craigievar Castle in Alford, Scotland, looks like it’s straight out of a fairytale; while Norfolk’s pristine Holkham Beach could be somewhere far more exotic.

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The colourful village of Portmeirion channels the Mediterranean, and looks as if it would be more at home in Italy than Wales; Snowdonia, photographed in the snow, could be an Alpine resort. And Oundle, a market town in Northamptonshire, has been captured glowing through the mist at sundown.

Holkham Beach in Norfolk (Sony Xperia 5 II)

Tom Hall, VP Experience at Lonely Planet, said: “London has always dominated tourism in the UK, and for good reason, but the entire country is overflowing with historic sites and natural wonders.

Craigievar Castle in Scotland (Sony Xperia 5 II)

“The pandemic caused us all to pause and re-evaluate how we travel, and I think now is the perfect time to update that bucket list with some of these under-the-radar places you might have overlooked in the past.”

Portmeirion in Wales (Sony Xperia 5 II)

While international holidays won’t be possible until 17 May at the earliest, domestic travel in England looks set to resume on 12 April, when self-contained accommodation can reopen for single-household use.

Snowdonia in the snow (Sony Xperia 5 II)

This is possible from even earlier in Wales, where self-contained stays are slated to start from 27 March, in time for Easter.

Oundle in Northamptonshire (Sony Xperia 5 II)

From 29 March, the “stay at home” order in England is being swapped for “stay local”, meaning day trips to nearby outdoor beauty spots may be possible.