Rick Steves Calls One Popular Area Of The United Kingdom 'A Minefield Of Tourist Traps'

Travel expert Rick Steves has seen it all. The highs and lows of European travel, popular destinations, the hidden gems, and, of course, the tourist traps you wish you could have avoided. No one likes paying for entry only to realize they've just dropped twenty bucks to Instagram a picture of a rock, or take precious time out of a packed vacation schedule, only for a destination to fall flat. In one popular area of the United Kingdom in particular, Rick Steves warns travelers to look out for what he calls "a minefield of tourist traps."

When you're traveling around the U.K., there are the big cities that can't be missed. In every major city in Europe, you will find sites that are worth seeing, but Steves says that "London, York, Bath, and Edinburgh are the most interesting cities in Britain. Belfast, Liverpool, and Glasgow are quirky enough to be worthwhile." While the biggies are generally beloved for a reason, Steves warns that in the southwest of England, be on the lookout for the telltale signs a tourist spot won't be worth the hype.

The Southwest of England is home to beautiful cities and popular tourist spots that you should try to see. The Salisbury Cathedral and Stonehenge fall into this category, but along the way, travelers should be wary of fun-named but rather disappointing spots. Steves says, "The British are masters at milking every conceivable tourist attraction for all its worth. Stay away from booby traps like the Devil's Toenail (a rock that looks just like a ... toenail), Land's End (you'll pay, pay, pay), and cloying Clovelly (a one-street knick-knack town selling useless goodies)."

In the opinion of Rick Steves (who has been around the block a few times to say the least), the most interesting cities in Britain are London, York, Bath, and Edinburgh. London is a no-brainer for most tourists. It's also likely the city you'll think of first if this is your first trip to the U.K. For Americans who aren't used to train travel, it's amazing how quickly and efficiently you can get to York, Bath, and even Edinburgh by high-speed rail from London. 

York is famous for the stone wall that stretches around the city. You can walk on top of it, or alongside it, with various staircases on and off at different points around the city. There are guided and self-guided tours you can do of York's City Walls Trail, and the wall is open daily from 8 a.m. until dusk. York is also the most haunted city in Europe, offering the opportunity to take a ghost home as a souvenir.

Bath's best-known tourist destination, which is worth checking out, is the Roman Baths, which (as the name gives away) dates back to when the Romans conquered England. Originally built around 70 AD, the structures of the baths, which were built over natural geothermal springs, have been preserved for centuries. Not just a must-see spot in the U.K., this UNESCO World Heritage site is one of the best-preserved ancient Roman bath complexes in Europe. Tickets for the Roman Baths start at £21.00 for children, £27.00 for students, and £28.00 for adults when you purchase in advance. Discounts are available for families and groups traveling together.