From landmark literary anniversaries to major new attractions showcasing the best of British innovation, there is no shortage of inspiration to holiday at home in 2017. Here, VisitEngland rounds up a selection of the country's hotspots for the coming year.   

Hot destination: Hull

As England's first ever UK City of Culture, Hull looks set to join the city break hotspot list for 2017 as the maritime city showcases '365 days of transformative culture', with each season celebrating a different aspect of Hull's place in the world. Having already made the headlines with world-renowned photographer Spencer Tunick's naked 'Sea of Hull' shoot this July, Hull will again be in the spotlight as it hosts the Turner Prize, one of the biggest events in British Art at the Ferens Art Gallery, due to reopen in January after a £4.5 million refurbishment. With major investment (including an £80 million transformation of the waterfront) changes are already afoot. The Marina is becoming the focal point for a new generation of café's, restaurants and distinctive eateries, whilst the re-energised Humber Street and Fruit Market area is firmly establishing itself as the arts and cultural quarter, home to galleries, music venues, boutique markets and fine dining and with a new contemporary art space opening in 2017. Hull's renowned aquarium The Deep is undergoing major refurbishment ready for 2017 and will host changing marine themed art exhibitions and artists in residence. Alongside plans for new hotel openings and a world-class cruise terminal project on the drawing board, visitors will also have more unusual accommodation options to consider with the launch of a new Homestay challenge, encouraging locals to unlock their creativity by transforming their spare spaces into overnight accommodation. www.hull2017.co.uk  www.visithullandeastyorkshire.com  

Hot anniversary: Jane Austen 200

2017 marks the 200th anniversary of the death of one of England's most acclaimed authors with 'Jane Austen 200 – A Life in Hampshire' events planned across her home county. Jane Austen's House Museum (her former home) in the village of Chawton, will host changing exhibitions, talks, activities and other special celebrations between March and December. Chawton and nearby Alton will host a Regency Week (June 17 – 25) with special events including music, dance, talks, a Regency Day and more. In Winchester, Jane's final resting place, Hampshire Cultural Trust will hold an exhibition with special and unique Jane Austen pieces, whilst the Cathedral will be running tours exploring Jane's life. Visitors will also be able to follow a sculpture trail made up of 25 'BookBenches' in and around Basingstoke, each uniquely designed and painted by a professional artist with their personal interpretation of a Jane Austen theme. The trail will link together locations and will be accompanied by a dedicated web site, a free to download app and a trail guide. And for those keen on a taste of Regency England, Jane Austen 'Big Picnics' across Hampshire will offer the opportunity to see some performances, try some Regency food and learn more about the author. The anniversary will no doubt also spark a resurgence in interest in key Jane Austen sites across the country. Highlights include the Jane Austen Centre in Bath (a second home to Jane and the backdrop to two of her novels). Let's hope there are also plans for a rerun of the famous Mr Darcy lake scene at Lyme Park to mark the occasion. www.janeausten200.co.uk/ www.visithampshire.com  www.visitbath.co.uk

Hot attraction: Aerospace Bristol

Opening summer 2017, this new heritage museum and learning centre will tell the story of the South West's world-class aerospace industry – past, present and future - bringing together nationally significant exhibits and hidden archive records for the first time. The Centre, based in North Bristol, will showcase the brilliance of British innovation, design and engineering, displaying collections of artefacts spanning over 100 years of aviation history with the last Concorde to be built and fly as its show stopping centre piece. The centre will include a dedicated learning centre, exhibition galleries, archive store and reading room, a 150-seat lecture theatre, play and picnic areas and a café and shop. Groups can even sign up to enjoy a special three-course meal or drinks reception beneath the wings of Concorde – an unforgettable experience. www.aerospacebristol.org

Hot event: RHS Flower Show, Chatsworth, Derbyshire

Hot on the heels of the 'Year of the English Garden' celebrations and the 300th anniversary of Capability Brown, comes a brand new must-see horticultural event, the RHS Chatsworth Flower Show. Taking place from 7-11 June 2017, the RHS is planning a show unlike any other with a focus on cutting edge design, inspired by gardeners and garden designers from the past, especially Joseph Paxton who was once the estate's gardener, but also the talent, ideas and conceptual thinking of today's generation of designers. The show will be set in the stunning grounds of Chatsworth House, offering the opportunity to experience 'Capability' Brown's unforgettable landscapes, relax on the banks of the River Derwent and indulge in views of one of the UK's most spectacular stately homes.  Getting into the spirit, the nearby city of Derby is also planning several floral-themed events. www.rhs.org.uk

Hot Exhibition: Hadrian's Cavalry, Hadrian's Wall

Taking place at ten museums across the full length of Hadrian's Wall, Hadrian's Cavalry (8 April – 10 September 2017) will be a brand new, wall-wide exhibition celebrating the legendary Roman cavalry regiments that guarded Hadrian's Wall and projected the power of Imperial Rome 2000 years ago. The six month exhibition is a once in a lifetime opportunity for visitors to explore the role and daily life of the cavalry forces of the Roman army. The exhibition features a range of remarkable and finely decorated Roman cavalry objects - including cavalry helmets and ornate armour - as well as a series of re-enactment events at attractions across the 150 mile long World Heritage Site - from Maryport in the west to South Shields in the east. The objects include loans from National and International Museums and private collections alongside finds from sites across Hadrian's Wall. On 1 & 2 July, the largest Roman cavalry re-enactment ever seen will take place at Bitts Park in Carlisle as part of Hadrian's Cavalry. A troop (turma) of 30 Roman cavalrymen will come together to perform training exercises described by Hadrian himself 2000 years ago. www.hadrianscavalry.co.uk

Hot Film: King Arthur: Legend of the Sword

Directed by Guy Ritchie, and with a star cast including Jude Law, David Beckham, and Charlie Hunman in the title role, this hugely anticipated feature, due for release 24 March 2017, looks set to spark King Arthur fever across the country. The film retells the classic story of the legendary British king's rise to power, from joining the rebellion and meeting young Guinevere to uniting the people of Britain to defeat dictator Vortigern, the man who murdered his parents and stole his crown. Legend has it that King Arthur's Round Table, a Neolithic henge in Cumbria, was King Arthur's jousting arena, and that Arthur was conceived at Tintagel Castle, a clifftop ruin in Cornwall. Somerset's Cadbury Castle also has strong Arthurian associations as the site of Camelot, according to medieval sources, whilst Northumberland's Alnwick Castle (more recently famous as Harry Potter's Hogwarts), is according to medieval writings, the castle of Lancelot, King Arthur's Knight. www.english-heritage.org.uk

Hot hotel: Southampton's Harbour Hotel & Spa

Southampton's first luxury five-star hotel, Southampton Harbour Hotel & Spa, is due to open in June 2017 at Ocean Village. Highlights will include 85 luxury bedrooms, a jetty restaurant featuring a rooftop champagne bar, and the decadent harbour Spa, with gym and swimming pool. The waterfront city looks set to enhance its cultural break credentials with a new Nuffield Theatre set to open in September 2017 in the new arts complex  - Studio 144 - in Guildhall Square, which will include a flexible 447 seat main house theatre, a 135 seat studio, screening facilities, rehearsal and workshop spaces, and a café bar and bistro.      

www.harbourhotels.co.uk/hotels/southampton-harbour-hotel-spa

www.nuffieldtheatre.co.uk/about-us/studio-144

For more ideas www.visitengland.com

Ends

For further press information and images please contact:

Evelina Andrews/ Louise Ferrall / Rebecca Lowe

VisitEngland Press Office

Tel: 020 7578 1437 / 020 7578 1429

Email: Evelina.Andrews@visitengland.org / Louise.Ferrall@visitengland.org / Rebecca.Lowe@visitengland.org  

Notes to Editors:

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