8 iconic music road trips you should definitely save up for

29 March 2019, 17:05 | Updated: 26 January 2021, 16:50

Music landmarks
Picture: Apple/Instagram

We love any excuse to pack a weekend bag and travel somewhere new, particularly if it also fuses together with our love for music.

There are countless historical UK landmarks out there that all music lovers should definitely see at least once in their life, and we've collected some of our favourites to tick off our bucket list.

  1. The Cavern Club, Liverpool

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    Let it be 🇬🇧 #thebeatles #cavernclub #liverpool

    A post shared by Chiara Provana (@claireprovaine) on

    This small music venue was where it all began for The Beatles.

    In 1973, it was sadly demolished for a railway development, but in 1984 it reopened.

    The Beatles in The Cavern Club
    The Beatles in The Cavern Club. Picture: Getty

    It now takes over 75% of the old site using 15,000 of its original bricks, which had been saved from demolition.

    Any day trip to Liverpool wouldn't be complete without a visit to the Cavern.

  2. Abbey Road, London

    Another Beatles hotspot, cars have been constantly having to wait for people to walk across and pose on the world's most famous crossing.

    via GIPHY

    Abbey Road Studios was renamed as such in 1970 after the Beatles album had made it famous. Iain Macmillan took the album's iconic photograph outside the studios, and in December 2010, the zebra crossing was given a Grade II listed status.

  3. Framlingham Castle, Suffolk

    Framlingham Castle
    Framlingham Castle. Picture: Getty

    If you're wanting a more scenic countryside trip, this is a must.

    Ed Sheeran was raised in the Framlington area, and he dedicated his song 'Castle on the Hill' to his hometown and this particular landmark.

    Ed Sheeran - Castle On The Hill [Official Video]

    The song and video is almost a tourist advert for the county, and the 12th century fortress is heavily featured.

  4. Rockfield Studios, Wales

    Bohemian Rhapsody recording at Rockfield Farm Rami Malek Freddie mercury

    If you've seen Bohemian Rhapsody, then you'll know all about this famous recording studio.

    This purpose-built recording studio is situated just outside the village of Rockfield, Monmouthshire near Monmouth in Wales, and it's in a rather beautiful location.

    It was used for the recording of 'Bohemian Rhapsody' and many other Queen classics, as well as countless other bands over the years. You can actually visit the studio, and even book it as a place to stay.

  5. Hergest Ridge, Herefordshire/Powys

    Mike Oldfield
    Mike Oldfield in 1974. Picture: Getty

    Hergest Ridge is a long hill on the English and Welsh border, between Kington in Herefordshire and Gladesty in Powys.

    The path along the top is called Offa's Dyke, and this is where a young Mike Oldfield set up his own studio, to avoid any publicity following the success of his debut album Tubular Bells.

    It's a gorgeous place to visit for a walk, while his prog rock landscapes is rather perfect if you need a soundtrack.

  6. The Leadmill, Sheffield

    This former flour mill is one of the most iconic music venues in Yorkshire.

    Opened in 1980, it helped start the careers of Sheffield acts such as the Human League, ABC, Heaven 17, Pulp and Arctic Monkeys.

  7. 23 Heddon Street, London

    You can recreate David Bowie's iconic Ziggy Stardust album cover by heading to this street in London.

    In January in 1972, famous photographer Mick Rock shot Bowie in a doorstep for the album cover of The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars.

    David Bowie
    Picture: RCA

    After Bowie’s death in 2016, fans have often travelled across the world to pay tribute to the legendary performer.

  8. Salford Lads Club, Manchester

    Salford Lads Club, Manchester
    Salford Lads Club, Manchester. Picture: Getty

    This small venue became iconic after it featured on the sleeve of The Queen Is Dead by The Smiths in 1986, and also in the videos for ‘I Started Something I Couldn’t Finish’ and ‘There Is A Light That Never Goes Out’.

    Morrissey fans (including David Cameron of all people) have flocked here to pose outside, and it remains a youth centre to this day.

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