Mandy Haakenson/Travel + Leisure

Nowhere else in the world does “quaint” quite like England.

From historic fishing hamlets to idyllic country villages, England’s green and pleasant land is teeming with charm.

Even better, it’s all incredibly well connected via national rail links.

Homes in the town of Rye, East Sussex

Credit:Mandy Haakenson/Travel + Leisure

But cheaper imports from Europe saw workers leave in droves, and the town lay frozen in time.

The most famous of these isThe Mermaid Inn, established in 1156.

(Tip: Don’t miss the superb Sunday roast dinner.)

Homes in Avebury, Wiltshire

Rory Fuller/Travel + Leisure

This is a town as generous and welcoming as it is picturesque.

Scenic views of Tintagel, Cornwall

Rory Fuller/Travel + Leisure

Aerial view of Bakewell, Derbyshire

Anooj Vedd/Travel + Leisure

Colored houses in the town of Lavenham, Suffolk

RORY FULLER/TRAVEL + LEISURE

Buildings in Shaftesbury, England

Ivey Redding/Travel + Leisure

Aerial view of Rye, East Sussex by the water

Mandy Haakenson/Travel + Leisure

The town of St. Ives, Cornwall on the water

Rory Fuller/Travel + Leisure

Castle Comb

Amanda Blackard/Travel + Leisure