Londinium, City of London

Still undecided about vacation destinations? Make it a Roman holiday and travel back in time with Londinium, an interactive tour of the City of London’s earliest history.

You might not think it, but below our feet lies a maze of ruins from the period of Rome’s dominion over England – and not all of these finds are as pretty as the glazed amphorae that wash up on the Thames (or ‘Tamesis’).

All kinds of events have been organised in celebration. Take a dip in London’s very own Roman baths: now reduced to crumbling columns, Billingsgate Roman House and Baths were once a luxurious retreat for the city’s citizens, and you can still find ancient faucets and fixtures there today.

Come face-to-face with a Roman skull uncovered during an excavation of the Walbrook Stream, and the closest archaeologists have come to finding a real-life London gladiator. Explore the grisly history of Guildhall Art Gallery, which sits atop a former Roman amphitheatre.

Alternately, you can watch actual gladiator games at Guildhall Yard. Formerly home to all of London’s blood sport, the location will return to its violent roots as gladiators take to the stage for a dramatised display of strength and skill on August's bank holiday weekend.

Who needs the Coliseum? London has its own bloody, brutal, and decadent Roman history – the traces of which are left for you to explore this summer. It’s a thumbs-up from us!