The Great Escape

A compelling journey through the history of British holidays.

Holidays. We dream of them, plan them and savour every moment of them. But where did the concept of “the holiday” come from? How has it become so essential to who we are as Brits? And what does the future hold for our treasured time off?

In The Great Escape, travel journalist Annabelle Thorpe takes us on a fascinating journey through the history of British holidays – from the 17th-century spa break to the age of the global nomad – to answer all these questions and more. Travelling the length and breadth of Britain (with a detour to the Mediterranean), Annabelle explores the wilds of Scotland, visits Bath, Buxton and Butlins, and sets out on Victorian railway lines to uncover the stories of those who helped shape our holiday culture.

Weaving together history, social change and personal anecdotes, The Great Escape is its own Grand Tour – 400 years of the high days and holidays we cherish as a nation.