The UK is filled with breath-taking tourist hotspots, from the rolling green hills to the infamous English Riviera, and the historical buildings steeped in history. But it’s not just the obvious travel destinations that bring something special to the nation and holidaymakers.

Over the past year, Brits have re-discovered their love for the UK and with staycations remaining a popular travel alternative post-lockdown, Sony and Rough Guides, the UK’s favourite travel guide publisher, have paired up to release a 2022 travel guide photo series showcasing the nation’s most spectacular streets, all shot on the latest Sony’s flagship smartphone, Xperia 1 III.

Whether it’s the mid-19th century medieval Christmas Steps of Bristol or the cobbled backstreet in the West End of Glasgow, these hidden streets are stunningly picturesque and make for great UK bucket list additions.

The full list of the UK’s top 20 breath-taking streets to explore in 2022:

London:

Conduit Mews, near Paddington
Brick Lane
Godwin’s Court, Covent Garden

Northern England:

Main Street, in Haworth, West Yorkshire
Eastgate Street, Chester
The Shambles, York

Midlands:

Steep Hill, Lincoln
Main Street, Hathersage, Derbyshire

East:

Elm Hill, Norwich
Gold Hill, Shaftesbury

South West:

Gandy Street, Exeter, Devon
Christmas Steps, Bristol

Southern England:

Mermaid Street, Rye
Harbour Street, Whitstable, Kent

Wales:

Smithfield Street, Dolgellau
Lower Gate Street, Conway

Scotland:

Mary King’s Close, Edinburgh
The Royal Mile, Edinburgh
Ashton Lane, Glasgow
Main Street, Tobermory, Mull

Amy Hopkins from Rough Guides comments, “From architectural icons like London’s Brick Lane, to lesser-known beauty spots like Hathersage village in Derbyshire, Rough Guides editors bring you the UK’s most inspiring spots for stand-out street photography in collaboration with Sony. Some, like the charmingly named Mermaid Street in Rye, are straight out of a storybook, while others are frozen in time, like the warren of 17th century streets that make up Edinburgh’s Mary King’s Close. From the iconic to the down-right-bizarre, Rough Guides’ carefully curated list has something for every photographer and thanks to Sony who truly understand cameras, you can embark on your very own UK street photography adventure.”

Professional photographer, Charlotte Graham, shares her tips on how to capture the perfect street shot:

Use natural light where possible. The beauty of street photography is that you can visit a location at sunrise, midday, sunset or even at night and you’ll get completely different images each time. The Sony Xperia 1 III has a larger sensor and BIONZ X™ for mobile to deliver fabulous results in all lighting conditions. The only thing you need to do is find the best position for the shot you want to capture.
Photography Pro is a must-have for street photography. Snapping like a professional photographer, even if you have no experience, is made so much easier with the Xperia 1 III where you’ll find all the controls usually found on professional cameras, helping you get as creative as you want. I’d recommend shooting in RAW in the first instance and then using all the editing tools baked into the phone. Typically, I bring down the highlights and reduce the shadows when editing.
Use the rule of thirds to compose your shot. Imagine your photo is split into a grid of nine boxes and then position the key elements in shot along the gridlines to get the best composition. Get on the ground, stand on a bench or cross the road and remember, a little framing goes a long way.
Experiment with exposure and shutter speed. Street photography completely alters when you have a subject – be it a flock of pigeons taking flight or a cyclist passing by. The Xperia 1 III offers up to 20fps continuous burst shooting, complete with autofocus and auto exposure, meaning you can capture all those fleeting moments for truly original shots. Try also slowing down the shutter speed to give the image a blurred look.
Make the most of the camera lenses. Sometimes, pointing and shooting produces great results. Other times, it pays to experiment with the different lenses. The Xperia 1 III has four versatile lenses housed in its triple camera, giving you access to create completely different shots without even moving from your spot. I like using the 70mm lens for a close up shot, while the 16mm is perfect for a wider shot of the surrounding environment.

Xperia 1 III was co-developed with the engineers behind the latest Alpha 9 series cameras, renowned for their industry-leading autofocus technology, along with input from professional photographers. The Xperia 1 III also marks the world’s first smartphone with a variable telephoto lens and dual PD sensor, allowing the camera to reach from 70mm up to 105mm in focal length with speedy autofocus – making it the perfect street photography companion. Available in Frosted Black and Frosted Purple, Xperia 1 III is on sale at retailers across the UK.