The UK has managed to place itself at the forefront of global travel destinations through some excellent historical, sporting and cultural institutions.

But this springtime sees Britain becoming even more attractive to tourists, with some special anniversaries and tempting odds on sporting events such as the Grand National that look to provide the perfect excuse to explore the UK this spring.

Aristocratic attractions

The British royal family are a massive reason why many tourists flock to the UK. And 2016 looks odds-on to provide some patriotic fervour when the Queen’s 90th birthday takes place on 12 June. There’s expected to be a lot of excitement in the run-up to this event, and tickets for the official street party on The Mall in London will be highly sought-after.

One famous UK spring attraction that enjoys royal associations is the Chelsea Flower Show. This wonderful celebration of British gardening excellence takes place from 24 to 28 May in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea. As well as an array of show gardens, there’s expected to be a flock of expert gardeners on hand to provide some green-fingered guidance for all amateur gardeners.

Sporting excellence

The royals are also known for their love of horse racing. And the biggest racing event of them all has to be the Grand National which is a race held on the final day of three days of racing at the Aintree racecourse in Liverpool from 7 to 9 April. For a little research of the runners before the big race, the Coral site offers a comprehensive range of weather permitting odds for all horses and jockeys, so that you can focus on enjoying the carnival atmosphere at this hugely-popular event.

And there can be few better ways to explore the the capital city than by attending the London Marathon. This epic 26-mile run traverses the centre of the city on 24 April and provides a great way to see the sights whilst cheering on the favourites in this gruelling racing event.

Cultural delights

Britain has a fantastic global reputation for its musical exports. And the nation’s festival season kicks off in springtime with the Dot to Dot Festival taking place at the end of May in Bristol, Nottingham and Manchester with a choice selection of cutting-edge sounds.

And finally, controversial artist Francis Bacon gets his largest ever exhibition in the north of England when the acclaimed Tate Liverpool exhibits some of his best-known works from May 18 onwards.

So from checking out the odds for the Grand National, to cheering on the birthday celebrations of one of the world’s best-loved monarchs, it looks like the UK is the place to be in the spring of 2016.