Starting a travel blog is exciting. You have trips to share, photos to publish, and stories from all over the UK and beyond. But before your first post goes live, you need a theme that actually makes your content shine. The wrong theme can slow your site down, confuse your readers, and make you fight with settings instead of writing.
In this in-depth guide to the 10 Best WordPress Themes for Travel Blogs in the UK, you’ll find themes that work well for beginners and pros, photo-heavy blogs, magazine-style sites, and even travel brands that want to sell guides or products.
We’ll look at each theme’s:
- Design and build quality
- Key features and specs
- Performance and real-world experience
- Ease of use and user experience
- Pricing, value, and alternatives
- Pros and cons
You’ll also see comparison tables to help you scan quickly and decide which theme fits your style, budget, and goals. The tone is neutral and objective, so you can make your own choice based on what matters most to you and your readers in the UK.
At a Glance – 10 Best WordPress Themes for Travel Blogs in the UK
This is a quick overview before we dive into detailed reviews.
| # | Theme | Best For | Type | Typical Budget Level |
| 1 | Astra | Beginners, speed-focused bloggers | Multipurpose | Free / Affordable |
| 2 | OceanWP | Design tinkerers, advanced customisation | Multipurpose | Free / Mid-range |
| 3 | GeneratePress | Performance-first UK audiences | Multipurpose | Free / Mid-range |
| 4 | Neve | Mobile-first travel blogs | Multipurpose | Free / Mid-range |
| 5 | Kadence | Block editor fans and brand builders | Multipurpose | Free / Mid-range |
| 6 | Divi | Visual design freedom, brand-heavy sites | Builder theme | Premium |
| 7 | Soledad | Travel magazines, high-volume publishing | Magazine | Premium |
| 8 | Wanderland | Pure travel storytelling and destination maps | Travel niche | Premium |
| 9 | Backpack Traveler | Adventure and backpacking blogs | Travel niche | Premium |
| 10 | Blossom Travel Pro | Feminine travel & lifestyle blogs | Travel niche | Premium |
Theme 1 – Astra
Astra is ideal if you want a fast, flexible base that you can turn into almost any kind of travel blog. It works for solo bloggers, couples who travel, or small agencies based in the UK.
Design and Build Quality
Astra starts off minimal, but its starter templates include layouts tailored to travel, tourism, and photography.
| Aspect | Summary |
| Overall style | Clean, modern, lots of white space |
| Layout options | Sidebar/no sidebar, boxed/full-width, multiple blog layouts |
| Customisation | Colours, fonts, spacing, and headers are easy to adjust |
| Travel feel | With the right template, it feels like a modern travel magazine |
Features and Specifications
| Feature | Why It Matters for Travel Blogs |
| Starter Templates | One-click import gives you a near-complete travel site in minutes. |
| Page builder support | Works smoothly with Elementor, Beaver Builder, Gutenberg, and others. |
| Schema-friendly structure | Helps search engines better understand your content. |
| WooCommerce integration | Lets you sell travel guides, presets, or merch from the same theme. |
Performance and Real-World Experience
Astra is one of the lightest themes on this list. This matters a lot if many of your readers browse on mobile or use slower connections while travelling.
| Metric | Expected Behaviour |
| Page size | Very small core footprint |
| Load times | Fast with basic caching |
| Image-heavy posts | Handles galleries well if you compress images |
| Hosting friendliness | Works nicely with UK-based shared or cloud hosting |
Ease of Use and User Experience
| Area | Comment |
| Setup | A setup wizard guides you through importing a demo and essential plugins. |
| Customisation | Uses the native WordPress Customizer, which feels familiar. |
| Learning curve | Low; ideal for beginners who want a clean start. |
| Reader experience | Simple navigation, clear typography, and good spacing. |
Pricing, Value, and Alternatives
| Option | Use Case |
| Free version | Fine for a basic blog with a standard layout. |
| Pro version | Worth it if you want more header layouts, blog options, and hooks. |
If you want one theme you can grow into over time, Astra is a safe long-term choice.
Astra – Pros and Cons
Pros
- Very fast and lightweight
- Works with almost every major page builder
- Large library of ready-made starter sites
- Easy for beginners to set up
- Scales well if your travel blog grows into a brand
Cons
- Free version is a bit plain without customisation
- Some nicer layouts are locked behind Pro
- You may rely on extra plugins for special effects
- Design is more “safe” than bold out of the box
Theme 2 – OceanWP
OceanWP suits bloggers who like to tweak every detail. If you enjoy adjusting headers, footers, and layouts and you’re not afraid of more options, this theme gives you room to play.
Design and Build Quality
| Aspect | Summary |
| Visual style | Flexible; can be minimal or bold depending on settings |
| Layout controls | Very granular; many page and blog layout options |
| Header variations | Multiple header and menu designs |
| Travel feeling | Depends heavily on the demo you choose and your images |
Features and Specifications
| Feature | Benefit |
| Deep Customizer controls | Change almost every part of the layout and design. |
| Page builder support | Commonly paired with Elementor for visual design. |
| Hooks and filters | Handy if you or a developer want to add custom sections. |
| WooCommerce enhancements | Extra shop styling if you plan to sell travel products. |
Performance and Real-World Experience
OceanWP is powerful, but you must be a bit disciplined with add-ons to keep it fast.
| Area | Note |
| Base performance | Good when you avoid unnecessary extensions. |
| Resource use | Can increase if you activate many features at once. |
| Best approach | Start with a simple demo and add features slowly. |
Ease of Use and User Experience
| Area | Comment |
| Setup | Demo import makes the initial build easier. |
| Complexity | Higher than Astra or GeneratePress because of more options. |
| Docs & help | Plenty of guides and tutorials available online. |
| Reader view | Clean and modern if you stick to a simple layout. |
Pricing, Value, and Alternatives
| Option | Best For |
| Free theme | Bloggers on a tight budget who still want control. |
| Pro and addons | Users who want advanced headers, footers, and extra modules. |
If Astra feels too simple, OceanWP gives you more “knobs to turn” without forcing you into a specific style.
OceanWP – Pros and Cons
Pros
- Very flexible design options
- Works well with Elementor and other builders
- Good balance between blog and store use
- Many layout variations out of the box
Cons
- Interface can feel overwhelming at first
- Easy to overcomplicate your site with too many features
- Performance depends heavily on how you configure it
- Not as beginner-friendly as ultra-light themes
Theme 3 – GeneratePress
GeneratePress is for bloggers who want a lean, fast, low-maintenance site. If you care more about speed and clarity than flashy effects, this theme is a strong candidate.
Design and Build Quality
| Aspect | Summary |
| Look | Minimal and clean |
| Layout | Flexible but not flashy by default |
| Build approach | Modular; you enable only what you need |
| Ideal content | Long-form guides, practical travel resources, SEO posts |
Features and Specifications
| Feature | Why It Helps |
| Lightweight core | Keeps pages fast, even with many posts. |
| Elements system | Lets you design reusable sections and hooks. |
| Site library | Offers prebuilt designs, including blog layouts. |
| Developer-friendly | Great if you hire a developer later for custom work. |
Performance and Real-World Experience
Performance is GeneratePress’s main strength.
| Metric | What You Can Expect |
| Load time | Very fast on decent hosting |
| Stability | Solid; updates rarely break sites |
| Image-heavy use | Handles big libraries well with good optimisation |
Ease of Use and User Experience
| Area | Comment |
| Setup | Simple, especially with the site library in the premium version. |
| Customisation | Straightforward; options are clear and organised. |
| Learning curve | Low for basic use; advanced features are optional. |
| Reading comfort | Easy-to-read typography and spacing work well for text-heavy blogs. |
Pricing, Value, and Alternatives
| Option | Use Case |
| Free | Good base for a very simple blog. |
| Premium | Adds the real power: site library, advanced layouts, and elements. |
Choose GeneratePress if you want your UK travel posts to load almost instantly and you prefer a clean, low-friction design.
GeneratePress – Pros and Cons
Pros
- Extremely fast and stable
- Great for long-form content and SEO
- Very clean, distraction-free design
- Modular structure keeps your site lean
Cons
- Not as many “wow” demos as some competitors
- You may need a bit more design work to give it personality
- Some advanced features require the premium version
Theme 4 – Neve
Neve is a strong option if your audience is mostly on mobile and you want a modern, app-like feel. It works well for city break blogs, quick guides, and weekend travel content.
Design and Build Quality
| Aspect | Summary |
| Style | Modern, flat, card-based layout |
| Device focus | Mobile-first design, then scaled up for desktops |
| Layouts | Multiple blog and homepage variations |
| Use case | Great for travel guides, lists, and destination roundups |
Features and Specifications
| Feature | Benefit |
| Mobile-first approach | Ensures your site looks and feels good on phones. |
| Page builder compatibility | Works with popular visual builders. |
| Blog layout options | Choose between list, grid, and other styles. |
| WooCommerce support | Sell digital maps, itineraries, or merch. |
Performance and Real-World Experience
Neve is built with performance in mind.
| Area | Note |
| Core Web Vitals | Helps you meet Google’s performance metrics more easily. |
| Page size | Light, especially if you keep plugins under control. |
| Speed on mobile | Very good with compressed images and caching. |
Ease of Use and User Experience
| Area | Comment |
| Setup | Starter sites simplify the early stages. |
| Customisation | Options are tidy and clear. |
| Reader UX | Cards and sections make scanning itineraries and lists easy. |
Pricing, Value, and Alternatives
| Option | Use Case |
| Free | Enough for a small to mid-size travel blog. |
| Pro | Adds more layouts, header options, and extra functionality. |
If you expect a lot of mobile readers who skim content while on trains or buses, Neve is a very fitting choice.
Neve – Pros and Cons
Pros
- Designed with mobile use in mind
- Clean, modern layouts
- Good balance of performance and features
- Simple to use, even for first-time bloggers
Cons
- Design can feel a bit generic without personal tweaks
- Some of the best options require a paid plan
Theme 5 – Kadence
Kadence is perfect if you enjoy working with the WordPress block editor and want to treat your travel blog like a polished brand, not just a diary.
Design and Build Quality
| Aspect | Summary |
| Visual style | Modern and professional, with good use of typography |
| Header builder | Drag-and-drop header and footer builder |
| Layout variety | Different blog, archive, and single post layouts |
| Brand control | Global colour and typography settings for consistent branding |
Features and Specifications
| Feature | Why It Helps |
| Starter templates | Quickly spin up travel, lifestyle, and brand-style layouts. |
| Kadence Blocks | Extend the block editor with advanced blocks like grids and galleries. |
| Global design | Make site-wide design changes in a few clicks. |
| WooCommerce-ready | Combine travel blogging with a small shop if needed. |
Performance and Real-World Experience
Kadence balances design and speed well.
| Area | Comment |
| Speed | Lightweight enough for good Core Web Vitals. |
| Flexibility | You can build complex layouts without heavy page builders. |
| Stability | Good update record and active development. |
Ease of Use and User Experience
| Area | Note |
| Setup | Starter sites help you skip the blank-page problem. |
| Editing flow | Smooth if you like Gutenberg-style editing. |
| Reader experience | Layouts look “designed” without feeling cluttered. |
Pricing, Value, and Alternatives
| Option | Use Case |
| Free | Enough to start and run a blog with a clean design. |
| Pro | Adds more header/footer options, hooks, and advanced features. |
Kadence is a great middle ground between a simple blogging theme and a full page-builder solution.
Kadence – Pros and Cons
Pros
- Modern, on-trend design
- Works brilliantly with the WordPress block editor
- Strong header and footer builder
- Good performance when built sensibly
Cons
- Can feel like “too many options” for absolute beginners
- Best features live in the Pro ecosystem
Theme 6 – Divi
Divi is for travel bloggers who want maximum visual control. If you like experimenting with layouts, overlays, and sections and you want every page to feel custom, Divi might be your favourite.
Design and Build Quality
| Aspect | Summary |
| Style | Bold, visual, design-heavy |
| Layout system | Section/row/module-based visual builder |
| Travel demos | Layout packs for travel agencies, blogs, and tour sites |
| Brand potential | Can produce very unique, branded designs |
Features and Specifications
| Feature | Benefit |
| Visual builder | See changes live as you drag and drop modules. |
| Layout packs | Ready-made pages for destinations, tours, and guides. |
| Split testing | Test different headlines and calls to action. |
| Design options | Fine-grained control over spacing, colours, and animations. |
Performance and Real-World Experience
Divi can be heavier than the leaner themes on this list, so optimisation is important.
| Area | Note |
| Page weight | Higher due to builder scripts and styles. |
| Best practice | Use caching, a CDN, and image compression. |
| Result | Very powerful if you accept the extra setup work. |
Ease of Use and User Experience
| Area | Comment |
| Learning curve | Higher; the builder has many options. |
| Creative control | Very high; you can design almost anything. |
| Reader experience | Can feel premium and polished when well designed. |
Pricing, Value, and Alternatives
Divi is premium only. The cost covers the theme, builder, and related plugins from the same developer.
If you see your travel blog as a full digital brand and you love design, the investment makes sense. If you prefer simplicity and speed, one of the lighter themes might be better.
Divi – Pros and Cons
Pros
- Full visual control over every page
- Many travel-related layout packs
- Great if you like designing and experimenting
- Includes extras like split testing
Cons
- Heavier than most themes in this list
- Needs more optimisation work
- Can feel overwhelming for new WordPress users
Theme 7 – Soledad
Soledad is built for content-heavy sites: travel magazines, multi-author blogs, or big resource sites with many categories and posts.
Design and Build Quality
| Aspect | Summary |
| Visual style | Magazine-like, with sliders, grids, and multiple columns |
| Demos | Thousands of combinations, including travel-specific ones |
| Layout focus | Showcases lots of content on the homepage |
| Branding | Easy to create a “digital magazine” feel |
Features and Specifications
| Feature | Benefit |
| Huge demo collection | Quickly pick a travel magazine layout. |
| Multiple post layouts | Classic, grid, masonry, and more. |
| Featured areas | Highlight top destinations, stories, or guides. |
| Newsletter and ad spots | Helpful if monetising with ads and email lists. |
Performance and Real-World Experience
Soledad has many visual features, so you need to tune it a bit.
| Area | Note |
| Speed | Good if you avoid overloading the homepage with widgets. |
| Best use case | Travel blogs that publish often and need content sections. |
Soledad – Pros and Cons
Pros
- Excellent for content-heavy sites
- Many travel-friendly demos and layouts
- Great for showcasing lots of categories and destinations
Cons
- Can be too much for a simple personal blog
- Needs careful design to avoid looking cluttered
Theme 8 – Wanderland
Wanderland is a dedicated travel blog and tourism theme. It suits bloggers who want a site that looks like a travel experience from the moment it loads.
Design and Build Quality
| Aspect | Summary |
| Style | Adventure, lifestyle, destination-focused |
| Layouts | Destination grids, story pages, full-width images |
| Built-in feel | Feels “travel first” without heavy customisation |
Features and Specifications
| Feature | Benefit |
| Destination templates | Show cities, countries, or regions in a structured way. |
| Map and gallery elements | Display trips visually with images and locations. |
| Blog layouts | Styled specifically for travel storytelling. |
Wanderland – Pros and Cons
Pros
- Purpose-built for travel content
- Beautiful destination and trip layouts
- Great for visual storytelling
Cons
- Less suitable if you plan a multi-topic site
- More opinionated design; not everyone wants the same style
Theme 9 – Backpack Traveler
Backpack Traveler targets adventure, backpacking, and “on the road” style blogs. If your content leans toward hostels, night buses, and long trips, this theme fits that mood.
Design and Build Quality
| Aspect | Summary |
| Style | Modern, bold, image-forward |
| Layouts | Destination lists, blog grids, trip stories |
| Social focus | Integrates nicely with visual social feeds |
Features and Specifications
| Feature | Benefit |
| Destination map views | Show where you’ve been on a map. |
| Travel story layouts | Good for diaries and narrative posts. |
| WooCommerce integration | Sell digital products or small merch lines. |
Backpack Traveler – Pros and Cons
Pros
- Perfect visual style for backpacking and adventure content
- Built-in destination and trip templates
- Good for bloggers who post lots of photos
Cons
- Best suited for a narrow niche (backpacking, adventure)
- Requires more work to adapt to a very different travel style
Theme 10 – Blossom Travel Pro
Blossom Travel Pro is aimed at women-led travel and lifestyle blogs. It works well if you mix travel with fashion, wellness, or personal branding.
Design and Build Quality
| Aspect | Summary |
| Style | Feminine, elegant, soft colours and strong typography |
| Layouts | Travel, lifestyle, and personal branding sections |
| Brand feeling | Great for influencer-style or personal brand sites |
Features and Specifications
| Feature | Benefit |
| Travel blog templates | Pre-styled sections for destinations and categories. |
| Custom widgets | About, featured posts, Instagram, and more. |
| WooCommerce support | Add a small store for products or digital downloads. |
Blossom Travel Pro – Pros and Cons
Pros
- Beautiful, polished look for personal travel brands
- Good built-in widgets for social proof and storytelling
- Ideal if you blend travel and lifestyle content
Cons
- Style is quite specific; not ideal if you want a neutral look
- Premium only for the full experience
Side-by-Side Comparison – Performance & Ease of Use
This table compares the themes for speed and simplicity on a basic UK travel blog setup.
| Theme | Speed (Relative) | Ease for Beginners | Best Use Case |
| Astra | Very high | Very easy | Most bloggers, from new to advanced |
| OceanWP | High (tuned) | Medium | Tinkerers and custom layout fans |
| GeneratePress | Very high | Easy | SEO, long guides, minimal design |
| Neve | Very high | Easy | Mobile-focused content, city guides |
| Kadence | High | Medium-easy | Brand-style blogs using the block editor |
| Divi | Medium | Medium-hard | Design-heavy, visual travel brands |
| Soledad | Medium-high | Medium | Travel magazines and big content archives |
| Wanderland | Medium-high | Medium | Story-led travel blogs |
| Backpack Traveler | Medium-high | Medium | Adventure and backpacking blogs |
| Blossom Travel Pro | High | Easy-medium | Feminine travel + lifestyle brands |
How to Choose the Best Theme for Your UK Travel Blog
The 10 Best WordPress Themes for Travel Blogs in the UK cover almost every style, but your choice should match your content and your personality.
Key Factors to Consider
| Factor | Questions to Ask Yourself |
| Performance | Will I publish many photos? Do I want fast load times on mobile? |
| Design personality | Do I like bold visuals, or a clean and simple layout? |
| Editing style | Do I prefer drag-and-drop builders or the standard block editor? |
| Monetisation plans | Will I sell guides, do affiliate marketing, or show ads? |
| Technical comfort level | Am I okay with more options, or do I want something simple? |
Quick Matching Guide
| If You… | Consider… |
| Want a safe, fast all-rounder | Astra, GeneratePress, Neve, Kadence |
| Plan a big editorial-style travel magazine | Soledad |
| Want a pure travel-focused layout | Wanderland, Backpack Traveler |
| Focus on personal brand and lifestyle mix | Blossom Travel Pro, Kadence |
| Love design and don’t mind a learning curve | Divi, OceanWP |
Final Verdict – Which Theme Should You Start With?
If you are choosing today and feel unsure, the most balanced option is Astra. It’s fast, flexible, beginner-friendly, and works just as well for a small personal blog as for a larger branded site later on. Pair it with good hosting and compressed images and you’ll be in a strong position.
If you want a theme that already “feels” like a travel blog from the first moment, Wanderland, Backpack Traveler, or Blossom Travel Pro give you that travel look with less manual design work.
For performance-focused bloggers who care deeply about SEO and speed for UK readers, GeneratePress or Neve are excellent foundations.
Overall, there is no single best theme for everyone. But among the 10 Best WordPress Themes for Travel Blogs in the UK, you will almost certainly find one that fits your content style, design taste, and budget. Start with the one that feels comfortable, focus on writing and photos, and refine the design as your travel blog grows.
FAQs – WordPress Themes for UK Travel Bloggers
1. What is the best free WordPress theme for a travel blog in the UK?
If you want to start free, Astra, GeneratePress, Neve, and Kadence all have strong free versions. They are lightweight, updated often, and work well with plugins. For most new travel bloggers, starting with one of these free themes and upgrading later is a smart move.
Premium themes are worth it if they save you time or bring you features you would otherwise pay a designer for. Travel-specific themes like Wanderland, Backpack Traveler, and Blossom Travel Pro include layouts and elements that are hard to replicate from scratch. If you plan to monetise your blog or build a strong brand, a premium theme is usually a good investment.
3. How important is page speed for my travel blog?
Page speed matters a lot. Your readers may be on mobile devices with weak connections, especially when travelling. Slow pages lead to higher bounce rates and can hurt your search rankings. Choosing a light theme such as Astra, GeneratePress, Neve, or Kadence, combined with image compression and caching, is one of the easiest ways to improve speed.
4. Can I sell travel guides or products with these themes?
Yes. Many themes on this list work well with WooCommerce. That means you can sell digital products like city guides, itineraries, checklists, or even physical merchandise directly from your site. Astra, Neve, Kadence, Divi, Soledad, Backpack Traveler, Wanderland, and Blossom Travel Pro all support shop setups.
5. Do I need a page builder for a travel blog?
You don’t have to use a page builder. Modern themes like Neve, Kadence, Astra, and GeneratePress work very well with the native WordPress block editor. However, if you want very custom page layouts or complex landing pages, a builder like Elementor or Divi’s built-in builder can be useful. The trade-off is extra complexity and sometimes slower pages.
6. Which theme should I pick if I’m not technical at all?
If you don’t feel confident with design or settings, start with:
- Astra for a clean, flexible base
- Neve if you love a modern, mobile-first look
- Blossom Travel Pro if you want a stylish feminine travel and lifestyle vibe
All three offer starter templates and clear settings, so you can focus on writing, not wrestling with code.
