Brazilians go nuts by flocking to UK churches

As many as 22 per cent of visits by overseas residents to the UK last year included a trip to a church or other religious building.

Brazilians made the most visits, with 55 per cent of their stays including a tour of a religious building, figures from VisitBritain showed. Australians and Americans made the next most visits to religious buildings followed by Russians and Chinese.

In total, 6.7 million international tourists visited a religious building in the UK last year, spending nearly £5bn during their stays.

VisitBritain chief executive Sandie Dawe said: “Whether it’s for the glorious architecture, stained glass windows, connections with famous people or just some peace and quiet – religious buildings have become a fundamental part of our tourism offering.”