The UK possesses a lot of charm and history and for anybody who is overseas; you may want to spend more than a week here to really tick off what should be ticked off on your UK travel list.
If you are planning to travel to the UK, I would advise on purchasing a travel currency card. I have had friends visit from America and they were all pleased with the outcome of their trip and the good exchange rate they received when going down this route. Looking here, you’ll find out more about a travel cash card from ICE.
Let’s start with London. It wouldn’t make any sense to visit the UK and not visit England’s capital and most populous city with over 8 million inhabitants. It is necessary to remember that the city does spread out into multiple zones, but the core is still very densely populated. It recently became the only city to host the modern Olympic Games on three separate occasions and is considered one of the financial capitals of the world, alongside New York.
There are a number of tourist destinations to hit, such as Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park, Trafalgar Square, Westminster Abbey and all the streets listed on the monopoly board. Unless it is summer and you have a few days in London, I would advise against on walking around the city. The double decker bus tours are very informative and reasonably priced, allowing you to hop on and hop off when the bus makes its stops. However, I would try and pick a time such as early spring when the temperature is at least tolerable, and you may even be lucky enough to escape the rain.
Edinburgh is a beautiful city located on the south east of Scotland and is the nation’s capital. In comparison to London its population would be considered meagre at less than half a million, but Edinburgh offers a history which can’t be matched by many capitals, in addition to fantastic scenery. It is separated into two distinguishable areas the New Town and the Old Town. As their names suggest, the old town was the original settlement of the city but as its population continued to rise the New Town had to be built.
Notable monuments include Edinburgh castle, St. Giles Cathedral, The Royal Museum of Scotland and the Law Courts. The city is also host to one of Europe’s largest festivals, which starts in August and runs for four weeks. It actually consists of four separate festivals and the Edinburgh Fringe is the largest performing Arts festival in the world and is a great place to see everything form theatrical performances to comedy to music. It may also be worth checking out the University of Edinburgh which is one of the most prestigious and historic universities in the world.
Cardiff is the capital of Wales and was voted one of the top alternative destinations by National Geographic. It has a strong sports heritage, particularly the Rugby team, so if you get the chance watching a Six Nations game at the Millennium stadium could be an exciting experience with a buoyant atmosphere.
The Cardiff Castle is a historic monument which was once part of an original Roman Fort, which is where it is deemed Cardiff inherited its name, but there is discrepancy amongst historians, due to the number of overseas influences leading up to current times. A huge influence on the aesthetics of Cardiff is the Cardiff Docks, which was created in the early 19th century and influenced its trade during the industrial revolution. It is worth visiting the docks at night if you enjoy night-time city landscapes.
Other worthy mentions include a variety of historic towns throughout England, were once large Roman settlements and probably considered cities at the time. Bath was once of the great Roman settlements and derived its name from the Roman Baths which can still be seen visited in the Roman Baths Museum. It is also worth seeing the Royal Crescent which is a glorious structure and possibly Baths standout landmark. Bath is also renowned for its culture and is home to multiple historic buildings, museums and theatres and was announced as a World Heritage Site in 1987.
If you would like to experience the seaside of England, then visiting Brighton in the summer is well worth some consideration. It is a tourist destination even for residents of the UK, with many people flocking to the beach when the warmer seasons arrive. The Kemptown Beach is filled with tourist attractions such as amusement arcades, restaurants, bars and nightclubs. The Royal Pavilion is a former Royal Palace and is a spectacular structure. Brighton also hosts the UK’s second largest arts festival in May, which is something not to be missed.
Adam Porteous- writing on behalf of ICE plc. Click here to find out more.
