UNITED KINGDOM
The UK has some of
the world's most popular holiday destinations. The bustle of historic cities,
the pleasures of the seaside, the tranquility of its wild natural places,
ancient monuments, country houses, castles, fishing rivers, architecture, spectacular
natural wonders.....the UK
has something for everyone.
VISA The visa is to be obtained prior to arrival in the
country
REGIONS IN BRIEF:
The UK
is made up of Great Britain (England,
Scotland and Wales)
and Northern
Ireland.
England
Capital: London
Main places are London,
York, Blackpool, Manchester,
Stratford, Cambridge,
Winchester,
Salisbury, Stonehenge,
Cornwall & Devon.
Scotland
Capital: Edinburgh
Main Places are Edinburgh, Glasgow, Iona & Skye
Wales
Capital: Cardiff,
Main Place to visit are Cardiff
and Swansee
Northern Ireland
Capital: Belfast (Pls refer to the Ireland Travel
Tips)
LANGUAGES:
The two official languages in Britain are English and Welsh, English being the most widely spoken. Scottish Gaelic is also spoken in
some parts of Scotland.
TIME ZONE:
Summer: 4.5 hrs behind IST
Winter: 5.5 hrs behind IST
HOW TO GET THERE:
By Air: British Airways (BA),
Air India (AI), Virgin
Atlantic(VS), Jet Airways(9W) fly directly into London.
Most International
Carriers like Lufthansa, Emirates, Air France,
Thai Airways, Singapore Airlines etc fly into London,
Manchester,
Edinburgh, Glasgow etc.
CURRENCY:
Great Britain Pounds (GBP)
The pound sterling
is valid across the country, but Scottish banks also issue their own banknotes.
These are generally accepted in England,
but if problems do arise, most banks will exchange Scottish currency for pound
sterling hassle-free. Travellers' cheques are widely accepted in banks and you
might as well buy them in pounds sterling to avoid changing currencies twice.
Cash points (ATM’s) are very common in Britain: most are linked to major
credit cards as well as the Cirrus, Maestro and Plus cash networks.
CLIMATE:
Great
Britain is subject to a
temperate maritime climate, experiencing warm wet summers and cold wet winters.
In the south-western regions it is sunnier than the north with less rainfall.
Southwest England and the Channel Islands have
the mildest climate. Rainfall is not unusual in every season; humidity is
generally high, especially in winter.
Temperatures in
winter range from 3 to 9 degrees sometimes colder, and in summer between 17 and
24 degrees.
CLOTHING:
Britain's
weather is nothing if not unstable; therefore, a raincoat is necessary all year
round. Medium weight clothing is advisable for most of the year. In the United Kingdom,
informality is the rule, except in the good hotels and restaurants. Good
sensible pair of shoes are also recommended. Woollen jumpers are also necessary,
even though you would be advised to bring along some summer clothes in case of
changes.
ELECTRICITY: The electrical
current is 240 Volts, AC 50 Hz.
ENGLAND
England is a country of great contrast and diversity with
incredibly diverse countryside, arresting cities and picturesque towns and villages.
It is the largest and most peopled country of
the United Kingdom.
Housing an unrivalled legacy in the fields of theatre, literature and
architecture, England
has one of the richest traditions of theatre and literature in the world.
Stately homes and fine churches and cathedrals dot the country. Because of its
colonial past, England
is a veritable treasure trove of masterpieces from every age and every
continent
The city is characterised by
happening city life, old-fashioned customs and progressive culture,
Mediterranean beaches and great mountains. England's
largest city, London, is also the capital of the
United Kingdom
is also the political, cultural and economic capital of the city. London is an exciting
capital city, famed for first class culture, fascinating history and pageantry,
its world-class restaurants and theatre.
WHEN TO GO:
Anyone who spends
any extended period in England
will sympathise with the locals' obsession with the weather, although in
relative terms the climate is mild and the rainfall is not spectacular. The
least hospitable months for visitors are November to February
- it's cold and the days are short. March and October are marginal - there
is more daylight but it can still be very cold. April to September are undoubtedly
the best months, and this is, unsurprisingly, when most sights are
open, and when most people visit. July and August are the busiest
months and best avoided if possible. The crowds on the coast, at the national
parks, in London and popular towns like Oxford, Bath and York have to be seen to
be believed.
GETTING THERE & AWAY:
London
is one of the most important air-transport hubs in the world and the centre for
discounted long-haul airfares, so there are plenty of opportunities to find cheap
flights.
By Air: Wide range of
air services linking major cities like London, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow and Edinburgh
British Airways (BA), Air India (AI),
Virgin Atlantic(VS), Jet Airways(9W) fly directly into London, most international carriers fly into different
airports in England.
By Rail: Two
services operate through the Channel Tunnel: Eurostar is a high-speed
passenger service between London, Paris and Brussels;
BritRail: Extensive
privatised train network, covering most of the country, from Penzance to North Scotland.
Train services in Northern
Ireland are operated by the state owned Translink
By Road: Eurotunnel has
a shuttle service (Le Shuttle) for cars, motorbikes and buses between the
English port of Folkestone
and the French port
of Calais.
By Bus:
National Express and the new cut-price Megabus provide an alternative to train
travel.
By Waterway:
If you feel uncomfortable with the idea of a tunnel or want to get some fresh
air in the English Channel, you can get a bus or train connection to mainland
Europe with a short ferry or Seacat ride thrown in. The boat trip on the
shortest routes (from Dover or Folkestone to Calais or Boulogne)
takes about 90 minutes; the Seacat takes about 35 minutes.
Ferries link the mainland to the many offshore islands
including the Isle of Wight, Isle of Man, Orkneys and Shetland
islands.
Ferries go to France, Belgium,
Germany, the Netherlands and Scandinavia from a number of
southern and eastern British ports; to Spain
from Portsmouth; and to Ireland from a
handful of western English ports.
GETTING AROUND:
Public transport
in England
is generally of a high standard, but can be expensive.
Buses or coaches
are the cheapest but slowest way to get around. On longer journeys they are
also the least scenic way to travel. National Express
and the new cut-price Megabus provide an alternative to train travel.
England
has an impressive rail network, which includes a couple of beautiful lines through
sparsely populated country.
Fast Intercity trains
make air travel unnecessary unless you're in a real hurry.
Car hire is worth
considering if you want to explore some of the remoter towns and villages at
your own pace.
EVENTS:
For the sporty, the traditional Oxford/Cambridge
University Boat Race is held in London
on the River Thames in late March. The famous but gruelling Grand
National steeplechase takes
place at Aintree, Liverpool, on the first
Saturday in April. The FA Cup final takes place in May. Lawn Tennis Championships, complete with strawberries & cream and tantrums
by major players, take place at Wimbledon in late June. The champagne quaffing set
head for the Henley Royal Regatta at Henley-on-Thames also in June, the Cowes Week yachting extravaganza pushes off
on the Isle of Wight in late July.
Those uninterested in ball games and fast-moving animals should check out
the Chelsea Flower Show at London's Royal Hospital
in May. The Trooping of the Colour pageantry takes place on the Queen's
birthday in London in mid-June, and the Bacchanalian Glastonbury Festival music extravaganza which swamps Glastonbury's paddocks in June; with the
riotous (in the best possible sense) Caribbean carnival exploding in London's
Notting Hill in late August.
ACTIVITIES:
England may be densely populated but it is also criss-crossed
by footpaths and rights of way, which provide access to just about every nook
and cranny of the country if you want to take a short stroll. The more
energetic should tackle at least one long-distance walk. The best of the hikes
include the south-west Coast Path around the dramatic shores of Somerset, Devon, Cornwall
and Dorset (up to 14 days); the picturesque Cotswold Way (five
days); and the dramatic moorland and coastal scenery of the Cleveland Way (up to a week). Cycling is
another great way to get off the beaten track and down some unexplored country
lanes; the main roads are best avoided. The best beaches for swimming are in
Devon and Cornwall; the best surf is on Cornwall's West Coast,
notably at Newquay.
LONDON
CITY LAYOUT:
- Central
London - Underground’s Circle Line is
a fair boundary.
- The
City (the financial district).
- The West End
- Upscale
neighborhoods of Belgravia, Kensington, Knightsbridge, Chelsea, Paddington and Bayswater, Earl’s Court,and Notting
Hill.
- East
End
London
is a cosmopolitan mixture of the Third and First Worlds, of chauffeurs and
beggars, of the establishment, the avowedly working class and the avant-garde.
Unlike comparable European cities, much of London looks unplanned and grubby, but that
is part of its appeal. Visiting London
is like being let loose on a giant-sized Monopoly board clogged with traffic.
Even though you probably will not know where you are exactly, the names will at
least look reassuringly familiar. The city is so enormous; visitors will need
to make maximum use of the underground train system.
CLIMATE:
London is a year-round tourist centre, with few of its
attractions closing or significantly reducing their opening hours in winter.
Your best chance of good weather is, of course, at the height of summer in July
and August, but there is certainly no guarantee of sun even in those months -
plus it's when you can expect the biggest crowds and highest prices.
April/May and September/October are good times to visit London: there is a better than average chance
of good weather and the queues for popular attractions are hours shorter.
During these periods, the cost of getting to London is cheaper and you might even find
some decent accommodation. If you don't mind braving the cold and shorter
daylight hours, the cheapest fares and hotel prices are available from November
to March.
GETTING
AROUND:
Airports:
There are 5 airports in London.
For transfers directly between London’s
airports, the fastest way is the direct inter-airport service by National
Express.
Heathrow
airport is accessible by bus(National Express bus service (to Victoria Station, takes 40 mins to an
hour), London Underground (Piccadilly line) and the
Heathrow Express, which makes the journey from Paddington Station to Terminals
1-3 in 15 minutes and to Terminal 4 in 20mins. Hotelink (a mini-van shuttle service).
The Gatwick Express runs between Gatwick
airport and Victoria
station in 30 minutes
The Stansted Express will get you to Stansted
airport from Liverpool
Street station in 60 minutes
London City Airport
Luton Airport
Train: London
is served by one international rail link, currently operating out of St.
Pancras International – the Eurostar. There are no fewer than 12 main line
terminal stations, forming a ring around Central London
and each serving various parts of the country.
The mainline (National Rail) train stations are:
London Paddington, London Marylebone, London Euston, London St Pancras, London
King’s Cross, London Moorgate, London Liverpool Street, London Fenchurch
Street, London Bridge, London Cannon Street, London Waterloo East and London
Charing Cross, London Blackfriars, London Waterloo and London Victoria.
Tube: London Underground - also known popularly as “The Tube”. London's tube is legendary, but mainly because it's not
that much fun to use. Although the tube network is immense, buses are more
pleasant and interesting, as long as the traffic's not gridlocked. Travelcards can be used on all forms of transport. Several rail companies now run passenger trains in London, most of which interchange with the
tube.
London’s iconic red buses are recognised the world over.
Cabs: London's
famous black cabs are excellent but expensive. Minicabs are cheaper
competitors, with freelance drivers, but you cannot flag these down on the street.
If you'd rather drive yourself, you're in for a parking nightmare - it's
almost impossible to get a park in the city centre, and the punishments for
parking illegally are cruel and unusual indeed.
MUST SEES:
Trafalgar Square:
It's the heart of
visitors' London,
beating with tour buses, cameras and flocks of persistent pigeons. On the
square's northern edge is the National Gallery, which has one of the world’s
most impressive art collections. Famous paintings include Cézanne's The
Bathers and van Eyck's Arnolfini Wedding. Entry to the
gallery is free. Also in the vicinity are the National Portrait Gallery,
a place to see lots of faces from the Middle Ages to modern times, and St Martin in the
Fields,
with an adjoining craft market and a brass-rubbing centre in the crypt.
Westminster
Abbey:
The resting-place
of the royals, Westminster Abbey is one of the most visited churches
in the Christian world. It is a beautiful building, full of morose tombs and
monuments, with an acoustic field that will send shivers down your spine when
the choirboys clear their throats. In September 1997, millions of people round
the world saw the inside of the Abbey when TV crews covered Princess Diana's
funeral service. Since then the number of visitors has increased by 300%, and
the visit is now more restricted, with some areas cordoned off.
Houses of Parliament:
The awesome
neo-Gothic brilliance of the Houses of Parliament has been
restored. The building includes the House of Commons and the House of Lords. There's
restricted access to the chambers when they're in session, but a visit around
6pm will avoid the worst of the crowds. Check the time on the most recognisable
face in the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben. Nearby, 10,Downing St,
the official residence of the prime minister and the chancellor of the
exchequer (no 11), has been guarded by an imposing iron gate since the security
forces realised that the lone iconic bobby outside Maggie's door was not
sufficient to stop the IRA mortar bomb attack in 1989.
Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum:
It is the most
famous wax museum gallery in the world, with more than 400 life sized models of
celebrities like politicians, royal, stars, sportsmen and famous criminals as
well!. Also at the site is the Tussaud’s Auditorium (Planetarium) on of the biggest
in the world, ready to amaze the visitors with its views of the universe.
Tate Britain:
The Tate Britain is the keeper of an impressive historical
archive of British art. Built in
1897, the Tate is currently undergoing an ambitious programme of expansion.
When all is complete, there will be six new galleries for temporary exhibition
and nine new or refurbished ones for the Tate's permanent collection of
peerless Blakes, Reynolds, Gainsboroughs, Hogarths, Constables, Turners and
Pre-Raphaelite beauties.
Its sister
gallery, the brand-spanking new Tate Modern, is housed in the former Bankside Power
Station.
The Tate Modern displays the Tate's collection of international modern art,
including major works by Bacon, Dalí, Picasso, Matisse, Rothko and Warhol,
as well as work by more contemporary artists. The building is as exciting as
the art: gorgeous industrial-strength red brick with a 325ft-high (99m-high)
chimney. The former turbine hall, below street level and running the length of
the vast building, now forms the awe-inspiring entrance to the gallery.
Buckingham Palace:
Buckingham Palace
has served as the official London residence of Britain's
sovereigns since 1837.
It evolved from a town house that was owned from the beginning of the
eighteenth century by the Dukes of Buckingham. Today it is The Queen's official
residence, with 775 rooms.
The State Rooms of the Palace are open to visitors during the Annual Summer Opening in August and September. They are lavishly furnished with some of the greatest treasures from
the Royal Collection -
paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens, Vermeer, Poussin, Canaletto and Claude;
sculpture by Canova and Chantrey; exquisite examples of Sèvres porcelain; and
some of the finest English and French furniture in the world.
Not far off and definitely worth a stroll is St James's
Park, which is the neatest and most royal of London's royal parks.
Just near the park's northern edge is the Institute
for Contemporary Art, a great place to relax, hang out
and see some cutting-edge film, dance, photography, theatre and art.
Covent Garden:
Once a vegetable field, attached to Westminster Abbey, Covent Garden became the
low-life haunt of Pepys, Fielding and Boswell, and then a major fruit and
vegetable market, and is now a triumph of conservation and commerce. The
car-free piazza is surrounded by designer gift and clothes shops, hip bars and
restaurants. Stalls selling antiques and bric-a-brac share the arcaded piazza
with street theatre, buskers and people-watchers.
British Museum:
The most trafficked attraction in Bloomsbury! It is the oldest, most august museum in the world, and has recently
received a well-earned re-jig with Norman Fosters glass-roofed Great Court. Highlights
include the Assyrian treasures and Egyptian mummies; the exquisite
pre-Christian Portland Vase and the 2000-year-old corpse found in a Cheshire bog. With the
removal of the British Library to St Pancras, the Reading Room is now open to
the public.
Bloomsbury is a peculiar mix of the University of London, beautiful Georgian squares and architecture,
literary history, traffic, office workers, students and tourists. Its focal
point, Russell
Square, is
London's
largest square.
St Paul's Cathedral:
Half the world saw the inside of St
Paul's Cathedral when Charles and Diana tied the knot
here in 1981. The venerable building was constructed by Christopher Wren between
1675 and 1710.Its famous dome, the biggest in the world after St Peter's in Rome, no longer dominates London as it did for centuries, but it's
still quite a sight when viewed from the river. Visitors should talk low and
sweetly near the whispering gallery, which reputedly carries words spoken close
to its walls to the other side of the dome.
Cruise on River Thames:
London
was built along the shores of the Thames 2,000 years ago – what better way to
experience the city than to travel along its river on a Thames River Cruise!
You’ll get
stunning uninterrupted views of the Gothic style Houses of Parliament, the London Eye perched high over the River, the South Bank Arts Complex built for the
1951 Festival of Britain and of course many of London’s famous bridges the way
they were meant to be seen – passing under them! A Thames Waterman will point out places of
interest along the way.
The London Eye:
At 443ft tall the London eye is the most spectacular additional to London’s skyline. With
incredible view of the most of the London’s
major attractions, it is a must see for all the visitors.
Tower of London:
Jet black ravens
guard this ancient fortress steeped in centuries of murder, treason and the
untold secrets of the condemned... Hear
the tragic story of Lady Jane Grey - Queen for 9 days, and the story of the 2
young Princes who were never seen again, as well as other tales of royals and
noblemen meeting their end within the cold cruel walls of the Tower. A hallowed spot even before the fortress was
ever built; it’s hardly any surprise the ghosts of the Tower linger long after
you leave... The splendidly dressed Beefeaters will tell you about the
Tower’s history, and of course you must visit the Crown Jewels including the 6,000 year old Koh-I-Noor diamond worn
by all the Queens of England since Victoria
as well as the other regalia used during coronation ceremonies.
Victoria & Albert Museum:
The Victoria & Albert Museum, on Cromwell
Rd in South Kensington, has an eclectic mix of booty gathered together
under its brief as a museum of decorative art and design. It sometimes feels
like an enormous Victorian junk shop, with nearly four million artefacts on
display. It's best to browse through the collection, checking out the Chinese
ceramics,
Japanese swords, cartoons by Raphael, sculpture by Rodin, the Frank Lloyd
Wright study and the pair of Doc Martens.
Also on Cromwell Rd, the Natural History
Museum
is one of London's
finest Gothic-revival buildings. Check out the mammal balcony, the Blue Whale
exhibit and the spooky, moonlit rainforest in the ecology gallery.
Camden Markets:
The huge Camden Markets could be the closest England gets to free-form chaos
outside the terraces of football stadiums. They stretch between Camden and Chalk Farm tube stations, incorporating Camden
Lock on the Grand
Union Canal.
The markets include the Camden Canal Market (bric-a-brac,
furniture and designer clothes), Camden
Market (leather goods and army surplus gear) and the Electric Market (records
and 1960s clothing).
After Camden Market, the colourful Portobello
Market is London's
most famous weekend street market and is best seen on a Saturday morning before
the gridlock sets in. It's full of antiques, jewellery, ethnic knick-knacks,
second-hand clothes and fruit and vegetable stalls. Starting near the Sun in
Splendour pub in Notting Hill, it wends its way northwards to just past the Westway
flyover.
Hyde Park:
The humongous Hyde Park used to be a royal hunting ground, was once a venue
for duels, executions and horseracing, and even became a giant potato field
during WWII. It is now a place of fresh air, spring colour, lazy sunbathers and
boaters on the Serpentine. Features of the park include sculptures by Jacob Epstein and Henry Moore and the Serpentine Gallery, which holds temporary exhibitions of contemporary
art.
Near Marble Arch, Speaker's Corner started life in 1872 as a response to serious riots.
Every Sunday anyone with a soapbox - or anything else to stand on - can ramble
on about anything at all.
Kew Gardens:
Kew Gardens, in Richmond, Surrey, is both a beautiful park and an important botanical
research centre. There's a vast expanse of lawn
and formal gardens and two soaring Victorian conservatories - the Palm House and the Temperate House, which are
home to exotic plant life. It's one of the most visited sights on the London tourist agenda,
which means that it can get very crowded, especially in the summer.
Other sightseeings:
Kensington Palace, Dali Universe,
Wimbledon, Greenwich, Notting Hill, Richmond, The West End, London Dungeon.
Excursions
from London:
Brighton:
England’s most spectacular seaside resort town.
Canterbury:
The historical cathedral city of Canterbury,
with its narrow streets and walkways, is best explored on foot. It is has been
the ultimate destination for pilgrimages in England
as described ion Chaucer’s Canterbury
tales. Key sights are Canterbury Cathedral, ruins of the abbey of St Augustine.
Stonehenge:
Five-thousand-year-old
Stonehenge is the most famous prehistoric site in Europe,
but it remains both a tantalising mystery. It consists of a ring of enormous
stones topped by lintels, an inner horseshoe, an outer circle and a ditch.
Although aligned to the movements of the celestial bodies, little is known
about the site's purpose. It is estimated that it would take 600 people to drag
one of these 50-ton monsters more than half an inch. The downside of Stonehenge is that it's fenced off like a compound; there
are two main roads slicing past the site; entry is via an incongruous
underpass; and clashes between new age hippies and police at summer solstice
have become a regular feature of the British calendar. Each year New Age Druids
celebrate the summer solstice, but closer access at other times is strictly
limited.
Georgian
Bath:
The jewel of
the West Country and a City famous for its elegant Georgian architecture and greenery. Enjoy a panoramic tour of Bath - you’ll be enchanted by its beautifully
proportioned streetscapes and lovingly cultivated flowerbeds that are a feast
to the eye at every turn. You'll see the 'lantern of the West' Bath Abbey, the
often-photographed Pulteney Bridge, modelled
on the Florentian Ponte Vecchio, and the marvellously symmetrical and perfectly
proportioned Georgian Crescents that helped make Bath so famous.
Other excursions:
Leed’s Castle, Windsor, Hampton Court Palace etc.
The Cotswolds:
This
limestone escarpment, 18 miles northeast
of Bristol,
overlooking the Severn Vale, is an
upland region of stunningly pretty, gilded stone villages and remarkable views.
Unfortunately, the soft, mellow stone and the picturesque Agatha Christie charm
have resulted in some villages being overrun by coach tourists and
commercialism. Renowned villages include Bibury
(claimed to be the most beautiful village in England);
the chocolate-box town of Bourton-on-the-Water;
and the breathtakingly pretty Chipping
Camden. The best way to explore the Cotswolds is to walk; the 100-mile Cotswold Way is a gem of a hike, full
of history and interesting terrain that make the abundance of quaintness easier
to swallow.
Oxford:
Arguably the world's most famous university town; Oxford is
graced by superb college architecture and oozes questing youthfulness,
scholarships and bizarre high jinx. The views across the meadows to the city's
golden spires are guaranteed to appear in three out of 10 English period
dramas, but they manage to remain one of the most beautiful and inspiring of
sights. Back in the real world, Oxford
was a major car-manufacturing centre until the terminal decline of the British
car industry and is now a thriving centre of service industries. The pick of
the colleges are Christ Church, Merton and Magdalene, but
nearly all the colleges are drenched in atmosphere, history, privilege and
tradition.
Stratford-upon-Avon:
A market town
at the edge of the Forest of Arden made famous
for being the birthplace of the world-famous playwright William
Shakespeare. Visit the
Tudor-style birthplace of William
Shakespeare, gaining a fascinating insight into his childhood
with its typical parlour, bedrooms, kitchen, buttery and of course the
glove-maker's workshop used by John, Shakespeare's father.
Then it's a short drive over to the medieval Warwick Castle, most of
whose magnificent towers and ramparts are still intact. Warwick
Castle will take you back
through its 1,000 year history as you enter over the footbridge to a bygone
world of banquets, battles and ceremony.
Visit the Tussaud’s waxwork, or if you're feeling brave visit the spine-chilling dungeons where prisoners were tortured.
You might wish to stroll through the Castle's delightful and lovingly
tended gardens set in the peaceful surroundings of England's finest medieval Castle.
During the summer months, archery, falconry and jousting take place.
York:
This proud city
attracts millions of visitors, but it's too old, too impressive and too
convinced of its own importance to be overwhelmed by mere tourists. For nearly
2000 years it has been the capital of the north, and played a central role in
British history under the Romans, Saxons and Vikings. Its spectacular Gothic cathedral,
medieval city walls, tangle of historic streets and glut of teashops and pubs
make it a great city for ambling around. York Minster is the largest cathedral
in Europe,
and right up there with the world's great buildings. The city's Museum Gardens
are amongst the most beautiful in Britain and include a number of
picturesque ruins and buildings.
Lake District:
The most green and
pleasant corner, the landscapes of the Lake District
are almost too perfect for their own good: 10 million visitors can't be wrong,
but they can sure cause a few traffic jams. The area is a combination of
luxuriant green dales, modest but precipitous mountains and multitudinous
lakes. Each of the lakes has its own distinct character: wisdom holds that Ullswater, Grasmere and Windermere are the
prettiest, but Wast Water, Crummock Water and Buttermere are equally
spectacular and far less crowded. Be prepared to hike into the hills, or visit
on weekdays out of season if you have any desire to emulate the bard and wander
lonely as cloud.
SHOPPING:
Whether you are
after expensive Jewellery and designer labels or hunting for a bargain, London is the place to shop.
There are world famous chic stores for the fashionable, markets for the trendy
and toys shop for the kids, as well as all kinds of specialist stores.
Normal shopping
hours in central London
are 0900 hrs – 1730 hrs Monday to Saturdays, with many shops now open on
Sundays too. Those in the West End and Kensington High Street
stay open until 1900 hrs.
Harrod’s promises
one of the most extravagant and luxurious shopping experiences in the world.
FOOD:
The choice of
restaurants in London
is truly international. From huge American portions of steaks and fries to
delicate French cuisine and from real Italian pasta to spicy Indian Curries.
For a great range of Chinese restaurants, head for Chinatown,
just behind Leicester Square.
You can have fun while you eat at London’s theme restaurants,
like the Fashion Café, Planet Hollywood and the Hard Rock Café. One of the
newest additions is the Rainforest Café in Piccadilly Circus,
where you can shop and eat. Many of the London’s
top hotels, such as the Ritz and the Meridien, serve delicious afternoon teas
with cream cakes, delicate sandwiches and the most refined service.
NIGHT LIFE:
You can dance the
night away in countless nightspots. They range from the West
End hotel dinner dances to theatre – restaurants such as the Talk
of London, in Drury Lane,
where you can dine, be entertained and dance in lavish surroundings.
If you like pop or
rock music there are endless nightspots to choose from. The most glamorous is
probably Stringfellows
in Upper St. Martin’s Lane. A few minutes walk
away, close to Leicester Square,
in Charing Cross Road,
is the Hippodrome,
notable for its spectacular light show and moving stage.
EVENTS:
There are countless festivals and events in London. It all kicks off with the New Year's Eve fireworks and street party in Trafalgar
Square,
followed by the New Year's Day Parade. On Shrove Tuesday pancake races are held in Covent Garden, and in
early May more serious racers take part in the London
Marathon. All London
gets its colours on for the FA Cup Final in mid-May. There's even more colour at the Chelsea Flower Show, held on
the last week of May.
Trooping the Colour, the Queen's birthday parade, is held in June; Wimbledon runs for two weeks in the same month. In July the
world's biggest military tattoo, the Royal Tournament, is held in Earl's
Court, and the raucous Notting
Hill Carnival takes over the streets in August. Horsey folks can't
resist late-September's Horseman's Sunday in Hyde Park, with more than 100 horses receiving the blessing
from a vicar on horseback, followed by horse jumping in Kensington Gardens.
Things wind down as the weather gets colder, though there's plenty of
bonfires on Guy Fawkes Night, on the
5th of November. The Lord Mayor's Show is held in late November, complete with floats,
bands and fireworks. Trafalgar
Square lights up in December with the Lighting of the Christmas Tree.
SCOTLAND
Scotland provides superb opportunities to enjoy wild,
grand unspoilt scenery, which is often even more impressive than the postcards
suggest. It also offers an array of towns and cities boasting a rich cultural
life, an excellent mix of accommodation and exquisite places at which to eat and
drink.
Friendly and welcoming,
Scotland is an interesting and colourful all-season destination, where scenery
and environment, sport and leisure pursuits, heritage and history, culture and
cuisine each conspire to provide the visitor to Scottish shores with a
thoroughly enriching and unforgettable experience
WHEN TO GO:
The best time to
visit Scotland
is between May and September.
April and October are acceptable as far as weather goes, but a lot of places
are closed in October. Aside from those interested in skiing or frostbite, the Highlands are pretty much off limits during winter, but
Edinburgh and Glasgow are still worth visiting. Edinburgh becomes impossibly crowded during
the festival in August, and you will have to book a long time in advance.
GETTING THERE & AWAY:
There are direct
air services from London and other European
cities to Edinburgh, Glasgow,
Dundee, Aberdeen, Inverness or Kirkwall.
From Europe it's
often cheaper to fly to London
then catch a train or bus north. It is a one-hour flight from London to Edinburgh,
but once you add on the trip to and from the airport you are getting close to
the four-hour rail trip.
Long-distance
buses are usually the cheapest method of getting to Scotland. A train from London can get you to
Edinburgh in four hours, Glasgow in five, but tickets are fairly pricey. Scotland has ferry links to Larne, near Belfast, and to Belfast
itself. In summer, there is also a weekly ferry between Aberdeen,
the Shetlands and Norway,
and a twice-weekly ferry from Aberdeen
to the Faroes.
For those with
their own transport, main roads are busy and quick - Edinburgh
is 600km (373mi) from London
and it will take you about eight hours to drive it.
GETTING AROUND:
Public transport
in Scotland
is generally good, but it can be expensive compared to other European
countries.
By Air: Only British
Airways and its subsidiaries are doing domestic flights in Scotland.
By Coach: Haggis
Backpackers bus service runs between Scotland's Youth Hostels, as does
Macbackpackers. Citylink bus company (Scotland's major player) has a
tourist pass which can be used on all their buses.
By Rail: Scotland’s
rail network not only includes excellent cross- border intercity services but
also a good internal network. All major towns are linked by rail and there are
links to the western seaboard at Mallaig and Kyle of Lochalsh (for ferry
connections to Skye and the western isles) and to Inverness,
Thurso and Wick for ferries to Orkney and Shetland.
By Road: Roads are
generally good and far less busy than those in England are. On back roads you may
have only one lane and petrol stations may be few and far between (as well as
extremely pricey). Walking and cycling are popular and rewarding ways to
explore Scotland.
By Boat: Boats run to most
of the islands from Oban, Mallaig and Ullapool, or you can get a ferry from Aberdeen to Orkney or
Shetland.
Currency:
The Pound Sterling (GBP)
is valid on both sides of the border, but Scottish banks also issue their own
banknotes. These are generally accepted in England, but if problems do arise,
most banks will exchange Scottish currency for pound sterling hassle-free.
Travellers' cheques are widely accepted in banks and you might as well buy them
in pounds sterling to avoid changing currencies twice. Cashpoints (ATM’s) are
very common in Britain:
most are linked to major credit cards as well as the Cirrus, Maestro and Plus
cash networks.
ACTIVITIES:
Considering its breathtaking natural beauty and abundance of destinations
for activity-based holidays, it's surprising that Scotland
has only just got around to implementing a national
parks system - the first, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National
Park,
only opened in 2002. The 95-mile (153km) West
Highland Way takes walkers through spectacular Highland scenery,
leading all the way from Glasgow to Fort William - very handy for those aiming to climb Ben Nevis, Britain's highest peak. The
Trossachs, in the heart of Rob Roy country, are also popular with walkers.
Cyclists in search of the wild and remote will enjoy the Highlands and islands of the northwest. The Hebridean Islands in particular provide superb cycling opportunities.
Less intrepid cyclists will favour the lochs and glens of the central and
southern areas. Britain's
biggest skiing centre is in Aviemore, but there are also skiing opportunities in Glencoe, Nevis, Glenshee, The Lecht, and Nevis
Range.
Golf is a major attraction in Scotland, where there are more
courses per capita than in any other country in the world. Britain's best
surf can be found in the north, particularly around Thurso.
Fishing is expensive and heavily regulated; the Spey and surrounding lochs in the Cairngorm area present good opportunities
to catch a couple of trout or salmon.
On the West Coast and in the islands, birdwatchers will find the marine-bird-spotting
opportunities of their dreams. Finally, many trips to Scotland are
complete without a visit to Loch Ness for a bit of Nessie-spotting, but, hey,
if you've got the time, why not? It's a lovely, eerie place, and the perfect
lair for a monster.
CITIES:
EDINBURGH:
Edinburgh
is one of the world's greatest cities. Its dramatic site, extraordinary
architectural heritage and cultural vigour soon charm all visitors. The crowded
tenements of the historic Old
Town contrast with the
orderly grid of the Georgian New Town, which in most cities would be a historic
enclave by itself. Backdrops include glimpses of the Firth of Forth, the
Pentland Hills and classically draped Calton Hill.
Getting There
There are regular flights from London
to Edinburgh.
Trains depart frequently from London King’s Cross
direct to Edinburgh.
The total journey time is around four hours and thirty minutes.
There is also regular coach service by National Express from London to Edinburgh.
Edinburgh
is best seen on foot, and the best place to start is Edinburgh Castle: beautiful,
romantic and a reminder of the city's bloody past. Its foundations date back as
far as 850 BC, and the oldest surviving section dates from 1130. From the 11th
to 16th centuries, the castle was the symbolic seat of Scottish royalty, and
today it's still home to the army's Scottish Division. It sits at the western
end of the Royal Mile, which runs down to the more comfortable royal
accommodation at the Palace of Hollyroodhouse. This
thoroughfare contains an extraordinarily intact streetscape, which has survived
from the 16th and 17th centuries. A walk down some of the alleys that run off
it is to rediscover the vital city of that time. Several museums and restored
town houses in this vicinity give fascinating insights into urban life of the
17th century.
Nearby Calton Hill
is worth climbing for its superb views and romantic monuments dating from the
Enlightenment, when the city was known as the 'Athens of the North'. Before you walk
down into the New Town, have a look at Greyfriars Kirk,
site of the signing of the National Covenant in 1638. The graveyard was
the backdrop for one of Disney's most heart-rending films, Greyfriars Bobby,
the story (based on legend) of a little Skye terrier which held vigil for 14
years over the grave of his master.
New Town lies to
the north, separated by the sunken railway line and Princes St Gardens,
which feature the Gothic Sir
Walter Scott
Monument. Georgian order
and elegance are reflected in New Town's beautiful squares, circuses and
terraces. The National Gallery of
Scotland
has an impressive collection of European art, while the pageant of Scottish
history can be seen at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery.
Edinburgh
has a rich and varied cultural life, from the Tattoo to the International and
Fringe festivals. These are times to be sure to book accommodation well in
advance. B&B accommodation is one of the best ways to get an insight into
the daily life of Edinburgh's
residents. There is a handy concentration north of New Town and in the suburb
of Newington,
south of the city centre. Numerous youth hostels are sprinkled on the city's
outskirts. Surprisingly, the Royal Mile has numerous good-value and
enjoyable eateries, with everything from Singaporean satays to traditional
Scottish cuisine.
Other attractions:
Others: Museum
of Scotland, Our Dynamic Earth, Royal
Yacht Britannia, The Scotch Whisky Experience, Ghost Tours
Excursions:
St
Andrews
Rosslyn Chapel
Inverness
Loch Ness
GLASGOW:
Long overshadowed
by Edinburgh, a mere 30 miles (48km) away, Glasgow actually has a
lot to offer. It has left its reputation as a black hole of unemployment,
economic depression and urban violence far behind. The 1980s and '90s saw the
city reinvent itself culturally and socially. You're in no doubt that this is a
Scottish city, brimming with vibrancy and energy. The city centre is built on a
grid plan on the north bank of the shipbuilding
River Clyde.
Sights are spread over a wide area, with Sauchiehall Street
the place to go for shops, pubs and restaurants.
The oldest part of
the city is to the east, around the intact Gothic masterpiece of Glasgow Cathedral, St
Mungo's Museum of Religious Life & Art and the oldest
house in Glasgow,
15th-century Provand's Lordship.
Heading back west, an interesting walk takes you through the gracious houses
and commercial structures of 18th-century Merchant City.
Busy Sauchiehall St
is home to the Charles Rennie Mackintosh Art Nouveau masterpieces of
the Glasgow School of
Art
and the still-operational Willow Tearoom. The Tenement House
is an extraordinary time capsule, providing vivid insight into middle-class
city life at the turn of this century.
Also not to be
missed is Glasgow's
top cultural attraction, the Burrell Collection, housed in the Pollok
Country Park 3 miles (5km) south of the city. Its idiosyncratic collection
includes Chinese porcelain, medieval furniture and impressionist paintings,
housed in one of the world's few inspirational buildings to be built in recent
times.
