United Kingdom Hotels, Attractions & Travel Guide

United Kingdom Travel Guide

An overview of United Kingdom - from major hotels, attactions and localities to climate and weather information.

United Kingdom Attractions

The United Kingdom has several natural, cultural and historical attractions from its time as a great colonial ruler and even before that. Places which should definitely be visited include the Giant’s Causeway on the Antrim Coast of Northern Ireland which is really a geological paradise, the Gower Peninsula, Hadrian’s Wall and the Isle of Arran. The Lake District National Park is another major attraction being the largest in the country. Several scenic spots and trails exist here making it the UK’s ultimate hiking and mountaineering spot. Several spectacular lakes, falls and green spaces can be explored in the park. Also worth visiting is the Snowdonia National Park with its lakes, castles, waterfalls and steam railways which create a magical setting, Scotland’s most famous lake known as Loch Ness, Peak District and Stonehenge which is a Neolithic and Bronze Age stone monument and a famous World Heritage Site.

The United Kingdom also has several spots designated as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. These include places like South Devon, Northumberland Coast, the Forest of Bowland, the Isles of Wight and Scilly, the Wye and Tamar Valleys and the Shropshire Hills, Norfolk Coast and Chichester Harbour among others. Major landmarks in the country include the 1000 year old Edinburgh Castle, the Gregorian architecture and Roman baths in the Bath area, Shakespeare’s birthplace and the impressive Eden Project with indoor rainforest and Mediterranean flora. The ships at the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, Canterbury Cathedral which is head of the Church of England and the historic city of York with the cathedral of York Minster should not be missed.

London is home to the famous Arsenal stadium and football club, the Houses of Parliament, National Gallery, Natural History Museum, Tower of London and the London Eye. There is a wide variety of amusement and theme parks, fortresses, zoos and safari parks, museums, religious sights and historic sights among other attractions exist in the UK. The Thorpe Parkand Blackpool Pleasure Beach, which is great for water sports and the Alton Towers Theme Park are among the most notable recreational areas in the country. The London and Chester Zoos as well as Flamingo Land are the ideal sites for wild discovery while the Kew Gardens and Regents Park and Canal are among the best open spaces in the UK. Other places you may want to see include the famous Buckingham Palace which is home to the royalties, the Hampton Court Palace, Chatsworth House, and Windsor Castle. The castle at Ruthin, Camden Market, Paddington Station and the Globe Theatre, the British Library and Harrods can be visited as well.

The UK has a wide variety of interesting museums. The top five in the country include the London Science Museum which is quite impressive, the National Gallery, and the British Museum in London, the Natural History Museum and the Tate Modern Art Gallery. Among the most remarkable religious sights are the Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s and Canterbury Cathedrals, Woburn Abbey and Safari Park and the Salisbury Cathedral. The Tower Bridge Exhibition and the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben’s should not be missed. The world renowned educational institutes of Oxford and Cambridge are located in the UK.

The British seaside has the beautiful harbour villages in Cornwall, Dorset and Devon. For more beautiful, wilder, windswept beaches, head to the Pembrokeshire coast of Wales or the Scottish islands of Skye, Shetland and Orkney.

London is well equipped with a variety of theatres, cinemas, bars and pubs and restaurants from Italian, Jewish, West Indian, Vietnamese, Indian, Turkish and other ethnic groups. Other areas like Birmingham and Bristol are similarly equipped though not to such great extent. The Islington and Camden areas in London are major areas for an intense nightlife in the city. Important and enjoyable festivals in the UK include the New Year’s Day Parade, Cheltenham Folk Festival in February, Oxford Literary Festival in March and the London Marathon in April among many others. From May to December, the country has a host of exciting events like the London International Theatre of Festival in June, Bath International Music Festival in May, Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival in July, Notting Hill Carnival in August and the Spitalfields Winter Festival in July.

United Kingdom Weather

The United Kingdom generally boasts warm damp summers and mild winters which facilitate year round outdoor adventures. Its proximity to the sea and beach environments assists in moderating the country’s temperatures. The UK is well known for its rainy climate and overcast skies which characterise the country for the most part of the year. Temperatures vary between the country’s northern and southern areas where Scotland and north-western England has the most rain and cold, and alpine conditions with accompanying snowfall is common in Scotland at winter.

United Kingdom Hotels

The United Kingdom is well equipped with several sophisticated Victorian style hotels, modernised five star complexes of world class repute, apartments, camp sites, holiday homes, budget chain hotels and luxurious country manors. Among the most popular hotels are the Dorchester in London, the Langham, Milestone Hotel and Apartments, the Jumeirah Carlton Tower and the Berkeley Hotel also in the capital. There is also the Thornbury Castle which facilitates a historic feel of the country, the Loch Torridon Hotel in Scotland, Gravetye Manor in West Sussex, Sheraton Park Tower in London and the Four Seasons Hampshire in Hook, among many other luxurious stays. There are camping and caravan sites throughout the UK and over 300 hostels. The United Kingdom has a laid back atmosphere for those in need of relaxation and several adventurous itineraries for leisure travellers.

United Kingdom Links

http://www.visitbritain.co.uk/ : Official UK Travel and Accommodation Guide

http://www.britannia.com/travel/festivals_list.html : Excellent Websites for all festivals in the UK.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/index.htm Official website of the United Kingdom Government

Top United Kingdom Cities