Brighton Pier, England, UK by Samuel Justice

Brighton

The seaside town of Brighton is located just a short train ride to the south of London and is particularly charming on a sunny day. The main pier here is a great place to take a stroll, while shoppers will want to head to the Lanes to browse for bargains. Most of the main attractions here can be found close to the sea, while the Royal Brighton Pavilion is one of the town’s most unusual landmarks and music lovers will find that a wide range of concerts are regularly held here.

Canterbury

The small city of Canterbury is one of the most vibrant destinations in the county of Kent. The city centre is pedestrianised, allowing visitors to wander along the cobbled streets and soak up the atmosphere. Canterbury is famous for its architecture, and no trip to the city would be complete without paying a visit to Canterbury Cathedral. This was also the setting for Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, and visitors can get a feel of what the city was like at the time of Chaucer complete with the sights, sounds and smells of the era by visiting the Pilgrim’s Way Museum.

Canterbury Cathedral, England, UK by Steve Evans

Aylesbury

This historic market town can be found just 35 miles to the north west of London, meaning that visitors will have plenty of time to absorb the main sights within a day. Aylesbury is a town that is simply bursting with charm and exploring the town centre is a real treat. Aylesbury is also famous for its ancient standing stones, which are believed by many people to have mystical powers.

Bournemouth

City slickers who are looking for a little fun in the sun should take the train to the southern beach town of Bournemouth. Eating fish and chips by the sea is a popular pastime here, while there are plenty of wide rides and other attractions waiting to be enjoyed.

Oxford

The historical city of Oxford makes the ideal daytrip destination. Wandering along the cobbled streets and lanes in the old section of the city is an uplifting experience, and lovers of history and architecture will find numerous impressive churches, colleges and other buildings to explore, while the Pitt Rivers Museum is a great play to visit to learn about this city’s vibrant past.

Oxford University, England, UK by Biker Jun

Bath

With it Georgian architecture and chic and sophisticated bars and restaurants, Bath is the perfect blend of the old and the new. The buildings that can be found in the town centre are particularly well preserved and this makes exploring a lot of fun. There are plenty of great outdoor cafes here where visitors can enjoy a snack while indulging in a little people watching, while many of the shops here feature handicrafts that cannot be found in any other part of the country. Bath was named after the Roman Baths that were once extremely popular here, and the Roman Baths Museum is the perfect place to find out all about them.

Of course, these are just a few of the destinations that are waiting to be discovered by both visitors to London and those who live there. Conceirge services offered by some of London’s best 5 star hotels are often more than happy to organise a day’s excursion so make sure you pick their brains about the various destinations that are within easy reach of London’s very excellent railways.

Article sources:

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/england/london/travel-tips-and-articles/77050

https://www.wikitravel.org/london

Tom, a freelance writer from London, is a huge fan of rustic Britain and often indulges in his love of the Isles by taking the train without a destination in mind..!

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Brilliant stalagmite – the symbol of Postojna Cave, Slovenia

A century and a half of the cave railway and electric lighting

This is the only cave in the world large enough for visitors to be taken around by an underground train. The railway was laid in the cave 140 years ago and nowadays the double-track circular line, along which the electric train takes visitors to the most beautiful parts of the cave, transports up to several thousand visitors daily. The train ride is followed by a pleasant walk along a footpath, which reveals the most beautiful corners of the underground world and presents them in all of their beauty illuminated by electric lighting, which has been available since 1883 (i.e. three years longer than electric illumination in London).

Train in Postojna Cave, Slovenia

The underground world easy accessible to all visitors

The entire tourist trail around the cave is just over five kilometres in length, of which approximately one kilometre is a footpath, but without any steps or strenuous uphill walking, which means that the cave can be visited by almost any visitor. During the underground walk visitors can listen to cave guides providing information in Slovene, English, German or Italian languages or opt for an audio guide available in 15 different world languages.

Postojna Cave, Slovenia

More than 150 prominent visitors

The most significant milestone for the development of modern-age tourism was without doubt the year 1818, when a large inner area of Postojna Cave was discovered by Luka Čeč, a local of Postojna. Already a year later, on 17 August 1819, the footpaths around the cave were in good enough condition for the locals to take around the cave the first esteemed visitor – the then Austrian heir to the throne Ferdinand I, and foundations for cave tourism were thus laid. Ever since, Postojna Cave has been visited by more than 150 country presidents and prime ministers, kings, emperors, scientists and artists, who have written down their impressions in the Golden Book of visitors to the Postojna Cave; the first to sign their names in the book were in 1856 the Austro-Hungarian Emperor Franz Joseph I and the Empress Elizabeth. In decades to follow, many other eminent guests joined in their enthusiasm for the underground beauty of the cave, such as: King of Italy Vittorio Emanuele III, King Milan Obrenovi of Serbia with his son Alexander, King Paul I of Greece and his wife, as well as the former President of Yugoslavia Josip Broz Tito, who brought along his guests on a number of occasions, including the then Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union Nikita S. Khrushchev, Shah of Persia Reza Pahlavi and the first Prime Minister of independent India Jawaharlal Nehru. In the last twenty years, Postojna Cave was also visited by all Presidents of Slovenia: Milan Kuan, Dr Janez Drnovšek and Dr Danilo Türk, who loved showing the cave to their guests from all around the world, including the President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga, the President of Czechoslovakia Vaclav Havel, the President of the Republic of Macedonia Branko Crvenkovski, the President of Finland Tarja Halonen, the Queen of Denmark Margaret II, Albert II, Prince of Monaco, and many others.

Trails in Postojna Cave, Slovenia

For stamp and coin collectors

Before getting back on the train at the end of their Postojna Cave tour to be taken to the exit, visitors can have a look at another cave attraction located inside the Concert Hall (which has a surface area of 3,000 m2, a volume of 50,000 m3 and can accommodate up to 10,000 guests at the same time): an exhibition of the history of the oldest underground post office. Postcards were sent from here as early as 1899 and even today postcards sent off from here receive a special postmark. The Concert Hall has in the past been the venue of a large number of events: musicians of the world-famous La Scala from Milan have performed here, as has the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra; it has also hosted theatre performances and eye-catching acrobatic performances.

Postojna Cave had been welcoming visitors long before the railway was laid in the cave, which is attested by visitors’ signatures in the Passage of Old Signatures in the east part of the cave. The year 2013 marks 800 years since the oldest known signatures were made, an occasion that will be commemorated together with the Bank of Slovenia, which is going to issue a special two-Euro commemorative coin.

White Hall, Postojna Cave, Slovenia

Proteus Vivarium, the Proteus Cave – learn about life in the underground world

Although scientist for a long time believed that life without the sun or the seasons was not possible, numerous animal species that inhabit the underground world of Postojna have proven the contrary. By far the best known inhabitant of the Postojna underground world is undoubtedly the proteus (proteus anguinus), often called the human fish, it is however not the only one at all. More than 100 cave-dwelling animals have been discovered in the underground world of Postojna, and the Postojna cave system is thus considered to be the cradle of speleobiology, the study of organisms that live in the subterranean world. In terms of biodiversity, the underground world of Postojna ranks very high on the worldwide scale, which is proof of the environment being well preserved. Visitors learn about the diversity of the underground life, and about its characteristics and special features, in the part of Postojna Cave called Proteus Vivarium, the Proteus Cave, another world-famous attraction where visitors can also see the animals.

White Hall, Postojna Cave, Slovenia

The cave is open throughout the year

Tourist tours of Postojna Cave last approximately an hour and a half and the cave is open throughout the year. For visitors looking to experience the underground world of Postojna in a somewhat different, more adventurous way, there are a number of special adventure tours. As part of these tours the cave is visited in small groups and participants use caving equipment, which gives them the feeling that they are the first ones to enter this underground kingdom.

Spaghetti Hall, Postojna Cave, Slovenia

The temperature inside Postojna Cave remains the same throughout the year: around 10°C. Comfortable footwear and warm clothing is recommended, but no other special equipment is needed. Warm raincoats are available for hire at the entrance to the cave.

This unique article along with the pictures have been delivered by Postojna Cave Management. You can find more information on Postojna Cave official website https://www.postojnska-jama.eu

A family enjoying a visit to Postojna Cave, Slovenia

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Legoland Windsor

Fun for both adults and children alike, Legoland Windsor is split into different zones that you can explore, including Pirates Landing where you can learn swashbuckling skills at the Pirate Training Camp, the Land of the Vikings where you can sail and explore the Nordic maze and many others including Duplo Land for younger guests. Rides at the park include Laser Raiders – a laser gun ride, the Dragon roller coaster ride, the Vikings’ River Splash ride, the Orient Expedition train ride and many more. The latest attraction at Legoland is the Star Wars Miniland Experience recreating some of the well-known scenes of the films.

Legoland Windsor is situated outside Windsor, close to the M3, M4 and M25. It’s about a twenty minute drive from High Wycombe.

Model of Tower Bridge in Miniland, Legoland Windsor, England, UK by Cherryguy93

Thorpe Park

Another theme park option is Thorpe Park which would suit families with older children as the rides here are not to be laughed at! The latest addition to their roller coaster offering is the Swarm, the first winged roller coaster in the UK. Other favourites include SAW – a horrifying roller coaster that has a worse than vertical drop, Stealth – a super-fast ride that catapults you from 0-80mph in less than two seconds and finally, Nemesis – one of the original terrifying rides of the park.

For those who prefer to stay away from the intense, high speed, sick inducing roller coasters, there are plenty of other rides to enjoy including the Rumba Rapids, Loggers Leap log flume and tea cup rides.

Set near to Staines, Thorpe Park is close to the M25 and M3 and is only a thirty minute drive from High Wycombe.

Thorpe Park, England, UK by ThorpePark1000

Harry Potter Studio Tour

Any budding little witches and wizards would appreciate a trip to the Warner Brothers studios London to see the ‘Making of Harry Potter‘. The studios are situated in Leavesden near to Watford which is a thirty minute drive from High Wycombe. At the studios, you can see the sets used in the films including Diagon Alley, Hogwarts Castle, Hagrids Hut and the potion’s classroom. You can see props used in the films such as Hagrid’s motorbike and Harry’s Nimbus 2000 broomstick. Tickets must be bought in advance and sell out quickly, especially for popular days such as weekends and bank holidays so book ahead in order to avoid disappointment.

Harry Potter Studio Tour, England, UK by Rev Stan

If you’re planning a trip to London and are looking for a hotel in the High Wycombe area, take a look at the Holiday Inn website for great offers:  https://www.hihighwycombehotel.co.uk/

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Sylt, Germany

Sylt is located on one of the most northern tips ofGermany, on its border withDenmark(perhaps an opportunity to visitDenmarktoo). It has 40km of beautiful sandy beaches and has fantastic surfing opportunities from the north coast side of the island. There are also some amazing mud flats to explore and stroll along. In the summer months they also have Royal Polo matches, the surfing world cup and four fantastic golf clubs to try. This island will make you feel like you are on a romantic movie set, with its brooding coastline and wildflower banks.

Sylt, Germany by Randolf Rautenberg

Bratislava, Slovakia

Bratislava is only a 1 hour train ride from Vienna, located in the west of the country. There is bustling city nightlife with drinks from around €3 each, visit fantastic Bakchus wine restaurant for a lovely evening meal and complementing wine to have with each course in an amazing cave-like setting.

Parma, Italy

Parma is located in the north of the country right at the top of the ‘boot’ of Italy. It is particularly famous for its prosciutto (Parma ham), cheese and beautiful architecture.  This is including citadels, churches, palaces and cathedrals.

And some tips outside of EU:

Gjirokastra, Albania

This incredible Albanian city is located in the south of the country near to its border with Greece. Since 2005 it has been named a UNESCO world heritage site, this is due to its links to the communist era past and the historic points of interest. These include the Bektashi tomb which contains the remains of two Bektashi Babas, religious men from an Islamic order founded in the 13^th century by Persian’s. You can experience so much more on holiday by visiting this amazing Albanian City.

Reykjavik, Iceland by Hannah Smith

Reykjavík, Iceland

Reykjavik is located in the south west of the Northern European country, it is famous for its hot spring saunas and this is an amazing way to relax and rejuvenate in the natural way. A fantastic idea for a once in a lifetime experience is to take a helicopter ride from Reykjavík and view the stunning glaciers, glacial lagoons, burning lava fields and volcanoes! If you would prefer to stay on the ground or sea, try whale watching, with over 20 species of whale and dolphins available to see in Icelandic waters it is a must-see excursion.  How to get to Iceland is easy, you can actually cruise to Reykjavík from Southampton giving an excellent opportunity to see more of the North Sea area.

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Prince Regent Royal Pavilion, Brighton, UK by Dominic Alves

It’s only around 50 miles from the centre of the capital, and is an hour’s train ride from London Bridge and Victoria stations. There are times when even the most iconic cities in the world become a little too fast-paced, congested and hectic, so if you’re in the mood to seek out some fresh sea air and a little more space in which to breathe, Brighton should be a must on your vacation itinerary.

Brighton is home to a significant number of top class restaurants that offer the finest cuisine options for any visitors who are seeking out the best in dining, but sometimes it might be better to choose a true classic. Fish and chips is synonymous with all things British, of course, but it’s perhaps best enjoyed when close to the sea. Freshly-caught cod in crispy batter is simply delicious, especially when accompanied by a generous serving of the finest quality chips.

The city of Brighton, officially known as Brighton & Hove, has a rich heritage and is home to a number of historic buildings. Perhaps chief among them is the Royal Pavilion, once the home of the future King George IV. More than 400,000 tourists visit the location every year, and a guided tour of the landmark is a must. The distinctive design is reminiscent of Indian architecture, reflecting a popular fashion from the time when it was constructed.

Palace Pier, Brighton, UK by Garry Knight

Equally famous, although perhaps not as noble, is the spectacular Palace Pier. Located in the heart of the city, it’s a hugely popular attraction that plays hosts to tourists from all over the world every week. It’s home to several amusement park rides, bars, restaurants, and other attractions.

For those who enjoy live music, an overnight stay in Brighton is highly recommended, because the city has plenty of venues that remain open into the wee small hours. The local nightlife has a distinctive buzz about it, and this intriguing Sussex location enjoys a reputation for its artistic innovation and its musical diversity.

David Showell has visited Brighton on several occasions. When he’s not travelling, he’s working for https://www.carrentals.co.uk/.

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Brecon Beacons, Wales, UK by Nigel Swales

This region of the UK has an abundance of beautiful countryside, stunning coastal paths and soft, sandy beaches. There are also many interesting castles and historical sites waiting to be explored.  South Wales has long been a popular choice for families on holiday in the UK. There are many great holiday caravan parks and campsites to choose from in the region and they are always popular places during the summer months.

Reasons to Take a Family Holiday in South Wales

Why do so many families come to South Wales every year for a getaway? There are many reasons why this part of the world is so popular with families on holiday. Here are some of the reasons why South Wales is such a great family getaway destination:

• Amroth Castle is located in South Wales. This unique and beautiful historical 18th century house was constructed on the site of an original Norman fortress and makes a very interesting and educational day trip for kids of all ages.

• South Wales has many opportunities for active holidays, such as hiking, swimming and more. If you have kids who love to explore the outdoors they will have a great time here.

• South Wales does not have a high crime rate, so it is a very safe place to bring your children on a holiday.

• As it is only a short drive or train ride away from anywhere else in Britain, you will not have to take a plane to get to your holiday destination which saves you time and money. Also, sometimes flying with young children can be stressful so staying in South Wales will let you avoid this.

• This region is home to the Brecon Beacons national park which covers a third of the area and contains the highest mountain south of Snowdonia; Pen y Fan. This is a beautiful place to show your children the wonders of nature and take some impressive family photographs.

• With so many holiday caravan parks and camping sites in South Wales, there is a lot of selection and your family will be sure to find somewhere that suits your needs and budget. Camping can be a lot cheaper than staying in a hotel as well as being a fun and memorable holiday experience.

• All of the national museums within Wales are free to visit and great fun for families. Your kids might enjoy visiting the National Museum in Cardiff, the National Waterfront Museum or the National Roman Legion Museum.

• Cardiff, Swansea and Newport offer a good selection of high quality restaurants so that your family will have plenty of choice when it comes to where to eat.

• Every summer plenty of family-friendly festivals take place in South Wales, such as the Cardiff Festival. These events include live music, food, entertainment and children’s activities and are great fun for kids of all ages.

• The big sandy beaches of the West Shore are the ideal place for a classic British seaside experience. Your kids will love making sandcastles and swimming while you relax in the sunshine.

These are just a few of the reasons why South Wales is such a popular destination for family getaway. Why not consider booking a trip this summer with your kids?

South Wales is an ideal place to take the family on a holiday and here are the reasons why so many people love Kiln Park Camping.

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