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Anglesey is an island joined to the Welsh mainland by two bridges, so it’s easy enough to get on and off. To the mainland side, there’s the wonderful scenery of the Snowdonia National Park. You can climb its highest peak, Mount Snowdon (1,085 metres above sea level), and get back down again in one day. There’s even a restaurant at the top, and a railway that goes right to the summit, for when you’re not feeling very energetic. And, to the west of Anglesey, there are regular fast ferries to Ireland, so you could even include a trip to Dublin in your holiday.

So, what about Anglesey itself? There’s a wealth of things to do and see when you stay on the island. If you and your family love wildlife, there are few better places to visit in the British Isles. Birds and marine life around the coast are spectacular and varied. Seabirds, like razorbills and guillemots, nest on the rocky shores each year. And, there’s even a colony of the parrot-like puffin, one of the most charismatic of birds. You might experience the amazing peregrine falcon. If you’re lucky enough to see it dive on its prey, you’ll witness the world’s fastest animal in action.

The island’s coasts are rugged, but between the rocky outcrops there are stunning beaches. It’s more about adventure and exploration than sunbathing. But, when the sun shines, you’ll enjoy an unspoiled beach experience, unmatched by any tropical paradise.

Cycling is the best way to get around the island, both for your enjoyment and to preserve the tranquillity of Anglesey. You can hire bikes locally, and there are designated cycle routes all over the island. It’s the ideal way to enjoy Anglesey’s scenery and nature.

Along the way, you’ll find children-friendly pubs. These are great places to stop, quench your thirst, and have lunch in a relaxed atmosphere. If rumours are true, you might even bump into William and Kate at the Beachcomber Café, in Benllech.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Lyn Gateley

If history is your passion, Anglesey has a very interesting past. It wasn’t always so peaceful, as the tale of Beaumaris Castle tells. This is a near-perfect example of fortification, and for good reason. Beaumaris Castle was part of the “iron ring” built by King Edward I, designed to keep the unruly Welsh in his firm grip.

And, the attractions of Anglesey don’t end there. Children can enjoy a wide range of activities, from the creative arts to horse riding along the shores. And, there are plenty more sporting opportunities as well. Anglesey attracts surfers from far and wide, but there’s golf and sea fishing to be enjoyed as well.

There’s really no excuse to be bored on the island. Anglesey offers so much, your only problem will be deciding what to do. No wonder William and Kate made it their home, it’s remote and quiet enough, yet buzzing with life and fun.

Written by The British Travel Guide

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Madame Tussauds is a waxwork museum, which is regarded to have the world’s most realistic likenesses in wax of celebrities and historical figures. No matter who your hero is from the world of music, movies or sports, chances are you will be able to get close to a full scale wax model of them here. The models are divided into categories including royalty (all of the British royal family including William and Kate are here), world leaders including Barack Obama, pop stars, including Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber and Amy Winehouse and sports stars like David Beckham. Some stars have their waxworks redone every few years, so the look you will see on your favourite A lister is sure to be current and recognisable.

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Tickets cost £28.80 for adults and £24.60 for children under 12, but you can get some great discounts if you buy the tickets in a package with tickets for other London attractions like the London Eye, or if you book online well in advance (at least ten days).

As this is an indoor attraction it is open and busy all year round. You can unfortunately expect long queues to enter Madame Tussauds at busy periods like during any UK school holidays or at weekends.

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Millions around the world watched on TV on April 29 when Kate Middleton made her way from The Goring (one of the most luxurious London Hotels) to the Abbey to marry Prince William. That historic day will have increased interest in visiting the building. Westminster Abbey has in fact been used for coronations and other royal occasions for centuries, so William and Kate were continuing a rich tradition.

Westminster Abbey was founded some time before AD624, and housed a community of Benedictine monks for its first few years. The present church was built in 1245 by Henry III, who was later buried there. The Abbey stood to be destroyed during the reign of Henry VII, for that fate befell most abbeys in his time. But he decided to grant it cathedral status, and spare it from being pulled down. Again in the 17th century it came under threat when it suffered damage at the hands of Puritans, but it survived mostly intact. Around 100 years later, the Abbey’s two western towers were built to a Gothic Revival design. It’s the history surrounding that makes it so unique and special, something even the finest of Dubai Hotels can re-create.

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It is an important religious building, also known as The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, which saw parts of the King James Bible and the New Testament translated, as well as, more recently, the New English Bible.

Westminster Abbey has been used for the weddings of most of the royal family in recent times, the exception being Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer in 1981. Queen Elizabeth II, then Princess Elizabeth, married the Duke of Edinburgh at the Abbey in 1947. And it was only appropriate that Prince William, now the Duke of Cambridge, chose the Abbey to host his wedding this year.

Westminster Abbey has also been known as one of the sights of London for its use as the burial place of most of the Kings and Queens of England. Besides royalty, many of England’s finest poets are buried here, including William Blake, Lord Byron, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, John Keats, John Milton and Alfred Lord Tennyson. The Princess of Wales’ funeral was held there on September 6, 1997, watched by a huge TV audience around the world.

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Having said that a relatively new kid on the block has already firmly established itself as one of London’s most recognisable landmarks among its elder neighbours and is also now a top tourist attraction. I am, of course, talking about the London Eye.

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London Eye is located at the western end of Jubilee Gardens, on the South Bank of the River Thames between Westminster Bridge and Hungerford Bridge. When it was built in 1999 to mark the millennium it was the tallest Ferris wheel in the world, though it now has to be content with being the tallest wheel in Europe after the Star of Nanchang (2006) and Singapore Flyer (2008) were subsequently built.

London Eye is now the most popular paid tourist attraction in the United Kingdom, with more than 3.5million visitors per year. It contains 32 air conditioned capsules with one complete revolution taking about 30 minutes. It offers visitors an awe inspiring view of the city of London, which can help you get your bearing if you are planning on an extended stay in the City.

London Eye also plays a central role to the City’s New Year celebrations, with hundreds of fireworks flying off the structure on the stroke of midnight. It is also decorated to mark special occasions such as the recent Royal Wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton and will also carry the Olympic emblem throughout next summer’s tournament, hosted of course by London.

So if you are planning your trip to England’s capital, as well as looking at the finest London Hotels and restaurants, make sure you have booked you place on a top tourist attraction, the London Eye.

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