For the cheap price of an advanced train ticket, you could be visiting interesting places in the UK that you may not have known were even within reach.

To make sure you get the most out of your trip, make sure you’re packed with the bare necessities that will help you enjoy your day to the maximum.

Three O’Clock in London, England, UK by Garry Knight / License: Creative Commons

• Phone Battery - At the risk of sounding like your dad, you don’t want to get stuck somewhere with a flat battery. Since there isn’t always a place you can go to charge your phone, it’s worth purchasing an external battery pack for your phone.
• Backpack - In order to carry all your important belongings, you’ll want to keep them in a quality bag to ensure that you can always find your items
• Food – Unless you want to explore cafes and eat out, packing some snacks for the trip will be a money saver and also allow you to eat faster for when you have a long day planned.
• Weather – Check the weather beforehand so you’ll know whether to pile on the layers or pack a poncho just in case things get stereotypically cold. Hay fever sufferers will want to have a supply of antihistamines will them.
• Toiletries – Whilst you shouldn’t try and pack your whole bathroom, taking suntan lotions and wet wipes for makeup would be a great idea.

Museums Can Be Packed With Entertainment

There are plenty of museums around, but you won’t get a more comprehensive sizeable one than the London Science Museum. The UK is filled with weird and individual museums, from Cornwall’s Witch or Lawnmower museums, to the Baked Bean Museum of Excellence in Wales, there are plenty of odd and interesting places to visit if ordinary museums seem a little dull to you.

If you or your friends share the love of a similar television show or film that was set in the UK, it’s a fun idea to try and visit the place where it was shot. Doctor Who fans can not only visit the museum located in East London, giving you a first-hand look at the costumes and models of the many supernatural beings on the show, but also located in Wales is the Torchwood HQ that all ‘Whovians’ will want to see at least once. Fans of Harry Potter fans are lucky enough to be able to visit the Warner Bros studios and have a tour of the worldwide loved film in central London.

London attractions, England, UK by Garry Knight / License: Creative Commons

Don’t Forget To See The Big Landmarks

There are plenty of places in the UK that people all over the globe come to visit, yet some that we haven’t even seen ourselves. The list of landmarks people come from all over to visit include:

• Stonehenge
• Windsor Castle
• Big Ben
• Hadrian’s Wall
• Buckingham Palace
• Tower of London
• The London Eye
• St Pauls Cathedral

With even more tourists wanting to see places like Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square and Covent Garden, you’ll want to plan a thorough trip to London so you can see this most popular places for yourself.

Matt Chiles is a London tourist guide and passionate traveller, always looking to help those who are less experienced at day tripping.

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Luckily, Britain has a lot to offer holidaymakers, so here are some great ideas for activities and sights in the south of the country.

Explore the south-west

Salisbury in Wiltshire is home to the spectacular Stonehenge and you don’t need to be a history buff to appreciate this impressive monument, which is perhaps one of the most instantly recognisable collections of standing stones in the world.

Stonehenge, England, UK by mari

There are also some fantastic towns and cities to explore in the south-west. Bristol offers museums, art galleries, an aquarium, the impressive harbourside and the Bristol Blue Glass Factory and Shop, where you can watch skilled craftsmen blowing glass – and even have a go yourself.

Alternatively, head to Bath and check out the city famed for its historic Roman baths and spas. The city is home to the only hot spring in the UK and natural water still flows through the bathing complex the Romans built around it all those years ago. You can spend the whole day there and feast on a three-course lunch, as well as being pampered in the thermal baths.

Cornwall

Cornwall is a popular holiday destination in the UK and there is plenty to enjoy. If you’re lucky enough to get some nice weather for your holiday, try some of the many watersports on offer, such as canoeing, surfing and body boarding. There are activity centres dotted all along the coast, so you can easily find something near you.

Be impressed by historic buildings

If you’re looking for a rainy day activity, visit some of the many impressive historic houses, castles and cathedrals in the south-east. If you’re in Berkshire you can’t miss an opportunity to check out Windsor Castle, which was famously almost destroyed by fire in 1992.

Canterbury Cathedral – one of the most famous buildings of its type in Britain – is also well worth a visit and this World Heritage Site is a truly impressive example of gothic architecture at its best.

Canterbury Cathedral, England, UK by Steve Evans

Enjoy a day at the races

Visit Plumpton Racecourse in Lewes, East Sussex, which is open for events all year round and hosts 16 days of jumps between September and May. Check out the competition and place some bets, or simply soak up the atmosphere and enjoy watching the races.

Poole

If you’re heading south a visit to Poole is a must. This lovely coastal town is home to a stunning harbour and it’s the perfect place to enjoy a delicious meal overlooking the sea. Nature-lovers can head out to Brownsea Island, which is home to the red squirrel, while Adventure Wonderland boasts the largest natural maze in the south and is ideal for those of you with young kids.

Catch fireworks in Plymouth

If you head down south in mid-August you shouldn’t miss the opportunity to watch the British Fireworks Championships. Explore the city during the day before gazing at the spectacular evening show, which will take place on Plymouth Hoe on August 14th and 15th.

British Fireworks Championships in Plymouth, England, UK by Adrian Lilburn

This post was written and contributed by freelance web writer, James Midrun, who has helped many an avid blog reader to find fantastic short breaks in the UK, as well as helping families to enjoy family fun in Skegness!

The post Top Things To Do Down South In The UK! appeared first on Best of European Union.

His lavish spending was legendary – both before and after he succeeded to the Crown – and turned a small, innocuous village called Brighthelmstone into what today is one of the south coast’s most famous resorts.

Brighton Royal Pavilion, UK by Dominic Alves

Brighton, previously a sleepy backwater in Sussex, caught the Prince’s eye in 1783 when he paid a visit to his uncle, the Duke of Cumberland. A year later he returned and rented a farmhouse on the nearby Steine, and before long had started work on what was to become the crème de la crème of Georgian opulence.

No Expense Spared

Brighton Pavilion was a no-expense-spared, oriental masterpiece, a medley of Chinese, Indian and Turkish-inspired architecture with domes, minarets and cupolas more reminiscent of a religious temple than a British palace.

Designed by Henry Holland and later the renowned architect John Nash – with a banqueting room that alone cost more than £1/2 a million – it didn’t take long for the flighty Hanoverian to become bored with the whole scenario.

Three years before his death he abandoned Brighton, preferring to spend what was left of his short reign at Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace.

His brother William IV, and later his successor Queen Victoria also had little affinity with the great Georgian edifice, and so Brighton Pavilion remained a very expensive and unloved monument to royal extravagance.

What Else to See

The South Downs are a walkers’ paradise…and historians too will thrill to places like Bignor Roman Villa with its unique mosaics a reminder of Britain nearly 2,000 years ago.

This is one of the largest villas ever discovered, after lying buried until being unearthed by a farmer’s plough 200 years ago.

At Brightling, an eccentric squire called John Fuller was responsible for six genuine follies that still survive today.

Prince Regent Royal Pavilion, Brighton, UK by Dominic Alves

There’s an obelisk, an observatory, a cone, a temple, round tower and pyramid…all paying homage to not only their creator’s eccentric streak, but his philanthropy as well.

‘Mad Jack’ as he was known, had a passionate interest in astronomy, but equally wanted to keep the native population in employment as the local iron industry waned.

His mausoleum is the 26-foot high pyramid in Brightling Churchyard.

More recently, the famous Bloomsbury Group of artists made Charleston Farmhouse their headquarters…and in the early years of the 1900s they descended en masse to cover every door, fireplace, bedstead and bookcase with their artwork.

This frozen-in-time country home has been preserved for modern-day visitors to enjoy, partly re-created to portray life there in the 1950s.

Nicki Williams is a copy writer for Gear-Zone, where you’ll find everything you need to explore Britain, from essential waterproof clothing to hiking boots, camping gear and travel accessories.

The post Brighton’s Belle! | UK appeared first on Best of European Union.

Tower Bridge / Frank Steiner

One interesting thing about the survey was that there was actually a drop in the number of visitors in May, this was because May saw stunning weather in the UK and therefore there was a drop in indoor attractions in London but outside attractions saw a massive boost. This is a great consideration for the UK Tourism Companies, in order to be prepared for an un-predictable UK Climate, they should ensure the attractions can cater for both weather conditions.

What does this show?

It shows London is as popular as ever with overseas tourists flocking here in the Summer months to see all the fabulous culture and fine restaurants and attractions that London has to offer. It is also great to see that the attractions in London are appreciated by those that visit London and also shows just how important Tourism is to the UK and London economy. It also shows that people are willing to spend money on seeing attractions even if the pricing could be considered expensive, what is important to tourists to London is value for money – they are happy to pay more but they expect more for it.

Houses of Parliament / shining.darkness

What are the key attractions that people visit?

The Key attractions that are the most popular with tourists to London are the London Eye, Buckingham Palace, Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey. Of course not everyone that wants to come to London spends just their time in London and there are a wealth of things outside London that people want to see such as Windsor Castle, Stonehenge, Bath and even short trips up to Edinburgh. What this survey shows though is that those people who come to London don’t just stay in – they get out and about and visit the range of Museums, shows, attractions that are on offer in London and it is important to the UK Economy that these attractions remain at the front of other cities as they are a showpiece for London and a huge source of income to the UK.

For more information about London Attractions check out www.sightseeingtourslondon.com or to see some of the other great UK Sightseeing Tours on offer Click Here.

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Windsor Castle dates from the 11th century. Originally it was built of wood by William the Conqueror in 1070, as the protection of western routes into London. Over time, Windsor Castle has been rebuilt several times. Most buildings were built during the reign of King Henry II. and Edward III.

In the 20th of the 19th century King Henry IV. adjusted some of the buildings. In 1992, Windsor Castle suffered a devastating fire which broke out during the maintenance work in the ceremonial chambers. Today, the area is restored again.

The oldest building, which boasts the Windsor Castle is the wooden Round Tower, built by William the Conqueror. In 1170 the tower was rebuilt to a stone one, and remained so until now. In the Round Tower there is now a royal archive and photographic collection.

Probably the biggest gem of Windsor Castle is St George’s Chapel, built between 1475 – 1528, in which are the remains of 10 kings. St George’s Chapel is one of the finest examples of late Gothic style in England.

Windsor Castle is now the main residence of the Queen and her family, but it is also open to the public and is a very popular tourist destination. The length of the guided tours in interiors depends on the presence of the royal family in the castle. For safety, all the visitors have to pass the inspection. Windsor castle offers the tours every hour, but most visitors are viewing the site separately with audio-visual guides that are available for free.

Windsor Castle has, just like any major office, its own guards, that change regularly, which is also very popular attraction. The visitors are also attracted by the beautiful adjacent park suitable for relaxation after a demanding tour of the castle.

Windsor Castle is a real gem and certainly worth seeing.

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Český Krumlov is close to the Šumava National Park, the Czech Republic’s largest national park. The Šumava mountains lie along the border with Austria and Germany and offer a range of natural habitats – peat bogs, Alpine meadows, old-growth forests, lakes, and rivers. The area is popular with walkers, cyclists, and canoeists on the Vltava.

Main sights

• Český Krumlov Castle
• Gothic Church of St. Vitus (Kostel Sv. Víta)
• Baroque theatre in Český Krumlov Castle – the theatre is only used three times a year (only two are open to the public), when a Baroque opera is performed in simulated candlelight
• Museum dedicated to the painter Egon Schiele, who lived in the town

There is one of Bohemia’s oldest monasteries, Zlatá Koruna (“The Golden Crown”) 10km from Krumlov. About 30 km from Krumlov is the Hluboká Castle, established in the twelfth century and later remodelled in imitation of Windsor Castle.

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