Posts Tagged ‘england’
The Tourist Attractions That Shape England’s History
Throughout England and Britain there are many attractions that are rich in historical wonder and that make Britain one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world.
Many of these attractions are located in the capital city of London, but there are plenty outside London as well, in fact, pretty much every county or city in England has a rich and full history, complete with landmarks.
One of the most famous stone monuments in history is located in Wiltshire and has been the subject of much speculation over many years. There is still no solid evidence of why it was built or when, but historians believe that it once served as a burial ground and is around 5500 years old.
The overall creation of this monument is thought to have been spread over a long period of time (between 1500 and 6500 years!) and the stones themselves are thought to have travelled a long way before reaching their destination in Wiltshire.
There have been attempts at modern reconstructions of carrying the stones across the length that they were supposed to have travelled, but all have failed as they have been required to cross rivers and gorges among other things, which would be pretty tricky when carrying stones that weigh several tons.
Another part of England’s history is the famous tale of Robin Hood. In the city of Nottingham where his deeds are said to have taken place, you can visit his statue near the castle in the city centre and visit Sherwood forest, his supposed hideout. It hasn’t been proven whether the tales of Robin Hood are based on fact, or are entirely fictional, but there are certainly many historical references to him in various pieces of literacy, some dating back as far as the 13th century.
Of course, a place that holds a highly notable place in the countries history is Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of possibly the greatest playwright of all time. It is not only home to the house that William Shakespeare was born in, but it is a beautifully quaint town with a picturesque feel to it, outside Henley street that is. Henley street is the street on which Shakespeare’s old house is located, and it is one of the most visited places in the country.
Accomodation is a key component in any great trip. If you don’t have a top quality hotel, it can bring the rest of the trip down. The good news is that England is home to a range of the world’s finest hotels so no matter where abouts you plan to visit, the chances are you won’t be far from some world class accomodation.
Tags: accomodation, attractions, england, Entertainment, history, Hotels, locations, lodgings, site seeing, tourism, tourist locations, Travel, travel and tourism, uk
City Breaks In Birmingham And Some Important Facts To Know
These days increasing numbers tourists are looking for new destinations which afford something completely different or, the absolute minimum something different to the usual vacation on a sandy beach. During these times of economic hardship many families are, alarmingly finding that they have reduced funds for spending on a holiday and are, frustratingly, having to shaving corners to save money. A way of meeting this requirement is to search out cheaper destinations. In the following article I introduce the reader to Birmingham, a city in the United Kingdom. With exchange rates being favorable Birmingham hotels and guest houses are far cheaper than in previous decades.
Birmingham is a city in the county of England known as the West Midlands and the people who live in the city are called “Brummies”. Birmingham’s accent is a strong northern English sounding dialect and it is very difficult to fully comprehend what is being spoken a difficulty which is made even worst if if you are unfamiliar with such accents. Luckily the vast majority of Brummies are helpful, kind and polite and do their very best to explain so if the need arises don’t be afraid to approach folk about help and directions or guidance in locating Birmingham bed and breakfast.
The city of Birmingham possesses a healthy number of things to do and places to visit which include some interesting museums and art galleries, such as the Barber Institute of Fine Arts, Museum of the Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery and the new Thinktank, a museum you will find in the Eastside. Birmingham also possesses a large number of hectares of open spaces and parks, the largest being Sutton Park having 2,400 acres it is also the largest urban nature reserve in Europe.
Birmingham has a wide ranging and vibrant night scene with an excellent number of restaurants, cafes, nightclubs and bars. You will discover some of the most popular in one of the city’s squares, Victoria Square, Centenary Square, Chamberlain Square, St Martin’s Square, the historic Old Square at Corporation Street, Rotunda Square and the Gas Street Basin. Gas Street Basin is the hub of Birmingham’s intricate network of canals. The city has roughly thirty two miles of canal with between eight canals which were constructed during the eighteenth century and remained in use until the 1970’s. Today the site has been cleaned up and is now a rather nice tourist attraction.
Alternatively why not think about booking Birmingham city or airport apartments. If you If you are considering taking a Birmingham vacation you should be aware that the nearest airport is approximately eight miles away from the the city center just off the A45. You will find there is a useful number of hotels close to the airport.
Tags: Birmingham, city break, city breaks, destination, destinations, england, holidays, leisure, Travel, travel and leisure, uk, United Kingdom, Vacation, vacations
Visit the historic city of York, England and stay in one of its fine Hotels
The historic city of York, England, is one of the highlights of a trip to the UK. With its fine medieval architecture, fascinating history and a long list of attractions its difficult to know what to do experience first. We talk about some of York’s top attractions in this article, including its popular ghost walks. Yes, did you know that York is reputed to be one of the most haunted cities in the world. This city is haunted by no less than 140 different ghosts, and with an amazing 500+ recorded hauntings it seems that every room, building or street seems to be haunted in this beautiful city.
The Minster, one of the finest and largest examples of Gothic cathedral in Northern Europe is also one of the oldest. The first church on the site was of wooden construction and was built in 627 to provide a place of baptism for Edwin, King of Northumbria. The minster has an amazing history – for example, the church was damaged in 1069 and repaired by the first Norman archbishop in 1070. Danish invaders destroyed much of the church in 1075, but it was rebuilt again around 1080, in the Norman style, the church now measuring 365 feet long.
Some essential sights for a visit to York:
York Minster We know a little about this gothic building already but did you know that it even has its own police force? Thats right, after an arson attack in 1829 these guardians of the cathedral were instated to protect it. The history of the minster spans over 1400 years and is the focal point of any visit to the city.
The Shambles This street is literally a place where you really do feel you have stepped back in time. The upper storeys of the fifteenth century houses marking each side of this street lean so far in that the roofs on either side almost almost touching each other across the street and in places you can shake hands with someone in the house opposite. If you walk down this street, you will also notice the raised pavements either side of the main cobbled road which form the channel through which the butchers who used to ply their trade here would wash away the offal and blood.
Clifford’s Tower As one of England’s most important cities, York was an important base for holding and administering the north of the country. Clifford’s tower is one of two castles William the Conqueror built in the years immediately following his conquest. It is named after Roger de Clifford who was hung here after a Battle in 1322.
Jorvik Viking Museum The world famous JORVIK Viking Centre is a ‘must-see’ for visitors to the city and is one of the most popular visitor attractions in the UK, welcoming over 15 million visitors over the past 25 years. Travel back in time and experience the sights, sounds and smells of what was formerly a great Viking city.
When looking for a hotel in York be sure to check out Guy Fawkes Inn, the birth place of Guy Fawkes. Guy Fawkes is a colourful figure of English history, born in 1570 and famous for his role as ringleader of the ‘Gunpowder Plot’ which attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament in London, on 5th November 1605. The plot failed however and the perpertrators hung. This is the source of the British celebrate ‘bonfire night’ festivities that take place each year around the 5th of November.
If you are looking for a place to stay in York full of character then you can do alot worse than a stay at The Guy Fawkes Inn. Located adjacent to the Minster it provides a very convenient base with which to explore the city. Some room seven have 4 poster beds, and the GastroPub restaurant offers a menu with old English dishes and serves a variety of ales brewed specially for the inn, make sure you try the the Guy Fawkes Ale.
Karen writes articles about her home town of York at the york england hotels guide where you can find more articles about York, England. It is also a good place to research a york hotel.
Tags: accommodation, britain, england, Hotels, Travel, uk
A Tourist Guide to York, England hotels and historic sights
The city of York, England is probably the most haunted city in Europe, of not the world. It was named the most haunted city in Europe by the Ghost Research Foundation International. Seriously though, a visit to the city of York is an amazing experience, with its fine gothic architecture, amazing medieval walls, and other fine attractions, there is a wealth of things to do, see and learn about this most historic city. In this article we will list some of our favourite attractions in the city and talk about some of its history.
York Minster is a fine Gothic cathedral and is one, of not thee, largest in Europe. The English Reformation introduced the first Anglican archbishop and caused the church to loose ownership of much of its land. Under queen Elizabeth I there was a concerted effort to remove all traces of the Roman Catholic Church from the cathedral, and during this period there was a great deal of looting of much of the cathedral’s treasures, as well destruction of tombs, windows, and alters.
Some of the major attractions in York:
York Minster The Minster provides the seat for the Archbishop of York, the second-highest office held in the Church of England. In the 11th century there was a series of Benedictine archbishops, including Ealdred, who travelled to Westminster to crown king William in 1066. Ealdred died in 1069 and is buried in the minster where his tomb can be seen by visitors today.
The Shambles Walking down the shambles, you can notice the raised pavement each side of the main cobbled road which form a channel through which the blood and offal from the butchers who used to ply their trade here would wash away. This street really is medieval Britain in its finest preserved form. Don’t miss a visit here if you come to the city.
Clifford’s Tower This is one of the 2 forts built by William the Conqueror following his conquest and was originally designed as an important base for administering the north of England. In the later part of the 13th century, the keep was rebuilt in stone. It was given a quatrefoil plan, of which there is no other example in England. The keep later became known as Clifford’s Tower after Roger de Clifford, who was hanged there in 1322.
Jorvik Viking Museum This museum has welcomed 15 million visitors over the past 25 years. You can journey through the reconstruction of Viking-Age streets, as they would have been in the year AD975 when the viking invaders had control of the city.
When looking for a hotel in York be sure to check out Guy Fawkes Inn, the birth place of Guy Fawkes. Guy Fawkes is a colourful figure of English history, born in 1570 and famous for his role as ringleader of the ‘Gunpowder Plot’ which attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament in London, on 5th November 1605. The plot failed however and the perpertrators hung. This is the source of the British celebrate ‘bonfire night’ festivities that take place each year around the 5th of November.
The Guy Fawkes Inn is located opposite York Minster providing you with the perfect base to explore York. All rooms are individual in character, ranging from comfortable twin or double rooms, to mahogany 4 poster bed rooms. The Guy Fawkes Inn’s GastroPub provides an excellent menu and serves a variety of ales brewed specially for the inn, The 1605 Ale, The Conspirator, and of course the Guy Fawkes Ale.
Karen writes articles about her home town of York at the york england hotels guide where you can find more articles about York, England. It is also a good place to look for hotels in york england.
Tags: accommodation, britain, england, Hotels, Travel, uk
Uncover reduced hotels
Everyone seems to be looking for discount hotels these days. Whether its Manchester or London, New York or Chicago people are looking to save those few extra pennies off any possible hotel room. There are some obvious factors involved in the price of a hotel room and a few not so apparent. Here is a quick list to help you.
One of the biggest factors is when your booking is made. Its not so simple as just booking early as for many hotels the really cheap rooms appear when they are well beneath capacity and they need to sell rooms to break even. At the same time booking before a large event such as a sporting occasion can be very costly.
The key is to predict when a hotel is likely to be under booked. This can usually happen after a major holiday or event when many people are leaving the city. For example if you book after the summer holidays eg in September you can make huge savings as most people are unable to remove their children from school for a vacation.
Another money saving point to consider is strange dates. Most hotels for example charge less for a room at the beginning of the week, usually Wednesday to Sunday. Therefore, for the same money you can get a far more deluxe room. On the flipside, this could work to your advantage as the local attractions too could be charging less for these days as too.
Checking comparison sites can be good but it can also be quite sluggish and tedious, especially if you have to enter the same details in over and over again. I have found its a much better option to use one engine and modify the search criteria such as dates and room type to get better deals. Most of the price comparison sites are on the same commission with all hotels and rarely have access to distinct offers.
Experimenting with different locations is another great idea. Hotel prices are usually directly related to their location within a city. truely, the closer you get to the city centre the dearer they become. Have a look on Google Maps before you decide on a hotel to see how far it is from the main tourist hotspots. Saving money on the room is good but you certainly don’t want to pay it out again for taxi and travel fares.
Do you really need the gym and other facilities? Don’t book a hotel with lots of snazzy add-ons unless you’re adamant you’re going to make use of them. The final fee is always bolstered by the availability of additions such as gyms, swimming pools and tennis courts. If you don’t plan to take advantage of something simply go without it and save some money.
Sometimes, phoning up and bargaining for a cheap deal is advisable. Usually, larger chains will deny you but smaller independent businesses can bend over to some extent to make the sale. There’s zero to lose is there?
Clearly there are more things to consider when booking a hotel than you may have first though. Don’t be overwhelmed though, with a little forethought and careful planning you can cut your hotel fee in half.
Tags: accommodation, Cardiff, cheap hotels, england, holidays, Hotels, tourism, Travel, UkDiscount hotels, Vactions
Organising a Holiday Using The Internet?
It is strange how some people do not like to travel too far from home on their vacation while others like to travel as far as possible. Fortunately, there isn’t a corner of the earth that doesn’t have a travel site dedicated to it so it is easy obtaining information on the internet. It is now true that increasing numbers of people carry out all their travel arrangements using internet web sites. Gone are the days when travel agents were popular and sought after as websites have popped up everywhere and promise all of their customer’s extraordinary savings.
It may seem strange but I do not fully trust using the internet to arrange my vacation. However, I am still of the old school and prefer to sit down with a cup of coffee and plan my vacation with a professional, face to face. I find it difficult explaining what I am looking for to a machine whereas it is easier to ask for details from a travel agent. The problem I find with travel sites is there is no-one to speak to and I find this very impersonal; if you are fortunate enough to find someone to speak with they may be in another country for all you know.
How do you know what they are telling you is the truth because it won’t be until you actually go away that you will find out. There are too many factors that can go wrong and that’s why I love having a travel agent because although I may spend a bit more than if purchasing from a website, the peace of mind is priceless. I have a good friend who would never use a travel agent as she books all her last minute vacations using travel sites because she can save a packet of money. There are always huge savings to be had by waiting until the last possible moment to book but you have to be flexible with your travel arrangements to do this.
I wish I could do this but my work just wouldn’t allow me to suddenly take time of as they normally need a couple of months notice. If you are flexible though, booking through a travel site could be incredibly worthwhile plus, travel sites offer discount coupons and prices for excursions or miscellaneous items when you book online. Knowing a little about what you want and information about the location you want to travel too can be useful so I still research as much of this as I can online before I pay my travel agent a visit. It may not be fair on my travel agent but at least I know if something goes wrong, I will have someone to complain to on my return.
Tags: bed and breakfast, england, english south coast, family holiday, holiday research, hotel, Travel, Vacation
