United Kingdom Travel Guide

Contents

Great Britain (England, Scotland, and Wales) is the largest island in the United Kingdom. The area is separated from the rest of the European continent by the North Sea and the English Channel.

England is the largest country in the UK and the most chosen destination for the tourists looking for an experience that can connect the charming past influence of the monarchy with all the modern lifestyle in the big cities and the beautiful natural scenery.

The country, known for its hilly areas in the north and the charming villages in the south, is home to famous artists, writers, and musicians. The seaside towns and beaches are also a must-see, as much as the seven huge national parks, the more than 200 parks and city attractions and around 3.000 gardens open to the public.

From Shakespeare to Dickens, from the majesty of the Buckingham Palace to the rock”n”roll of Beatles and Rolling Stones, England is in the bucket list of the most different kinds of travellers in the world and has its doors open to dive you into art, architecture and years of history in every corner!

united kingdom

General Information About United Kingdom

Continent:	Europe
Capital of England:	London
Country Code:	UK
Language:	English
The difference between GMT:	GMT+0
Telephone Code:	+44
Domain Extension:	.uk
Currency:	Pound

Official language

English is the official language in England.

Capital

London is the capital city.

The Population of Great Britain

Approximately 66,573,504 people live in England (2018). Nearly 84% of the population of Great Britain, mainly located in the major cities and metropolitan areas.

Location

England is in north-west Europe and in the southern part of Great Britain. It is an island country part of the United Kingdom (UK) and it is the largest country in the UK.

Local time

The country follows the Greenwich Mean Time GMT/UTC 0. The capital, London, is in the Western European time zone (GMT).

Currency in England

The UK currency is the pound sterling (£/GBP) and it is stable. There are 100 pennies, or pence, to the pound. Notes come in denominations of £5, £10, £20 and £50. Coins come in 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p, £1 and £2.

The money can also be easily exchanged in many bureaux often located inside banks, travel agents or post offices, as well as airports and major train stations.

Climate in England

England is an island country and has a temperate climate. It's surprisingly beautiful how one day can be sunny and rainy the next, what makes a little difficult to predict the weather. In general, the country has cooler summers than the other countries in the continent and the winters are generally milder, usually not lower than 0C and neither higher than 32C.

July and August are the warmest and wettest months in England and February the coldest, especially around the coast. Usually, the best months to visit England are May, June, September, and October, offering better temperatures and less rain than the rest of the year.

Vegetation in England

England is a very green country known for its colourful gardens and varied flora counting with towering trees, flowers, crops, fruit trees, vines and shrubs. There are at least 50 trees species that are native to England such as Oaks, Maple and well over 900 species of bryophytes (e.g. mosses).

Travel to the United Kingdom

If you are planning a trip to the United Kingdom, you're lucky as there are lots of options from the train to planes. Among them, cheap flight tickets to the United Kingdom would be the best choice for you. You can easily reach the capital of England, London, from most of the countries by plane. If you want to visit other cities in the United Kingdom, you can also find cheap flight tickets from London and other cities using connecting flights.

Find Cheap Flights to United Kingdom

Places to Visit in England

London

london

The capital of England, London is a must-see city situated in the southeast of the country and many landmarks are free to visit. The city is one of the most visited tourist destinations in the world full of history and easy to get around.

You can have breathtaking views in a 30 minutes ride in the London Eye, 400 ft high, or visit the home of Queen Elizabeth, Buckingham Palace after checking the amazing structure of the popular and historic Tower Bridge.

The best way to get to see the most famous places in London is using London tours. With a 24-hour ticket, costing approximately 26 pounds. You can enjoy the freedom to hop on and off the sightseeing buses and explore the city. Another option is the sightseeing on foot, totally possible during the spring and summer.

Stonehenge

The monument is dated from the early Bronze age and it is a world's heritage site with many different meanings for people all over the globe with its inspirational and spiritual way of standing.

Oxford

Known from its famous university dated from the 12th century, Oxford is a southern city in England. The charming place is home for a green land and admirable architecture.

York

York is a walled medieval city with extraordinary cultural and historical wealth. Art can be found in any of the cıty's cobblestone streets.

The Jurassic Coast

One of the oldest world's heritage, The Jurassic Coast has a site surrounded by rocks and fossils. It is an ancient place full of geological history.

Cambridge

In the Eastern part of England, Cambridge is known for its university dated of 1209, one of the 10 most famous universities in the world. It is located only 80km driving from London and it is especially required on the travel list of the tourists seeking for a place to rest with a tranquil appeal.

Bath

The famous natural warm waters of Bath are the perfect spot for a relaxing Spa experience with the chance of appreciating the Georgian Architecture style.

St. Ives

The seaside city is situated in the coast of the Celtic Sea and it is a popular holiday destination around in England due to its pleasurable weather.

Lake District

It is the largest national park in England located in the Northwest part of the country. The mountains in this area usually get more than 50 million visitors per year and have different activities all over the biggest English”s breathing space.

Brighton

The seaside town is down south and is only 10 hours away from London by train on the Sussex coast. Brighton Pier is very popular and the traditional English Gardens are a must see. The city is also known by its vibrant nightlife and warm bur windy weather.

Holidays and Festivals in England

1 January: New Year’s Day - On New Year’s Eve (31st December) it’s traditional to celebrate midnight. There are parties across the country, with Edinburgh’s Hogmany’ being one of the biggest. New Year’s Day is a public holiday so expect the celebrations to last well into the night!
17 March: St Patrick’s Day - Celebrated by Irish communities all around the world, many cities host their own St Patrick’s Day events too. Dress in green, head out with friends to join in the celebrations.
Easter - This Christian holiday is traditionally celebrated with a family meal, usually featuring roast lamb to mark the beginning of spring. Another delicious tradition is to collect chocolate eggs on Easter.
21 June: Summer solstice - People celebrate the longest day and shortest night of the year at the ancient monument of Stonehenge.
Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August – The Fringe features over 50,000 performances and more than 3,000 shows, over three weeks every August.
Notting Hill Carnival - Held in London over August bank holiday weekend, Notting Hill is the biggest street carnival in Europe.
25 and 26 December: Christmas Day - Christmas is a big celebration in the UK starting weeks before with Christmas markets and parties, most of December. Christmas Day itself is a bank holiday.

Things you need to know before going to England

Your passport must be valid for the length of your stay. If you're transiting on to anywhere in mainland Europe, the passport should be valid for six months beyond the end of your planned stay.
If you're traveling with children, they'll each need their own passport and you might be asked to provide extra documentation, especially if your last name is different than the child's or if both parents aren't traveling together.
No matter when you plan to go to England, expect it to rain. But that doesn't have to put a damper on your vacation as long as you're prepared with wet weather gear.
You should buy a power plug adapter before going to the UK. Make sure you get the UK/England version, which has three rectangular-shaped prongs on it.
If your medical insurance plan doesn't cover care overseas, consider purchasing additional coverage for the length of your stay.
999 is the official emergency number for the United Kingdom.
Some people may require a visa to visit the United Kingdom. To find out whether you need a visa to visit England and how to apply, check with your local British Embassy or other diplomatic representatives before you travel. You can learn the details of the UK visa application process from the "UK Visa Guide" article.