England
England, a vital part of Great Britain, offers a rich heritage filled with authors, adventurers, scholars, and countless others. Dive into London, one of the world’s premier cosmopolitan hubs. Every corner of this city is steeped in centuries of history and is destined to remain a center for culture, education, and industry for many years to come. The skyline's architecture ranges from the historic Palace of Westminster, Tower Bridge, and St. Paul’s Cathedral to the contemporary Shard, Gherkin, and Cheesegrater.
Once you've explored the vibrant streets of London, venture into the countryside to uncover its many hidden gems: the Roman ruins of Hadrian’s Wall in the North, the serene lakes and peaks of the Midlands, charming thatched cottages in the Cotswolds, the medieval spires and libraries of Oxford and Cambridge, the stunning turquoise beaches of Devon and Cornwall, the iconic chalk cliffs of Dover, and the complex network of caves that sheltered the WWII home front.
England is a great place to visit for families. Almost every museum, castle or historic site will have something for parents to enjoy, as well as something hands-on for the younger adventurers. Enjoy experiences such as London’s Harry Potter Studio Tour, Beatrix Potter’s woodland friends in the Lake District, or wonderful family-friendly shows in the West End from Matilda to School of Rock.
Home of the ill-fated Titanic departure, Southampton has a long maritime history.
Henry V’s fleet bound for the battle of Agincourt left from here, as did the Mayflower, Queen Elizabeth 2 and Queen Mary. Today Southampton is the cruise capital of Northern Europe.
If you're visiting Southampton, there are several fun things to do while you're in the area.
Highlight’s include:
Southampton's High Street
Holy Rood Church
The Bargate
SeaCity Museum
Tudor House & Garden
Guildhall Square
The Port of Southampton has five cruise terminals:
City Cruise, Horizon, Mayflower, Ocean, and QEII.
Depending on which terminal your ship arrives at, you can easily walk to the city center within 5-30 minutes. Taxis, arranged driver’s and shuttles are also available for your convenience.
Southampton Central Station is the closest railway station to the port, at about 5 minutes away.
If you're arriving by air, the nearest airport is Southampton International Airport, situated on the outskirts of the city. Trains from the airport to Southampton Central Station run every 10-15 minutes and take around 8 minutes.
Distance from Port:
London- 1.5 hours
Stonehenge- 1 hour 10 minutes
Salisbury- 1 hour
Avebury- 1 hour 30 minutes
Portsmouth- 45 minutes
Winchester- 40 minutes
Windsor- 1 hour 10 minutes
Hambledon Vineyard- 45 minutes
One of the world's greatest natural harbours, Plymouth is a city with a rich maritime past.
Highlights include:
Barbican and Sutton Harbour
Plymouth Hoe
Royal Citadel
Plymouth Distillery
The National Marine Aquarium
The Box
Dartmoor Zoological Park
Mount Edgcumbe House
Dartmoor National Park
Mayflower Steps
The city center is home to fantastic shopping, dining, and is extremely walkable.
Make sure to visit Cornwall Street, Drake Circus, Plymouth Market, and The Barcode.
Southside Street is home to the world famous Plymouth Gin Distillery, antique stores, galleries, boutique shops and cafes.
Sutton Harbour, is perfectly placed near historic landmarks and some of the city’s best attractions. The National Marine Aquarium is at the entrance to the harbour, and visitors can also take boat tours from there.
Visit the famous Mayflower Steps and discover Plymouth’s maritime heritage with the one-mile Sutton Harbour Heritage Trail walk.
Set in a beautiful location overlooking the sea at the tip of Plymouth Hoe and voted one of the top best outdoor pools in Europe, Tinside Lido is an attraction not to be missed.
Open during the summer months the outdoor salt water swimming pool is a great place to swim, sunbathe and relax.
Nearly every portion of London has a story to tell. From Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey, history permeates almost every corner of the city.
Highlight’s include:
Changing of the Guard
Big Ben
Houses of Parliament
Kensington Palace
British Museum
The Old Royal Naval College has a fascinating history. It was once a hospital and later became a navy college. Today, it's known for its appearance in blockbuster films such as The King's Speech, Patriot Games, Pirates of the Caribbean, On Stranger Tides, Four Weddings and a Funeral, The Avengers, and The Dark Knight Rises. Tickets Required.
Trafalgar Square
Soho
Covent Garden Market
Speakers’ Corner
Outside of London, head to Windsor, where you can visit Windsor Castle, the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world. See the magnificent State Apartments, St. George's Chapel, and the burial place of the monarchs.
Visit Bath with Stonehenge en-route.
Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, and an icon of Great Britain.
Highlight’s in Bath include:
Bath Abbey
Roman Baths and Temple complex
Royal Crescent
Explore Cotswolds, known for sleepy villages and for being so ‘typically English’.
Highlight’s include:
Castle Combe
Tetbury
Bilbury the Slaughters
Stow-on-the World
South of London is the town of Brighton, where you can see the Royal Pavilion, the observation tower, Palace Pier, and the Grand Brighton Hotel.
Head off to see Gloucester Cathedral, which provided several settings for the Harry Potter series including Hogwarts' corridors, the talking portraits, ghost scenes, and the overflowing bathrooms.
Visit Oxford, which provided various interior locations for Hogwarts, including the hospital and Hogwarts' library (restricted access to the library).
Christ Church College's staircase was also used for many of the shots taken.
Visit Cambridge, and see the American Cemetery and Memorial, donated by the University of Cambridge.
Highlight’s include:
American Air Museum
Imperial War Museum
Head onto Canterbury, a Roman walled town with many open spaces formed after the destruction of the religious houses during the reformation.
Highlight’s include:
Canterbury Cathedral
St. Augustine's Abbey
Westgate Towers
Exlore Dover, and see the Dover Castle, Western Heights, and the Battle of Britain Memorial.
Culinary
Fish and chips: As quintessential as they come, and best enjoyed in seaside towns like Brighton. The highlight of any island nation is the quality of the fish and seafood. Pollock, haddock, and cod fillets are battered, deep fried, and served with chips (thickly cut French fries).
Pasty: Especially common in Devon and Cornwall, where this tasty savory pie was a traditional meal of the local tin mine workers. Traditionally filled with minced beef, potato, onion, and swede (rutabaga), its crimped, crusted edge could be held without getting any poisonous metal in the food. Nowadays, this tasty handheld treat can be found in cafes, with alternatives such as veggie tikka masala, chicken and mushroom, or eggs-bacon-and-sausage for a breakfast meal ordered to go.
Afternoon tea/cream tea: Cream tea is usually a pot of tea and a scone with sides of jams, preserves and cream. Afternoon tea is a larger selection of teas, sandwiches, savories, and sweets, with an optional glass of sparkling wine. When enjoying a tiered selection platter at afternoon tea, start from the bottom and work your way up. You should begin with the savories – a selection of small finger sandwiches or savory pastries such as quiche or tarts. Next, move up to scones which you can split either with a knife or break apart along the seam by hand; enjoy with jam and clotted cream (the debate of whether jam or clotted cream goes on first still rages on across the country!). Lastly the sweets – petit fours, truffles, or cakes.
Traditional Sunday roast: This is where you will find the locals on a Sunday afternoon to recharge for the week ahead. Most pubs throughout England will have a Sunday roast. This hearty meal includes a roasted meat such as roast beef, lamb, chicken, turkey, or pork, served with roasted potatoes, an assortment of roasted or blanched vegetables, and gravy. Essential to the plate includes Yorkshire pudding – not a sweet pudding, but rather a light and fluffy pastry which is excellent at sopping up gravy.
Full English breakfast: Fried eggs, bacon, sausage, grilled tomatoes and mushrooms, toast and fried beans. “It will put hair on chest and cure what ails ya!”
Gin: Be it in a gin and tonic with local botanicals, or in a traditional Pimm’s Cup, there is nothing more English than a cup of Mother’s Ruin.
A proper pint: Brewed for thousands of years, and especially with the resurgence of the craft beer movement, local beer is a must-try while in the UK. Stay away from name brands you can get back home like Budweiser or Fosters and try a local pint.
Cask Ale – or Real Ale – is a real treat, brewed with traditional ingredients and poured right from the container from which it was brewed!
Language
English, French + many more
British vs. American English – Common areas of confusion with British naming conventions can occur. In England, soccer is football. Football is American football. Toilets are loos. Fries are chips. Chips are crisps. Cookies are biscuits. Biscuits are scones. Underwear are pants. Pants are trousers.
Currency
Britain’s national currency is the pound sterling (£).
Electricity
In England the standard voltage is 220-230 V and the frequency is 50 Hz. The plugs in England are Type G
The country code for the UK is +44.
Films Filmed in England
The Crown
Doctor Who
Sherlock
Downton Abbey
Elizabeth
Paddington
The Kings Speech
Harry Potter
Billy Elliot
Pride & Prejudice
Love Actually
The Duchess
Spencer
The Imitation Game
Enola Holmes
The Holiday
