Would you like to visit Britain one day? |
| Overseas travel can be expensive. But there are ways of visiting Britain cheaply! We hope that these pages will give you some good ideas, plus addresses and web- sites to find more information. |
General tips |
| When to come? |
| If you can avoid the busy summer period July and August your visit may be cheaper. Certainly there will be smaller numbers of visitors. British weather can be pleasant from April onwards until the end of September. Of course, you can visit in the winter, but it is often dark by early evening (4 pm) and many places, such as large houses and castles, are closed over winter. However, if your interest is museums, art galleries, theatre or culture, winter may be a good time to visit. |
| Be prepared. |
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* If you need a visa to visit Britain, then you must apply a long time before your visit. Visa problems have spoiled many holidays! * Obtain as much information as possible before you arrive: maps, guides, and travel information. * Sorry - but British weather can change very quickly. Bring enough clothes for warm, cold, and wet weather! |
| Animals |
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Only animals who have been vacinated and issued with a specific health passport may come into the UK. No other animals of any sort may be brought into Britain. Contact your local vet or the local British Commission for the latest situation. |
| There are no exceptions, and heavy punishments. |
| Inoculations |
| No inoculations are required to enter Britain however an inoculation may be a condition for re-entering your own country. |
| Get medical insurance |
| You are only covered for free emergency treatment by the British National Health Service, unless you come from a member country of the European Union, or a country which has a reciprocal health-care agreement with Britain. |
| Electric voltage is 240v AC, 50 HZ |
| You may need an adapter or converter for anything electrical you bring with you. Also be careful if you buy electrical items in the UK to take back home, they may not work in your country. Ask before you buy!!!! |
| We have tried to give accurate information in these pages. Sorry we can take no responsibility for any mistakes. Remember information may change. Please check details for yourself as much as you can. |
| Telephones |
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Some pay-telephones take coins from 10p and larger. However many phones only use "phone cards" which you can buy at many shops. All telephone codes include an "area code" which starts with "0". When dialling a number in the same area, you do not need to use the area code. But it does not matter if you do. Note that British telephone books are often divided into two sections "Residential" (private numbers) and "Business". When dialling to Britain from other countries, you use the country code for Britain - "44" - and then miss out the first "0" of the area code. On these pages, where we show phone and fax numbers, we have already done this for you, and included the +44 country code. The emergency telephone number is 999 or 112.The "Directory Enquiry" service is privatised, a number of different companies provide the service, each makes a different charge for the facility. |
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Links to other British tourist web-sites Tourist sites are being added to the Web all the time. Below are some that you may like. You may find better and cheaper information in other sources like the printed booklets from the British Tourist Authority and other tourist offices. Sorry, it's impossible to list everything! |
| Email Us if any of these links are not working or have changed. Tell us too if you like the site and you find these page helpful. |
Using Search EnginesUse a search engine to help you find information, if you cannot find it in any of the web-sites we have listed. As well as doing a word search, try searching by following the "travel" section under "recreation", and choosing available options each time. Look at the entries under "Britain". Many towns and areas of Britain have web-sites, as well as museums, art galleries, airports, and other tourist attractions. |
| Thought for the day For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.John 3:16 |
| British Tourist Authority | Advice for visiting Britain and many links. |
| Scottish Tourist Board | Useful list of tourist information and addresses. |
| Enjoy England | The official site for English tourism. |
| Wales Tourist Board | Useful list of tourist information and addresses. |
| Scottish Information Resources | More travel information addresses in Scotland. |
| Scotland Holidays | Travel Scotland Holidays is a holistic portal providing in-depth insights on accommodation options, city guides, popular tourist attractions and activities. |
| Tourist Boards | Links to other tourist boards in different regions which have web sites. |
| Tourist Information Centres | Links to information centres. |
| Travellers World | A resource linking you to many different tourist sites in Britain. |
| Visitor UK | is a network of town websites across the UK which provide in-depth information to visitors and communities. |
| SomewhereToGo | is a new map based tourism website that gives information on hotels, tourist attractions and theatres in the UK. SomewhereToGo is being developed in Nottingham by identical twins Brian and David Smallwood |
| EveningsOut | is your guide places to eat and hotel accommodation in the UK. Reserve your seat or room with the best restaurants, hotels, bars, health spas and nightclubs online with EveningsOut.co.uk. |
| Where Can We Go? | Britain's event guide - free to search for events across the country by date, postcode, interest. 25,000 events listed in our first year! |
| Real Days Out | With details of over 10,000 attractions all over the British Isles you're bound to find something great to do. Find FREE places, family friendly attractions, suggestions, ratings and much more. It's all totally free and there are no annoying adverts or complicated logins! |
| Attraction Bank | home of tourist attractions and visitor attractions in England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland. |
| London Hotels And Accommodation In London | A tourist guide to London. Book your London hotels and accommodation online using our secure server. Browse through the London tourist information and let us help make your trip to London a memorable one. |
| The British Council | The British Council have offices in many countries, and promote Britain, culture, and international relationships. |
| Student and Budget Travel Guide | Site by American students, giving general tips on travelling cheaply in different parts of the world. |
| The World Travel Guide | Information on every country around the world. |
| Cheapflights | Information on travel and holidays around the world. |
| Car Rentals UK | UK car rental company. |
| Avis Car Rental | UK car rental company. |
| Enterprise Car Hire | Car rental company in USA, Canada, UK, Ireland and Germany |
| UK Traveline | Helpful information on timetables, tickets, and more. |
| UK Rail Information | Some information on rail transport. |
| Online Rail Timetables | The Trainline official country-wide listing |
| Airlines of the Web | Links to web sites of many airlines |
| Airport Hotels Heathrow | A portal providing extensive information and hotel bookings regarding Heathrow and surrounding Airports |
| Interairport Transfers | is the control page with links that cover in excruciating detail all the options of transferring between London's airports. |
| National Express Dot2dot | a new, convenient, door to door, airport transfer service operating between central London and Heathrow and Gatwick airports; prices start from £17.50. |
| Eurostar | The Eurostar Channel Tunnel service in different languages |
| Southern Ferries | Ferry tour operator to France |
| Ferry boat information | Routes, fleets, times, how to book, etc. |
| Mapquest | City maps not just for Britain, but worldwide. |
| Travelsite | Search engine for UK travel. |
| Mary Rose Museum | King Henry VIII's wooden warship sank in 1545. Now raised, and in a museum in Portsmouth |
| Encounters with Canals | Guide to waterways holidays and more. |
| Portsmouth Historic Ships | Covers 'Mary Rose', 'HMS Victory', and other old ships. |
| The National Trust | They keep many old 'stately homes' and historic buildings, which are open to the public. |
| English Heritage | English Heritage care for castles and other sites. |
| Castles of Wales | Online guide to some of the best of Wales' famous castles |
| Windsor Castle | The main home of the Royal Family when they are not at Buckingham Palace. Open to the public. |
| Brooklands Home Page | The first motor race track in the world. Now a museum. You can still visit part of the high concrete race track. |
| The English Riviera | A guide to the south Devon towns of Torquay, Paignton and Brixham. |
| English Gardens | Provides information on Kent, the Garden of England, with details of many English gardens and castles to visit. |
| English Lakes | A comprehensive guide to the English Lake District |
| Cornwall Tour | Join us on a tour of the county of Cornwall. |
| Visit Chester | Chester is one of England's beautiful historic cities, located in the north west of England in the county of Cheshire. |
| Snowdonia Guide | Visit the Snowdonia National Park. |
| Great British Bed and Breakfasts | Bed and Breakfast accommodation in Britain. |
| Places2stay | features bed and breakfasts, self catering and hotel accommodation. |
| BB your Way | 100's of special B & B's all across the UK |
| Hotels your Way | 100's of Hotels & Inns all across the UK |
| Farm holiday | Different farms in Britain where you can stay. |
| UK Guest.com | The UK's premier site for finding somewhere to stay in England with 1500 carefully selected Hotels, Bed and Breakfasts and Self-Catering Guest Accommodations to suit all budgets with more being added all the time. |
| LateRooms.com UK | Discount Hotel Service |
| Self catering holiday Ramsgate, Kent | Holiday accommodation in Ramsgate, only minutes from the harbour. Spacious maisonette on 3 floors, sleeps 6. |
| Cottages to rent | A guide to some of the most picturesque locations in the richly varied countryside of the United Kingdom that are ideal for holiday cottage rental. |
| Independent Holiday Cottages | promotes self-catering holiday accommodation and has a very large selection throughout the UK |
| UK Cottage Rental | Free Holiday Letting Advertising |
| Self Catering Scotland | Self Catering venues in Scotland |
| Embrace Scotland - Self catering accommodation and holidays cottages throughout Scotland. | offers a wide range of Scottish holiday cottages and self catering accommodation. With over 2,500 assured properties and cottages to choose from you'll be sure to find the one that suits your preferences, budget and desired location. |
| Coast and Country Holidays Pembrokeshire Wales UK | An excellent selection of over 250 Welsh cottages in West Wales, Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire providing a wide range of coast and country holiday self catering accommodation, in wonderful locations. You can check the availability or book your favourite cottage on-line or by calling our offices. |
| Latest news about holidays and short breaks in Wales | Last minute Wales is providing to be great way of helping holiday makers understand what is best about Wales, our on-line resource for holidays, weekend breaks and last minute offers on our self catering accommodation makes it easy for you to find exactly what you need and want. Get away to Wales for a break, book on-line now. |
| London Transport | Official site for all public transport services in London. |
| London Tube Rambles | Wonderful countryside, whacky architecture within a mile of the outer London tube stations. |
| LondonInformationCentre | Located in the centre of London's Leicester Square, the London Information Centre is open every day from 8am until midnight. Providing tourist information, accommodation advice, sightseeing tours and free maps. The centre can also be contacted by telephone on +44 (0) 20 729 22 333 |
| LondonTown.com | London's original tourism site, very popular for events, sightseeing and accommodation reviews. Also provides free telephone booking services seven days a week on +44 (0) 207 437 4370 plus has a Best Price Guarantee on its online hotel booking service that refunds you four times the difference if you find it cheaper elsewhere. |
| London Travel | London Tourism - a Quick Overview |
| London Tourist Information | London Tourist Information - a useful site on the city of London. |
| Buckingham Palace | The Queen's residence in London. |
| Tower of London | One of the most visited tourist spots in London.
Arrive early to avoid queuing. |
| London Museums and Galleries | Links to museums and art gallery web sites. |
| British Museum | One of the world's best collections of antiquities. |
| Kew Gardens | World famous gardens and research centre. |
| London Transport Museum | Old buses, trams, and more. |
| The Science Museum | A world-famous museum - well worth visiting. |
| Natural History Museum | All about the living world of plants and animals. |
| Military museums of London | Links to military museums of London |
| Victoria and Albert Museum | A good site for one of London's most popular museums. |
| Madame Tussaud's | The famous waxworks. Try to avoid busy times - there is often a long wait to get in. |
| Sherlock Holmes Museum | Britain's most famous fiction detective? |
| Steam Trains for Tourists | Steam Trains operating in the UK. |
| Tower Bridge | The famous Victorian lifting bridge. |
| Royal Albert Hall | Guided Tours of the Royal Albert Hall |
| Westminster Abbey | British Kings and Queens crowned and buried here. |
| London Symphony Orchestra | One of Britain's most famous orchestras. |
| English National Opera | One of London's main opera companies |
| Royal Opera House, Covent Garden: | London's best-known opera house |
| English National Ballet | News and links to other ballet sites |
| London Theatre Guide | Shows, reviews, tickets and more. |
| London Theatre Ticket Agents. | Links for online booking. See our warning about ticket booking. |
| London Theatre Tickets for West End Theatres | Theatre tickets and information for London's West End Theatres. |
| Compare Theatre Tickets | We compare prices from the top UK-based London theatre ticket retailers to make sure you get the right ticket at the right price. |
| Outside London Theatre Guide. | Links to resources throughout UK. Shows, reviews, tickets and more. |
| Visit London | Probably the best of several sites which link to London tourist information of all sorts. |
| Londinium.com | covers London with London business, shopping, services and nightlife. |
| Old English Pages | Want to know about Old English art and literature, poems and more? |
| Secrets of the Norman Invasion | England was invaded by the Normans in 1066, and at the famous Battle of Hastings, King Harold was killed. |
| Kings and Queens of England | Family trees of the Kings and Queens of England. |
| Monarchs of England | Details of the Kings and Queens of England. |
"VISITING BRITAIN"is just one section of the SOON Online Magazine learning English, problem page, 'life and how to survive it', true stories, interviews, and much more. |