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Introduction to England

London is where some of England’s best dining, drinking and entertainment can be found, including the famous West End theatre district, lively Covent Garden and Leicester Square, the Royal Albert Hall and the O2 Arena.

History of England

England also offers plenty of open space and access to nature. To enjoy these areas and experience traditional English landscapes, people, buildings and food, head for popular areas like the Lake District, North Yorkshire coast, the Peak District in Derbyshire or the Norfolk Broads which is easy to reach from London.

Finally, for warmer weather, the ‘English Riviera’ in the south west of the country is a lovely place to visit. Towns like Padstow, Truro, Penzance and St Ives are great places to base your stay.

Wherever your visit to England takes you, you’ll find a great selection of hotels and accommodation options for all tastes and price ranges.

If your visit takes you to the popular south west of the country, some lovely hotels and resorts include St Edmund’s House in Padstow, Merchant’s Manor in Falmouth or the stunning views from Boskerris Hotel in Carbis Bay.

There are some incredible historic places to stay all over England, invoking that sense of the country’s past. From medieval castles to traditional cottages and inns, country manor houses and even buildings associated with the industrial revolution. Hartwell House in Buckinghamshire was the former home of Louis XVIII, while Bagdale Hall in Whitby combines two Tudor buildings oozing history. Wood Hall Hotel & Spa in Wetherby boasts the best views in Yorkshire, while at Amberley Castle in West Sussex you can stay in 900-year-old rooms, with stylish spa bathrooms and a wonderful restaurant.

In the south west you’ll find England’s Riviera, the warmest and sunniest part of the country, in the counties of Cornwall and Devon, where you can enjoy quaint seaside villages and lovely beaches. On the way you might stop at Stonehenge – one of England’s most visited attractions, representing the oldest known settlement of this island, dating back over 5,000 years. Bristol and Bath are also important cities, the latter with a strong Roman heritage.

North east of London is East Anglia, a remote region which is home to the Norfolk Broads National Park, made up of lovely waterways and landscapes.

Birmingham, England’s second-largest city, is a multi-cultural centre of commerce, shopping and entertainment. But venture out into its surroundings and you’ll find the town of Warwick with its huge castle, and Stratford-upon-Avon, where William Shakespeare’s home is still standing and open to visit, followed by one of his plays at the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Manchester is another of England’s larger cities. It has grown to become one of the most desirable cities to live in, yet is built on a heritage of industry and commerce. Nearby is Liverpool – one of England’s most cultural cities, which spawned many musical acts, including The Beatles, and has an important maritime heritage.

The central spine of England is made up of various rural areas which are perfect for a rural retreat or outdoor activities. They include the Derbyshire Dales, the Pennines, and the Yorkshire Dales.

Northern cities of note include Leeds and Newcastle-upon-Tyne, both famed for their nightlife and entertainment, plus York and Durham – two small cathedral cities which ooze charm and history.

In the north west corner of England is the Lake District National Park. This area of outstanding natural beauty features the country’s largest lakes, its tallest mountains, and some of its loveliest villages. Outdoor recreation like watersports and walking area popular here, or you may just want to relax in a traditional pub, a boutique bed and breakfast, or spa retreat.

Finally, the northernmost county of England is Northumberland. Bordering Scotland and the North Sea, it has seen its fair share of violent history, leaving a trail of ruinous castles and fortified houses, along with traditional villages, the iconic Holy Island, and magnificent seafood to enjoy.

Across the north, cities like Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool are popular for weekend breaks, with museums, fine dining, shopping and essential places to visit like The Cavern Club where The Beatles first honed their craft.

The historic city of York is an essential stop-off point in the north of England. Briefly the country’s capital, this walled city features the twin towers of Northern Europe’s largest gothic building in York Minster, the enchanting medieval Shambles shopping street, and the huge National Railway Museum.

The Midlands is a historic region and powerhouse of industry. Remnants of industrialization are everywhere, but so are iconic structures like Warwick Castle which is a great day out for all. A short distance away the 1564 home of the world’s most famous playwright, William Shakespeare, can be visited in Stratford-upon-Avon, before taking in one of his plays at the Royal Shakespeare Company’s theatre.

Also in the Midlands is Alton Towers – perhaps the country’s best-known theme park, and a fantastic day out for all the family with its thrilling rollercoasters and indoor waterpark.

The east of England is flatter than the peaks and moorland found elsewhere, but its coast boasts many lovely towns like Cromer and Great Yarmouth, and inland is the Norfolk Broads National Park. At Cambridge, home of one of the most famous universities in the world, you’ll also find interesting museums and architecture. Just to the south is the impressive Imperial War Museum’s Duxford site, where many of the world’s most famous aircraft are on display.

Oxford is another of England’s most famous cities. Its compact nature makes it perfect for walking around, taking in the many colleges and lovely architecture. The beautiful Bodeleian Library is one of the oldest in Europe and open to visit, and the Pitt Rivers Museum is an ethnographical feast for the eyes with millions of objects in its collections.

England’s south west is home to the city of Bristol with its lovely riverside setting, cathedral and impressive views from Cabot Tower. However, 13 miles south is the UNESCO World Heritage City of Bath where Georgian architecture is built on ancient Roman history. It’s worth taking a guided tour of this city, or at least exploring the Royal Crescent, the sights related to Jane Austen, and spending time relaxing in its namesake Roman spa baths.

While in Somerset, the ancient landscape of Glastonbury should be explored. If you manage to get hold of tickets for the summer Glastonbury Festival you won’t be disappointed. But visiting its Tor, abbey and the supposed grave site of King Arthur and Guinevere is also special.

England’s southern coast includes the lively and sunny resorts of Poole, Bournemouth and Brighton, which have always been popular with visitors keen to take in the beaches, sea air and many fine seafood restaurants and family attractions.

In Kent, in England’s south-east corner Hever Castle and Leeds Castle are impressive attractions, as well as the Spa Valley Railway in Royal Tunbridge Wells, and the historic cathedral city of Canterbury.

Moving on to London, many of England’s most famous and important attractions can be found. Among its older buildings are the Tower of London, its Roman walls, St Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey, and the reconstruction of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.

Its museums are also world class. The British Museum houses collections from all over the ancient world, while the Victoria & Albert Museum is the leading place to see the history of art, design and performance. A guilty pleasure for many is Madam Tussauds with its lifelike waxworks of the world’s rich and famous, while kids will marvel at the dinosaurs and other exhibits in the Natural History Museum in Knightsbridge. In the east of the city a visit to Greenwich reveals the National Maritime Museum and the Royal Observatory where the meridian of world time originates.

London has some of England’s best shopping districts, including Knightsbridge with Harrods and Harvey Nichols, Oxford Street, Covent Garden and the market at Petticoat Lane.

London is, of course, where the West End theatre district and many other world-class entertainment venues offer all kinds of performances, with restaurants and bars throughout the city a great attraction.

For classic British food, the best restaurants you can try include The Ivy at Covent Garden and The Goring at Westminster (London), Hawksmoor in Manchester, The Star Inn The City in York, Simpsons in Birmingham and The Ox in Bristol.

The influence of the sea is also important to England. While traditional fish & chips is as popular as ever as a quick take-away meal, it’s worth finding the places that really pick the best catch and ingredients, like The Magpie Café in Whitby, or The Cods Scallops in Nottingham. Northumberland, Cornwall and Devon have excellent seafood and restaurants, like the Old Boathouse in Amble, No 7 Fish Bistro in Torquay, or Mackerel Sky Seafood Bar in Newlyn.

The English also love to embrace food from overseas. Perhaps surprisingly, for a long time the Indian curry has been seen as the national dish thanks to its popularity as both a weekend takeaway treat or meal at one of the many Asian restaurants in every town and city. Chinese food is also very popular. Try Opheem in Birmingham, Taste of Pakistan in Hounslow, London or Asha’s in Manchester.

Aside from evening meals, a traditional English dish which has made quite a comeback in recent years is afternoon tea. Usually served, as the name suggest, on an afternoon, it consists of both savoury and sweet snacks on a multi-tiered tray. These could include sandwiches, sweets and cakes. It is usually served with English tea, but coffee is also common. Many upmarket hotels, cafes and restaurants, especially in cities and rural areas, will serve this meal, which is a wonderful way to spend an afternoon.

Entry into England from other countries is easy, with rail links to Europe via St Pancras Station in London. England is also home to some of Europe’s most important airports, with London boasting no fewer than five international hubs – Heathrow and Gatwick are the busiest, and have good links into London itself.

Other major airports can be found at Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Newcastle and Liverpool. There is a good domestic air network operating mostly from London Heathrow.

Within the towns and cities of England you’ll usually find a good bus network, and often regional trains. In larger cities like London, Newcastle and Liverpool there are underground metro networks. In Manchester, Sheffield and Nottingham there are modern tram networks. Paying for public transport is usually done once you get on board by swiping a contactless card.

Taxis are common all over the country, and Uber has an ever-increasing presence.

Other important dates include 5^th November, when the country celebrates Guy Fawkes Night (or Bonfire Night as many call it). You’ll see fireworks being let off and lots of spectacular fireworks shows across the country.

New Year’s Eve is also a popular night in England for celebrations and parties, with London’s riverside display the biggest.

Trooping the Colour is an important event in London’s calendar. This occurs in early June to celebrate the Queen’s birthday and you can often catch a glimpse of the royal family on The Mall near Buckinham Palace. A flypast of aircraft often accompanies the event.

Being a sport-loving nation, sporting events feature highly on the calendar for the English and these can be quite a spectacle to witness. They include a number of horse races, like the Grand National and Royal Ascot, the annual Oxford & Cambridge Boat Race, the Henley Royal Regatta, as well as important football fixtures like the FA Cup Final and the Wimbledon Tennis Championships. A number of music, food, outdoors and literary festivals also feature highly, particularly during the summer.

Reaching further, a luxury tour of England might take in the culture of cities like Bath or Cambridge, a tour of its pretty landscapes like the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales and Cotswolds, or its most historic places like Durham, York and Blenheim Palace. Wherever you choose, there are tour organisations on hand to arrange your journeys and accommodation in the best hotels, or you can easily arrange your own using first class train travel and the many luxury hotels and resorts around the country.

In general the English are known to be reserved and polite, home-loving and sociable. A love of comedy means many will try to make jokes or be lighthearted in conversation. You may find in rural areas that people can be quite traditional in nature, but always hospitable. The English love eating out, enjoy a drink in a pub, an evening entertainment like the cinema, theatre or a sporting event.

It’s common to tip taxi drivers, hotel porters and restaurant servers, but not in pubs and bars.

Weather in England

Visiting England soon? See below for the latest weather forecast for England.

ENGLAND WEATHER