Travel Britain: Travel Tips

The United Kingdom, also referred to as Great Britain, was once the great empire of the world. They no longer are the super power of the world but British people are still very proud of their heritage and their country. Once a colonial power, Great Britain is now a committed member of the European Union.

Great Britain is made up of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The capital city London has become an icon in the world for diversity. There are hundreds of people from different ethnicities who call London home. Among a whole lot of other things, the city is also very well known for its architecture that can be seen in the London Bridge, the House of Parliament and the various castles and palaces. York and Durham are two large cities that are very historic, while Liverpool and Newcastle are very modern.

The United Kingdom has a population of 61 million and English is the official language. In the other parts of the United Kingdom Welsh, Scottish Gaelic, and Irish are still spoken.

Every part of the United Kingdom is an island. However, Northern Ireland is only a small part of the island of Ireland. The UK lies only 22 miles from France and is connected to France by the tunnel which goes under the sea. Most of the UK is covered by lowlands and low mountains.

The climate of the UK is quite moderate. They receive a lot of rain each year, and most days are generally overcast. The temperatures range from -15 °C (5 °F) to 34 °C (93.2 °F). Sometimes there is snowfall in the winter and early spring.

There are many beautiful attractions which attract tourists from all over the world each year. London is home to Buckingham Palace, Hampton Court Palace, Kensington Palace, Whitehall Palace and the Tower of London. Scotland boasts The Bannockburn Heritage Centre and Ben Lawers Mountains. Wales is best known for Aberdulais Falls, King Arthur's Labyrinth, Dolaucothi Gold Mines, Rhossili Visitor Centre, Taff Valley Activity Centre and TechinQuest

If you are planning on traveling to the UK you can get there by air, sea, rail and car. The main airline, British Airways, has hundreds of domestic and international flights everyday. If you are flying from another country you will probably be going through London which is a major hub for international flights between the east and west. The two international airports in London are Heathrow and Gatwick.

The UK is surrounded completely by water, and many people choose to take a boat when going to countries that lie across the water. There are several different ferry services that operate between mainland Europe and the UK. Once you have taken the ferry from the mainland you can catch a train to get to your destination.

If you want to bring your car to the UK you can enter via the channel tunnel. Various vehicles including cars, motorcycles, coaches, minibuses and caravans use this channel every day.