United Kingdom
Often thought to be one single country, the UK comprises four different countries; Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland, and England herself. Across these regions you will witness glimpses of history, and examples of landscape that will leave you inspired. If you have the ability, I highly recommend that you divide your time between these regions. Doing so will allow you to get a taste of what each country has to offer and discover what it is that ties them all together.
BUT IS IT THE UNITED KINGDOM OR GREAT BRITAIN?
They are often used interchangeably but are not actually synonymous. Great Britain is a geographic term referring to the island also known simply as Britain. It’s also a political term for the part of the United Kingdom made up of England, Scotland, and Wales (including the outlying islands that they administer, such as the Isle of Wight). United Kingdom, on the other hand, is purely a political term: it’s the independent country that encompasses all of Great Britain and the region now called Northern Ireland.
Practical Information
Language
While English is the official language of the United Kingdom, Gaelic, Welsh and Ulster Scots are also spoken in their respective region.
There are so many English accents in the country. In fact, there are almost 40 different dialects in the UK that sound totally different from each other, and in many cases use different spellings and word structure.
Currency:
Visa
Residents of the United States and Europe do not require a visa to enter the United Kingdom. If you are coming to the UK to holiday from a different country it’s best to take a look at what the requirements are for your country as some visas applications require that you have hotels and other reservations prior to being granted one.
Public transportation
Home of some of the most advanced forms of transportation, it is safe to say that when it comes to getting around the United Kingdom, the methods of transportation seem endless. You can easily explore the country via; car, plane, ferry, taxi, bus, or my personal favourite, train. If you are planning on seeing several regions in the UK, I highly recommend taking advantage of travel card discounts as train tickets can be quite expensive.
Currency
Throughout all the regions of the United Kingdom, the pound sterling is its tender. It’s best to avoid exchanging currency at the airport as they don’t tend to offer the best exchange rate and charge extra fees. Choose a local bank or an exchange bureau in the city for better rates.
Climate
Winters are cold, grey and pretty miserable so if you are fan of trravelling in Winter I would give the UK a miss and head to Scandinavia instead. The best time to visit is in the Spring through to Autumn, when the climate feels warmer and the country gets the highest amount of monthly sunshine hours . Britain is a delight to visit in the Summer as you are not limited by the weather or the amount ot daylight. Keep in mind that the weather in Scotland can be up to six degrees cooler than the rest of the UK so always pack extra layers.
Food
British cuisine has not always been a tourist attraction point but the food scene has massively evolved in recent years and today the UK is home to some of the world’s finest dining spots. London’s international gastronomic scene is hard to compete against but if you are looking for authentic, traditional British foods then your tastebuds will be in for a treat! From Scotch eggs to Devonshire scones, to Lancashire hotpot, Cornish pasties and not forgetting the national dish Fish&chips, Each and every part of the UK has its regional food delicacies.
Voltage
Like its counterparts in Europe, the entirety of the United Kingdom uses 230V. You’ll need to pick up a type G adapter for all your electronic needs. The plug looks similar to that of the letter “T”, with the intersections of the “T” missing.
Top activities to do in the UK
- Take advantage of London’s free museums.
- Go on a “Games of Thrones” trail in Northern Ireland
- Seek out sea monsters and legends in the Scottish Highlands
- Try an authentic Indian curry in Birminghams’s Balti Triangle
- Take a prehistoric trip to Stonehenge
- Bathe like a Roman emperor in Bath
- Go fossil hunting in the Jurassic coast
- Discover the inspiration behind Agatha Christie famous novels in the English Riviera
- Take a tour of one of the UK’s stunning National Parks
- Step back in time in the idyllic villages of the Cotswolds
MONEY SAVING TIPS
1
Get the menu of the day
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2
Ride with Uber
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3
Get city passes
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4
Couchsurf
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MY MUST HAVE GUIDES FOR TRAVELING
Everything you neeed to know about traveling.
WHAT CAN I EXPECT FROM LONDON?
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August 24, 2018
Noha
Your blog is seriously amazing! I enjoyed reading about your travels and impressions, will save it for when I travel to all those places.
Ibtissam
Thank you so much! 🙂