London, the capital of England in the UK, has a massive selection of world class visitor attractions many of which are the most popular in Britain. For generations London has been a popular vacation destination and much of this interest is due to the immensity of the historical buildings and the unique culture. While many of the visitor attractions found in London have a historic interest, such as the Houses of Parliament, The Tower of London and Buckingham Palace, there are many that are only recent additions, such as the London Aquarium, and the youngest of these is the London Eye.

The London Eye is often referred to as the Millennium Wheel as it was built in 1999 to commemorate the arrival of the new millennium. It was officially opened by the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, in the evening of December 31 but, sadly, there were technical issues and it was not opened to the public until March 2000. Standing 135m above London it has become an unmistakable, and highly visible, landmark.

Way back in 1895 the idea had been tested before with the Great Wheel of London, a huge Ferris wheel able to accommodate 1600 people at once. Unfortunately it was demolished in 1907 but today London has a replacement in the London Eye. Although it is not the largest Ferris wheel in the world it can legitimately claim to be the worlds largest cantilever observation tower!

Although the London Eye cannot carry as many people as the Great Wheel of London could it can manage to carry 25 people in each of its 32 capsules. It takes about 30 minutes for the wheel to make a complete revolution during which time you can choose to remain seated or you can stand up and walk about.

Around 3.5 million people take a flight on the London Eye each year making it the most popular paid visitor attraction in London and the UK. The most common reason for taking a trip is to experience one of the finest views across London. At the very top you are able to see for about 4 miles which takes in some of the best London landmarks which include St Paul’s and Westminster Abbey. One view which will stay with you is the spectacular view of the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben’s clock face.

Many people choose to use a trip on the London Eye as an opportunity to make a marriage proposal and it is actually possible to get married there. In fact there are a number of things available which also include educational aspects for schools and colleges as well as river boat trips along the Thames.

If you are planning a vacation to London or just a weekend break it is well worth taking the opportunity to take a ride on this incredible visitor attraction. If your time in London is limited it is a real time saver as you are able to take in nearly all of the most important London landmarks during the 30 minute trip which is impossible to do any other way (excluding a helicopter or balloon ride).

If you are looking for accommodation in London you may appreciate the listings of hotels near the London Eye or the cheap London hotels listed on http://www.londonhotelhelper.com/

Blackpool is a seaside resort built on the English North West coast, which remains intensely popular with tourists coming from the close by towns and cities which include Liverpool, Warrington, Manchester and more. Blackpool is also fanatically popular with visitors from all over Scotland who often turn up in large numbers in a similar fashion to the groups of factory workers of the past on their factory day out. Occasionally it would seem as though the resort is smothered in hotels and entertainments and although there is a great deal of Blackpool bed & breakfasts it is advisable to book in advance to be sure. Accommodation varies from cheaper lodgings to classy five star. You will find many on the sea front but, if you would prefer book somewhere less

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there are some further inland.

Blackpool began to see its first visitors in the eighteenth century who came to indulge in  the new craze of sea bathing. When the railway arrived, in 1846, the town experienced an increase in the number of tourists to “take the cure” as it was called. These days tourists can travel to Blackpool by railway, automobile or plane arriving there much faster than the Victorian workers who could take up to 48 hrs from as nearby as Manchester.

The Blackpool Pleasure Beach

The most busy attraction in the seaside resort of Blackpool, in Lancashire, which entices approximately seven million customers a year, is Blackpool Pleasure Beach. The Pleasure Beach is an incredibly large funfair with fear inducing big rides, for example Grand National, Ice Blast, Valhalla, the Big One, Zipper Dipper and Wild Mouse, and including many, many more sideshows, food booths, children’s rides, thrill rides, sidestalls and games. The most recent big thrill is Infusion, the first ride in the world to feature a suspended looping type of coaster entirely over water.

 Please remember: If you are planning to visit the Pleasure Beach as a group or family it is possible to make considerable savings by purchasing a wristband for unlimited rides especially if you will be staying until you have been on nearly every ride as individual prices soon amounts to a great deal.

How To Get There And B&B Accommodation 

As mentioned earlier in this article, Blackpool is very easy to get to nowadays as it is possible to travel to the town by automobile, railway or air. If you are arriving by train you will, most likely, be arriving at the main train station in Blackpool, Blackpool North found on Talbot Road. Just a short distance further down Talbot Road is where you will find Blackpool National Express Coach Station, Blackpool’s main bus station. The other rail station, Blackpool South, is at Waterloo Road, which is much closer to the Pleasure Beach. Blackpool’s airport is located approximately 2 miles south of the town centre and was previously known as, Blackpool Squires Gate Airport, one of the oldest British airports.

Blackpool bed & breakfast accommodation is priced fairly low. Accommodation is less expensive in the off season and more expensive on weekends. Hotels in Blackpool are at their most costly during the Blackpool Illuminations, which is really peak season in Blackpool.

A handy tip: Some hotels can be extremely busy and rather noisy especially those found between Central Pier and North Pier. If you rather stay in a quieter location try booking accommodation beyond the North Pier.

During these difficult times many people are currently seriously examining the way they run their affairs and attempting to save money. One way in which many are reducing expenditure is to take a vacation in Britain the reason being that the British pound is so weak against other currencies leading to the situation that vacations abroad for those living in the U.K. are expensive than in years gone by and much cheaper for visitors coming from Europe and the US. In the article below I introduce the seaside resort of Southport, England.

Southport is a delectable seaside resort found on the English North West coast. Visitor attractions include, Southport Pier, Hesketh Park, Lord Street, Churchtown village, the Botanic Gardens at Churchtown, Botanic Gardens Museum, Wayfarers’ Arcade and more. Lord Street is the main street in Southport. All the way along one side of Lord Street the broad pavement are covered by superb Victorian iron work plus a fine row of deciduous trees lining the road. On the facing side of the road you will discover  gorgeous flower beds and small gardens with pools and fountains plus a Victorian bandstand. Right at the very centre of Lord Street is most probably the most incredible war monuments in the land with an obelisk in the middle and 2 other memorials on each side which have large columns. Lord Street features some of the finest architecture to be found in Southport and it is where you will discover the enchanting Wayfarers’ Arcade.

The incredibly beautiful Hesketh Park is found at the end of Lord Street. Hesketh Park gets its name from the Hesketh family just like Lord Street the park has plenty of trees. There are beautiful hidden areas to be discovered, a play park, glass house, bandstand and more to be found within Hesketh Park however the most prominent feature is the gorgeous lake.

You will find another wonderful park, the Botanic Gardens in Chruchtown which features a lake laid out like a river which has plenty of wildlife, swans and ducks plus an ornate bridge and boating plus if you like animals and birds the Botanic Gardens also has a very small zoo, just in front of the cafe and museum. Churchtown village itself is a gorgeous collection of old cottages, fishermen’s cottages and houses the majority of which are white and some of them have a roof of thatch. It is vital that you take a walk around and that you are not afraid to look down alleys because there are a small number of hidden areas well worth the trouble to discover.

Finding bed & breakfast in Southport is relatively easy with a large choice of guest houses and hotels in Southport available online. There are hotels and guest houses suitable for all budgets and tastes from cheap and cheerful to luxurious in Southport’s town centre or just outside.

London is one of the many fashionable short break destinations in Europe and is probably in the top ten of the best selling international locations.

London offers everything any tourist may desire. If you are searching for a extensive assortment of shopping choices as a matter of fact London has the biggest amount of retail premises in the UK. Shopping ranges from designer shops to second hand bargains on a market stall. There are large famous department stores in the busy principal streets.

During a busy days shopping you can take a break in one of the many coffee shops or a glass of wine in one of the numerous pubs. After you have finished browsing you can enjoy a meal in one of the many restaurants. In London you will find a restaurant offering virtually every kind of food you can imagine from each region of the world. London has a really diverse multi-ethnic population and this allows holidaymakers to try out different types of culinary delights.

After your evening meal why not sample one of the numerous world class performances in London’s West End. There you will find many famous actors and actresses starring in the newest shows. There are many travel companies that offer special theatre breaks packages, which include a top seat at a performance of your choice and a hotel.

London has a huge number of accommodation options of varying criteria from a simple youth hostel to five star plus luxurious hotels. The price of the accommodation you choose can be more expensive if you choose a property in a busy part of London near the main shops or theatres. A great idea for some people is to stay a bit away out of the middle of the city. This could help save you money and you can use the extensive subway network to take you about London.

Getting to London is easy as there are London flights from most major cities. You can normally get to London non-stop or by traveling via a different major airport. Within Europe London is serviced by the numerous cheap airlines providing flights as low as just 1 pound or less plus airport taxes. A simple search on the internet will help you find them.

London, the capital city of England, is as famous for its unique shopping opportunities as it is for its interesting culture and prestigious history Travelers from all ’round the globe travel to London to indulge in the immense number of department stores, boutique stores and specialist markets. With the strong $ and weak £ those from the USA will discover goods are cheaper as it has been in the past, it is the same situation for those people traveling from Europe as the UK Pound is also weak against the Euro.

Well Known Department Stores In London

Probably the most well known department store in London is Harrods department store in Knightsbridge the planet’s largest standing on 18,000 m2 of floor space.  The motto of Harrods department store is “all things for all people, everywhere” or ‘Omnia Omnibus Ubique’. Most folk associate Harrods with exclusivity and luxury and most famous are the toy department and food hall

Selfridges is another store that is worthy of a mention.  Found on Oxford Street, Selfridges opened for business in 1909. Built and named after the American businessman Gordon Selfridge the department store was carefully designed so that all of the goods could be readily accessible to the prospective buyer which was a new idea at the time.

The Best Places To Go Shopping In London

Covent Garden has become very well known for its specialist and unusual shops and is considered a hip place to hang out. Besides the fascinating shops you will also discover a small number of restaurants and eating places in and around Covent Garden.

Camden Market is another popular London market place. Even though there have been a variety of markets in Camden at different times the present market began business in 1974. The market at Camden is actually a number of adjoining markets of various types together providing a huge selection of wares.

Streets In London Famous For Shopping

Chelsea’s main high street is the Kings Road which is one of London’s most chic and stylish streets in which to go shopping. The Kings Road had, during the nineteen seventies, a close association with Punk, the Sex Pistols and their manager Malcolm Maclaren, in more recent times the Kings Road is much quieter but still well worth a visit.

Sloane Street is another road in London associated with shopping which is named after Sir Hans Sloane who purchased much of the surrounding area in 1712.

Staying In London

Getting to London is amazingly easy, being England’s capital transport links are amazing and London’s underground makes everywhere incredibly easy to get to.

London accommodation appears everywhere and is easy to find but sadly it can prove to be slightly over priced. It is usually wisest to book your London hotels online and you will discover a huge selection of London hotels, guest houses and apartments at http://www.londonhotel4u.co.uk/.

Ashford in the water is the perfect spot for a fantastic holiday. Located just north of Bakewell on the River Wye, it is a very unique Derbyshire and Peak District village with some age old traditions, as well as some new ones.

Peak District tourism attracts millions of visitors to the area each year and Ashford should definitely be on your Peak District Accommodation shortlist.

If you like to explore visit The Holy Trinity Church like many others in the region is centuries old. Some parts of the church go back to the 13th century but much of it was rebuilt in the 1800’s as it had become so old. Fortunately some of the original architecture has withstood the test of time.

From the 14th century, the lower section of the west tower, and the south door still has the original Norman tympanum depicting the tree of life, and in the center is a hog and wolf facing each other.

The church also has a number of artefacts that date from the 1600’s which include a chalice, a Jacobean pulpit, as well as a Perp style font.

An ancient custom from the 1700’s was to hang funeral garland made of white paper that had been cut into rosettes and attached to a wooden frame, then carried in front of the coffin in the funeral procession, then hung up on the roof of the church, which four of them are still hanging there today.

Ashford was once known as a village that made candles but that industry has long been obsolete and today, a house stands in place of the old factory that once stood, which is located on Greaves Lane.

The main attraction of the Peak District is the beautiful Sheep Wash Bride, which was originally used as a packhorse bridge; later sheep herders washed their herds there before they were sheared.

Ashford is known for the black marble it produces, and once it is polished serves as inlaid patterns for mosaics, clocks, table tops, and jewelry. Ashford Church displays such a table top of this type. This black inlaid marble has become poplar in the United States.

One of the most fascinating things in Ashford dealing with the culture of the village of the well dressing that happens on Trinity Sunday. On this day, six wells are dressed, which means they are layered with leaves and other natural objects that can be found nearby. The objects are then placed on a bed of clay to create a picture.

There is also Ashford Hall, which overlooks a beautiful lake that is part of the River Wye. Ashford Hall was built in 1785 by Joseph Pickford of derby, and belongs to the Olivier family.

Just down the road from Ashford, you can also find a Georgian house that is T-shaped which is better known as Thornbridge Hall. Until the middle of the 20th century, the hall continued to be privately owned but has had a succession of roles being a college for teachers in training to an antique shop.

If your not staying at holiday at one of the holiday cottages in Ashford definitely make sure it is on your list of places to visit especially if you are taking a holiday during Well Dressing week.

Visit the Peak District Tourism blog for more Peak District Tourist Information