Big City Vacations in the UK: Birmingham, Manchester and London

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A millennium of history together with an exceptional variety of sporting and cultural tourist attractions make the UK one the world’s most popular traveler locations.

London: home of cool Britannia

Among the true excellent cities of the world, London is a year-round tourist capital. Few cities can provide the wealth of historic and cultural splendour that London does. From the pageantry, pomp and event of the royal quarter to the sheer elegance of the theatres and clubs and shopping, London is a world unto itself.

Transportation: getting there and navigating:

The UK has excellent transportation network of domestic flights, coaches, and trains. There are ferryboats from Europe and Ireland and trains from France and Brussels by means of the Channel tunnel. London is the center of the UK rail network with seven major lines converging on the capital.

Environment

Temperatures in summertime range from 14-30 Celsius. In the winter, temperature levels plunge to 1-5 C, the days are brief and dark and frosts and snow are the order of the day.

Lodging: from cheap stays to luxury resorts

Check on the web for the variety, place and expense of hotels in London

Occasions

Other than all-year round performances, sports events, plays and proves to, there are world-famous yearly occasions too. For sports fans there’s Wimbledon in May and classical music buffs can attend the proms, a series of performances in the Royal Albert Hall during August.

If you take pleasure in a touch of pageantry, you can delight in the changing of the guard in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace at 11:30 am every day in summertime and every other day in winter. And if you exist in April, do not miss out on the trooping of the colour on the Queen’s birthday.

Birmingham: city of a thousand thrills

When called the ‘city of a thousand trades’, Birmingham is now home to the UK’s 2nd biggest population and a gateway to the heart of England. Birmingham is now the home of a broad selection of visual and carrying out arts, music and theatre from such institutions as the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Birmingham Royal Ballet.

Transportation: getting there and navigating:

From London, you can reach Birmingham in simply 2 hours and 30 minutes along the M40. Birmingham International Airport (BHX) connects with numerous remote destinations consisting of Dubai, Chicago and New York. Birmingham is also a hub for long-distance rail and coach services.

Lodging: from inexpensive stays to luxury resorts

Look at the web for the range, area and cost of hotels in Birmingham.

Events

* Birmingham social and entertainment calendar is filled with shows, art exhibitions, and funny programs. Here are simply a few of the most popular.
* With a large Irish population, one of the years most interesting events is the St Patrick’s Day Parade Festival kept in March.
* September ArtsFest: This is the UK’s largest complimentary arts festival. It draws over 100,000 visitors each year.
* PuzzleMania: Worldwide Puzzle Competition sponsored by Amazon

Manchester: soccer capital and cool, green metropolitan area

Famous now for its high-profile soccer groups, Manchester is another British city with a history dating back to the Romans.

Transportation: arriving and navigating:

National Express coaches serve Manchester from a range of destinations. Manchester International Airport connect with a variety of domestic and international locations. Public transport in Greater Manchester consists of buses, coaches, Metrolink trams, and the regional rail network.

Lodging: from inexpensive stays to luxury resorts

Examine the internet for the range, location and cost of hotels in Manchester

Events

* Manchester Jazz Celebration 21 – 28 July, citywide. The best contemporary jazz from the north and beyond.
* Manchester Pride. 17 – 27 August Manchester’s annual gay celebration.
* Manchester Food and Drink Celebration in October commemorates the finest Mancunian food and beverage.
* Manchester Christmas Lights Switch-on in November at Albert Square. Celebrate the start of the festive season.

From London, you can reach Birmingham in simply 2 hours and 30 minutes along the M40. Efficient transport services make Manchester the entrance to the North of England. National Express coaches serve Manchester from a variety of locations. Manchester International Airport connect with a range of residential and global locations. Public transport in Greater Manchester includes buses, coaches, Metrolink trams, and the regional rail network.

Experience Great British Shopping Around The Country

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Napoleon famously mentioned that Britain was a country of storekeepers and it’s still real today. Bear in mind that taxes are high with VAT a whopping 17.5 %. Thankfully price cut outlets and other kinds of deal shopping are plentiful.

Other than buy from deal outlets, your best buys are things made in Britain that would cost more abroad. These include Body Shop and Filofax items in addition to woolens and cashmere products.

A map of the distribution of the top 20 larges...

A map of the distribution of the top 20 largest UK Shopping Centres (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

London Shopping Experience

London is among the world’s excellent shopping cities. From the swank enjoyment of Harrods to the cosmopolitan color of Portobello Road street market, the entire city looks like one big emporium. Here we’ll take a look at the well-known West End.

The West End was long the standard heart of London shopping and still draws in bargain hunters from all over the world. Popular Oxford Street has actually revamped its facade over recent decades. The huge old faithfuls such as Marks and Spencers are still there however much of the area has actually been taken control of by ethnic specialty establishments. If it’s tradition you’re after, nearby Regent and Bond streets still maintain their unique upmarket air.

One wonderful ‘new’ area in the West End to get threads is the well-known Carnaby Street now increasing from the ashes. Once the colourful haunt of 60s designs, actors, musicians and fashion photographers, the location is now bring in a new age of designers.

Birmingham Shopping Experience

If you travel up the M! to Birmingham, you will find another fantastic UK shopping experience. Brum, as the UK’s second biggest city is affectionately understood, is home to over 700 retail stores, including the queen of them all, Selfridges.

Other significant outlets include the Mailbox complex at Wharfside Street. When Birmingham’s mail sorting hub, it’s now a big shopping center and the home of all the marvelous outlet store consisting of Harvey Nichols. You can also find all your preferred labels right here including Armani, Hugo Boss and Jaeger.

Another city-center parvenu is The Bullring. It’s Europe’s most significant city-center retail zone and offers a more down to earth shopping experience that the Mailbox with providings from H M, Gap, FCUK, and Footlocker.

Edinburgh Shopping Experience

North of the border, Scotland’s capital city provides a medley of boutiques, souvenir stores, and outlet store consisting of old steadfast John Lewis. Harvey Nichols, beloved of the Absolutely Fabulous crowd, has also arrived in “Auld Reekie” in the last few years.

New Town’s Princes Street is Edinburgh’s principal shopping road and the home of the leading department stores. For more unique outlets, such as Laura Ashley, George Street is the place to go.

For vacationers searching for tartan, Highland ornaments, kilts or sporrans, the Old Town’s Royal Mile is the mother lode.

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