Rich in tradition and culture, the United Kingdom is a fascinating country to discover.
The country offers some of the best scenery in the world, which is why so many people choose to holiday there each year. Whether it is the rolling green hills of Wales or the rugged highlands of Scotland, you won’t have to go very far at all to find breathtaking landscapes that will make you want to get out and explore more. There are so many bucket-list places to see, the magic of the Fairy Pools on the Isle of Skye, the drama of Fingal’s Cave on the Isle of Staffa in Scotland, the ‘Lord of the Rings’ style Dark Hedges in Northern Ireland, the picturesque village of Gold Hill in Shaftesbury, the beauty of the Lake District, or the majesty of the Brecon Beacons in Wales. Children will love following in Harry Potter's footsteps with a trip on the Inverness-shire railway that crosses the Glenfinnan Viaduct, perhaps better known as the Harry Potter train journey to Hogwarts. So many places, you may want to visit time and again to see them all.
For anyone interested in history then the United Kingdom is definitely the place to visit. There are lots of unique historic buildings that you can visit. There are over 4000 castles and palaces, including Buckingham Palace, Edinburgh Castle, Caernarfon Castle, all worth a visit. Over 50 cathedrals and abbeys, such as Durham Cathedral, Salisbury Cathedral, York Minster Abbey, Tintern Abbey and the atmospheric Iona Abbey. Fascinating museums and galleries. England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland are awash with historic landmarks from neolithic sites on the island of Orkney to numerous sites of ancient Roman occupation across the country.
The United Kingdom is well known for both its musical and sporting talents. There are plenty of places of interest to see for fans of both. Follow the Beatles music story from Liverpool, the Cavern Club and Penny Lane to the famous Abbey Road in London. Time your visit to coincide with the many summer music festivals that take place across the country. Sports fans can visit ‘meccas’ such as Wimbledon All England Tennis Club, Wembley Stadium and Lords Cricket Ground in London, Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh and Anfield Stadium in Liverpool.
Whether visiting England, Scotland, Wales or Ireland you will have plenty of local dishes to try. Traditional Scottish fare includes Haggis (a savoury pudding, peppery and delicious), Lorne Sausage and Cullen Skink (a smoked fish soup). Try Laverbread from Wales, which is not bread at all, but a side dish made from seaweed. England has hearty Cornish Pasties (a thick pastry meat pie) or deliciously, decadent Devon cream teas and join the debate about what goes on the scone first, jam then cream or cream then jam? Numerous quaint country pubs where you can enjoy a meal and a drink in a convivial atmosphere. And of course, no trip to the coast is complete without a delicious meal of fish and chips, best eaten wrapped in paper while sitting at the beach.
You can choose to stay in luxury or boutique hotels in the vibrant cities, try out quaint bed and breakfasts, go self-catering in the many rural and coastal cottages or go camping. There are holiday accommodation styles to suit everyone.
These are only just a few of the many reasons to visit the United Kingdom, so why not make this your next holiday destination. If this has piqued your interest and you would like to find out how to experience this beautiful country for yourself, then why not include a trip to one of Scotland's most accessible islands, the Isle of Bute in Argyll, and stay at Seaview Cottage Straad, a five star holiday let located just a few minutes walk from St. Ninian's Bay on the west coast of the island.There are few truly quiet spaces left these days, however Seaview Cottage Straad is one of those places - this makes it the ideal location to truly get away from it all.
