If you are travelling to the United Kingdom for the first time here are some things you should know before you go.
The United Kingdom is comprised of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
You must have a valid passport which has to be valid for the duration of your stay in the UK.
Pounds (known as sterling) are the legal tender in the United Kingdom and Euros in the country of Ireland. You can get these from your local bank but you won’t need much cash as you can use your chipped debit/credit card in most places around the UK. Check with your bank before you leave what kind of charges you may be subjected to and choose your method of payment accordingly.
You should learn a little bit about the cheap and the best transport facilities to reach your destination in London or any part of the United Kingdom before you travel so you can plan ahead.
Most major cities in the United Kingdom are easy to negotiate either by bus, rail or tube (subway). You can also easily access most major cities across the UK by bus or train services.
August is the busiest month for tourism in England so I recommend booking in the shoulder or winter season to save money.
UK mains electricity is 230V, 50Hz AC, and plugs have three square pins (‘Type G’). there for if you need to charge your mobile phones, laptops and ipads.
Did you know that you can claim back your 20% tax levied on goods and services from the airports when you depart, for more details please see VAT Refunds for UK visitors.
Hope these tips are helpful and you enjoy your adventure in the United Kingdom! Here are some posts to help you decide on what you want to visit on your trip to Great Britain.
Travel the United Kingdom
Visiting the extraordinary Chiltern Hills of England
Visiting the extraordinary Chiltern Hills of England We discovered the Chiltern Hills area when housesitting in Oxfordshire just by driving around the different counties. GorgeousRead
Downton Abbey Filming locations Including Downton Abbey: A New Era After hubs and I began binge-watching Downton Abbey knowing we were planning a visit weRead
20 Magnificient Cathedrals in England to see England’s cathedrals are always a wonder, with soaring buttresses, grinning gargoyles, and stained glass windows casting their coloursRead
25 Traditional Welsh food dishes In England, culinary traditions tended to filter down from the upper levels of society. In Wales however traditional Welsh foodRead
Top 23 Glasgow Attractions – the best places to visit in Glasgow
Top 23 Glasgow Attractions – the best places to visit in Glasgow You’ve landed in one of the United Kingdom’s most historic cities, Glasgow, Scotland.Read
Witch Trials in England: 33 Witch Sites to Visit There were many famous European witch trials and the witch trials in England and Scotland includedRead
Helmsley Castle an atmospheric ruin in North Yorkshire
Helmsley Castle an atmospheric ruin in North Yorkshire An atmospheric ruin in North Yorkshire Helmsley Castle was built in the 12th century By Walter Espec.Read
Cornish Pasty the original handheld food Cross over the Cornish border and there’s barely a Gregg’s in sight (for those of you unfamiliar with Gregg’sRead
Things to do in Derry the ultimate guide Visiting Derry or Londonderry Ireland (Northern) as it’s “officially” known is something I do quite often. TheRead
18 Things to do in Notting Hill London’s prettiest neighbourhood
18 Things to do in Notting Hill London’s prettiest neighbourhood Visiting Notting Hill is a must when visiting London. We easily travelled to Notting HillRead
William the Conqueror’s Norman Castles Guillaume le Conquerant – otherwise known in England as William the Conqueror and sometimes William the Bastard reigned England from 1066 untilRead
The Perfect Long Weekend in Jersey If you’re looking for fantastic sandy beaches, a lot of history, delicious local food AND good weather (at leastRead
Celebrating 5th November Guy Fawkes Night in England
Why do we celebrate bonfire night? Visitors often raise the question when in London “why do we celebrate fireworks night or bonfire night in London? Read
Visiting the magnificent Kenilworth Castle Kenilworth castle rises impressively in front of you as you drive into Kenilworth Town. It is an incredibly imposing ruinRead
Carrick-a-rede rope bridge – an intrepid crossing Northern Ireland’s famous rope bridge Carrick-a-Rede is that bridge that anyone wanting to visit Ireland would love toRead
101 Landmarks in Northern Ireland I was born in Northern Ireland and have spent many happy days looking for Irish landmarks and historical sites forRead
Carrickfergus Castle a tale of ghosts, pirates, & Normans Carrickfergus Castle is an 800-year-old Norman Castle that sits on the north shore of the greatRead
23 Magnificent English Manor Houses Manor houses, mansions, stately homes and large country estates flourish in the English countryside. I’ve been watching the new NetflixRead
Romantic Kenilworth Lots of people don’t discover Warwickshire and all it offers because they are so busy cramming into Stratford they totally neglect the restRead
Visiting the Iconic Mussenden Temple and Downhill Demesne Mussenden Temple is perched precariously on the edge of a slowly dissolving cliff on the northern coastRead
Stonor Park and Manor – Great Manor Houses of England
Visiting Stonor Park & Manor We were housesitting in Berkshire and decided to take a drive through the beautiful county of Oxfordshire when we cameRead
Easy Weekend trips from London Whether you’re visiting London or are a resident in the city looking for a quick staycation, these ideas for weekendRead
Museum of Berkshire Aviation a hidden treasure in Reading England
Museum of Berkshire Aviation Just around the corner from where we are housesitting we saw signs for the Museum of Berkshire Aviation and thought weRead
Visiting Sonning, Berkshire a quintessentially British Village
Visiting Sonning-on-Thames (pssst George Clooney lives here) It was another beautiful day in the country when we decided we would take a drive to Sonning,Read
Best things to do in Covent Garden Market London Historic Covent Garden Market is a fairground of London living and it brings out every conceivableRead
Ulster American Folk Park a step back in time The Ulster American Folk Park is an open-air national museum just outside Omagh, in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It contains overRead
North Wales Coastal Path the famous Pilgrim’s Way Route
Walking the North Wales Pilgrims Way In the 12th century, Pope Callixtus II declared that three pilgrimages to Bardsey Island gained the same spiritual benefitsRead
How to explore Liverpool through virtual tours Liverpool is famous as the birthplace of the Beatles, a historic shipbuilding city and port and of courseRead
Bletchley Park Museum home of the Codebreakers Updated 17/18/2022 Hopefully, everyone knows about the Bletchley park museum the Home of the Code Breakers and theRead
7 of the most beautiful beaches on the Pembrokeshire Coast Wales
Beautiful beaches on the Pembrokeshire Coast Pembrokeshire Wales Coast beaches, you’re spoiled for choice when it comes to this area. There’s over 50 of themRead
Magnificent Harry Potter Train Hogwarts Express Yorkshire
Hogwarts Express Train North Yorkshire Moors Railway The famous Harry Potter train runs on the old steam train lines managed by the North Yorkshire MoorsRead
Trafalgar Square London – fascinating facts Seeing the Trafalgar Square lions is an absolute must-do when visiting London. As a central point to your visit toRead
Visiting St. Paul’s Cathedral London Going inside St. Paul’s Cathedral has been a bucket list item for me for ages. St. Paul’s Cathedral has been aRead
Uffington White Horse, England’s mysterious chalk figure
Uffington White Horse – England’s mysterious chalk hill horse I’ve seen photos of the white horse at Uffington for years along with many pictures ofRead
Visiting Warwick Castle 1000 years of turbulent history
Visiting Warwick Castle 1000 years of turbulent history 11 Centuries, can you imagine it? As a Canadian (and a massive history nut) my Warwick CastleRead
Famous Theatres in London England London itself includes over 230 theatres ranging from the huge glittering ones in Theatreland to the tiny theatre groups inRead