My BF and i are planning our first vacation to the UK and Ireland. What are the best websites to use to plan?

Question by sdgirl87: My BF and i are planning our first vacation to the UK and Ireland. What are the best websites to use to plan?

Also, if you have any advice or tips we would really appreciate it! We are planning on going next year but really haven't decided on when (anytime but summer). We want to stay for at least 2 weeks. We want to visit the major cities, London, Glasgow, and Dublin. But, we also want to experience local life so we want to go to smaller cities and towns. I am a major history buff so i want to visit every place i can! Thanks!




Best answer:

Answer by The Tank
The official web site of the English tourist office will help you. See the link below. You will be hard pressed to do the UK justice in two weeks. Here's a couple of ideas.

Remember that Ireland is not part of the UK. They don't even use the same currency (we use Pounds, they use Euros). So you might like to consider Dublin for a separate visit.

Apart from the obvious (and very expensive) tourist traps of London, Edinburgh and Glasgow you should also visit smaller cities that have a lot of interest. As you are intersted in history then you should visit:

Bristol - home of the Concorde (world's first supersonic airliner), the SS Great Western (world's first operational steam liner), the Great Western Railway (designed by the great engineer IK Brunel, fabulous station at Temple Meads), the Clifton Suspension Bridge (world's first high-level steel-hung long road bridge), the Matthew (ship of the explorer John Cabot who actually got to America, which Columbus didn't) etc.

Next go to the Georgian City of Bath. It's close to Bristol and a short train ride along the Great Western Railway. Bath has an original Roman bathouse where you can 'take the waters'. The local architecture is stunning, especially the famous Georgian Crescent. Bath was also the home of a famous Regency gentleman called Beau Brummell.

Southampton - home of the Cunarders Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria. If you're luck they may be docked. Check Cunard web site for dates and times.

Winchester - former capital of England, home of King Alfred the Great, the Guildhall houses the Great Round Table, also the location of one of the best Farmer's Markets in England.

Aberystwyth (west coast of Wales) - home of the Vale of Rheidol light railway.

While you are in Wales you should go on up to the island of Anglesea and visit the village of Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch. This is the longest place name in the British Isles. Normally it's shortened to Llanfair PG. Every tourist has to have their photo taken stood by the railway station name board.
Stay on the island and visit the town of Beaumaris. This has a perfect castle with rectangular double curtain walls.

Start by studying the tourist office site. Enjoy.

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