England travel guide

England Travel Guide

A Quick Intro to England

One of the four countries that make up the United Kingdom (or Great Britain), England is bordered by Scotland to the north and Wales to the west.

The capital city of London is like a living museum with impressive architecture everywhere you turn. Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, the Tower of London, St. Paul’s Cathedral…London is full of famous landmarks that tell the tale of Britain’s very rich and interesting history.

To really see London properly you’d need at least three to five days, but don’t let that be the only place you see in England. You may want to consider a day trip to Bath to visit the Roman Baths, or a day trip to Cambridge to see the university colleges.

If you have more time I’d definitely suggest hiring a car and touring the country since there are so many beautiful places to discover. The Cotswolds is incredibly beautiful, with quaint villages, ivy-covered cottages and cozy pubs. The Lake District is also stunning, boasting beautiful lakes and impressive mountain scenery.

To get a true feel for the country it’s also worth heading north to visiting some other cities in England, such as Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, York or Statford-upon-Avon.

England may be a tiny country but it’s packed with history, beautiful scenery, pretty villages, medieval market towns and impressive landmarks.

This England travel guide has plenty of blog posts, itineraries and suggestions to help you plan your travels and get the most out of your trip.

Big Ben London

England Travel Tips

Language: English

Currency: British Pound (GBP). The pound is divided into 100 pence. Notes come in denominations of £5, £10, £20 and £50, which are printed on polymer.

Credit cards and ATMS: Credit cards are accepted pretty much everywhere, including in taxis. American Express is widely accepted, although it’s not accepted everywhere. Make sure you have a Mastercard or Visa as a backup. You’ll find ATMs in most high streets, at banks and in stations, airports etc.

Safety: England is generally a very safe place to visit, although in big cities it’s always important to watch out for your belongings.

Getting Around: England has an excellent public transportation network, although you’ll need to rent a car if you want to explore rural areas such as Devon, Cornwall, the Lake District and the Cotswolds. You can find the best prices using Rentalcars.com or Discover Cars.

London has the London Underground and you can usually pay for the tube using contactless with your credit card or mobile device. If you don’t have contactless, you can buy a Visitor Oyster Card that you can pre-load with credit, or you can buy a 1 day or 7 day Travelcard from the machines.

To travel outside of London to other towns and cities, you can either travel by rail or bus. Rail tickets can be purchased from The Trainline or National Rail. For buses and coaches, try National Express, Megabus or Flixbus. You can also compare various transportation options using Omio.

Best Time to Visit England

Summer is usually the best time to visit England, which runs from June to August. During this time the weather is usually dry, warm and sunny, although there may be some cloudy days or rainy days with drizzle.

Summer is the best time to get outdoors and visit coastal areas like Devon and Cornwall. The weather is warm enough to hit the beach, throw a BBQ or sit outside a country pub.

It’s a common misconception that England is always rainy. Having lived there most of my life I wouldn’t say that’s true. However, you may see every type of weather in one day. One minute it’s cloudy, then it’s drizzling, then the sun breaks out…so be prepared for all weather and pack an umbrella.

Other great times to visit England include spring (April-May) and autumn (September-October). Winter (later November-February) is usually pretty dreary, with cold and wet weather.

I would traveling to England during winter just because it gets pretty cold, although Christmas is quite a nice time to visit cities like London or Manchester. During the festive period the cities are decked in decorations and lights, and you’ll be able to warm up with a cup of mulled wine at one of the Christmas markets.

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