Vacations in England: Travel to the Land of the Beatles and Fish 'n' Chips

General England Facts

All England or what? Nothing annoys the Scots, Welsh, and Irish quite like being lumped together with England. Therefore, first a small definition of terms: The United Kingdom (United Kingdom) consists of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The latter shares the Irish Isle with the independent Republic of Ireland, while England, Scotland and Wales share the British Isles. This is also called Great Britain. Incidentally, the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea and the Channel Islands between England and France are not part of the United Kingdom.

Complicated? When vacationing in England, it is best to speak of “ the UK ” or “ Britain ” unless you explicitly mean England. This data now relates to England alone:

• Size: 50,345 square miles

• Population: 55.27 million

• Currency: pounds sterling

• Capital: London

• Time difference to United States: EST +5

Information on Entry and Arrival in England

London is the largest airport hub in the world connecting many international destinations and serving as the largest port of entry. From the east coast of the US you can fly to London within 6 hours. You can also fly into Manchester in the northwest part of the country.

Current Information on Entry

▶️ Passport

As a US citizen, you are considered a nonvisa national and are granted up to six months entry clearance as a visitor. When arriving, all you need is a passport that is valid for at least an additional six months.

The Most Beautiful Destinations for a Vacation in England

Which region you choose for your vacation in England depends primarily on your interests. Scenic regions such as the Cotswolds, Yorkshire, and the Lake District attract hikers and nature lovers, in particular. If you are interested in English history, you will find magnificent old castles and picturesque places, especially in the south. Beach vacations, for example, are quite possible in Cornwall and in the neighboring county of Devon - as long as you remember that England's weather is legendary for its capriciousness for a reason. Some of the most beautiful destinations:

• Cornwall and Devon in the South West

• Southern England between Bournemouth and Brighton

• The Cotswolds

• Yorkshire

• The Lake District

If you would like to spend your vacation in England in one of these rural regions, you should use a rental car. Remember, England drives on the left! Alternatively, you can take a city break by train and see Liverpool and Manchester to the north, or take day trips from London to nearby must-sees such as the university towns of Cambridge and Oxford by rail.

The Most Famous Sights of England

Of course, you should also use your vacation in England to visit some of the famous sights. Many of England's best-known attractions are in the south-east, in the London metropolitan area. You can easily reach them as part of a day trip. Some tips:

• Windsor Castle, the main residence of the English royal family

• Canterbury Cathedral, where King Henry II had his archenemy Thomas Beckett murdered in 1170

• The university city of Oxford with its numerous museums and scientific collections

• Portsmouth with its historic harbor and the restored HMS Victory in which Lord Nelson won the 1805 Battle of Trafalgar

• The medieval Anglo-Saxon capital of Winchester, in whose cathedral (allegedly) the round tablet of King Arthur hangs

• The beautifully restored Castle of Arundel, one of the finest in England

Beyond the south-east there are many other great sights that you can discover on your vacation in England, for example:

• the famous prehistoric stone circles of Stonehenge

• Salisbury Cathedral with a copy of the Magna Carta

• Liverpool with the restored docks, diverse museums and heritage of the Beatles

• Manchester, the Mecca of football fans with its stadiums and the Museum of Football as well as the Museum of Technology and Science, which is well worth seeing

• Pretty Chester, which dates back to the northernmost Roman settlement ever

• Newcastle upon Tyne, the flourishing metropolis in the north-east with its almost legendary nightlife

The Best Time to Go on Vacation in England

There is no such thing as a perfect travel time due to the varied weather. You can be unlucky and hike for two weeks in the cold rain in midsummer, or lucky with a t-shirt on vacation in England in golden October sunshine. Due to the Gulf Stream, England's weather is generally a little milder than the continent, but also rainier.

Never go out without an umbrella or rain jacket! If more than three snowflakes fall in winter, England gets completely out of joint: trains are canceled and airports are closed.

Tip: Take a Trip to Liverpool

Liverpool is famous around the world for its old football clubs Everton FC and Liverpool FC. Liverpool is also the hometown of the legendary "The Beatles". One of the most famous sights is the Albert Dock, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2004.

Here you will find numerous shops, cafes, bars, restaurants, and museums, including the Tate Modern Art Gallery and the Merseyside Maritime Museum. Nearby is the Pier Head, home to the Royal Liver Buildings and the legendary Liverbird. If you want, you can take a ferry ride and enjoy the beautiful view of the city.

The home arena of Liverpool football club is one of the most famous stadiums in the world. Take a guided tour of the Liverpool FC stadium and visit the dressing rooms, press halls and the football field. We recommend purchasing the tickets in advance, as demand is often very high.

The Most Beautiful Castles in England

England has some of the most beautiful palaces and castles in the world, so we don't want to withhold our favorite palaces and castles from you. A little tip first: If you plan to visit several castles and palaces during your vacation in England, we recommend an Overseas Visitor Pass.

Dover Castle, the "Key to England"

As well as being one of the largest castles in the country, Dover Castle has always played an extremely important role in England's history. But not only in the past, but also today Dover Castle is important, albeit less for military reasons. Today, Dover Castle is the backdrop to many famous films such as Doctor Who - Mind of Evil (1970), Johnny English (2003), Into the Woods (2014) or Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015).

Bamburgh Castle, One of the Most Impressive Castles in England

We are by no means alone in thinking that Bamburgh Castle is one of the most impressive castles in England. For example, Time Out Magazine wrote "Bamburgh – the finest castle anywhere in this country". The seat of the former Kings of Northumbria is not only breathtakingly beautiful, but also has a privileged location on the beautiful Northumberland coast.

One of the largest inhabited castles in the country, Bamburgh Castle is now one of England's most famous landmarks. If you still haven't had enough of castles and palaces after Bamburgh Castle, you can also visit the old fortress Dunstanburgh Castle, about 8 miles south of Bamburgh Castle, or Lindisfarne Castle on Holy Island, about 5 miles north.

Saint Michael's Mount, Castle and Religious Center of England

The name St. Michael's Mount is no coincidence, because in the year 495 the Archangel Michael is said to have appeared to a fisherman here, which is why the island became a religious center in the 6th century. The 0.08 m² island houses a subtropical garden, a chapel and of course the beautiful castle. You can get to Saint Michael's Mount either by ferry or, at low tide, via a narrow causeway from Marazion in Cornwall.

Tintagel Castle, the Birthplace of King Arthur

Although today only ruins of the 13th-century castle can be found, a visit is definitely worthwhile, because Tintagel Castle is not only famous for King Arthur, Tristan and Isolde, King Mark, Uther Pendragon, and Merlin were also once here. You can discover Merlin's cave below the castle complex on the beach and explore it properly at low tide. By the way, you can find the interesting remains of the castle on the Tintagel peninsula in the north of Cornwall. However, they are only connected to the mainland by a narrow path.

Bodiam Castle, the Fairytale Castle of England

East Sussex is home to the beautiful Bodiam Castle, voted one of the most beautiful castles in Europe... and rightly so, as the ruins really do look like something straight out of a fairy tale. In front of the castle there is a deep ditch full of water, which is why you can only get to the castle via a narrow path. No wonder that Bodiam Castle is often used as a film set. The film "The Knights of the Coconut" by Monty Python, for example, was partly filmed here.

More Information about Vacations in England

The cliché knows the Englishman as an extremely polite person who willingly stands in line for hours and consumes large quantities of tea every day. The cliché has a core of truth that you shouldn't neglect when vacationing in England: queue up at the post office, at the train station, or at the bus stop, and don't forget polite phrases like "Sorry" and "Excuse me".

If tea isn't your thing, don't worry: all over England today you'll find large coffee house chains such as Starbucks, Costa, and Caffè Nero with an extensive range. Classic English dishes like fish & chips are best ordered in cozy pubs. Immigrants from all over the world have also enriched English cuisine, so you should use your vacationin England to try delicious Indian or Caribbean dishes.