United Kingdom travel tips and information

The United Kingdom is comprised of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Island.  It is also considered to be part of Europe.

FAST FACTS

Must-do: London - Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, London Eye, Hyde Park, Kensington Palace, Oxford Street, Covent Garden, Borough Market, Lords, Greenwich, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds and more.

Must-do: Scotland - Edinburgh and the Edinburgh Castle and Royal Mile, Inverness and the Scottish Highlands, Isle of Skye and the west coast, Glasgow, Balmoral Castle, Loch Ness, Caledonian Canal, Cairngorms National Park and more.

Must-do: Wales: Cardiff, Tenby, Cardigan, Brecon Beacons National Park, Caernarfon Castle and more.

Must-do: Northern Island: The Giant's Causeway, Belfast, Derry City Walls, The Old Bushman's Distillery and more.

The United Kingdom is a sovereign state headed up by the Crown, The Queen of England, Queen Elizabeth II.

Drink warm beer (if you must), eat mushy peas with your fish and chips, enjoy if you can haggis, black pudding, neeps and taties.  Drink some whiskey, take afternoon tea at a posh hotel and go to see if you can spot the Queen at Buckingham Palace. (She's in if the flag is flying).

How to get to the UK: British Airways is the national carrier but there is an enormous variety of airlines that operate in and out of the many airports that exist in the UK.  Major domestic and international airports exist in all countries of the UK.

Check out Skyscanner for flights and availability.

Trains are used extensively all over the UK.  The Eurostar also operates from London directly into Paris, Lille and Brussels every day of the week.  We use and recommend RailEurope for booking train tickets including the Eurostar.

Driving in the major cities of the UK, especially London is not recommended.  Public transport is excellent.  Hiring a car for a longer road trip around any of the UK's countries is highly recommended.  We use and recommend AutoEurope.

A ferry also takes passengers and vehicles across the English Channel from Dover to Calais (and in reverse)

Electricity: The G plug is used all over the UK. Voltage is 230V, 50 Hz. Universal adaptors are the best way of handling electrical outlets when travelling.

Currency: The Great British Pound (GBP), known simply as the pound is used throughout the UK.  ATMs and Banks are plentiful and credit cards are widely accepted throughout all countries.

Read all of our articles on our travel in the United Kingdom here.