PORTMEIRION

     An Italianate village on the coast of Wales: is it possible? Portmeirion is the most charming place in the Principality. It was begun in 1925 by architect Clough Williams-Ellis, who called it "a lighthearted live exhibition of architecture, decor and landscaping." His intention was to prove that buildings could actually enhanced an already beautiful landscape. Towers, spires, turrets, domes, campaniles, triumphal arches, murals and weatherboard cottages make up this joyous fantasy, in a thickly wooded setting on the edge of a big sandy bay.

 Portmeirion, Gwynedd

 
It is familiar to many who haven't even been here from the cult T.V. series The Prisoner. Many of the cottages offer first-rate accommodations as part of the Portmeirion Hotel. One of the most elegant and unusual places to stay in Wales, this waterfront mansion is located at the heart of Portmeirion. The original part of the building is Victorian, although it was greatly expanded in the 1920s.

PERTH

 Once the capital of medieval Scotland, Perth has a rich heritage that is reflected in many of its buildings. It was in the Church of St John, founded in 1126, that the preacher John Knox delivered the fiery sermons that led to the destruction of many local monasteries. The Victorianized Fair Maid’s House (c.1600), on North Port, is one of the oldest houses in town and was the fictional home of the heroine of Sir Walter Scott’s The Fair Maid of Perth (1828).

 

Scone Palace, East Front: Historic Home of the Earls of Mansfield

  

Three km north of Perth, the Gothic Scone Palace stands on the site of an abbey destroyed by John Knox’s followers in 1559. It is one of Scotland's grandest stately homes. Between the 9th and 13th centuries, Scone guarded the sacred Stone of Destiny, now in Edinburgh Castle, on which the Scottish kings were crowned. It has magnificent collections of porcelain, furniture, ivories, 18th-century clocks and 16th-century needlework, as well as a playground and fine gardens to explore.

 

Received from Roman

DURHAM

 Durham is one of England's most memorable small cities - primarily for its enormous cathedral. The country's finest piece of ecclesiastical Norman architecture erupts out of thickly wooded banks on a bend of the Wear River. Largely traffic-free lanes around the peninsula, riverside paths and, in summer, river cruises and rowing boats for rent, add to the city's appeal. Durham University is the third oldest and most prestigoius in England, after Oxford and Cambridge.

 The bulk of the present day cathedral was built between 1093 and 1133, in unadulterated Norman style, most tangible in the nave's colossal pillars still incized with chevron patterns. The church's sheer size was made possible by the groundbreaking use of rib vaulting and pointed arches. It dominates the view from the water, the town, the railroad and the countryside for miles around.

DUNDALK

 The cradle of Irish civilization and the Celts’ spiritual home, the Midlands encompass some of Ireland’s most sacred and symbolic sites. Situated at the head of broad Dundalk Bay this is the principal town and administrative capital of Co. Louth. Dundalk has a great historical past and is closely associated with Cuchulainn, hero of the legendary Red Branch Knights. Today the town is busy and progressive manufacturing centre. Dundalk's amenities include a racecourse, greyhound track and an 18-hole golf course at the seaside suburb of Blackrock 5 km south of the town.

Dundalk once marked the northernmost point of the Pale, the area controlled by the English during the Middle Ages. Now it is the last major town before the Northern Irish border. Dundalk is also a gateway to the magnificent countryside of the Cooley Peninsula. The County Museum is housed in an 18th-century distillery in the town. In three exhibition galleries it gives an imaginative history of the county, from the Stone Age to the present day.  

ISLES OF SCILLY

 The archipelago of the Scilly Isles, 28 miles west of Land's End, numbers around 150 islands, but only five are inhabited by people; many others are home to colonies of seals and seabirds. These share a mild yet windbeaten climate, lovely white beaches, clean, yet chilly seas, much birdlife and a profusion of flowers, both wild and commercially grown daffodils and narcissi. Otherwise, they are distinctively individual.

Porthcressa Bay, St. Mary's, Isles of Scilly

 

Most people live on St. Mary's at up to 3 miles wide the largest island. Passenger launches depart for the other island from the little capital, Hugh Town. Star Castle was built in Tudor times against the Spanish and can be explored. Paths allow to follow the bays and headlands of the beautiful coastline - Peninnis Head is the most dramatic feature - and to search out the many prehistoric burial chambers in the interior.

LOUGH KEY

 LOUGH KEY, FOREST PARK, CO. ROSCOMMON: is pleasantly situated near Boyle with its magnificently wooded shores, intended coastline and many lovely islands rising from the blue waters. On one of the islands are the ruined remains of the Abbey of the Trinity, founded by the White Canons. Here were compiled the Annals of Loch Ce which are now preserved in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin. Lough Key is often called the loveliest lake in Ireland. It is popular with anglers, and offers relaxing cruises. The woods by Lough Key also provide good walking territory.

Lough Key, Forest Park, near Boyle, Roscommon, Ireland

The island-studded lake and surrounding woodland make a glorious setting for the Lough Key Forest Park. The 320-ha park formed part of the Rockingham estate until 1957, when Rockingham House, a John Nash design, burned down. The woods were added by 18th-century landlords. The Lough Key Experience takes visitors on an audio journey through the 19th-century underground tunnels, up to the Moylurg viewing tower and along Ireland’s first Tree Canopy Trail. There are also several ring forts, a river jetty and an adventure playground providing entertainment for children of all ages.

SUFFOLK COAST

 The Suffolk coastline has plenty of sleepy, old-warm charm. Its shingle beaches, low cliffs and marshes fight a constant battle with the sea's eroding power. The 40-mile Suffolk Heritage Coast, which wanders northward from Felixstowe up to Kessingland, is one of the most unspoiled shorelines in the country. The lower part of the coast is the most impressive; however, some of the loveliest towns and villages, such as Dedham and the older part of Flatford, are inland.

OULTON BROAD *  FELIXSTOWE
LOWESTOFT * KESSINGLAND

  

The best way to experience the countryside around here is to be willing to get lost along its tiny, ancient back-roads. Try to avoid the coastal area between Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth; it has little to offer but run-down beach resorts.

Sandy Lowestoft combines a mainstream seaside resort with a large, commercial fishing port. There are guided tours of the fish markets and docks in summer.

TRALEE

Host to the renowned Rose of Tralee International Festival (end August), Tralee has made great strides in promoting its cultural and leisure facilities. Bands, processions, dancing and selection of the “Rose”. The town’s main attraction is Kerry County Museum. Its theme park, “Kerry the Kingdom”, offers a show on Kerry scenery and a display of archaeological finds. The “Geraldine Experience” brings one back to medieval times. 

The Siamsa Tíre National Folk Theatre of Ireland is a great ambassador for Irish culture. Traditional song and dance performances take place here throughout the summer. The Barn, in Bunratty Folk Park, is the setting for a traditional Irish night during the summer months. Just outside Tralee is the authentic Blennerville Wind mill. Opposite the windmill is the Lee Valley Park, where a wetlands centre and eco-park opened in 2012. The Steam Railway connects the park with Tralee along a narrow gauge track. 

DUNBAR

 The little  east-coast town of Dunbar boasts Scotland's best sunshine records - as long as the haar (sea mist) stays offshore. A small resort that grew from a port, evidence of its early prosperity can be seen in elegant, handsome Georgian town houses. Dunbar was also a strategic place of defense, overlooking the main coastal route to Edinburgh. The shattered fragments of the town's castle - now home to nesting kittiwakes - still perch above the harbor. With a plenty of atmosphere and historic places of interest, Dunbar also makes a good excursion from Edinburgh, taking in North Berwick, another attractive little coastal resort, along the way.

 The East Beach, off Town Centre, Dunbar

 

A slightly faded but still attractive resort with some fine Georgian architecture, Dunbar shows its layers of history in its fragmentary castle, its two harbors (the first associated with Oliver Cromwell) and its handsome 17th-century town house with steeple.

CAUSEWAY COAST

 Northern Ireland's north coast has something for everyone: the Giant's Causeway, impressive cliffs, beaches, and the cheerful resorts of Portstewart and Portrush. This is the most exciting place to walk in Northern Ireland. The shorter of two circular walks takes you up the cliffs, above the Giant's Causeway, from where a great view of the columns clearly show in fact three causeway, the largest looking like a crocodile's snout.

ANTRIM COAST A drive of over sixty miles from Larne to Portrush offers one of the most spectacular scenic routes to be found anywhere, one of nature's displays of unspoiled beauty. The road weaves around the coastline with side roads leading off to the famed Glens of Antrim. Clearly visible, the Scottish coast and Rathlin Island rise from the sea, while the peculiar regular sided columns of the Giant's Causeway appear as stepping stones to these places.

WINDSOR

 The twin towns of Windsor and Eton, facing each other across the Thames, are synonymous with two great bastions of English privilege: Windsor Castle and Eton College. Towering above the pleasant town of Windsor, Windsor Castle has been inhabited by royalty since William the Conqueror's time and has grown to be the largest lived-in fortress in the world. Its most outstanding building is St. George's Chapel, one of the finest examples of Perpendicular architecture in existence.

Windsor, the Norman Gate

 

Go across the Thames River by Windsor Bridge to Eton College, founded by Henry VI in 1440. Britain's most famous and exclusive school, where boys wear tail coats and wing collars, has spawned 20 prime ministers. Like many private fee-paying schools in England, it is paradoxically called a "public" school.

WATERFORD

 Waterford, Ireland’s oldest city, was founded by Vikings in 914. Set in a commanding position by the estuary of the River Suir, it became southeast Ireland’s main seaport. From the 18th century, the city’s prosperity was consolidated by local industries, including the glassworks for which Waterford is famous. The strong commercial tradition persists today and Waterford’s port is still one of Ireland’s busiest. Following extensive archaeological excavations in the city centre, a new heart and atmosphere has been put into the old city with the creation of pedestrian precincts in the historic quarter and along the quays.

 Within the city of Waterford there is an abundance of interesting places to visits which has made WATERFORD CITY a mecca for the tourist. Waterford City has fast become an attractive tourist spot for holidaymakers who wish to enjoy the hustle and bustle of Waterford's popular night life and who also enjoy travelling around the County by day savouring the many historic sites and buildings which has made Waterford so popular.

HENLEY-ON-THAMES

Henley-on-Thames, set on a mile-long stretch of the Thames, is famous for its regatta, founded in 1839 and held every year in early July. At regatta times the banks are lined with hospitality tents and well-dressed spectators parade up and down. The river is also the focus for another annual event swan-upping, in late July. For 800 years the cygnets born to swans on the Thames have been caught and marked to distinguish their ownership.

 

Henley itself, which grew itself around a 12th-century river crossing, has a very attractive and compact town center with lots of half-timbered or soft-toned brick buildings of the 15th to 18th centuries. Look too for the flint and stone-checked 16th-century tower of St. Mary's Church, and the adjoining 15th-century Chantry House, timber-framed with jettied upper floors.

TYNE AND WEAR

 The landscape of Tyne and Wear is dominated by the River Tyne and River Wear characterized by the river bridges, including the icon Tyne Bridge, and the modern Millennium Bridge and complemented by green belts around the main conurbations. The main populations are centred in the cities of Newcastle upon Tyne, Sunderland, Gateshead, South Shields and Tynemouth.

 Sunderland * Tyne and Wear * South Shields
Cullercoats * Whitley Bay * North Shields

  

For a long time a great coal-producing center and worldleader in shipbuilding and engineering, Newcastle-upon-Tyne has suffered in the post-industrial age. First impressions are not promising, yet the city has a distinctive, austere beauty, while its heavily-accented citizens, called "Geordies", seem to have a permanent twinkle in their eye. Six great bridges span the Tyne. The city took its name from the "new castle" built in 1080; a later Norman keep can still be seen.

MONAGHAN

 The spruce and thriving town of Monaghan is the urban highlight of the northern Midlands. Planted by James I in 1613, it developed into a prosperous industrial centre, thanks mainly to the local manufacture of linen. Monaghan centres on three almost contiguous squares. The main attraction in Market Square is the 18th-century Market House, a squat but charming building with the original oak beams still visible. To the east lies Church Square, very much the heart of modern Monaghan and lined with dignified 19th-century buildings, such as the Classical-style courthouse. The third square, which is known as the Diamond, was the original marketplace.

 SWAN LAKE, MONAGHAN

The variety of holiday activities offered by Monaghan, the most northern county town in Lake Land leaves nothing to be desired. Shooting, swimming, water-skiing, golf and angling facilities all abound within easy reach of the town. Outside Monaghan is one of the countys most beautiful lakes, Swan Lake. Here the visitor can find the quiet peaceful atmosphere so typical of Ireland.

WELLS

 England’s smallest cathedral city, with a population of 10,000, lies at the foot of the Mendip Hills. Many believe the 800-year-old tiny cathedral of this Somerset city to be the most beautiful in England. Its outstanding feature is its west front, a huge screen adorned with some 300 angels, saints and kings. This unparalleled concentration of medieval sculpture would have looked even more spectacular at the time, when it was vividly painted.

Market Place and Cathedral

 

 In the surrounding moat, by the drawbridge, swans traditionally rang a bell with their beaks at feeding time. Among Wells' handsome streets of  old limestone houses, Vicar's Close is the pick of the bunch, cobbled and lined with 14-century cottages in which the clergy used to live. Wells Market Place has been a focal point of the City over the ages and still is today with a twice weekly market on Wednesday and Saturday selling local produce and goods.

 

LINCOLN

 With little else of outstanding interest in Lincolnshire, you'll probably have to travel out of your way to reach the small, backwater city of Lincoln. But you'll be rewarded by one of England's most splendid cathedrals, its colossal towers soaring above the flat countryside. Historic Lincoln occupies the uphill part of the city, above and separate from the modern and commercial center. At the top of Steep Hill, on one side of the square called Castle Hill, stands the Norman castle. The other side of the square leads to the west front of the cathedral, breathtaking for its size and abundance of arcading. Though part of the facade is Norman, the bulk of the church is a masterpiece of Gothic architecture.

 

For those fancying some retail therapy, Lincoln offers a great selection of shops. The city has a mixture of high street favorites and independent boutiques. Uphill Lincoln and the Bailgate is home to several antiques shops and the quaint cobbled streets are ideal for a leisurely afternoon window shopping.

Visit Lincoln, the beautiful historic city full of heritage and culture.

CARDIFF

 Cardiff – in Welsh ‘Caerdydd’ – is located on the Southern coast of Wales, at the mouth of the River Taff, about 150 miles west of London. Outsiders most readily associate the capital of Wales with Cardiff Arms Park, where stirring international rugby matches are played. Another famous association is the highly acclaimed Welsh National Opera. Cardiff was fairly insignificant until the 1830s, when the second Marquis of Bute began building docks to transport coal from the nearby valleys. 

Roath Park, Cardiff: The clock tower and promenade

    Nowadays the docks at Cardiff Bay are undergoing massive regeneration. The Welsh Industrial and Maritime Museum provides a full-scale introduction into the coal- and iron-ore industries through an exhibition on power and displays of old locomotives and boats, and Techniquest is an excellent and interesting hands-on science center.

BIRMINGHAM

 Birmingham, Britain's largest city after London, cannot be called beautiful; wrecked by city "planners" of the mid-20th century, it is a mess of flyover roads, industrial parks and sprawling suburbs. But it also has more canals than Venice (created as an early mass-transport system at the height of the Industrial Revolution in the late 18th and early 19th centuries) and a few splendid Victorian buildings, the legacy of its 19th-century wealth and industrial importance. Birmingham is part of an extensive canal network, a good escape from the jungle of roads and intersections.

 

The Bull Ring * Council House * New Street

 At Bournville, another major industry opens its doors to visitors: Cadbury World offers the chance to look around a chocolate factory established by the Cadbury family during the 19th century. While in Birmingham, do not pass up a chance to hear the top-quality City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra in its home at the Symphony Hall.

DOVER

     The Gateway to England

 To millions of vacationers, Dover is no more than a large, workaday port below white cliffs which constitute an evocative first and last sight of Britain. While wartime bombs deprived the town of much charm, it has been the most significant cross-Channel port since Roman times and there are a number of interesting historical sights. Magnificent Dover Castle looks out to France, just 17 miles away and easily visible on a clear day. Its 12th-century keep is surrounded by Victorian barracks and ramparts. Within the castle walls is the shell of the pharos, a Roman lighthouse used as a bell tower.

 

Castle from Market Square * The Beach * The White Cliffs of Dover

 

Plunging hundreds of feet into the sea, Dover’s chalk-white cliffs are an inspirational site and a symbol of England. They stay white because of the natural process of erosion. Because of this, you must be cautious when walking along the cliffs — experts recommend staying at least 20 feet from the edge. Cliffs has 5 miles of walking trails with some spectacular views.