England
A fascinating mix of history and inspiration
England-Britain's biggest country
England is the biggest country in Britain, and is home to the largest city in Europe. It's also home to over 600 miles of beautiful coastline and some of the world's top tourist attractions. England is divided into 9 distinct regions, each with its own unique personality, history and culture - from the rolling hills of the Cotswolds and charming Cornish villages to the bustling city life of London and the dramatic coastlines of the North East. So no matter what kind of holiday you want, you'll find the perfect destination in England.
London
The Houses of Parliament's iconic clock tower is one of London's most famous landmarks. Don't leave London without visiting Big Ben!
The Houses of Parliament and Elizabeth Tower, commonly called Big Ben, are among London's most iconic landmarks. Technically, Big Ben is the name given to the massive bell inside the clock tower, which weighs more than 13 tons (13,760 kg). The clock tower looks spectacular at night when the four clock faces are illuminated.
Oxford & Cambridge
The "City of Dreaming Spires"
Elegant, dignified timeworn buildings have inspired generations of scholars (including Bill Clinton in the 1970s) and writers, including Lewis Carroll who wrote "Alice in Wonderland" here.
Manchester
Old Trafford
Old Trafford is a football stadium and the home of Manchester United.
Manchester United-the Red Devils
Manchester United are known as the Red Devils. Sir Matt Busby settled upon the Red Devils after watching Salford rugby club tour France with this nickname, whilst wearing red shirts. Busby liked the intimidating name and a devil logo soon began to appear on club merchandise, such as the official match programme and Man United scarves.
York
York Minster-One of the world's most magnificent cathedrals
York Minster is the largest Medieval Gothic Cathedral in Northern Europe and one of Britain's most popular visitor attractions. At least a million people visit it per year. The Great East Window, currently being restored and cleaned, was completed in 1408. As big as a tennis court, it is the largest expanse of Medieval stained glass in the world.
Facts about England
England is part of both Great Britain and the United Kingdom. It covers a total area of 130,478 square kilometres - 57 per cent of the whole island, and its capital is London. England is divided into 34 counties. The population of England is 50,762,900 (2006). The overall population density of 376 persons/square kilometre is one of the highest in the world.
The national emblem of England is the Rose. Just as the United States is personified as Uncle Sam, so England often appears in caricature as either 'Britannia', a heroic female figure holding a trident (the symbol of sea power), or as 'John Bull' a goodhumoured, well-fed country gentleman personifying determination and common sense. The patron saint of England is St George, whose feast is celebrated on 23 April (also Shakespeare's birthday).
Transportation in London
Underground
The London Underground (also known as the Underground or the Tube) is a public metro system serving a large part of Greater London and parts of the home counties of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex. The system serves 270 stations and has 402 kilometres (250 mi) of track, 55 per cent of which is actually above ground. It incorporates the world's first underground railway, which opened in 1863 and now forms part of the Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines, as well as the first line to operate underground electric trains, in 1890, now part of the Northern line.[3] The network has expanded to consist of 11 lines and in 2011/12 it carried over 1 billion passengers.
London to Dublin, Ireland travel
Train & ferry routes Britain to Ireland See detailed map
Which route? The route via Holyhead (Stena Line or Irish Ferries) is the traditional route from London to Dublin & most of Ireland including Cork, Limerick, Galway. Rosslare is handy for Wexford & Waterford, but not well linked to Cork or Limerick. For London to Belfast use either Holyhead or Cairnryan, see theNorthern Ireland page. Map of Irish rail network.
Dublin,Republic of Ireland
Dublin: UNESCO city of Literature
Dublin (/ˈdʌblɨn/; locally /ˈdʊbᵊlən/; Irish: Baile Átha Cliath, meaning "town of the hurdled ford", pronounced [blʲaˈklʲiə] or Áth Cliath, [aː klʲiə], occasionally Duibhlinn) is the capital and most populous city of Ireland.[3][4]
The English name for the city is derived from the Irish name Dubhlinn, meaning "black pool". Dublin is situated in the province of Leinster near the midpoint of Ireland's east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey and the centre of the Dublin Region.
Birthplace of James Joyce and Nobel Prize for Literature winners William Butler Yeats, George Bernard Shaw and Samuel Beckett, Dublin is one of the literary capitals of the world and was designated UNESCO City of Literature in 2010. Dublin’s literary tradition dates back over a thousand years when monks would transcribe the bible into beautiful manuscripts. The best surviving example of which, The Book of Kells dating from 800 AD, is on show at Trinity College.