I’m off to London next month to attend the World Travel Market. I started to compare hotels in London for convenience of getting both to the Excel Exhibition Centre in the Docklands and peripheral events in the West End. It seemed to me that the area near the Tower Bridge was ideal. Now I’ve heard [...]

If you’re visiting the UK capital why not try to time your trip to see some London ceremonies described below by Andrea Kirkby. While there are several well known London Ceremonies such as the Changing of the Guard for instance and Trooping the Colour in the summer; then in autumn, it’s the State Opening of [...]

The Black Bull pub is located in the hamlet of Etal in North Northumberland and is the only thatched pub in the county. We had lunch there on a weekday in late August 2011. Exterior of The Black Bull

The United Kingdom (UK) comprises of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.  If you’re looking for ideas for what to do in the UK, here are some great travel tips from the Europe a la Carte team. ENGLAND Cool Off at the Diana Memorial Fountain, Hyde Park You may dangle your feet in the refreshing [...]

As someone from far away – Australia – it took me a couple of trips to England to learn that there is so much more to the nation than just the capital city of London. And for Englanders, I think it’s sometimes all to easy to think a holiday should involve leaving the country. However [...]

Cleanliness may be next to godliness but it can also be very boring as all little children know. Filth is much more fascinating; which is why the current (until the end of August 2011) ‘DIRT’ exhibition at the Wellcome Collection is such an alluring show. Andrea Kirkby tells us about her recent visit to the [...]

I can’t believe that it’s taken more than five years of living in Berwick upon Tweed to get around to visiting Chain Bridge Honey Farm which lies around three miles outside the town, easily accessible from the A1. I did try to visit one weekend in low season but it’s only open on weekdays from [...]

The English city of Plymouth, on the south coast of Devon, stands tall in Britain’s maritime history, being the home to Sir Francis Drake and the place where Captain James Cook set off from when he discovered my homeland, Australia! But Plymouth is not only an interesting place for travellers interested in ships and exploration, [...]

I visited Northam Castle in North Northumberland on a Sunday morning in April 2011. It’s managed by English Heritage and is free to enter. Do check on their site before heading to the castle as opening days vary through the year.  The castle was originally built to defend a ford over the River Tweed which [...]

While Bristol may not be the city that jumps to your mind when you think of planning a holiday, it is apparently fourth on the list of the most visited cities in England, and when you discover the long list of interesting sights to see in Bristol, you won’t be surprised. As the hometown of  [...]