Western Europe’s most populous country doesn’t always spring to mind as a low-cost destination. However, in a place this big and diverse, there will always be a smarter way to spend your euros.
21.07.2023 - 07:53 / roughguides.com
From ornate Victorian water towers to quirky old railway stations, Britain is bursting with unusual places to stay. Try one from this list below, and you'll refuse to stay in a Travelodge ever again. These are some of the most interesting places to stay in England, Scotland and Wales.
Way before the “glamping” revolution, a campsite near Whitby started putting people up in vintage caravans, ranging from an Elvis-themed period piece to an authentic chrome Roma full of etched glass. The kitsch factor proved so popular they’ve now opened a hotel in town and stuffed it full of high-camp Victoriana – think Naughty Nineties meets eBay – with themed rooms dedicated to everyone from Bram Stoker to Angela Carter.
Planning your trip to Yorkshire? Don't miss our guide to the best things to do in Yorkshire.
The Victorians were a clever bunch. Instead of wasting their energy on a heating system to stop water towers from freezing, they just re-routed flues from below, channelling hot smoke up through the centre of the tanks. But as the ornate iron railings and twisting staircases of Appleton Water Tower in Norfolk attest, they still had a taste for fanciful design. When you gaze out over the Sandringham Estate from your warm octagonal bedroom, you might just thank them for it.
Stick your neck out of Livingstone Safari Lodge at Port Lympne Wild Animal Park and you might see a giraffe sniffing around in the early morning light. Here, in the hundred or so acres of Kent countryside that rolls away from your private veranda, there are herds of grazing wildebeest, zebra and antelope. Keep your eyes on the glistening watering-holes and you might even spot a hippo poking its nostrils above the surface. The accommodation is fairly basic, but who cares when you’re waking up to one of the best views this side of Africa?
There used to be a time when train travel was fun, even glamorous – and a far cry from today’s dreaded commuter run. At the Old Railway Station at Petworth, near Chichester, the golden age of rail lingers on, from the gorgeous vaulted guest hall, once a busy ticket office, to the chocolate-brown Edwardian Pullman carriages, which house colonial-style guest rooms. All that’s missing, in fact, is the railway line, which closed in 1966. So drop your bags, stop for a cream tea, and thank God you’ve got nowhere to go.
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The flat, marshy landscape of north Norfolk does wonders for Cley Windmill. Those white latticed sails just wouldn’t stand out as well among rolling green hills. But the flat terrain has caused problems too; in the 1950s, a great flood put the mill under eight feet of water. Now, the eighteenth-century tower has been graciously restored, and guests are invited to curl up with a book under the
Western Europe’s most populous country doesn’t always spring to mind as a low-cost destination. However, in a place this big and diverse, there will always be a smarter way to spend your euros.
A recent report released from travel marketing engine Sojern, analyzed travel trends from January 2015 to April 2016 and found the top international destinations for U.S. travelers as well as the top emerging and declining international spots.
Jacob Keanik scanned his binoculars over the field of ice surrounding our sailboat. He was looking for the polar bear that had been stalking us for the past 24 hours, but all he could see was an undulating carpet of blue-green pack ice that stretched to the horizon. “Winter is coming,” he murmured. Jacob had never seen Game of Thrones and was unaware of the phrase’s reference to the show’s menacing hordes of ice zombies, but to us, the threat posed by this frozen horde was equally dire. Here in remote Pasley Bay, deep in the Canadian Arctic, winter would bring a relentless tide of boat-crushing ice. If we didn’t find a way out soon, it could trap us and destroy our vessel—and perhaps us too.
Glasgow has a rich history and culture, with plenty of attractions to explore like the Glasgow Cathedral and Necropolis, or the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. The city also offers lively nightlife, excellent shopping opportunities, some of the best live music venues in Scotland, an ever-growing selection of world-class restaurants and cafes, and an array of cultural activities like theatre, dance, and art galleries. These Glasgow Airbnb rentals put you close to everything.
For five days of the year each summer, the somewhat soulless exhibition centre in Earls Court is transformed into a giant pub (pictured above). Or at least that’s what it feels like. Gone are the trade stalls and suited delegates, replaced by an army of (mostly bearded) volunteers manning hundreds of kegs, dispensing beers few people have ever heard of to thousands of squiffy punters – a lot of whom are wearing traffic-cone hats or sombreros for no apparent reason.
Britain is a nation bursting with song. While this most musical of islands has nurtured numerous world-class singers and bands, it almost bursts with festivals and concerts all year round. Here's five favourite escapes for music fans. Add yours below.
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In a city where it’s possible to pay up to US$250 for a rib eye steak, it is no surprise that most feel daunted at the prospect of visiting the pricy Russian capital, Moscow . Yet there are plenty of quirky cafés, hidden restaurants and expat haunts that will not break your budget. Here is a selection of some of the city’s best.
The Ridgeway really is as old as the hills — well, almost. For over 5000 years, travellers, farmers, soldiers and, more recently, cyclists have followed this 87-mile-long trackway (pictured above) between Avebury in Wiltshire and Ivinghoe Beacon in Buckinghamshire — part of an ancient trading route that once stretched from the Dorset coast all the way to Norfolk. The chalky downland ridge that comprises the Ridgeway's western half is open to cyclists all year round, and provides a moderately challenging 42-mile ride.
If you fancy indulging your inner artist on your next British break, try one of these excellent galleries and art spaces across Britain.
Get up close to nature with our pick of the ten best wildlife sites across the UK, and let us know your own top British wildlife experiences below.
It's that fateful A-level results day again, when hundreds of thousands of hard-working students will be taking one last trip back to school to discover the outcome of those arduous and intense exams they took at the beginning of the summer. Essentially, two years of hard work will all culminate in one single letter today, and while many will be hoping they got the grade for their first choice university, others will start looking for adventure as they begin a gap year.