ENGLAND

ENGLAND - TRAVEL INFO AND ITINERARIES

(Psssst: if you like Britain, check out also this car trip through the rugged landscapes of Scotland.)

Cornwall and the Channel: travel itinerary and travel info
Few people travel to England to visit its seaside resorts, and for some good reasons: the climate and the cold sea water are just two examples. However, there are also very good reasons to visit the southern coasts of Britain, especially if you are spending some time in and around London for working, studying or having sex.
Cornwall boasts picturesque fishing villages (St Ives, Penzance, Newquay, Mevagissey...), green hills and dramatic cliffs, such as those of Lands' End. Tintagel Castle is perched over the sea and it's the first monument that should really be visited. But perhaps Mount St. Michael will be even more surprising. It's the English answer to the French Mont St Michel. It is an abbey perched on a small island. With the low tide, an ancient cobblestone path and a strip of sand suddenly appear, connecting the island to the mainland.
If you are in for some sports, there are beautiful hiking trails: the Cornish Coastal Path offers the opportunity to walk for hundreds of kilometers along the coasts of South-West England. Also surfers (wearing a warm wetsuit) will be very happy thanks to the ocean waves.
Leaving Cornwall and heading along the coast, towards East, during your travel itinerary you'll meet the seaside resort of Bournemouth before arriving in Portsmouth, where you can embark for the famous Isle of Wight. Here you will find white and coloured cliffs, green meadows and good pubs. The beautiful beaches suggest that this island, as well as Cornwall, is in England only by accident.

The Isle of Wight also offers the chance to get badly drunk at extreme rave parties. Moreover, it is excellent for sailing and the "Cowes Week" is a famous event featuring fascinating regattas.
True, on the English Channel the weather is what it is. Even in summer, you might catch a cold one day and burn under a hot sun the day after. You have to be ready for everything, but you know, that's life. Otherwise, it would be boring.
CONTINUE READING UNDER THE PHOTOS...

... Back on the coast and proceeding further east you'll meet Brighton. It's a decadent and vibrant city. The beach is less fascinating than the ones mentioned so far, but, on the other hand, there are good pubs, a hippie atmosphere and the Royal Pavilion, a weird building that looks more Arabic than English.
Although the beach is not a dream, it has its own charm and offers numerous activities, from surfing to sailing to playing beach volleyball.
Further east, the coast boasts the famous "White Cliffs", on top of which there are endless trails.
Among the white cliffs, it is worth mentioning the village of Birling Gap. In the village itself there is nothing apart from a pub (a must for every English town), but from here you can walk for miles and miles to explore long stretches of deserted beaches at the foot of the cliffs (be careful at high tide). There's a little sand and a lot large white stones, but there's still a lot of space to go jogging, explore, play and copulate in freedom. Above all, the views are wonderful. With a long walk you can reach the Belle Tout lighthouse at the foot of the highest white cliffs, the one of Beachy Head. The top of this hill can be reached by walking along the green meadows above the cliffs.
In conclusion, it is a very good idea to spend at least a week exploring the south of England. In case of good weather, you will enjoy a beach holiday in unique places that have nothing to envy to more well-known resorts. The beaches and the stunning cliffs will come together with British organization, adrenaline-pumping activities, pubs, fish and chips and beer.

London and other historic English cities: travel itinerary and travel info
Everyone knows London and still knows nothing about it. There's more information about the English capital than about the Wags' tits. If you want (probably not) I list just few ideas to enjoy London that come up to my mind.
Go see the jugglers at Covent Garden on a Saturday afternoon; watch a play at Shakespeare's Globe, for example "A midsummer night's dream"; admire the fireworks over St. Paul Cathedral as seen from the south bank; visit Richmond Park; enter the Wimbledon Grand Slam tournament (as a spectator, not as a tennis player); enjoy a funny musical such as "We will rock you" or one by Monthy Python (a good knowledge of English is useful); look on the internet (e.g. on the Timeout website) for events of all kinds; drink a hot chocolate in a winter afternoon on the top floor of a well-stocked library; wander in the evening between Leicester Square and Piccadilly.
London dominates the scene on the other English cities. However, tourists will find many jewels scattered across England. For example, the monumental towns of Oxford, Cambridge, Windsor, Salisbury, Winchester, Canterbury... there is ample choice. Also unknown ancient villages, such as Arundel, offer some surprises (in this case a castle and the pub where I ate the best moussaka of my life... yes, I know, moussaka is a greek dish: life is unpredictable and it feels so good). Then there are Bath and the English countryside. I would avoid Stonehenge: large stones thrown on a lawn long time ago. Of course, the history and the misteries and blah blah blah. But I'm busy, you know.
So, as always, wandering randomly between cities, towns and villages is an excellent idea. The car gives you freedom, but, if you are in London and you want to get our, consider the long distance buses (there's National Express and many other companies that provide these services). They are a really cheap solution, especially if booked in advance. And after this prosaic conclusion, enjoy the photos! (if you haven't done it yet).

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