Travel Guide to England

Population: 50 Million

Language: English

Time Zone: GMT

Capital: London

Currency: UK Pound

The thatched cottage, the country pub, the cup of tea and the Sunday roast is the idyllic image of "Olde England", that many visitors have. England is often imagined through a set of stereotypical images; the English policeman, the red London Bus; London's Tower Bridge; village cricket; Big Ben; green fields and rain. Many of these are connected with London and sadly some visitors only visit the nation's capital and don't venture further. This is a pity since England is so varied geographically, culturally and meteorologically!

Cornwall, Devon, Somerset and Dorset in the south-west have unique environments with two National Parks, 14 Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and 638 km of coast. The landscape varies from deep valleys, to flat peat lands; from exposed moors to chalk lands to rolling hills., and from rugged rocky beaches, to shingle beaches to soft golden sandy beaches. The choice of holiday accommodation reflects this variety, with cottage rental, apartment rental and farmhouses available to rent, right across the region.

Along the south coast the landscape is rich and fertile and the area is easily accessible from the continent with all the main ferry crossing points located here. Kent, the Garden of England is lush and green and contrasts with the wilder East coast. Every few miles there is another tiny fishing village to be explored. The Norfolk Broads is a holiday destination all by itself for water based activities. When you visit Lincolnshire, why not try and find Robin Hood and Sherwood Forest?

The North-East boasts two World Heritage Sites, one of which, Hadrian's Wall, is unmissable as a holiday destination. It marks the northernmost extent of the Roman Empire and is just one of many hundreds of well-preserved Roman sites to be found in England.

The central region, the Heart of England, is the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, the home of Wedgwood pottery and is Shakespeare Country. England has a superb transport infrastructure, ferry and rail links to the continent and a dozen international airports making this island accessible to the world.