Lisa's Travels

Posts Tagged ‘Britain’

Newcastle in the North East part of England is a favorite location for people looking for a short break. There are lots of different things to do and see as you would expect in most cities with a good selection of shopping, evening entertainment and eating places.

Newcastle has very good nightlife with abundant clubs as well as a converted ferryboat which is now a night club offering 7 rooms of different types of music. There is a good selection of dining choices offering outstanding food of different types extending from the usual Chinese and Italian to excellent bistros. If you do not want to go clubbing there is normally other options either a large music or show event in the Metro Radio Arena or one of the other favorite local venues.

The shops in Newcastle city center are acceptable however nearly all serious shoppers will go to nearby Gateshead to the Gateshead Metrocentre, which is by far the largest shopping area in the region. You will discover all the major brand stores as well as many other local ones so you will have lots of options to spend you money.

Getting to Newcastle is simple as there are a few options to take you there. Bus is usually the cheapest choice and will take you to the coach station in the city center. Going by rail is also a possible option however it can be more costly than the coach. Traveling by rail is direct from London and any other main rail station on the East Coast rail line. The other alternative for a trip to Newcastle from within Britain is to travel by car. Newcastle is only around a 3 hours drive from Manchester and you can get there from Leeds in about two hours.

Going to Newcastle by air is normally the fastest alternative and in many cases if you get a low-cost flight it could actually work out similar to the train fare. This is subject to when you book your airline tickets and the days when you go.

There are scores of different accommodation alternatives in Newcastle and it is easy to find a good deal for a hotel in a central part of Newcastle providing you with access to all that Newcastle has to offer. Make the most of your trip and plan beforehand you will not only save cash but you will have a better stay.

Make the most of your stay in Newcastle and find the best Newcastle flights and accommodation with tips from travel expert Brian Bain of travel web site Travel Bites

The historic city of York, England, is one of the highlights of a trip to the UK. With its fine medieval architecture, fascinating history and a long list of attractions its difficult to know what to do experience first. We talk about some of York’s top attractions in this article, including its popular ghost walks. Yes, did you know that York is reputed to be one of the most haunted cities in the world. This city is haunted by no less than 140 different ghosts, and with an amazing 500+ recorded hauntings it seems that every room, building or street seems to be haunted in this beautiful city.

The Minster, one of the finest and largest examples of Gothic cathedral in Northern Europe is also one of the oldest. The first church on the site was of wooden construction and was built in 627 to provide a place of baptism for Edwin, King of Northumbria. The minster has an amazing history – for example, the church was damaged in 1069 and repaired by the first Norman archbishop in 1070. Danish invaders destroyed much of the church in 1075, but it was rebuilt again around 1080, in the Norman style, the church now measuring 365 feet long.

Some essential sights for a visit to York:

York Minster We have already spoken a little about this magnificent gothic buiding but did you know that it has its own police force? Thats right, after an arson attack in 1829 that destroyed parts of the east transcept and south west tower the guardians of the cathedral were put in place to protect it.

The Shambles Walking down the shambles, you can notice the raised pavement each side of the main cobbled road which form a channel through which the blood and offal from the butchers who used to ply their trade here would wash away. This street really is medieval Britain in its finest preserved form. Don’t miss a visit here if you come to the city.

Clifford’s Tower This is one of the 2 forts built by William the Conqueror following his conquest and was originally designed as an important base for administering the north of England. In the later part of the 13th century, the keep was rebuilt in stone. It was given a quatrefoil plan, of which there is no other example in England. The keep later became known as Clifford’s Tower after Roger de Clifford, who was hanged there in 1322.

Jorvik Viking Museum York gets its current day name from the viking invaders that once conquered this city, calling it Yorvik. The Viking Centre is a popular visitor attraction in the UK where you can travel back in time and experience the sights, sounds and smells of what was formerly a great Viking city.

When looking for a hotel in York be sure to check out Guy Fawkes Inn, the birth place of Guy Fawkes. Guy Fawkes is a colourful figure of English history, born in 1570 and famous for his role as ringleader of the ‘Gunpowder Plot’ which attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament in London, on 5th November 1605. The plot failed however and the perpertrators hung. This is the source of the British celebrate ‘bonfire night’ festivities that take place each year around the 5th of November.

Guy Fawkes Inn is in a perfect location for exploring the city of York, located right opposite York Minster. All the rooms in this character townhouse are individual in character, ranging from comfortable twin or double rooms. The restaurant provides a good menu, and make sure you try one of the ales brewed specially for the inn, including beers such as The Conspirator, and the Guy Fawkes Ale.

Karen writes articles about the history and attractions of York England at the york england hotels guide which is also a good place to find york england hotels.