Kentwell Hall is not a “stately home”. But this large red brick manor, about 60 miles northeast of London, near the small Suffolk village of Long Melford, is one of the most interesting old English Tudor manors you’ll ever find. With unique Tudor architecture that, over the centuries has incorporated Gothic and Georgian classical influences, Kentwell has a plethora of interesting novelties to ... Read Full Article
Five Things You Need to Know About London
I love London and think you will too, if you give it a chance. The following Five Things You Need to Know About London, will, I am sure, win you over: It’s cheaper than you think It’s the stereotype that I hate the most: “London is super expensive”. Yes, it costs a fortune to buy a house, and you’ll hear locals complain about council taxes, fuel prices and the cost of parking. But unless ... Read Full Article
Stately Hever Castle: Icon of England’s Medieval Tudor Life
Fans of all things medieval who visit England wanting to get more bang for their tourist pound should seriously consider a day trip to stately Hever Castle. Only 30 miles southeast of Central London, this fascinating castle (dating from 1270) provided the backdrop to a sequence of tumultuous events that literally changed the course of Britain’s monarchy, religion and history. Located in ... Read Full Article
London: 5 Less-famous Parks Where You can Relax with the Locals
On those rare and wonderful days when the sun does shine, there is no better place to enjoy it than in one of London's parks. Most visitors are already familiar with Hyde Park, Regent's Park and Green Park, so we won't waste time going through long explanations about how lovely they are. Instead, here are some tips to lovely outdoor spaces where you will find the locals lapping up the ... Read Full Article
Touring London in the Footsteps of the Beatles
“It’s been a hard day’s night and I’ve been working like a dog...” The song keeps running through my head as I approach Marylebone Station in London where I am meeting a group tour to follow in the footsteps of the Beatles around London. Marylebone Station was where the opening scenes of the Beatles’ movie, Hard Days Night, was filmed in 1964, a comedy describing a couple of days in the ... Read Full Article
Warwick Castle: The Ultimate Castle Adventure
Who would think that a visit to a castle could be as much fun as a day at Disneyland? Warwick Castle in Warwickshire, England is just that, minus the rides. There’s so much to see and do there, it’s worth a full days visit if not more. My cousin and I visited Warwick Castle this summer. I’ve always had a fascination with castles and British history so this was a special days ... Read Full Article
London: A See It All Weekend
For my 21st birthday, my Mom treated me to my first trip to Europe.¨We can go anywhere you want,¨she said, spreading the continent out before me like a treasure map. Naturally, I could think of no place more exciting than Paris... and Santorini had always been a dream destination. So those were my top choices. A family friend lived in London, so we decided to tack on a few days there too ... Read Full Article
London’s Cheap Youth Hostels
London is an expensive city, so if you're young and happy to go with the flow, staying in a hostel might be a great way to save your pennies, (or pence to be more accurate.) Here are our favorite London youth hostels Astor's Quest Hostel - Inexpensive The Astor hostels, established in 1974 as the first independent youth hostels in London, are aimed at 18-3o year old backpackers. The Quest Hostel ... Read Full Article
A Layover in London: Transform a Hassle into an Opportunity
Connecting flights, and the inevitable layovers between, used to be a source of dread for weary, long-haul travelers. But nowadays, these lost hours can be converted into an eventful (and fun) part of your vacation. If you're flying to Europe (or even Africa) and have a scheduled stop in London, why not transform a hassle into an opportunity? By extending your stop into an overnight stay ... Read Full Article
London on Foot: a Haunted House and Jack the Ripper
There are endless possibilities for discovering London on foot, but this time I felt a need to indulge in an exploration of the macabre. Evoke before your inner eye the image of swirling London fog barely penetrated by the yellow light of gas street lamps. Imagine unsavory characters up to no good lurking in the depth of alleys; or ghosts in haunted houses rattling their chains and frightening ... Read Full Article