First of all, United Kingdom is a country, which is usually associated with the land of hundreds of castles, lots of theme excursions, royal family and unshakeable traditions.
Among all the main tourist destinations of the country the most popular sightseeings are: Windsor Castle, the dwelling of the royal family, Lincoln, the oldest fortress in England, York, one of the most beautiful medieval cities in England, Lake district with its picturesque landscapes and tiny villages, Nottingham, the motherland of Robin Hood, Oxford, the most ancient university of England and a city with very beautiful architecture and, of course, Stonehenge, the world-wide known mysterious sightseeing of the country.
Chester is a city, full of various excursions even for the most experienced travelers. And don’t forget about the Shakespeare’s house, Big Ben, the London Eye and all those wonderful sightseeings that are concentrated in the capital of the country!
The main things that everyone should do, while staying in the United Kingdom are: taking a ride on the famous red double-decker, visiting a local pub, going to the most popular nightclubs of Manchester, taking a photo at the Prime Meridian at Greenwich, trying to solve the secrets of Stonehenge and admiring the gorgeous city view from the London Eye!
General information Area:
244,820 sq km (94,526 sq mi)
Government:
Constitutional monarchy (but without written constitution)
Languages:
The UK does not de jure have an official language but the predominant spoken tongue is English . Scots , a language descended from early northern Middle English, is recognised at European level and is not just a dialect of English. There are also four Celtic languages in use in the UK: Welsh , Irish Gaelic (generally just referred to as Irish ), Scottish Gaelic and Cornish . In the 2001 Census over a fifth (21%) of the population of Wales said they could speak Welsh. The Census in Northern Ireland showed that (10.4%) people "had some knowledge of Irish". Just under 2% of the population in Scotland had some Gaelic language ability.
Across the United Kingdom, it is generally compulsory for pupils to study a second language. French and German are the two most commonly taught second languages in England and Scotland. In Wales, all pupils up to age 16 are either taught in Welsh or taught Welsh as a second language.
Religions:
Christianity is the main religion in England with the Church of England (Anglican) as the Established Church: the church retains a representation in the UK Parliament, and the British monarch is a member of the church as well as its Supreme Governor. About 56% of the British population are Anglicans, while 10% confess the Roman Catholic Church which is the second largest Christian church in the country. There are also growing Orthodox, Evangelical and Pentecostal churches, with Pentecostal churches in England now third after the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church in terms of church attendance. Other large Christian groups include Methodists and Baptists. The presbyterian Church of Scotland is recognised as the national church of Scotland.
According to the Office for National Statistics, the total number of Muslims in the UK in 2008 was 2,422,000 (3.9%). Over 1 million people follow religions of Indian origin: 560,000 Hindus, 340,000 Sikhs with about 150,000 practising Buddhism.
A 2007 survey showed that only one in ten Britons actually attend church weekly.There is also a large and growing atheist and agnostic population with 9.1 million (15% of the UK population) claiming no religion.
Electricity:
230V / 50 Hz (British plug)
Tips:
Waiters in British restaurants generally expect a 10% tip (but all too often do not get it from the native population) and in some places this is automatically listed on your bill. However, if you are dissatisfied with the service in any way, you are under no obligation to pay the service charge. Generally British people are not great tippers. As a visitor the 10% rule is more than generous and worth sticking to. Visitors from the US and Canada are seen as very generous tippers and even a bit of a soft touch by some.
Visas:
Citizens of other member states of the European Union for the most part do not require an entry visa so do nationalities from a number of (both) American, Asian, African and Oceanic countries. However, tourists from much more countries or territorial entities are strictly required a visa prior to visiting the United Kingdom.
All UK visa applicants are required to provide biometric data (10-digit fingerprints and a biometric digital photograph) as part of the application process. You will have to go to your nearest visa application centre in person to provide your biometrics. All non-EU visitors should expect to be asked by the Immigration Officer upon arrival to demonstrate that they have a) a return ticket to leave the United Kingdom, b) a valid address at which they will be staying in the United Kingdom and c) sufficient funds with which to support themselves during their stay. An inability to demonstrate these three basics may lead to a refusal of leave to enter or a grant of restricted leave. (For more information of UK Immigration and visa requirements, see the British Home Office website. )
Airports:
London Heathrow Airport (LHR ) is the world's busiest international airport. Situated 15 miles west of Central London, Heathrow offers a large choice of international destinations, with direct flights to most countries in the world. The Britan's second busiest gateway, London Gatwick Airport (LGW ), which is situated 30 miles south of London in Sussex, also offers a wide range of international flights. London Stansted Airport (STN ) in Essex, and London Luton Airport (LTN ) in Bedfordshire, are hubs for budget airlines who offer direct flights to a wide range of European destinations. London City Airport (LCY ) is the most central airport in London, situated 7 miles east of Central London, but mainly serves business passengers to the main financial centers in Europe.
Outside London, many of the regional airports offer a wide range of routes. Manchester International Airport (MAN ) in the north of England is the UK's third-largest airport serving many European and long-haul destinations. Liverpool John Lennon Airport (LPL ), in North West England, is the UK's fastest-growing airport and is taking on more and more flights. Leeds Bradford International Airport (LBA ) offers many cheap flights to Europe and beyond.
Cardiff International (CWL ) is the main international airport in Wales. Scotland's capital Edinburgh Airport (EDI ) serves more than 100 destinations worldwide. Almost as busy as Edinburgh's is another Scotland's Glasgow International Airport (GLA ) serving 90 destinations. There are two more airports in Scotland - Aberdeen Airport( (ABZ ) and Glasgow Prestwick Airport (PIK ). The two main airports in Northern Ireland are Belfast International Airport (BFS ) and George Best Belfast City Airport (BHD ).
Have you always wanted to visit this country but didn't know where to start?
