England

London is the start and finish point for most international tourists. It offers countless museums and historical attractions. To truly experience England, however, you must venture out of the hustle and bustle of the capital and see what the rest of England has to offer. You will find the rest of England very different to its capital city; indeed, if you only visit London, you haven't seen 'England' - you've seen one city that bears few similarities with the rest of the country.

If short on time, you may find it more convenient to base yourself in a regional city and take day trips to the National Parks, coast and smaller towns. If you have plenty of time, then you could base yourself in a B&B Bed and Breakfast in any of the above. You will find that public transport to and within cities and large towns is acceptable, but that in smaller places off the beaten track then you should research your journey carefully, or consider hiring a car.

Popular places to visit include the counties of Yorkshire and Cornwall, the National Parks listed above, and the historic cities such as York, Bath and Lincoln.

If short on time, then it is possible to use larger cities as a base for day trips, either by train or coach. For example Leeds, the largest city in Yorkshire makes a great base for day trips to the Yorkshire Dales, North Yorkshire Moors, York and Whitby, whilst offering its own selection of attractions such as the Royal Armories, famed nightlife, theatre and designer shopping in stunning Victorian Era arcades.

Similarly Plymouth makes a good base for exploring Dartmoor, whilst allowing day trips to Cornwall, whilst offering its own range of attractions and museums.

If you have a little longer, you may be able to spend a week more locally based, for example staying in Ambleside in the Lake District.

preservation trusts

A number of 'umbrella' organisations are devoted to the preservation and public access of both natural and cultural heritage. Membership with them, even on a temporary basis, means priority free access to their properties thereafter - travellers to England seeking to see a large number of sights would do well to join one or more of them:

English Heritage
(http://www.english-herita...).

the National Trust (http://www.nationaltrust....).

English Heritage has an especially wide-ranging remit and manages more than 400 significant buildings and Monuments in England. They also maintain a register of thousands of "listed" buildings (http://www.english-herita...), those which are considered of most importance to the historic and cultural heritage of the country.