Taking a one night mini-break in Britain gives us a chance to get away from the routine and enjoy new things to see and do without wasting too much time travelling and wasting time in airport departure lounges. Whether you are looking for a city getaway or a quite night in a top quality hotel; in the countryside there are plenty of options to choose from.
London
London is the most popular place in Britain for a break with an overnight stay, and in many ways it is the most beautiful city in Europe despite what they say about Paris. Without Christopher Wren who rebuilt the city after the Great Fire, it would have a very different face. St Paul’s Cathedral, along with 58 churches were built by him as were Hampton Court and Kensington Palaces, Morden and Old Royal naval Colleges, the Royal Hospital and Royal Observatory, and the theatre Royal Drury Lane. London also has some of the finest museums in the world including the British Museum, the Victoria and Albert, the Natural History and the Science Museums. Add to that list the Houses of Parliament, the Tower of London and Trafalgar Square along with its many open spaces and modern attractions such as the London Eye and you discover a thriving city like no other on the planet. Of course the night life is legendary too, as is theatre land, so why not combine your overnight stay in London with a visit to one of the city’s famous shows with a London theatre break?
Edinburgh
Next to London the most visited city in Britain is Edinburgh. It is an accessible city with two mainline railway stations, Waverley and Haymarket, with direct links from London, Newcastle, York, Leeds, and Birmingham. The journey time from London is five hours, though Edinburgh airport is just a few miles away from the centre of the city and there are domestic flights from many British cities. Edinburgh has a rich and fascinating history. There are cobbled streets, ancient alleys and walkways to explore, the famous Princes Street and George Street with some of the city’s best shops, the Grassmarket and Royal Mile, and of course Edinburgh Castle which dates back to the 12th century and dominates the skyline. One of the features of Edinburgh that make it ideal for an overnight stay is that the city is so compact that you can reach all of its wonders on foot without having to take a taxi or a bus.
Portsmouth
As an island nation Britain famously ruled the waves, and we have a rich nautical history. There is no place better to discover all about it than visiting the town of Portsmouth. This dynamic city on the waterfront boasts many enthralling attractions including monuments to its maritime heritage, excellent galleries and museums, great shopping, fantastic restaurants, and a wonderful seafront that stretches for miles. The most important attraction is the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard which includes the Mary Rose Museum, the historic ships the HMS Victory and the HMS Warrior, the newly restored HMS Alliance which is the last remaining World War Two sea going submarine in Britain, the Royal Navy Museum, and the Actions Stations exhibition that provides an interactive experience of the kind of modern high technology that is used in today’s Royal Navy.
