I hope you enjoyed the March 2019 recommendations as I've got plenty more ideas for April. There's so much to see and do, we hope you can incorporate some of these into your upcoming trips (or plan for next year)! This month moves us properly into spring so nature is bringing us more colourful flowers and those well known 'April showers' will keep them well watered. Easter is … [Read more...] about What’s On Around Britain in April 2019 – Easter Celebrations, St George’s Day, Queen’s Birthday, Flower and Garden Shows and More!
Family Travel
Exploring the Longleat Festival of Lights in Wiltshire
For the last few years, Longleat's premiere winter attraction has been a beautiful festival of lights on the ground surrounding the classic stately home. It takes them all year to prepare and it's become a hallmark of Christmas travel across southwest England. We love Longleat house - it's beautiful and rich in history. The Safari park is also a lot of fun. So, the yearly light … [Read more...] about Exploring the Longleat Festival of Lights in Wiltshire
Announcing Our New Partnership With the Royal Oak Foundation – America’s National Trust Partner – Save 20% On Joining!
We’ve been fans of the Royal Oak Foundation for years and have written about them many times. For those not familiar with them, Royal Oak is the American affiliate of the National Trust. Membership there gets you access to all the National Trust properties in Britain but it also has many other benefits. We’re very excited to announce that we’ve entered a year-long partnership … [Read more...] about Announcing Our New Partnership With the Royal Oak Foundation – America’s National Trust Partner – Save 20% On Joining!
Top 10 Britain: Royal Oak’s Top Ten National Trust Self-Catering Cottage Rentals in Britain To Book For Your Next Trip
Most people who have lived in Britain or visited are familiar with the National Trust, and yet many don’t know that the National Trust owns hundreds of hotels, cottages, and other types of accommodations. Below is a list of some of our favorite National Trust cottages. Become a Royal Oak member today and get free entry to over 500 National Trust properties in the U.K. … [Read more...] about Top 10 Britain: Royal Oak’s Top Ten National Trust Self-Catering Cottage Rentals in Britain To Book For Your Next Trip
Victorian Time Machine: A Visit to Blists Hill Victorian Village – Tons of Photos Inside
It's no secret around here that I love British History. So, when an opportunity presented itself to visit a living history museum in the Midlands of England, I jumped at the chance. Blists Hill is a miraculous place where you can step back in time to the Victorian era. Well, to a sanitized version of the Victorian era where not everything is terrible, at least. I loved the … [Read more...] about Victorian Time Machine: A Visit to Blists Hill Victorian Village – Tons of Photos Inside
Christmas on Gold Hill: Experiencing a Very English Christmas in Shaftesbury, Dorset
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in Issue #4 of the Anglotopia Magazine in 2016. Support great long-form writing about Britain by subscribing to the Anglotopia Magazine, a quarterly love letter to England. On a cold December night, as we digested the consumption of a rather unsuccessful Christmas, Mrs. Anglotopia and I began to look ahead at the coming year. … [Read more...] about Christmas on Gold Hill: Experiencing a Very English Christmas in Shaftesbury, Dorset
Anglotopia Imports Alert: New Products Added – Marvellous Maps Imported from the UK
Welcome Back to Anglotopia Imports! It's time to launch a new product at Anglotopia Imports. We've been wanting to bring over the maps made by Strumpshaw, Tincleton & Giggleswick’s Marvellous Maps for quite some time and we're thrilled to be the only company offering them here in the United States. I've been pouring over the Great British Adventure Map for hours … [Read more...] about Anglotopia Imports Alert: New Products Added – Marvellous Maps Imported from the UK
Guest Post: Top Ten Tips for a Driving Tour in the Scottish Highlands, by adeo Travel
Written by Darryl Walters, Product Manager at adeo Travel, Britain. I recently attended an annual travel conference in Glasgow, Scotland; the contracting, logistics and financials of the travel industry aren’t incredibly glamourous but one of the great advantages of working in travel is that when we do attend such events, it makes sense to take the opportunity to get out and … [Read more...] about Guest Post: Top Ten Tips for a Driving Tour in the Scottish Highlands, by adeo Travel
Great British Buildings – Brighton Pier
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the third issue of the Anglotopia Magazine in August 2016. Check out the Anglotopia Print Magazine here. Brighton has long been a holiday destination for the United Kingdom. Beginning in the 18th century, Brighton started to transform from a declining fishing village into seaside spa and resort. During this time, the … [Read more...] about Great British Buildings – Brighton Pier
Castles of England: Top 9 Castles in England To Visit On Your Next Trip
England possesses some of the world’s most beautiful castles. From the Normans to the Tudors, their builders wanted to use these fortresses as a place of defence, residence, displays of wealth, and shows of power. There are well over 1,500 castles in England, all in various states from ruins to perfectly intact. Of course, it’s hard to select only nine from so many, so let us … [Read more...] about Castles of England: Top 9 Castles in England To Visit On Your Next Trip
National Trust: 10 Tips to Make the Most of Your Visit to a National Trust Property
The National Trust is an amazing organization. For over 100 years, they’ve been trusted with safeguarding Britain’s heritage - not just stately homes mind you but also pieces of important land. They run farms. They protect artifacts. They do so much for Britain. That being said, a visit to a National Trust property should be on everyone’s to-do list when they visit Britain. … [Read more...] about National Trust: 10 Tips to Make the Most of Your Visit to a National Trust Property
Guest Feature: 5 Can’t Miss National Trust Properties for the Whole Family For Your Next Trip
Editor’s Note: For those that don’t know, Americans can support the National Trust in England and gain free entry to all their properties by joining the Royal Oak Foundation. We’re members ourselves, and it’s a great resource on both sides of the Atlantic. Use discount code ANGLO2015 at checkout to save 20% on the price of membership when joining! National Trust visits cater … [Read more...] about Guest Feature: 5 Can’t Miss National Trust Properties for the Whole Family For Your Next Trip
Dispatches from England: My Favorite British Travel Destinations While Living in Britain
Our time living in England will come to an end in a few months, and I’m beginning to mentally process what that will mean for us emotionally. The greatest experiences by far have been our travels, both within Great Britain’s borders and elsewhere in Europe. In this post, I’ll only highlight our favorite British travels given Anglotopia’s focus, but you can find links to my … [Read more...] about Dispatches from England: My Favorite British Travel Destinations While Living in Britain
British Travel: Off the Beaten Path: Exploring the Feathers and Fur Falconry Centre in Berkshire
With all the beautiful, exciting tourist attractions the UK has to offer, sometimes a day trip outside of the hustle and bustle can be just the thing to make your travel experience complete. But how does one go about finding things to do in small villages or the English countryside, especially when family and budget are a consideration? For animal and nature lovers, may I … [Read more...] about British Travel: Off the Beaten Path: Exploring the Feathers and Fur Falconry Centre in Berkshire
Dispatches from England: Observations from a Trip to Wales
Last weekend, for the first May bank holiday weekend, we spent three days exploring the beautiful Snowdonia region of Wales. This was our first time visiting another country in the UK other than England while we've been living here, and I was excited to experience what made Wales different (but more importantly, what made Wales wonderful!) I am by no means an expert on … [Read more...] about Dispatches from England: Observations from a Trip to Wales
Dispatches from England: Great Travel Planning Resources for Your Next Trip to GB
I got a lot of great feedback from my post last week about things to know about British holidays (thanks!). Several of you mentioned it was helpful, and I know many of you are always planning your next trip to Great Britain (not matter how far into the future that may be). I thought it made sense to continue on the topic of travels around the country, and share a few of my … [Read more...] about Dispatches from England: Great Travel Planning Resources for Your Next Trip to GB
Anglophile Alert: Special Anglotopia Reader Discount for the Royal Oak Foundation – Visit National Trust Properties for Free
Editor’s Note: For those that don’t know, Americans can support the National Trust in England and gain unlimited entry to all their properties by joining the Royal Oak Foundation, their American affiliate. We joined last year and have taken advantage of it several times. We got in touch with them and they were kind enough to write this post telling Anglotopia Readers all about … [Read more...] about Anglophile Alert: Special Anglotopia Reader Discount for the Royal Oak Foundation – Visit National Trust Properties for Free
Great British Houses: Warwick Castle – A Stunning Medival Stone Castle Preserved in Warwickshire
The site of Warwick Castle has a history that stretches way back to the year 914 when an Anglo-Saxon Burh was established by Ethelfleda, daughter of Alfred the Great. Throughout the next 1200 years, this plot of land and the buildings erected upon it have played an integral part in many major happenings of English History. Some castles in the UK are still the … [Read more...] about Great British Houses: Warwick Castle – A Stunning Medival Stone Castle Preserved in Warwickshire
Dispatches from England: Following in Paddington Bear’s Shoes In London – A Paddington Tour of London
Since the movie was released here in the UK in late November, Paddington Bear has been all the rage (at least among young children... the segment of the population I'm most familiar with!) Last month, my family thoroughly enjoyed a trip to the cinema to see the film (as you'd say here). I’ve always adored the books, but it was so fun to see the story come to life on the big … [Read more...] about Dispatches from England: Following in Paddington Bear’s Shoes In London – A Paddington Tour of London
Great British Houses: Beaulieu Palace House – Home to Britain’s National Motor Museum
Beaulieu Palace House, as it is grandly known, is part medieval Cistercian Abbey and part Victorian Gothic revivalist country mansion. Opened up to the public in the 1950s by the famous 3rd Baron Edward Douglas-Scott Montagu, Beaulieu House created the blueprint for other stately homes transition from family home to tourist destination and exists today as part of the group of … [Read more...] about Great British Houses: Beaulieu Palace House – Home to Britain’s National Motor Museum
Great British Houses: Longleat – Everything You Need to Know About Longleat House and Safari Park
The first stately house to open to the public as a tourist attraction was Longleat. It also has the first safari park to be established outside of Africa. If you are searching for a fun location, where your family can enjoy outdoor entertainment with a mixture of history, then Longleat is a great spot to visit. The true beauty of the grounds is the immaculate house which has a … [Read more...] about Great British Houses: Longleat – Everything You Need to Know About Longleat House and Safari Park
Guest Travel Post: Top 10 Things To Do in York, England For the First Time Visitor
York is an often-overlooked gem. It’s been continuously inhabited for over 2000 years and remains a beautiful, well-preserved city with a medieval center that’s second to none. It’s somewhat off the beaten path (but only about 2 hours by train from either London or Edinburgh) and absolutely worth a visit! Here are ten great reasons why: York Minster & the Orb The … [Read more...] about Guest Travel Post: Top 10 Things To Do in York, England For the First Time Visitor
Dispatches from England Travelogue: Exploring the White Cliffs of Dover and Spending the Overnight in the Classic and Historic British Seaside Town
Many readers are probably familiar with Dover, either for the famous White Cliffs of Dover, or because it's an important port where ferries and cargo ships cross the English Channel. When planning a recent drive to Belgium via the Eurotunnel (which departs in nearby Folkestone), I wanted to allocate a night to explore this area and its deep history further. Many thanks to Visit … [Read more...] about Dispatches from England Travelogue: Exploring the White Cliffs of Dover and Spending the Overnight in the Classic and Historic British Seaside Town
Dispatches from England: Travelogue: Day Out in Windsor
I'm normally a pretty serious travel planner. I like to read as much as I can about a destination in anticipation of making the most of a visit somewhere, and so that I know more about what I'm seeing once I get there. But I also try to embrace spontaneity when I can, and so a very spur of the moment trip to Windsor was an opportunity to enjoy a travel experience "in the … [Read more...] about Dispatches from England: Travelogue: Day Out in Windsor
British Travels: Adventures With a British Hire Car (American Translation: A Rental Car)
One of my favorite things to do when we visit Britain is to drive. To me, there is nothing more pleasurable than hopping into the car and driving through the English countryside (or through a city). I’m not like this back home - driving is more of a chore than something enjoyable. But there’s something about turning on the rental car (you don’t turn a key these days), … [Read more...] about British Travels: Adventures With a British Hire Car (American Translation: A Rental Car)