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Excursions London
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Brighton |
Brighton is unquestionably England’s most spectacular
seaside resort
town. Made popular in the 18th century, when the Prince
Regent (later
King George IV) chose it as the site for his holiday
palace, the
bizarre and fantastic onion-shaped Brighton Pavilion, it
is still
famous for its frivolous entertainment venues and
enviable nightlife.
An eclectic combination of Regency and Victorian
architecture gives
Brighton a unique air, with winding village lanes
crammed with antique
and jewellery shops and its flamboyant East Pier
stretching out over
the sea sparkling with thousands of lights from its
funfair and
amusement arcades.
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Canterbury |
The historical cathedral city of Canterbury, with its
narrow streets
and walkways, is best explored on foot. It is the home
of Christianity
in England, and has been the ultimate destination for
pilgrimages in
England for centuries, as described in Chaucer’s
Canterbury Tales. The
famous Canterbury Cathedral is one of the most
impressive and evocative
in England, it was here of course that Thomas à Becket
was martyred in
1170. Visitors can explore the ruins of the original
abbey of St
Augustine, who brought Christianity to England more than
1,400 years
ago, or visit the Canterbury Tales Pageant and meet some
of Chaucer’s
famous characters. For an insight into the cities of
medieval England
climb the original West Gate Tower, which is still
intact, for
breathtaking views across the city.
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Leeds Castle |
Set atop a lake in a picturesque valley in Kent, with
imposing
battlements and a 500-hectare Tudor garden, Leeds Castle
has been
described as ‘the most beautiful castle in all the
world’. Once a
residence of British Queens and a playground for King
Henry VIII, it
has been open to the public for 25 years, revealing the
majesty of a
bygone age. With so much to explore, Leeds Castle
requires a full day
for visitors to tour the castle, get lost in the maze
and picnic in the
gardens or dine in one of the restaurants and tea rooms.
Address: Maidstone, Kent
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Windsor |
The charming town of Windsor sits on the River Thames,
20 miles (32km)
west of London, and is dominated by the magnificent
Windsor Castle, the
world's largest and oldest occupied castle. The castle
was built by
William the Conqueror almost a thousand years ago and
has been lived in
by English monarchs ever since; although Buckingham
Palace is the
Queen's best known residence, Windsor is her favourite
and is where the
Royal Family spend their weekends. Highlights in the
castle include the
wonderful State Apartments, and the Waterloo Chamber,
built to
commemorate the British victory over Napoleon at
Waterloo.
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Hampton Court Palace |
Situated on the banks of the Thames, 14 miles (23km)
southwest of
London, Hampton Court is perhaps the most spectacular
royal palace in
England and makes a great day-trip from London. The
palace was built by
Cardinal Wolsey in the early 1500s, it later became King
Henry VIII's
principal residence and remained the centre of royal and
political life
in England until 1737 where many important events took
place. Visitors
can see King Henry VIII's Great Hall, King William III's
State
Apartments, designed by Wren and completed in 1700, and
the unmissable
Tudor Kitchens, which remain largely unchanged since the
16th century
and no doubt used to cater for raucous banquets. The
palace is probably
most famous for its grounds and the famous maze, which
has entertained
children since it was planted in 1705.
Address: East Molesey, Surrey
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