Malmesbury is a small town situated on the southern edge of the Cotswolds and in the north western corner of the county of Wiltshire, a county with its many historic monuments the most famous being Stonehenge.

Malmesbury is a hill top town almost surrounded by two branches of the river Avon. It has an Abbey which once boasted the tallest spire in England even taller than the one still standing 80 miles away in the opposite corner of the county on top of Salisbury Cathedral. The town also has one of the country's finest Market Crosses built for the poor folk of the town to shelter from the rain on market days.

Malmesbury today is very much as it was a thousand years ago, mainly stone built and tiled cottages set upon a street pattern that goes back probably another thousand years before that. The town is said to be one of, if not, the oldest Borough in England once having its own mint producing silver coins for King Stephen as well as being for a short period the Capital of all England.

King Athelstan was buried here and he granted to the free men of Malmesbury a charter gifting them 500 acres of land on the south side of the town as a reward for their assistance in his struggle against the Danes. This resulted in an institution know as the Warden and Freemen being formed to look after and control this land and they are still in existence to this day.

So as you can see Malmesbury is steeped in history and its character has been protected as far as is possible making it a very popular destination on the tourist trails amongst the natives and those from all corners of the world. There is an abundance of places to stay in and around the area from which to explore the town and all its history can be found in written form available from the towns Athelstan Museum and its Norman Abbey.

By: David Forward
Malmesbury Memories

Norwich is the county city of Norfolk, which means that there is plenty to see and do when you pay a visit to the area.

Norwich can trace its roots back to Roman times and although it is some way from the coast, it played a large role in the times of the Norman Conquest, probably due to its importance for trade even in those days. Indeed at that time it is thought to have been one of the largest cities in the country.

Times have moved on and Norwich is now more famous for its shopping than its distant invaders.

Shoppers will be delighted to visit the ancient market place which has been thriving since the time of the Normans and is now the largest open air market in England, opening six days a week.

More modern shops can be found in The Mall (which recently changed its name from Castle Mall, so you may still find references to the old name in some guide books). This was built to blend in with the historic city and much of the building is built into the side of a hill.

Its main rival is the Chapelfield mall, which has been built on the site of an old chocolate factory.

As a university town, you can expect to find a wide range of other things to do, some cultural, some less so.

Make sure you book your Norwich hotel in advance if you visit at the same time as the annual Norfolk and Norwich Festival. This arts and music festival draws crowds in from across the county and from further afield and can trace its roots back to 1772. Recently, it has featured performers such as Ray Davies (of Kinks fame) and the London Philharmonic Orchestra playing a score from a Charlie Chaplin film. There are both indoor and outdoor performances during the festival, some of which are free events.

Norwich residents fortunately have a sense of humor: the fictitious radio DJ Alan Partridge, brainchild of actor Steve Coogan, broadcasts his shows from the city.

Sports fans will hope to take in a game by the Canaries, the nickname of Norwich City football club when they play at Carrow Road.

Unexpectedly for a mainly fenland area, there is a Norfolk Ski and Snowboarding club at nearby Trowse. So you may be able to practice your skills when you are in town.

Perhaps because of its excellent shopping, Norwich is a popular city break destination. The shopping features both the usual national chain retailers as well as many local stores where you can come across a variety of more unusual items. You can also investigate the history of the area and walk down its cobbled streets, maybe on your way to one of the several museums who make there home here.

Historical buildings include Norwich Cathedral, which can trace its roots back to the eleventh century and the castle (which is now actually a museum) which is about 100 years younger than the cathedral.

By: Frederick Hoymer
For a wide choice of Norwich hotels and other accommodation in the city of Norwich, visit http://www.4hotels.co.uk/uk/norwich.html

Blackpool is a popular seaside resort which lies in north-western England on the Fylde Coast of the county of Lancashire. The city was named after a drainage channel which ran over a peat bog into the sea of Blackpool, the water forming a “black pool” in the waters of the Irish Sea. The town became an independent unitary authority in 1998, and is the most visited tourist destination in England after London.

Blackpool now has a population of more than 153,500, with several ethnic groups comprising of English, Irish, Welsh, Ulster, West Indian, Indian, Pakistani, and other.

Blackpool is linked by the M55 motorway to the national motorway network. Blackpool Airport is situated only 2½ miles (4 km) from the town centre, serving regular charter and scheduled flights. Another smaller airport serves commercial flights from the Isle of Man, Belfast and Dublin. The city has 3 main train stations - North, South and Pleasure Beach. A still-surviving popular means of public transport in Blackpool is the tramway. By bus, the area is served by two main bus companies -Arriva North West Buses and Stagecoach, with frequent buses on local routes.

Reputed to be "Britain's undisputed capital of entertainment", Blackpool has a plethora of nightclubs, pubs, entertainment venues, and eateries that cater for every taste and every budget in every area of town. The city has more than 30 discos and night clubs, one cinema complex, four theatres, and three piers, mostly located in and around the town centre. Blackpool is also the 2nd biggest retail centre in Lancashire, and Hounds Hill, the only covered shopping centre is located in the middle of town next to the Blackpool Tower.

Some of the most popular tourist attractions in Blackpool include Blackpool Zoo, home to over 1500 animals from all over the world; Blackpool Pleasure Beach, a theme park featuring the tallest rollercoaster in Europe; Winter Gardens, an entertainment and conference venue; Louis Tussaud's Waxworks, featuring wax models of celebrities, musicians, sports personalities and the famous Chamber of Horrors; and Tower World, a large complex of leisure facilities, entertainment venues and restaurants. Tower World includes the Blackpool Tower and Circus, supposed to be Britain's best circus, featuring ballroom dancing and an aquarium; and Tower Ballroom, an elaborately decorated dance hall and theatre famous for its Mighty Wurlitzer organ.

There are plenty of places to stay in Blackpool from the famous landladies through to plush hotels.

There are also various events and festivals in Blackpool such as Blackpool Dance Festival, annual ballroom dance competition which is world-famous; the Great Promenade Show, featuring a number of artwork along South Promenade, featuring the Blackpool High Tide Organ; Blackpool International Hair and Beauty Festival, a two day hairdressing Championships; Totally Transport, hailed as one of the North West's biggest classic transport festivals, featuring classic buses, cars, coaches, commercial vehicles, motorbikes and trams; Lions Blackpool Carnival, a stunning carnival parade of over 1000 people, floats, vehicles, bands and dancers; Blackpool 10km Promenade Fun Run, a 10km fun run along Blackpool Promenade for professional and amateur runners in aid of local charities; and Blackpool Illuminations/Festival of Light, presenting six miles of shimmering lights, lasers and LED technology.

By: Hannah Lodge
When you next visit Blackpool, check out the range of Blackpool hotels and guest houses featured on the 4Hotels accommodation site.

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Gloucestershire pronounced GLOSS-ter-sher is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the valley of the River Severn, and all of the Forest of Dean.

The county town is the city of Gloucester, and other principal towns include Cheltenham, Stroud, Cirencester, and Tewkesbury.

The city of Gloucester has a fantastic Cathedral and great museums, including the National Waterways Museum. To the southwest lies Slimbridge, home of the Slimbridge Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, where geese, swans, and other wildfowl breed in a protected environment. More dramatic is Berkeley Castle, the medieval fortress that was the final prison for King Edward II. It was here, in a small room just off the main entrance to the castle, that the unfortunate Edward was murdered by his captors in 1327. The interior of the castle is original, with a 14th century great hall built just inside the castle wall, and a lovely 16th century wooden screen graces one end of the hall.

Gloucestershire is home to the Cotswolds, a wonderful region of warm honey coloured stone cottages and delightful villages centred on the Cotswold escarpment which runs for 100 miles from the outskirts of Bath north into Worcestershire, taking in some of the best scenery in rural England. The Cotswold Way long distance path runs the length of the region, and provides an enjoyable way to explore the villages and byways of the region.

Cheltenham, in its heyday, was a popular spa town, and it has as many fine Georgian and Regency buildings as the more visited Bath to the south. Nearby Chedworth is the site of perhaps the best example of a Roman villa in England.

Tewkesbury, with many antique shops, has a superb abbey church surrounded by half-timbered Tudor buildings. A few short miles away is Winchcombe, yet another delightful Cotswold village, and home to Sudeley Castle, where Queen Katherine Parr ended her days.

Nearby Belas Knap is one of the finest Neolithic chambered tombs in England. A short drive from Belas Knap brings you to two of England's finest gardens, Hidcote and Kiftsgate, while just down the road is Hailes Abbey, where the Cistercians housed a vial of Christ's blood to attract medieval pilgrims.

The Royal Forest of Dean is a geographical, historical and cultural region in the county. It is roughly a triangular area bounded by the River Wye to the west and north, the River Severn to the south, and the City of Gloucester to the east. It has over 110 km² of mixed forest, one of the most ancient surviving forests in England, with areas stretching across the border into Wales.

The main town for the forest is Coleford whilst Cinderford and Lydney are also busy visitor centres. The relative isolation of the region lends to it remaining relatively unspoilt.

In the south of the county the River Severn forms the north-western edge of the area, with a wide coastal plain. East of this is the wide River Frome Valley area. Further east is another escarpment running roughly north-south, passing between Yate and Chipping Sodbury. The Cotswolds Escarpment forms the eastern edge of South Gloucestershire.

Historically, Stroud is known for its involvement in the Industrial Revolution. It was a cloth town, woollen mills were powered by the small rivers which surge through the five valleys, and supplied by Cotswold sheep grazed on the hills above. Particularly noteworthy was the production of military uniforms in the trademark Stroudwater Scarlet colour.

Stroud was a fairly major industrial and trading location in the nineteenth century, and so needed transport links. It first had a canal network in the form of the Stroudwater Navigation and the Thames & Severn Canal, both of which struggled to survive until the early 20th century. These canals are now being restored as a leisure facility.

Many historic buildings and places of interest can be found in the area. They include the neolithic long barrows at Uley, Selsley Common and Nympsfield to the west; Roman remains at Frocester, West Hill near Uley, Woodchester and Calcot Manor; the medieval buildings at Beverston Castle; and the outstanding Tudor houses at Newark Park and Owlpen Manor.

An 'icon' of the county is The Gloucester Old Spot pig, an English breed which is predominantly white with black spots. It is named after the county and is a very popular breed. Owing to consumer pressure pigs have been increasingly reared outdoors in the UK. In these conditions, old breeds well-suited to living outdoors, such as the Gloucester Old Spot, have increasingly been chosen by farmers looking to add value to their products.

The Old Spot is traditionally an orchard pig. They were pastured in orchards where they ate drop apples. They are good foragers and survive very well in pastures without supplemental feed. Old Spots tend to be very calm, good natured animals, another trait that makes them desireable to homesteaders and small farmers. The females tend to be very devoted mothers, while the males seldom pose a threat to piglets.

The "Gloucester Old Spot" is also the name of a public house at Piff's Elm, while Uley Brewery has both an ale and a public house (in Dursley) named "Old Spot" after the pig.

For those that like 'Royal Watching', there are several royal residences in the county, including Highgrove House, Gatcombe Park, and Nether Lypiatt Manor.

By: Alison Virgo

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If you are planning on spending a vacation in London, make sure you take full advantage of this gorgeous city with all that it has to offer. The city of London is full of an exciting array of places to go and things to do and see, for people of all cultures and ages. Being one of the biggest cultural capitals in the world, this city offers sightseeing opportunities and tourist attractions like nowhere else. Travel to London involves experiencing the city in all its splendor and fantastic sightseeing. Here are ten of the best sightseeing places in the city of London:

1. The British Museum: Founded in the year 1753, the British Museum had a collection of over 71,000 unique items that had all been contributed by Sir Hans Sloane. In the 1800’s, this museum gained in popularity and began to flourish, which in turn increased its inventory of items to more than seven million. The museum’s charter declares that it should be open free of charge to all those curious people who are interested in learning more. So, come spend a day wandering through the eternal, labyrinthine corridors, exploring and discovering some of the greatest works of mankind’s cultural accomplishments and some take in some of the greatest relics of the Egyptian and Greek empires.

2. The London Eye: Drawing nearly four million visitors each year, the London Eye has become one of the most popular sightseeing attractions in the world today. This gigantic wheel stands almost 135 meters over the entire city of London and is presently considered to be one of the tallest observation wheels in the world. This wondrous creation of modern engineering permits tourists to view all of London with an entirely new perspective, allowing them to see parts of the city that are generally not visible from the ground. Visiting the London Eye has been described as an ‘enchanting and inspiring experience’ and no vacation to London is complete without visiting this monument.

3. Saint Paul’s Cathedral: Saint Paul’s Cathedral offers a captivating picture of the British Empire of the yesteryears and is a historical accomplishment of the reconstruction that took place after the great London fire of 1666. Famous for hosting royal birthdays, weddings, celebrations and even funerals of some of the greatest leaders in Britain, the Cathedral attracts millions and millions of tourists every year.

4. The National Gallery: Situated in the very center of Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery is home to some of the finest works of art in the world. Some of these pieces date back to the 13th century. Construction of the gallery commenced in the year 1832 and ever since it has collected many great pieces of art, which include works by Monet, Van Gogh, Da Vinci, Renoir and many more. A visitor can probably spend days trying to view all of the contents inside the gallery.

5. The London Zoo: The London Zoo, which is in Regents Park is one of the most popular zoo’s in the world and houses as many as 12,000 different species of animals. Considered to be a must see, visitors travel from all parts of the world to see the animal shows that are held daily.

6. Tate Modern: One of London’s most contemporary galleries, the Tate Modern consists of great collections and diverse exhibitions of modern art. Appealing to both, children as well as adults, connoisseurs as well as novices, the Tate Modern houses grand collections of artists like Matisse, Andy Warhol and Bacon.

7. The Tower of London: Constructed with white stone that was imported from France, the Tower of London or the ‘Bloody Tower’ has been known to imprison, protect and even execute the wrongdoers in the past.

8. The Natural History Museum: An enigmatic gothic building that is home to some of the largest collections of dinosaurs in the world, the Natural History Museum consists of exhibitions that dominate the huge halls and tower.

9. The Madame Tussaud’s Experience: A museum that is filled with life-like waxworks and animated displays that demonstrate the dark side of British history.

10. Westminster Abbey: It is a medieval work of monumental significance and the burial ground for some of the most famous kings, statesmen, musicians, scientists and poets since the 11th century. The Westminster Abbey offers some of the most intriguing literary works and artistic talent in the way of paintings, murals and tombs.

By: Clinton K. Maxwell
Clinton Maxwell usually pens long articles on information associated with Costablanca. You can discover his comments on Costa Blanca at http://www.alicante-spain.com/benidorm.html and many different sources for Costa Blanca information.

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Dracula, smugglers, golden beaches and kippers: where else but Whitby? Much more than just a quintessentially-English fishing port, Whitby's remote location on the far side of the North Yorkshire Moors has enabled it to preserve much of its unique identity and heritage into the 21st century.

While tourism may long since have replaced the sea as the town's main source of income, Whitby's inhabitants have lost none of the independence and pride that are central to their character and to Whitby's enduring appeal.

Situated on a geological fault, where the River Esk bisects the otherwise uninterrupted cliffs of the North Yorkshire coastline, Whitby's origins can be traced back at least 1350 years to the founding of Saint Hilda's Abbey in 657AD. The abbey was setup by Hilda at the behest of King Oswy of Northumbria, who upon winning the Battle of Winwaed had vowed that he would found a number of monasteries throughout his kingdom. As part of this vow, he gave his daughter, Aelfleda, to the monastic life.

The success of the original abbey was to be short-lived, as in 867 the abbey was sacked by the Danes, who were taking control of large parts of the region. Whitby survived this disruption, however, and in 1078 the abbey was rebuilt by the Normans to survive until 1539, when Henry VIII's policies forced St Hilda's Abbey to close for the final time.

In the centuries since its religious importance declined, Whitby has progressed from a small fishing port to a trading port of some regional importance, and finally to a major UK tourist destination.

Today, much of 18th and 19th century Whitby has been preserved and restored, and the town has a plethora of old and new attractions which draw visitors back, year after year.

Some of England's finest sandy beaches vie with Victorian gothic buildings, the legend of Count Dracula, major traditional music festivals, the religious heritage of the abbey and the spectacular beauty of the Yorkshire Moors to define Whitby's appeal. In truth, the town that was once Captain Cook's home has many assets, and it is the combination of these that give Whitby its unique and intriguing character.

By: Alan Moore
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http://www.dracula-in-whitby.com/ezinearticles provides a unique tourist guide to the real Dracula story and his connection to Whitby, Yorkshire's unique vampire town.

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