Lauren Tabbron shares her favourite things to do in Manchester
Jess Astbury regales tales of festivities in warmer climates.
Before I start this series, I think it's important to write this declaration. I am writing this series to help those considering travelling in the UK or abroad to consider some of the best destinations on offer. Everywhere I feature, I have personally travelled to and seek to provide independent, unofficial advice. Not everything I write about will be suitable for all budgets, nor will I have the ability to write as much as I could about these topics. If you want more information, clarification or to provide your own opinion, I really encourage you to post in the comments section and I will aim to answer as fully as I can!
Somewhere in London: Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey
London houses the mother of all Parliaments, the Palace of Westminster. Re-built in 1834 after an extensive fire, it is one of London's most iconic buildings. Whilst being the hub of modern government, it is still very antiquated with a range of traditions and is a fascinating visit. Tours run regularly and will show you the spot where Charles II was executed, both Houses of Parliament and the voting lobbies, amongst much else.
What's better is that for a UK resident, a tour of Parliament is completely free. In order to arrange one, get in contact with your MP. To find their email address, check out http://www.writetothem.com/. Additionally, if you visit before the 27th July or after 6th September, Parliament will be in session, providing a real glimpse of how the country is run. The final thing to note however is that these tours are very popular, so do book in advance and if you are unsuccessful, tours are run at £10 over the Summer recess for visitors from the UK and abroad and are well worth the money.
If you're a politics officiando, it's worth trying to visit on a Wednesday whilst Parliament is sitting in order to co-ordinate with the weekly Prime Ministers Questions, where you can see Ed Milliband and David Cameron battling it out.
A great thing to combine the trip with is Westminster Abbey. Expect this venue to be super-busy this summer owing to the wedding of a certain Prince and Princess. It's not cheap to get in, but the £13, combined with a tour of Parliament will provide you a day of access to two of the most important buildings in London. One of the main attraction of visiting the Abbey is the famous individuals interred there, from the poignancy of the unknown soldier, to the glamour of Sir Laurence Olivier or the history of a man like Chaucer, it's a real who's who of British history.
The entry fee gets you access to the museum, cloisters, and college gardens. Between these sites, its easy to spend half a day or more exploring the site. You also get an audio-guide thrown in, which is great if you're interested in the history of the building. My best tip is to use it sparingly though, nothing ruins a visit like boring yourself half to death learning every single fact and figure about the building – the audio's a great supplement when you're really interested in something. It's also one of the capital's most beautiful buildings and dates back to the 8th Century. There is no better experience of British tradition than a visit to these world-famous sites.
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