If you are planning to visit UK (Great Britain) there can't be a better time than now.
After BREXIT the value of pound has fallen almost by 15%. That means your cost of visiting UK (Great Britain) decrease by atleast 15% and don't worry with tips from shoestringtravel the cost will decrease further.
See below chart to see the conversion rate of USD to British Pound
The places which you should visit in UK (Great Britain) have been divided between :
a) Must Visit
b) Should Visit
c) Can be Missed
However Money matters so how much should you budget for travelling to UK. Read on.
Budget for Traveling to UK (Great Britain)
UK ( Great Britain) is one of the costliest country in Europe. It can burn your pockets if you don't plan the trip properly. So lets see the breakup of the cost which you will typically incur:
Cost of Hotel in United Kingdom ( UK )
In shoestringtravel we don't want you to travel like a backpacker so not recommending staying in Hostels. A decent hotel in UK (Great Britain) with Free internet ,Breakfast & TV will cost you starting 70GBP for a twin room. So if i assume that two people will travel together then per night Hotel cost will be approx 35-40 GBP.
Cost of Food in United Kingdom
The food is not that expensive in UK (Great Britain). You will find Fish and Chips everywhere which will cost you approx 3 GBP - 5 GBP depending on where you are eating. You can find other cuisines like Indian , Asian food at approx 8 GBP - 10 GBP. Unless you are planning to burn a hole in your pocket don't eat out at restaurants as that will cost you 20 GBP upwards.
Cost of Travel in United Kingdom
Intercity Travel in United Kingdom
Again travelling from city to city in UK (Great Britain) is not cheap. You have to plan your route in advance so that you can save money. You can travel either by Bus or Trains. The bus will take longer time to reach the destination however will be very pocket friendly.My suggestion is to travel by train which will help you to save time so that you can see and enjoy the city more. The British Railways passes can be bought which will be cheaper than point to point tickets. A Britrail pass for travelling 8 days in 1 month will cost you 473USD or 3 days in 1 month at 264USD thats almost 60USD per day of travel. Britrail should be used for long distance travel.
For cheaper and equally good travel option read below.
Another site which gives insanely lower prices are the Megatrain . The prices of travel is just 1/4th of the Britrail. If you book through Megatrain in advance atleast a month you can also get super deals i.e. tickets for just 1 GBP.
You should check The Trainline Farefinder to find out the cheapest rates for the train travel.
Budget atleast 30 GBP for the days when you are travelling to a different city.
City Travel in United Kingdom
As with most tourist destination you should walk to get the real feel of the place however we are not marathon runners The buses in UK (Great Britain) are cheap and for a days travel you should budget around 10 GBP- 15 GBP.
Sightseeing in United Kingdom
Most of the museums in UK are Free , however if you are planning to visit castles you should budget 15 GBP -20 GBP. Other activities which include wine tours , visit to ancient sites should cost you approx 60 GBP- 80 GBP.
Hence for a day which includes everything from city travel to sightseeing you sould budget maximum of 150 GBP , having said that you will not do everything in a single day hence a practical budget of 90-100 GBP should be enough per person.
Itinerary for Travelling to United Kingdom (UK)
You can cover most of the must visit places in a weeks time however you have to hurry a bit. 10-12 days are enough to travel to the must visit places at a normal pace.
My suggestion is inspite of entering from London keep London in the last leg of your itinerary.
Check the below map to decide on the places you should visit and the route you should follow :
The minimum days required(inclusive of the day of travel) to enjoy and have a feel of the places are as follows :
a) London : 3 Days
b) Stonehenge : 1 Day
c) Bath : 2 Days
d) Liverpool: 2 Days
e) Lake District : 1 Day ( 2 Days if you are planning to hike)
f) Glasgow : 2 Days
g) Inverness : 2 Days
h) Edinburgh : 3 Days
i) York : 1 Day
j) Cotswolds : 1 Day
k) Oxford : 1 Day
What to Expect in while Travelling in United Kingdom
London
London doesn't need any introduction. It is truly a maximum city. Its impossible to mention what to expect or what London is famous for as ,that's too many to mention here.
City Guide on London coming soon.
(Source) |
Stonehenge
Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument located and often listed in Wonders of the World is in the English county of Wiltshire, about 3.2 kilometres (2.0 mi) west of Amesbury and 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) north of Salisbury. One of the most famous prehistoric sites in the world, Stonehenge is composed of earthworks surrounding a circular setting of large standing stones. Archaeologists had believed that the iconic stone monument was erected around 2500 BC. However one recent theory has suggested that the first stones were not erected until 2400-2200 BC, while another suggests that bluestones may have been erected at the site as early as 3000 BC.(Source) |
Bath
It is a part of Unesco World Heritage site. Bath, UK was founded by the Romans as thermal spa. This place was also important for the wool industry. Here you can take a natural hot water bath in the Roman Baths.(Source) |
Liverpool
If you love football and pop music you should visit Liverpool. Known for its football club and it is also labelled as the "World Capital of Pop" by Guinness Book of world record and the group Beatles had further made it famous.(Source) |
Lake District
This places is also known as Lakes. This place is known for lakes, forests and mountains and have featured in William Wordsworth writings.(Source)GlasgowThis is Scotland's biggest city which offers a truly metropolitan lifestyle. The place is known for its bars , nightlife , shopping and also architecture. |
Inverness
Inverness is a city on Scotland’s northeast coast, where the River Ness meets the Moray Firth. Nearby Loch Ness is the 23-mile-long freshwater lake that reputedly harbours the Loch Ness Monster. Ruined medieval Urquhart Castle overlooks the loch. The 19th-century Inverness Castle, on a hill above the city, has gardens that are open to the public.(Source) |
Edinburgh
Scotland's capital, has a medieval Old Town and an elegant Georgian New Town, with gardens and neoclassical buildings. Visit to the hilltop Edinburgh Castle is a must.(Source) |
York
York is a walled city in northeast England that was founded by the ancient Romans. Its huge 13th-century Gothic cathedral, York Minster, has medieval stained glass and 2 functioning bell towers. The City Walls form a walkway on both sides of the River Ouse.
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Cotswolds
The Cotswolds is a rural area of south central England covering parts of 6 counties, notably Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire. Its rolling hills and grassland harbour thatched medieval villages, churches and stately homes built of distinctive local yellow limestone. The 102-mile Cotswold Way walking trail follows the Cotswold Edge escarpment from Bath in the south to Chipping Campden in the north.Startford-upon-Avon near to Cotswolds is known as the birthplace of William Shakespeare.
(Source) |
Oxford
Everyone is a tourist here as this place is a culmination of students across the world. Oxford, in central southern England, revolves around its prestigious university, established in the 12th century. The university's architecture is worth seeing.
(Source) |
So enjoy UK now as this is the best time to visit.
Share your memories , your personal tips with shoetringtravel by commenting below.
Cheers !!!
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