UK & Ireland

Native to the UK, the first country I ever explored was my own. In this section you’ll find all my travel tips for visiting the UK. I’ve lived in Liverpool and London and many places in between.

In fact, I worked in London as a lawyer for many years so I’m pretty hot with tips like How to Use the Tube in London (Without Pissing off the Locals) and I have the low down on parts of London that are less well known like Kings Cross and Southbank.  I’ve got suggestions if you want to take a photo tour of London or if you’re in the mood for Afternoon Tea, make your own gin brand or fancy a night in a prison cell (nope, I’m not joking – it’s a quirky place to sleep).

Or you might want to hit the highlights. If so, check out my guides to 50 Best Things to do in London England and How To Visit The Tower of London.And if you are looking for where to stay in London, my guide helps with suggestions as well as how to pick the best areas to stay in London.

But London isn’t the beginning and end of the UK and Great Britain, you can explore Scotland, the birthplace of Shakespeare, Stratford-upon-Avon and the home of Bombay Sapphire gin.

Just to be absurdly confusing (and without meaning offence), I’ve included all of Ireland together because as travel research goes, it’s likely you’ll want to check out the north and south of Ireland on the same trip. While you’re there, make sure you eat all the Irish food. Just don’t drink too much – you’ll want to keep a clear mind for when you’re driving on the other side of the road.

UK & Ireland Travel Guides

17 Best Things To Do In Stratford-upon-Avon – England

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Born in 1564, William Shakespeare wrote just shy of 1 million words during his relatively short (52 year) life, yet amongst them are some of the most well known and often quoted words in the world. Some 500 hundred years after his death, his work is still performed both at The Globe Theatre in London and around the globe. Want to know more about this famous writer? There’s no better place to do it than in the place of his birth, Stratford-upon-Avon. Located in the county of Warwickshire, just over 100 miles from London, the beautiful and well-preserved Tudor town … Read more

12 Best Things To Do In Liverpool For First Time Visitors

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Born in Liverpool, I know the city inside out. Yet, it wasn’t until I came home after spending years overseas that I started to explore my city as a tourist. Showing my travel friends around the city, I finally took time to visit Liverpool’s many tourist attractions. In this guide, I’ll give you the 12 best things to do in Liverpool for first-time visitors. This list is ideal if you’re on a weekend break in Liverpool and want to blend sightseeing with eating and drinking. Except for Anfield Stadium, all these sights are within walking distance of Liverpool City Centre. … Read more

Where to stay in London – England

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London is a big place, there’s no denying that. So one of the toughest things when planning a trip to the British capital can be deciding where to stay in London. There are plenty of amazing places to stay in London, but the best area for each individual can vary depending on a range of different factors, including your personal budget and what exactly you plan to do in London. By the way, here’s my list of the 50 best things to do in London in case you were not sure what to do in London.  Where to Stay in … Read more

50 Best Things to do in London England

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London is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, from people taking day trips from other parts of the UK, to those flying all the way from the other side of the planet to visit one of the world’s most diverse, beautiful and exciting cities. Between its charming medieval streets seeping with history and the modern glass skyscrapers above, there’s probably enough going on in the capital to write an article on the 500 top things to do in London. However, to leave a little spontaneity to your trip, I’ve narrowed it down the 50 best things … Read more

How To Visit The Tower of London

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A 1,000 year old fortress and castle that has been used as a Royal palace, the Royal Mint, a prison and place of torture, that houses the Crown Jewels and and has been home for a menagerie of exotic animals, it sounds like something out of a Harry Potter book; except the Tower of London is a work of history not fiction and can be visited without leaving the city of London. I’m embarrassed to admit that despite living and working in London for decades, I didn’t visit the Tower of London until relatively recently. It was such a brilliant … Read more

How To Visit The Bombay Sapphire Gin Distillery & What To Expect

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I’ve drunk Bombay Sapphire gin all over the world. Literally. In that bar in Hong Kong, where the theme was blue, and Bombay Sapphire was the perfect fit. In that tiny mountain town in the USA, where I came across the white label version (mystery behind that uncovered below). I’ve found it on offer in Thailand, Turkey and Timbuktu. Well, probably. If I’d been to Timbuktu. My point is, Bombay Sapphire is everywhere. And I’ve had the head-based incursions (ahem, hangovers) to prove it. So, it would stand to reason that this British born girl would have tasted this British … Read more

24 Things To Do Around Kings Cross St Pancras – London

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Things to do near kings cross St Pancras St Pancras Station

Got some time near Kings Cross St Pancras in London but don’t want to take on the vastness of the city? Or perhaps you’ve ‘done’ Covent Garden so many times you feel like you could become a tour guide. Why not explore one of London’s most up and coming postcodes? Here are +20 things to do near Kings Cross St Pancras. If you’re visiting London, you might like my guide to the 50 Best Things To Do in London 1. Track down Platform 9 and 3/4 from Harry Potter fame It’s just plain bad luck that you didn’t get your enrolment … Read more

How to Make Your Own Gin in London at The Ginstitute

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The Ginstitute has been on my radar (gindar?) for a while. In fact, all the way back in 2013 I listed it as one of the things I wanted to try in London. It took me a few years to get around to it (these things can’t be rushed) but with a friend’s big birthday coming up – the kind that ends in a zero – it seemed like the perfect opportunity to give the Ginstitute a try. What is the Ginstitute? For those not in the know, the Ginstitute is a gin experience put together by the savvy folks … Read more

10 Best Things To Do In West Coast Scotland

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I was in my 30’s by the time I took my first trip to Scotland – quite an embarrassing confession given: a) Scotland is the neighbour of my native England; b) I didn’t need a passport (or even a flight) to get there; and c) I’d otherwise managed to take myself literally half way around the world (to Hong Kong, Cambodia, Vietnam and Australia) before I crossed the Scottish border. Well, better late than never, I took my first trip to Scotland in 2010 (to Edinburgh) and I vowed I’d have to go back. So, I did. On a mammoth … Read more

14 Best Things To Do In London’s South Bank

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Once upon a time, South London wasn’t a very desirable place. It was the part of London that was the home of asylums, prisons and taverns of ill repute. Little did our medieval ancestors know that with these ‘features’ they were laying the foundations for one of London’s most exciting tourist enclaves. Think of London’s attractions and the South Bank is unlikely to show up on your list. Sure, you might mention the London Eye, but beyond that, most newcomers to London don’t go South of the River on a first visitor. Which, is why you should. A lot less hyper than … Read more