Travelling Europe - United Kingdom
The United Kingdom is made up of four countries: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Then there are the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, which are part of the British Isles but not part of the UK... confused yet? Each part of the UK has its own distinct heritage and culture. This diversity means that each country runs most of its own affairs and has its own devolved government - except for England, which doesn’t have a parliament. So while there is general information for the UK here, you’ll also need to look up the country-specific sites to find out more.
Country insight
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- I-UK
- A one-stop site for everything you need to know about British life. You can tailor the information according to which country you’re coming to the UK from, so that it’s relevant to you. Includes information on visiting the UK, business, education, life, culture and travel. Has links to UK government sites.
- http://www.i-uk.com [EN]
- UK Parliament
- Discover how the Westminster Parliament works, what it does and why it’s there. Search Hansard (a record of debates), follow the progress of bills, or look through the archives of parliamentary publications. The educational site, Explore Parliament, has quizzes and puzzles. Link to the sites of the devolved parliaments and assemblies in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.
- http://www.parliament.uk [EN]
- UK - The Guide
- Tourist information designed specifically for young people. Includes pages on British culture, music, sport and nightlife; information for disabled visitors and gay youth; and guides on what to do, things to see, and how to travel around. Click on accommodation for advice on finding budget hostels.
- http://www.visitbritain.com/VB3-en-GB/experiences/index.aspx [ZH][DA][NL][EN][FI][FR][DE][IT][JA][KR][NO][PL][PT][RU][ES][SV]
- Northern Ireland: Northern Ireland Executive
- The Executive was the devolved government of Northern Ireland. It was suspended in 2002, but the site is still updated so have a look here for all the latest policy news. You can also find facts about Northern Ireland here.
- http://www.northernireland.gov.uk [EN]
- Northern Ireland: Northern Ireland Office
- The Office is responsible for overseeing the running of the country while the Executive is suspended. Find out more about what it does and read up on the current political situation.
- http://www.nio.gov.uk [EN]
- Northern Ireland: Northern Ireland Tourist Board
- The official website of the Northern Ireland Tourist Board. How to get there, what to see, things to do, where to stay, plus all sorts of information from tracing your roots to what to eat!
- http://www.discovernorthernireland.com [EN]
- Northern Ireland: Online NI
- This portal provides easy access to information about public services in Northern Ireland. So if you want to find out about schools, transport, tax, health services, starting your own business or a million other things, then this is the place to go
- http://www.onlineni.net [EN]
- Scotland: In Search of Scotland
- This site from the BBC provides information about Scotland’s history from ancient times through to the twentieth century.
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/scottishhistory [EN]
- Scotland: Scottish Executive
- The website of the devolved Scottish government. The Executive has powers over day-to-day matters in Scotland, including health, education, justice, rural affairs and transport. Some information is available in Gaelic.
- http://www.scotland.gov.uk [EN]
- Scotland: Visit Scotland
- The Scottish Tourist Board’s site, which has information on where to stay and what to do and see. You can book accommodation online – you can stay in a lighthouse, in a wigwam or on a boat!
- http://www.visitscotland.com [NL][EN][FR][DE][IT][ES]
- Wales: National Assembly for Wales
- Find out about the assembly and what it does. You can download information leaflets that explain the history and powers of the assembly in a range of languages. The assembly is responsible for handling the day-to-day policies that affect people in Wales, including the areas of health, education, housing and transport.
- http://www.wales.gov.uk [EN][CY]
- Wales: Visit Wales
- Not only has the usual recommendations on accommodation, travel and what to see, but includes information on the culture and history of Wales as well.
- http://www.visitwales.com [NL][EN][FR][DE][CY]
- Wales: Wales on the Web
- A gateway to quality sites on all aspects of Welsh life. Search by subject areas such as the arts, language, history, geography, science and technology.
- http://www.walesontheweb.org [EN][CY]
- British Monarchy
- Whether you love them or loathe them, there’s no escaping the Royal Family! This site tells you about the history of the kings and queens of England, Scotland and the United Kingdom (check out the Monarch of the Month feature), and there are guides to all the royal palaces and castles, which could be useful if you’re planning a visit to the UK.
- http://www.royal.gov.uk [EN]
- National Statistics
- Browse official data on the economy, population and society of the United Kingdom. What’s the unemployment rate? What are the most popular names for boys and girls? Is crime increasing or not? Find out all this and much more on these pages.
- http://www.statistics.gov.uk [EN]
- National Trust
- Spending your holidays in England, Northern Ireland or Wales? Use this site to find places to visit and things to do – there are thousands of historical buildings and areas of natural beauty to explore. There’s essential information for overseas visitors on the site as well.
- http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk [EN]
- Young Commonwealth
- The United Kingdom is part of the Commonwealth, as are two other EU members (Cyprus and Malta). The Commonwealth is an association of 53 independent countries, ranging from Australia to Zambia. Find out about what the Commonwealth is, who’s in it and what it does, then test your knowledge in the quiz.
- http://www.youngcommonwealth.org [EN]
- Culture Guide
- Food, fashion, music, art, cinema, design, sport, going out, student life – this site has links to information on all this and more. Take a browse through the links and find out whatever it is you want to know – where to get a cheap meal, what gigs are on, what films are out at the moment, where to go skateboarding… it’s all here.
- http://www.educationuk.org/uk_culture_guide [EN]
- Channel Islands: States of Guernsey Government
- All you need to know about life on the islands of Guernsey. Information from the government on education, employment, culture and leisure, health, environment, housing, travel and more is accessible through this site.
- http://www3.gov.gg [EN]
- Channel Islands: Guernsey Tourist Board
- If you want to travel to Guernsey, Herm, Sark or Alderney, this site will help you find out how to get to the islands, and where to stay and what to do when you arrive.
- http://www.guernseytouristboard.com [EN][DE]
- Channel Islands: Jersey Tourism
- Learn more about the history and culture of Jersey, or get advice on travelling to the islands and finding holiday accommodation. There are details of festivals and events on the site, and you can search for special deals and discounts as well.
- http://www.jersey.com [EN]
- Channel Islands: States of Jersey Government
- This is the official site of the Jersey government, but it has much more than just information on the parliament. Discover the history of the islands, find out what events are taking place, and get suggestions for things to do and see.
- http://www.gov.je [EN]
- England: English Heritage
- If you’re planning a trip to England, or you want to get out and about in the country, take a look at the historic buildings and sites you can visit. There are hundreds of them!
- http://www.english-heritage.org.uk [EN]
- England: Enjoy England
- Search for types of accommodation, get details of places to see and find things to do. Look up information by region. Find out about outdoor and cultural activities.
- http://www.enjoyengland.com/ [NL][EN][FR][DE]
- Scotland: National Trust for Scotland
- Explore Scotland with the help of this site. Whether it’s castles, battlegrounds or the architecture of the major cities that interests you, you’ll find details of where to go and how to get there.
- http://www.nts.org.uk [EN]
- Scotland: Scottish Parliament
- Scotland has its own parliament again – it had one up until 1707, then there was a break of nearly 300 years before it got it back. Use this site to keep up to date with the latest debates, or find out how you can visit the parliament and see democracy in action!
- http://www.scottish.parliament.uk [EN][GD]
- Wales: National Museums and Galleries of Wales
- You can use this site to learn about the history and culture of Wales. If you’re planning on doing some sightseeing in Wales, find out which cultural venues and sites not to miss.
- http://www.nmgw.ac.uk [EN][CY]
- Isle of Man: Isle of Man Government
- There’s information for visitors, for residents and for people thinking of moving to the island on this site. Find flight details, accommodation for tourists, information about Manx heritage and much more. The tourist information pages have some information in Dutch, French, German, Italian and Spanish.
- http://www.gov.im [EN]
- London: Young Person’s Guide
- Whether you’re planning a short visit or are intending to live in London for a while, you’ll find lots of useful information and advice on this site. Discover how to get around the city, get the latest news on things to see and do, check out the advice on where to stay, or learn about finding a job or coming to study in London.
- http://eu.visitlondon.com/city_guide/young [EN]
Accommodation
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- Home stays
- One option for groups of students travelling together is to stay in the home of a British family. This organisation can arrange the accommodation for you. Individuals are also catered for.
- http://www.homestays.co.uk/ [CS][EN][FR][DE][HU][IT][PL][RU][ES]
- Hostel UK
- Find independent hostels in the UK. Has separate guides for hostels in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and also for some of the major cities in the UK – Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool, London, Manchester and Newcastle. You can book online at all the hostels featured.
- http://www.hosteluk.com/ [EN][FR][DE][IT][ES]
- Property Live
- Looking for a home rather than a hostel? This site from the National Association of Estate Agents allows you to search by price for lettings in England, Scotland or Wales.
- http://www.naea.co.uk/search_lets/default.asp [EN]
- Student accommodation
- A useful starting place if you’re looking for student digs. Find a room in a shared flat or house, look up student flat vacancies, search by landlord or letting agent, or advertise for a housemate.
- http://www.accommodationforstudents.com [EN]
- UK Campsite
- Search for campsites in Scotland, England and Wales. Click on the UK map to take you to one of the three countries, and then search by local area. There are reviews for some sites, written by visitors.
- http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/ [EN]
- England: Loot Property
- Locate a room or house to rent in England. From the online version of Loot, a classified newspaper. You can also use this page to search for accommodation suitable for students.
- http://property.loot.com/rs6/homepage.asp?action=hp&i=3959&c=Property [EN]
- Northern Ireland: Property News
- Find rented accommodation anywhere in Northern Ireland. Search facilities allow you to search by price.
- http://www.propertynews.com/index.php [EN]
- Scotland: Scotland homes
- Search for flats or houses to rent across Scotland, according to how much you wish to spend per month.
- http://www.s1homes.com/rental [EN]
- Wales: Wales homes
- Homes to let, from the online version of the Western Mail, South Wales Echo and Wales on Sunday newspapers.
- http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/1500ichomes/propertytolet [EN]
- Housemate
- All you need to know about finding the perfect pad. There’s a guide to leaving home, and advice on topics such as finding somewhere to live, what to do if you’re at risk of becoming homeless and how to sort out problems with landlords. Link to information for England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
- http://www.housemate.org.uk [EN]
- TravelStay
- This site specialises in budget student travel and extended stay hostels. This sort of accommodation is what you need if you intend to stay in a country for a while, perhaps during a working holiday.
- http://www.travelstay.com [EN]
- Visit Us
- Find a bed and breakfast (‘B&B’) or a hotel anywhere in the UK. This site allows you to search by location and provides contact details, prices, facilities and tourist information.
- http://www.visitus.co.uk [EN]
- England and Wales: Youth Hostel Association England & Wales
- Whether you’re after the bright lights of the big cities or a rural retreat, you’ll find affordable accommodation through this association. They sometimes offer special deals for group bookings, so make sure you take a good look around the site. Families and groups are catered for, and there are lots of activities you can take part in such as hill walking, horse riding and water sports.
- http://www.yha.org.uk [EN]
- Northern Ireland: Hostelling International Northern Ireland
- Individuals, groups and families can find somewhere to sleep or book a short break through this site. There are hostels in Belfast, Enniskillen, Armagh, Newcastle, Bushmills and Whitepark Bay. There maps to help you find the hostels, and details of what facilities they have. You can make reservations online.
- http://www.hini.org.uk [EN]
- Scotland: Scottish Youth Hostels Association
- You can stay in youth hostels housed in all kinds of buildings, from cottages and castles, all over Scotland, from the Highlands and Islands to the Borders. Independent travellers and groups can book hostels online. There are special offers, summer activity holidays and much more.
- http://www.syha.org.uk [EN]
- London: Cheap accommodation
- If you need to find somewhere to stay in London but you can’t afford the Ritz, never fear - you’ll find lots of options on this site. Choose from hostels, budget hotels and B&Bs, university accommodation, or even camping. No matter whether you’re planning to stay for a few days or several months, the information on this site will help you find something suitable.
- http://www.visitlondon.com/city_guide/accommodation/ [EN]
- Gumtree
- Search this site to find longer-term accommodation suitable for young travellers, workers and students. This is the London Gumtree, but from here you can link to Gumtrees for towns and cities across England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales... and beyond!
- http://www.gumtree.com [EN]
- Camping Booker
- Camping Booker offers a search function for campsites in the UK. They have destinations for campsites and caravan sites and you can search online availability, reviews and facilities and book your next site.
- http://www.campingbooker.com/ [EN]
- Pitchup.com
- Pitchup.com allows users to search through more than 5,000 campsites and holiday parks in the UK and Ireland. A user-customised search engine enables holidaymakers to find a campsite either by location or by choosing whatever accommodation type, activities, or facilities they may need.
- http://www.pitchup.com/ [EN]
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Transport
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- British Airport Authority
- The official site for several airports in England and Scotland. Check the flight timetable, or book flights online.
- http://www.baa.co.uk [EN]
- Public transport information
- How to travel to, about and out of the UK by public transport. Go by air, bus, coach, ferry, metro, train or tram within the UK and between the UK and Ireland. If you want to travel between the UK and mainland Europe, your options are coach, rail and ferry. Includes information on leisure trips.
- http://www.pti.org.uk [EN]
- Cheap Flights
- Look for the latest deals under the low-cost airlines option on the left hand side of the page, or enter your details here to see what flights are available. Search for cheap flights within the UK as well as to other destinations.
- http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/find-a-cheap-flight [EN]
- Opodo
- Search for destinations in the UK or overseas. Enter the details of where you want to go and when, and the search engine will come up with various options from different air operators. The cheapest options are listed first.
- http://www.opodo.co.uk [EN]
- Sustrans
- If you want to get around and about in the UK, it’s often just as easy to walk or get on your bike as it is to drive or use public transport. Plus, it’s rather cheap. Get cycle maps from this sustainable transport charity.
- http://www.sustrans.org.uk [EN]
- Traveline
- One-stop site for all your travel needs. You can find both national and regional information from this page.
- http://www.traveline.org.uk [EN]
- Auto Europe
- If you want to hire a car, try searching this site for the best deal. It allows you to compare prices from a range of car hire companies. You can book online.
- http://www.auto-europe.co.uk [EN]
- Car Clubs
- This organisation can help you find or start a car club in your community. Save on travel costs and cut down on pollution by taking part in this project.
- http://www.carclubs.org.uk [EN]
- Route Planner
- So you’ve used the above links to hire your car or arrange a lift - where do you go now? Search for the fastest or shortest route to destinations in the UK or in Europe.
- http://rp.rac.co.uk/routeplanner [EN]
- Student Travel
- Despite the name, this site is for all young people, not just students! There’s information on travelling around the UK and on travelling from the UK to all four corners of the globe. Search for discounted flights, bus and rail passes, book budget accommodation and find insurance through this one site. You can even buy your backpack here!
- http://www.statravel.co.uk [EN]
- Young Transnet
- Find out everything you ever wanted to know about transport in the UK with the help of this site, which is written specifically for young people. It aims to inform people about the benefits of walking, cycling and using public transport.
- http://www.youngtransnet.org.uk [EN]
- Lift Share
- Be friendly to both the environment and your wallet by sharing a car journey. If you need a lift, you can search online for a driver, or if you already have a car, you can use the site to find passengers. You can get support to set up your own car sharing group as well.
- http://www.liftshare.com [EN]
- Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
- If you want to take to the open road, you'll need to have a look at this site. You can find information about learning to drive, getting a driving licence, tax and driving abroad.
- http://www.dvla.gov.uk [EN][CY]
- National Express
- This coach company offers you over 1000 destinations in the UK & Ireland. As a member of Eurolines, National Express can also take you to almost any place in Europe as well! Online booking, wi-fi access, disabled facilities, 24/7 services, £1 tickets for early birds, 30% off for students and young persons, etc – just check out the website!
- http://www.nationalexpress.com/ [EN][FR][PL][ES]
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Spend & save
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- Dubit card
- Aged 11-17? Paying full price for goods and entry to venues? Then you’re missing out! If you apply for this free discount card, you’ll get money off at restaurants, cinemas, theme parks, clubs and many other places.
- http://www.dubitcard.com [EN]
- National Union of Students card
- Only students at colleges or universities that are members of the union are eligible for the card. If you’re in your final years at school in England, you can apply for the Associate Card instead.
- http://www.nusonline.co.uk/cards/ [EN][CY]
- Young Person’s Railcard
- Those of you who are aged 16-25 can get discounts on rail travel throughout the UK. This site also has guides to various cities in the UK.
- http://www.youngpersons-railcard.co.uk [EN]
- England: Youth information
- How to apply for the Euro <26 card if you live in England, plus information about the discounts cardholders are entitled to.
- http://www.nya.org.uk/Euro-26/template.asp?NodeID=89761 [EN]
- YouthCard Euro<26
- Apply for the Euro<26 card online, or find a sales outlet in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland where you can buy it in person. Keep an eye on all the discounts!
- http://www.youthcard.net/cards.htm [EN]
- Scotland: Young Scot
- If you live in Scotland you can apply for the Young Scot/Euro <26 card. Depending on what age you are, there are different ways you can apply. Details of all the discounts available to cardholders are also given on this site. Just browse the website if you haven't discovered it yet!
- http://www.youngscot.org/ [EN]
- Wales: Canllaw Online
- Live in Wales? Find out how to get the Euro <26 card, and search for discounts for cardholders in your area.
- http://www.canllaw-online.com/about_us/discount.asp [EN][CY]
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Last update: 07/03/2013 @ 15:06:13
Youth Programme