England, also known as the “green and lovely land,” “sceptered isle,” “crucible of empire,” and “pioneer of parliamentary democracy,” is a country that is unique, exciting, and always fascinating.

Scenes of Lyrical Beauty

Although it is just a little over a thousand square miles, England is home to various landscapes. England has coastline of 2795 miles, making it one of the longest in Europe and the only one with a public coast walk all the way around. The country is home to 10 national parks, 34 Areas of Outstanding National Beauty (AONB), and miles of rugged, beach-fringed coastline. England is a never-ending visual feast, whether you’re hiking the South Downs, the fells of the Lake District, or the White Cliffs of Dover.

True Chronology

England’s history dates back at least 5 thousand years, and it’s likely far further back than that. Castle ruins stand eerily above desolate peaks. In the furthest reaches of abandoned fields are clusters of mysterious menhirs (prehistoric standing stones), barrow burials, and stone circles. There seems to be no end to the appearance of eerily similar cathedrals, palaces, and majestic manors from the Middle Ages. And every city, town, and hamlet in England has its own story: a sweeping historical epic of monarchs and commoners, industrialists and innovators, eccentrics, dreamers, and rebels that is as interesting and startling as anything written by Shakespeare, Dickens, or J.K. Rowling.

What It’s Like to Live in a City

England’s cities range from the quaint lanes of York to the dreaming spires of Oxford, from Bristol’s Floating Harbour to the bustling docks of Liverpool. Of course, London is the trump card; it has been a pioneer, a history maker, and a game changer for over a thousand years, and it has everything from royal palaces to world-famous museums, iconic theaters, and large urban parks. Outside of London, however, one may experience a wide variety of metropolitan environments, such as Manchester’s teeming music scene, Newcastle’s cutting-edge art galleries, Bath’s shimmering Georgian architecture, and Brighton’s offbeat retail lanes. Whichever you choose, you’ll have lots of exciting experiences in the city.