Must – see places in Great Britain
Stratford-upon-Avon is a must see destination for any tourist who goes to England. It lies on the River Avon, thirty five kilometres south east of Birmingham and thirteen kilometres south west of Warwick. Stratford-upon-Avon is the birthplace of William Shakespeare, the great author of histories, wonderful comedies, powerful tragedies and lyrical sonnets. The house in Henley Street where the great poet and playwright was born in 1564 is preserved intact and nowadays it is a museum. There are four other historical sites in and around Stratford connected with the life of Shakespeare and his family: Anne Hathaway´s Cottage, Hall´s Croft, Mary Arden´s House and Nash´s House & New Place. Truly, Stratford-upon-Avon is „a Mecca for all lovers of literature.“
Do you like solving mysteries? You have to visit Stonehenge, situated near Salisbury in the beautiful Wiltshire countryside. Scientists still argue about the purpose of this ancient creation and how it was constructed. Was Stonehenge a temple for sun worship? An astronomical observatory? A healing centre? A burial ground? How did people who lived 5 000 years ago manage to carry the huge stones? How did they build the fantastic structure, using primitive tools? There are no definite answers to these questions. In 1986 Stonehenge was added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage.
Have you ever been to an extinct volcano? You should visit Edinburgh Castle, an ancient fortress and a powerful Scottish national symbol. They say the castle story is Scotland´s story. It used to be a royal residence. In the 18th and the 19th centuries, Edinburgh Castle became a prison for sailors. After the escape of 49 prisoners from the castle through a hole in the south wall in 1811, the castle stopped being a prison. It was gradually turned into a national monument. More than a million people a year visit Edinburgh Castle, thousands of them come to see the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. The highlight of this colourful performance is a parade of the Scottish regiments, complete with bagpipes, tartans and lots of horses. The Edinburgh Military Tattoo takes place every year in August.