ADVERTORIAL
8 THINGS TO DO IN BRITAIN – FOR FREE!
Travelling to the UK on the rand doesn’ t mean you’ ll have to eat nothing but twominute noodles after your return. Many museums, art galleries, walking tours, festivals and cultural events are free, as well as notable heritage sites.
1. Museums and galleries
London’ s British Museum, the National Gallery, the Natural History Museum and Tate Modern are some of the big guys you can visit for free. Plus there are hundreds of others wherever you go in the country: www. visitbritain. com / freemuseums.
2. Come all ye faithful
Step inside many of Britain’ s churches and cathedrals for free. You can experience the splendour of Durham Cathedral in northeastern England or King’ s College Chapel’ s famed Christmas Eve carol service in Cambridge, only an hour by train from London.
3. Banksy tour
While some of Banksy’ s works sell for millions, others by the mysterious graffiti artist are free. Follow a Banksy Walking Tour around Bristol( www. visitbristol. co. uk) to see some of his most famous pieces, like the Grim Reaper on a houseboat.
4. Festivals
The world-famous Edinburgh Fringe Festival( www. edfringe. com) every
August has hundreds of free shows, from drama and comedy to cabaret and spoken word. The Notting Hill Carnival( www. thenottinghillcarnical. com) also takes place in August, and there’ s the Cardiff Summer Festival( wwww. cardiff-festival. com), which is known for its street theatre, music and funfair rides.
5. Explore on bicycle
Britain’ s scenic cycle routes( www. sustrains. org. uk) are only an hour from London. The Crab and Winkle Way is a leafy, 11-kilometre route that follows a former railway line and links the cathedral city of Canterbury with the oyster-fishing village of Whitstable.
6. Scotland’ s heritage sites Scotland’ s Doors Open Days( www. doorsopendays. org. uk) on
September weekends allow visitors free access to more than 800 buildings and heritage sites across Scotland.
7. Free guided walks
Tie your shoelaces and take in the iconic Royal Crescent in the Georgian city of Bath in southwestern England. When you go further north, choose between culture and architecture by getting the free Manchester walking Tours app.
8. Natural wonders
In Scotland, hike up Ben Nevis( www. visitbritain. com / ben), which is the UK’ s highest mountain or try to spot Nessie in nearby Loch Ness( www. visitbritain. com / nessie). In Wales, only a short drive from Cardiff, you’ ll find Rhossili Bay( www. visitswanseabay. com), which regularly tops the world’ s best beaches lists.
For more info go to: www. visitbritain. com and www. visitbritainshop. com, which offer online, value-for-money pricing on travel, transport and sightseeing for when you plan your budget trip to Great Britain.
Travel Update | issue 9
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