UK Hotel Bookings

South England Hotel Guide

Bedford, the county town of Bedfordshire, has a long history illustrated in the many museums. It also boasts good shopping, restaurants and parks. The other main town of the area is Luton, which also has plenty to offer in the way of theatres, restaurants and shopping. The main tourist attraction in the area is Woburn Abbey and the Safari Park.

Buckinghamshire may be home to the new city of Milton Keynes, but it also has much to offer in the way of picturesque old villages and lovely countryside. The slopes and valleys of the Chiltern Hills and the meandering River Thames add to the charm of the area. Towns such as Amersham and Aylesbury still boast many historic buildings, interesting shops and galleries. The old town of Beaconsfield was the home of author Enid Blyton, creator of Noddy and Big Ears.

Hatfield House is just one of the attractions found in Hertfordshire, which is a great area from which to commute to London. There are plenty of attractive villages and old towns such as St Albans, in addition to lovely wooded countryside.

Some of the loveliest old towns of England are found in the county of Essex. Places such as Saffron Walden and Thaxted are filled with timbered medieval buildings, dating from the times when these towns were important centres of industry in textile and other trades. In addition, there are many attractive fishing towns along the Essex coast and several holiday resorts such as Clacton and Southend.

The spires and colleges of Oxford speak for themselves and the city has much to offer in the way of shopping and entertainment, in addition to the more obvious attractions of the university itself. The Cotswold Hills are home to many other charming villages and towns: places such as Burford, Chipping Norton and Woodstock. Bleinheim Palace, the ancestral home of the Churchill family is just one of the stately homes in this area.

Royal Berkshire is the home to Windsor Castle, the most impressive royal castle in the British Isles. Not far from here is Eton, England’s most famous public school and the location for much of the filming of television’s “Inspector Morse” series. It is a beautiful county with many lovely towns and villages built on the banks of the River Thames. It is also home to large towns such as Reading and Slough and offers a wide selection of venues for shopping, eating and various entertainments.

Surrey is a county of historic market towns and lovely gardens. Places such as the market town of Farnham are attractive and welcoming and there are many pretty riverside locations offering peace and tranquillity. There is wonderful walking country in the surrey hills, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Kent has long been known as the garden of England and it is easy to see why. The countryside here is lush and inviting inland and the coastal scenery includes the famous white cliffs along the English Channel to Dover. There are many historic buildings in the county and it is also ideal for taking the odd day trip (or longer) across to France or Belgium.

Jane Austen lived in Hampshire for most of her life and based many of her novels in the area. The coast is ideal for sailing, particularly in the area of the Solent. Just across the water is the Isle of Wight, for those wishing to escape the more frenetic lifestyle of the mainland. The New Forest is very beautiful and there are lots of historic buildings to visit in the area.

Sussex has its beautiful downs rolling down to the coast and it also has its popular resorts. Brighton, with its famous pavilion, is a popular place for those wishing to browse antique shops and antiquarian bookshops. There are lots of famous gardens in the county and many lovely walks in the beautiful countryside.

Popular Southern English Cities and Towns