posted by Vacation Home Rentals on Dec 31
Swansea is one of the most vibrant and lively of all the cities in Wales situated by the sea. Not only is there much for you to do and see in this city but also in the surrounding area as well. Just a short distance away by car is the seaside resort of Mumbles and favorite with people during Victorian times. Here we will take a look at a few of the places you can visit when you stay in Swansea.
1. Swansea Castle – This fortification has stood on the same spot for nearly a thousand years now. Originally is was not just a home but it also acted as the administrative centre for the city. Prince Owain Glyndwr attacked the castle in the fourteenth Century. Then during the 19th Century it was used as a debtor’s prison. The tower that survives is located in the heart of the city and stands over the amphitheatre and fountains that was where the market use to be some five hundred years ago.
2. Swansea Museum – This museum explores the history of Swansea. It is now the oldest museum in the whole of Wales and the poet Dylan Thomas who came from the city described it as “A museum which belongs in a museum”. Alongside its collection of rare early nineteeth Century Swansea porcelain you will also find the mummy of a 4,000 year old Egyptian priest and the skeleton of an Ichthyosaur dinosaur.
3. National Waterfront Museum – This is situated in the Maritime Quarter of the city’s marina and has the largest collection of floating exhibits to be found in Wales today. Along with it being free to wander around the museum offers a large number of displays that one can interact with. So if you have children with you then this is a great place to spend an afternoon when the weather isn’t that great.
4. Museum of Egyptian Antiquities – Outside of London this is the largest collection of Egyptian artifacts you will find anywhere in the UK today. There are over one thousand objects for you to enjoy dating back to between 3500 BC and up to AD500. Again admission in to this museum as with the one previously spoken about is free. So if the weather isn’t as wonderful as you hoped spend a few hours wandering through the museums halls will help to pass the time.
5. Margam Stones Museum – This is situated in Port Talbot, around 15 miles to the east of Swansea. Here you will be able to see the Celtic standing stones collection that has been gathered here from across Wales. There are the giant cartwheel crosses which are more than a thousand years old along with an ornate Christian memorial stone that dates back to before the Roman’s conquered the country.
6. Plantasia – Here you have the chance to enjoy and explore all kinds of environments to be found around the world. The glass pyramid is controlled and you can wander from a rainforest to a desert. Along with the attraction containing 5,000 different kinds of tropical and exotic plants there is the aviary and butterfly house to enjoy. There is also a range of fish and reptiles and some Cotton Top Tamarin Monkeys.
When you next stay in Swansea, you can choose your Swansea hotel here.
posted by Vacation Home Rentals on Dec 31
The city of Peterborough is located in the county of Cambridgeshire in the East of England. The town is located on the river Nene which flows directly in to the North Sea about 40 miles from the town. Although there is not much for one to view in the city itself there are many wonderful attractions one can enjoy in the surrounding area. Below we take a look at just what some of these attractions are when you visit Peterborough.
One popular place is Flag Fen Archaeology Park. Here you will find a wooden causeway and platform that stretches for 1 km and which has been preserved perfectly through the ages. The causeway was built 3,500 years ago and was used by the Celtic fen dwellers for rituals and worship purposes.
But it isn’t just the preserved causeway that brings visitors to this attraction it is the chance to see how our ancestors lived during the Bronze Age. Also one can see what life was like more than 3,500 years ago as well as viewing many of the wonderful artifacts including swords and personal items that have been found on the site.
Another place that many people like to visit is Sacrewell Farm & Country Centre, located deep in the heart of Cambridgeshire. There is an eighteenth Century Mill and a country farm to enjoy as well as other things to keep your children amused. Bonnie is one of the horses at the Shire Horse Centre and if you visit in the spring then why not cheer the lambs on at the Lamb National.
Although you can enjoy a wonderful home cooked meal in this attractions restaurant as you wander around the farm there are plenty of places to stop and have a picnic. The “Three Little Ducks Shop” sells souvenirs of your visit.
If you do have a car then it would be worth spending time at Croyland Abbey a Benedictine Abbey which was founded back in 716AD by King Ethelbald of Mercia. Although none of this building now remains there is still the 15th Century North Aisle which is used as a parish church as well as the 12th Century Norman Arch and 13th Century West Front to be explored as well.
The Imperial War Museum at Duxford is also close to Peterborough. It is home to 180 different types of aircraft of historic significance and it also contains one of the best collections of military vehicles and tanks. The museum is indoors, so it makes an ideal wet weather activity. Plus it offers you the chance to really learn more about what life was like for those who went to Normandy and about the famed General (Monty) Montgomery.
Book your next hotel in Peterborough here. You will find a big selection of places to stay in Peterborough.
posted by Vacation Home Rentals on Dec 31
The market town of Hexham is situated in Northumberland, England and is located to the south of the River Tyne. Certainly if you are looking for somewhere to stay in order that you can spend time exploring Hadrian’s Wall or the Northumberland National Park this town is ideal. There are plenty of wonderful hotels, guesthouses and B&B’s in Hexham where you can rest your weary feet after you have spent all day wandering around the area.
As well as exploring Hadrian’s Wall there are plenty of other attractions close to Hexham that you can enjoy. Here we will take a look at just a few of the places you can visit.
1. Corbridge Roman Site was used by the Roman’s as their main supply depot when their armies were building and guarding Hadrian’s Wall nearly two thousand years ago. This Roman settlement has been excavated and you can see some of the best examples of Roman military granaries in England at this location. There is also a museum where you can see many of the artifacts that have been discovered on the site during the excavations. These include the famous Lion of Corbridge, a stone fountainhead.
2. Housesteads Roman Fort and Museum is also popular with tourists. It is the best preserved of all the Roman forts that were built along Hadrian’s Wall during the Roman occupation of the area. As well as the fort, you have the chance to see what a Roman hospital looked like.
3. Allen Banks & Staward Grange is a quiet place that will allow you to get away from the stresses and strains of modern day life. There are many marked walks both through ornamental and ancient woods to enjoy. Plus upon reaching Staward Wood you can explore the remains of a medieval Pele tower. There is a reconstructed Victorian Summerhouse at Allen Banks as well. The woodland you walk through is cut in the middle by a river gorge and there are many plants and animals for you to try and spot and identify as you walk along.
4. Alnwick Castle England’s second largest castle that are still inhabited. This has been the home of the Earls and Dukes of Northumberland since 1309. There is also evidence to show that a castle has stood on this site since around 1096. It was however the First Lord Percy of Alnwick who began restoration on the castle back in the early fourteenth Century and today parts of this still remain.
Of course we have shown you a few of the attractions that get many people to stay in Hexham. But the one that is probably most likely to draw the tourists is of course Hadrian’s Wall. Much of the wall still remains and there are plenty of sites along the track it took in order to protect the Romans from the Scottish tribes. As with many of the ancient monuments around the UK this was in 1987 classed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and since that time has been maintained by English Heritage.
Choose your next hotel in Hexham here.
