United Kingdom in review
From an island off northwest Europe they came to conquer one-quarter of the world. The United Kingdom gave rise to the largest empire in history. It became the cradle of the industrial revolution and still wields a cultural influence vastly disproportionate to its size.
England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, the countries that make up the UK, have emerged reinvigorated from years of conservatism and economic hardship, their cities and towns reinventing themselves as vibrant, modern and cosmopolitan cultural centres.
Yet those visitors yearning for the traditional need not travel far for the historical comfort of ancient castles, stone circles, magnificent cathedrals or just a good old pub in which to wet the whistle. From the windswept beauty of the Scottish highlands to the serenity of the Lakes District, from the clash of ages in the Welsh capital to the all-consuming vitality of London, there is incredible variety to be found in a small geographic space. For every curious citizen of the former colonies, a United Kingdom hotel bed awaits.
- From our editor T. Ireland – Sydney