Our friends at Visit Britain have launched a new television advertising campaign – their first in 10 years – to promote Britain to the world. They’ve enlisted the help of 5 major celebrities and made a few short films about their favorite places in Britain. The fifth and final video is of Jamie Oliver discussing his favorite places.
About the Places Featured in the Video:
Bath
This world-famous city has originated and developed around its hot spring waters discovered by the Romans, and the famous Roman Baths remain to this day. Unfortunately, you can’t bathe here as the Romans did, but you can in the Thermae Bath Spa , which uses the same warm, mineral-rich waters the Celts and Romans did 2,000 years ago. A designated UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Britain’s Heritage Cities, Bath is home to some of the finest architectural sights in Europe, such as the Royal Crescent, the Circus and Pulteney Bridge. But Bath is not buried in the past! Festivals, theatre and vibrant street entertainment bring life and excitement to this beautiful city.
Buckingham Palace, London
The official residence of British sovereigns since 1837 is open to the public for only eight weeks a year. Visitors can explore the 19 state rooms that house the treasures of the Royal Collection, admire the finest French and English furniture, see paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens and Poussin and marvel at the varied and exotic planting of the 42-acre garden. This year, the Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding dress will also be on display. The Duchess chose British brand Alexander McQueen and worked closely with Sarah Burton in formulating the design of her dress. The dress will go on display alongside the shoes and earrings worn by the Duchess on 29 April when she married Prince William, as well as the magnificent Halo Tiara.
Edinburgh, Scotland
Every year, around 100 million people around the world watch the colourful spectacle of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo on TV, in addition to the 217,000 who turn up at the event itself. The historic setting for the Tattoo is the Esplanade of Edinburgh Castle, which dominates the city from its position on top of an extinct volcano. As well as fantastic views, highlights of the castle include the Honours of Scotland (the nation’s Crown Jewels), which were first used at the coronation of Mary Queen of Scots, who was only nine months old at the time. The medieval Old Town and the Georgian New Town were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995, while the innovative Scottish Parliament building in Holyrood Park has won several architectural awards. The city is a hotbed of culture, with numerous museums, galleries and theatres, while its annual festival is famous throughout the world. Edinburgh also has a wide range of excellent eating places, including five Michelin-starred restaurants: Number One (at Balmoral Hotel), 21212, Kitchin, Martin Wishart and the Plumed Horse.
Leeds, Yorkshire
Leeds is the cultural and economic heart of West Yorkshire, in northern England. It contains more listed buildings in any English city outside London, including the marble and mosaic arcades of the Victoria Quarter, now an upmarket shopping centre. As well as shopping, a young student population ensures plenty of bars and clubs, while culture vultures won’t be bored – the city is home to the West Yorkshire Playhouse, Opera North and Northern Ballet as well as several museums, including the Royal Armouries. If you want to explore the countryside, the beautiful landscapes of the Yorkshire Dales National Park are only 20 miles away, offering opportunities for walking, cycling, caving or a trip on the Settle-Carlisle railway, England’s most scenic rail route. Then there’s the food – the chance to try Yorkshire pudding, a savoury batter dish served with roast beef, in its original home, or parkin (sweet ginger cake), liquorice or rhubarb. With five Michelin-starred restaurants across Yorkshire as well as plenty of pubs offering local produce, you won’t go hungry!
Cotswolds
For many visitors, the Cotswolds represent everything that is quintessentially “English”, with villages and churches of honey-coloured limestone set among gentle hillsides (“wolds”), cottage gardens, beech woods and drystone walls (built without cement to hold the stones together). No wonder it’s designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. You’ll see many sheep on those hills – the grand manors and churches were paid for from the profits of the high-quality wool of their ancestors during the Middle Ages. Antique shops, galleries and tea rooms in the market towns and villages do a roaring trade, but there are also plenty of historical sights, such as Sudeley Castle and Chedworth Roman Villa. Modern as well as historical films and TV dramas have been filmed here, including Harry Potter, Bridget Jones’s Diary, James Bond and Doctor Who. And don’t forget to try some of the excellent local produce, such as Gloucester Old Spot pork, Tewkesbury mustard or cheese – the Cotswold Cheese Company in Moreton on Marsh has a good selection.
Brighton, East Sussex
A lively resort on the south coast, an hour from London by train, Brighton is often known as Silicon Beach due to the large number of businesses involved in digital media. Two universities and numerous language schools that attract thousands of overseas students give the place a youthful buzz, along with several festivals, such as the Brighton Festival (arts) and Brighton Pride (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender). The maze of narrow streets near the seafront, known as “The Lanes”, is all that remains of the fishing village of Brighthelmstone. The resort really took off after the Prince Regent (later George IV) visited in 1783 and later moved there. The elegant Georgian terraces from the period look positively restrained compared with George’s Royal Pavilion, which combines exotic Chinese interiors with Indian spires and domes. Victorian developments include the two piers and Volk’s Electric Railway, the world’s oldest operating electric railway.
Brick Lane, London
Brick Lane in east London, famous for its countless curry restaurants, is the heart of the city’s Bangladeshi community. Monica Ali’s 2003 novel Brick Lane was set here, as was the 2007 feature film. In recent years the area has become popular with fashion and art students – the enormous Sunday market at Spitalfields spills over into Brick Lane, and the Old Truman Brewery is now an office and entertainment complex. Other nearby Sunday markets include Columbia Road (flowers and plants) and Petticoat Lane (cheap clothes and bric-a-brac).
Glasgow
Glasgow is Scotland’s largest city, famous for its culture, architecture, and design. Situated on the River Clyde on the country’s west coast, it’s known as Scotland’s style capital – a title reflected in its innovative buildings, stylish shops, cultural centres, more than 30 art galleries and museums and an annual programme of performing arts and festivals. Glasgow has a history that stretches back to the Stone Age, but the hallmark of the city is its architecture. It’s the Art Nouveau ‘Glasgow Style’ for which the city has become famous, and no visitor should miss a trip to the Glasgow School of Art, the undisputed masterwork of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, the city’s most famous son. If you love museums, your only problem in Glasgow will be deciding which one to go to next. The Burrell Collection is home to the private collection of millionaire shipping owner Sir William Burrell; and the Hunterian Museum is home to one of the top five collections in Scotland.
Stonehenge, Wiltshire
Stonehenge, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of the most important prehistoric monuments in the world, dating back an astonishing 5,000 years. The stones stand on a small mound in a vast plain of the Wiltshire countryside, not far from Salisbury. The two concentric circles, enclosed by a deep trench in the earth, were probably constructed in stages over 1,600 years. Some of the stones travelled over 240 miles to reach Wiltshire, and their size and scale often surprises first-time visitors. The heaviest weigh 50 tonnes – it would have taken 600 men to move just one! We still don’t know the original purpose of Stonehenge. Some say it was a temple to worship the gods, while others describe it as an astronomical observatory, or prehistoric calendar, because of the way it aligns with the sun and moon. English Heritage, which manages the site, allows free entry every year to people who want to celebrate the summer solstice (20/21 June) – this is a very popular event. There are many neolithic and Bronze Age monuments in the surrounding landscape, and Avebury, the largest stone circle in Europe, is also nearby.
