GREAT ways to save on Britain
Your cash travels further with these value-for-money options
Toronto (February 24, 2015) – Pack your bags for the trip to Britain you’ve always wanted. With excellent value-for-money options, you really can make your cash go further and indulge in the vibrant atmosphere of British cities, explore the glorious countryside and tour the castles and stately homes you’ve only seen on film and television.
Here are top ways Canadian visitors can see as much of Britain for as little as possible:
Buy before you go: Many offerings are available on www.visitbritainshop.com for travellers to buy in Canadian dollars before they leave Canada. Visiting London? Save on the Visitor Oyster Card. This pay-as-you-go smartcard can be used on all public transport in London. A tube journey costs $4.47 (£2.30) with Oyster or $9.32 (£4.80) with cash giving users a 50% discount. The card also provides exclusive discounts and offers at top restaurants and shops. Also save on The London Pass, which provides visitors access to 60-plus attractions including Tower of London, Westminster Abbey and Windsor Castle. Visiting just three top attractions in a day can save you $38.83 (£20). It also saves time as it grants priority entry, moving you to the front of the line.
And for theatre buffs, the VisitBritainshop.com ticketing service for London’s renowned theatre saves you up to 60% on your tickets on a selection of the biggest musicals, comedies, dramas, classics and family-friendly West End favourites. Dinner and a show packages are also available saving you more on a complete night out in London. Can’t make up your mind before you get there? Visit TKTS, the official London Theatre ticket booth located in Leicester Square, for daily discounts. You can also save considerably by purchasing standing stalls tickets such as those at The Globe Theatre from $9.71 (£5) and for the English National Opera from $19.41 (£10).
World-class museums and galleries: You don’t need to spend a penny to soak up some of the best of British culture. Entrance is free to many major museums, not just in London at the British Museum, the Natural History Museum, the National Gallery and Tate Modern (celebrating its 15th anniversary this year), but step beyond the capital to save in other fabulous cities. If you are in Edinburgh for the festivals in August, don’t miss the Free Fringe. It offers hundreds of free events and is a fantastic opportunity to watch innovative performances from music to comedy to poetry recitals (http://freefringe.org.uk). Discover more about Scotland’s natural history and its ancient cultures at the National Museum of Scotland, which recently underwent a multi-million pound redevelopment. (http://www.nms.ac.uk/national-museum-of-scotland/).
Countryside charms: The National Trust Touring Pass allows unlimited access to over 300 stately homes, gardens and castles for $46.60 (£24) (for seven days) and children under 5 go free. Enjoy the ease of unlimited rail travel throughout England, Scotland and Wales with the BritRail GB Flexi pass. Days do not have to be consecutive so you are free to change your travel plans as you please, and no need to stand in line for tickets. Enjoy huge savings compared to buying individual tickets for each journey. BritRail passes must be purchased before you leave Canada, as they are not available in Britain. This year marks the 800th anniversary of the sealing of the Magna Carta by King John and his barons. Destinations across England will celebrate the anniversary of this iconic charter for outlining the ideas of freedom, democracy and rule of law with six new tourist trails, www.magnacartatrails.com
On the trail of GREAT food: Britain offers a delicious array of food and drink, from Michelin-starred restaurants to modestly priced gastropubs. Explore the countryside along outstanding food trails in popular regions such as Yorkshire and Cornwall, as well as Wales and Scotland to meet local producers, sample seasonal produce and experience the freshest ingredients. Scotland is celebrating a year of food and drink, and you don’t have to pay top money to get some of the tastiest offerings. The buzz in Glasgow is along Sauchiehall, a great place to head to for some excellent food at terrific prices. Cocktail & Burger is a cool basement bar and restaurant, offering $9.71 (£5) lunch deals (http://www.cocktailandburger.com/), while further down the street, if you want to upgrade to a steak, head to the Butchershop Bar & Grill (www.butchershopglasgow.com). In Edinburgh, you can find fresh, seasonal, local, sustainable and homemade dishes for less than $19.41 (£10) at Bia Bistrot, (http://www.biabistrot.co.uk/). Also with a strong focus on local and British ingredients is The Dogs gastropub in the city centre you’ll find lunchtime feasts of haggis and Cumberland sausage hash with whisky sauce and beef burger with black pudding for less than $13.59 (£7) (www.thedogsonline.co.uk). The 100% vegetarian, fair trade and organic, Milgi in Cardiff is a unique venue that is a restaurant, a bar, a café, a gallery, a music venue – and aims to offer customers good prices; try the vegetarian Sunday lunch for under 17.47(£9), join in ‘art club and curry’ nights for $12.62 (£6.50), while every third Sunday of the month Milgi holds a $1.94 (£1) market for some bargain shopping (www.milgishopping.com).
Northern cultural renaissance: Whether you’re a football fan or a history buff, Manchester’s free museums are a must including the National Football Museum, the Manchester Museum, the Imperial War Museum North and the People’s Museum – where interactive exhibits relate a 200-year tale of British democracy (www.visitmanchester.com). Beatles fans will want to visit locations that inspired John, Paul, George and Ringo…and can do so for free! Soak up the electric atmosphere in The Cavern – the venue where it all began for The Beatles – during the day or Monday to Wednesday evenings when there is free admission, and head to Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields for those must-do photo opportunities (www.cavernclub.org). There are plenty of other Beatles-specific visitor attractions such as the Beatles Story or the National Trust joint tour of John Lennon and Paul McCartney’s childhood homes – these are both ticketed (www.beatlesstory.com, www.nationaltrust.org.uk/beatles-childhood-homes). And Liverpool will be central on May 25 to the 175th anniversary of the Cunard Line when the Three Queens (Queen Elizabeth, Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria) meet there to salute the city, http://www.cunard.com/campaigns/anniversary-cruises/175-celebration/
About us
VisitBritain, the national tourism agency, is responsible for inspiring the world to explore Britain and for developing the UK’s visitor economy.
Canadians made 744,000 visits to Britain in 2013 and spent $966 million CAD (£531 million) – making Britain the fourth most popular outbound destination overall for Canadians and the second most popular long-haul destination.
Visitors traveling to Britain can find out more information fromvisitbritain.complus purchase money and time saving local transport, sightseeing, attraction, theatre and tour tickets fromvisitbritainshop.com.
Follow us on Twitter@VisitBritain,Pinterest(Love GREAT Britain), Instagram:lovegreatbritainand Facebook:LoveGREATbritain
Cathy Stapells
PR & Communications Manager – Canada