London, the capital city of England and the United Kingdom, is probably one of the most familiar places in the entire world. Thousands upon thousands of movies and shows were made in and about this historic city. Poets and lyricists have written about this wondrous place since the time the first Romans settled in the vicinity, and many budding artists are still inspired to create masterpieces based on the familiar sights of London. London has certainly achieved global city status, becoming the 2nd most expensive city in the world – seconding Moscow in Russia.

If you are planning on getting around the city on your own, you may as well use the public transport system. Renting a car is rather pricey and since vehicles here are on the right hand, it may get a bit confusing. If you prefer a more scenic route on nothing more than leg power, you may want to rent a bicycle for the day. Cycling here is an increasingly popular way to get about. However, if you are hoping for a city wide tour, we recommend the local buses, railways and yes, even the black painted cabs. It should be noted though that London is so huge that it is actually impossible to see all the sites in one vacation time. It is therefore prudent to subscribe to one of the numerous city-wide tours. You can always have the hotel concierge service to set this up for you; or you could always go online and choose what tour packages actually include the places you want to see. Most people opt to see the Big 3: Big Ben, St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Westminster Abbey.

There are other places to go to, though. And if indeed you are visiting London for the first time, you may want to time your arrival during local festivities, like: the Notting Hill Carnival in August; Lord Mayor’s Show in November; New Year’s Day Parade; and in the month of June when the entire UK population comes out in force to celebrate the Queen’s Official Birthday. This is usually punctuated by the very formal military pageant called Trooping the Colour. For the younger crowd, the annual Princess Diana concert at the Wembley Arena is something to really forward to.

One of the greatest things to do in London is to shop – that is, if you have a rather large stash of dough burning a hole in your pocket. Oxford Street is a great place to start, but if you prefer a trendier spot, you could always try Bond Street in Mayfair. Kings Road, Knightsbridge, and Sloane Street are three places that is often considered as a clothes horse’s paradise, and you can actually inhale the chic air all around. If you favor specialty shops, we recommend Camden Market, Covent Garden, and Portbello Road.

Bars, clubs, eating establishments, galleries, museums and theaters abound in Brick Lane, Chinatown, Hoxton, Islongton, Notting Hill, Shoreditch, Soho, and the famous West End, of course.

For a gastronomical treat, we suggest you try the organic and specialist food available for Borough Market. You do not really have to buy anything, because merchants are offering free samples everywhere. The various cheeses are an exquisite taste ride though, and we can almost guarantee that you will be buying yourself a wedge or two.

When people say “Ireland” the first thing that usually comes to mind are men in kilts playing the bag pipes. Yes, it is true that kilts and bag pipes are still used here, but the state of Ireland has certainly more to offer. If you want to visit the Ireland, we suggest you head on down to the city of Dublin for some culture, shopping and sports – and yeah, let’s not forget free flowing beer all throughout.

If you are in search of some cultural depth, Dublin will certainly not disappoint you. The city is rich in literary history and you can visit a lot of places here dedicated to the memories of James Joyce, George Bernard Shaw and Jonathan Swift, to name a few. If you are into literary masterpieces, you may also want to drop by the National Library of Ireland and the National Print Museum of Ireland. However, if you prefer spending more time watching than reading the works of literary geniuses, we recommend checking out the latest listings of plays, operas and musicals from the numerous theaters in Dublin.

Certainly, nothing can beat a live performance, and people in Dublin are (very rightfully so) very proud of their theatrical productions. You may want to spend some (or most) of your evenings at: the Abbey, the Gaiety, the Gate, Mahony Hall (Helix, Dublin City University) or at the Olympia. Other culturally rich places to visit are: the City Arts Centre, the Douglas Hyde Gallery, the Hugh Lane Municipal Galley, the Irish Museum of Modern Art, the National Gallery, the National Museum of Ireland, the Project Arts Centre and the Royal Hibernian Academy.

After taking in all that culture, how about some R&R? Dublin is also the best place to literally “shop ‘til you drop” – that is, if you have a rather fat wallet waiting to explode. The shopping districts here are extensive and there are a number of large high end stores and quaint mini-stores to choose from. Some of the more popular places to flip your credit cards are at: Arnotts, Brown Thomas, Clerys, Dundrum Town Centre, Debenhams, Ilac Shopping Centre, Jervis Shopping Centre, Tallaght, etc.

To some people the word “Ireland” is synonymous to World Cup Football (soccer, to the unversed); and World Cup Football is synonymous to beer. Yes, this is one mystery in life that is very much magnified in Dublin. The locals here are World Cup Football crazy, and if you time your arrival during the peak of the gaming season, then we suggest you brush up on your drinking abilities because pubs and bars have beer almost free flowing from the tap. Other sports festivities are: Gaelic football, rugby and hurling. You may want to check out the local sports page to know when and where these events are being held. Accommodations during this time can be difficult, so you may want to book rooms in advance.

The nightlife in Dublin, aside from the bars and pubs, are also rather lively. Concerts of famous Irish performers are usually held in Dublin to a packed stadium (think U2 and Robbie Williams.) Or if you really want to “p-a-r-t-y,” try checking out the infamous Temple Bar south of River Liffey.