For overseas tourists, the United Kingdom is traditionally composed of a mere handful of famous destinations: London, Edinburgh, Bath, Oxford.
Charming cliches abound – the black-and-white pub, the village cricket match, colourful Carnaby Street – but it can be worth taking a closer look. The pub on the village green might turn out to offer fine cuisine and an extensive wine list. And few could deny London’s status at the cutting edge of cool, while the city is closely followed – and occasionally eclipsed – by other leading UK cities such as Manchester and Glasgow. From mountain-hiking to dancing all night: there’s not much you can’t do in Britain. And part of the fun is the juxtaposition of possibilities: old and new, local and international, traditional and innovative.
By all means enjoy a fine Devon cream tea – it’s one of England’s pleasures. But don’t forget to take a look at some of the other faces of our island.