Budget Travel: Top Five Cities For A Cheap UK Vacation Plus Tips
In these days of financial worries, it’s always good to know which cities are more affordable for a vacation trip. The popular review website, Tripadvisor has put together the top British cities for a cheap UK vacation.
The Inquisitr recently reported on some options for a luxurious vacation in the UK, but not everyone can afford to stay in a castle hotel or charter a luxury yacht. The following gives some tips on finding the ideal destination for a budget vacation in the UK as well as a few money-saving tips while you are there.
As reported in the Telegraph, the following cities are the top locations offering a cheap UK vacation at the best prices, including the cost of one night’s stay in a hotel, a taxi, cocktails or drinks for two and an evening meal. These are the results of the survey recently run by Tripadvisor.
Number one in the list is the city of Birmingham (pictured top and above), a fascinating mixture of both modern and medieval buildings in the West Midlands of England and a great destination for a cheap UK vacation. A night in a hotel, plus a taxi, cocktails and dinner for two comes to an average total of £139.54 ($213).
Next cheapest city is Nottingham, located in Nottinghamshire, England, and a place with ties to the story of Robin Hood, that famous guy who robbed the rich to give to the poor. The cost of an average night in a hotel, plus taxi fares, drinks and a dinner for two is around £141.38 ($216).
Third in line for a cheap UK vacation is Sheffield. Located in South Yorkshire in England, the city gets its name from the River Sheaf that runs through the city. A night at a hotel in Sheffield, plus taxi fare, drinks and dinner for two is an average of £144.64 ($221).
The number four cheapest city in the UK according to Tripadvisor is one that Beatles fans would love to visit. Liverpool, birth place of the “Fab Four,” sits on the Mersey Estuary in Merseyside, England.
The Guinness Book of World Records labeled Liverpool the “World Capital City of Pop” due to the popularity of the Beatles and other groups from what is dubbed the “Merseybeat Era.”
The average cost of a hotel in Liverpool for a night, plus taxi fare, dinner and drinks for two is £150.62 ($230). That most probably doesn’t include the Hard Days Night Hotel, pictured above.
Last, but by no means least, in fifth place is Newcastle-upon-Tyne, located in Tyne and Wear, North East England and, naturally, lying on the banks of the River Tyne. This modern city grew from what was originally a Roman settlement and today displays some great architecture. A night in the city at a hotel, plus taxi fare, drinks and dinner for two will knock you back £152.71 ($233).
Besides the cheaper hotel and other costs in the above five cities, there are other ways of saving money on a cheap UK vacation.
When in a strange city, it is often tempting to jump into the nearest taxi or train to find your way around. However, according to a recent blog by Great British Trips, both options can prove to be very expensive in the UK.
Among many excellent tips, they recommend making use of the local bus service. While buses also aren’t that cheap due to high petrol prices in Britain, in most major cities it is possible to buy “day saver” or “weekly” tickets to get a good deal on your sightseeing adventures.
When dining out, the blog suggests that most of the local traditional English pubs offer a great deal on dinner for two at around £10 (around $15), and for a quick bite, local supermarkets have ready-made sandwiches and other snack items for sale at great prices.
Another idea is to treat yourself to a Taste UK card, which offers excellent deals on mid-week dining, with discounts of up to 50 percent off at many great UK restaurants.
Speaking meals, if your hotel doesn’t include breakfast in the price, take care, as they often charge a fortune for a hearty meal to start the day. Look around for a small local cafe to enjoy a typical English breakfast of bacon, eggs and the works at a much more affordable price.
When visiting the various attractions on offer in any major city in the UK, it’s a good ideal to book your tickets online. By booking in advance on the Internet, great discounts are available, giving that extra saving on your cheap UK vacation.
[Photos: Birmingham Bullring CC BY-SA 2.0 West Midlands Police / Selfridges store Birmingham in the Public Domain by G-Man / Robin Hood statue Nottingham CC BY-SA 3.0 Soerfm / Sheffield CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 Paolo Margari / Hard Days Night Hotel Liverpool CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 drinks machine / Newcastle-upon-Tyne CC BY 2.0 Wilka Hudson]
