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Welcome to the UK
Run with the bulls, raise a stein at Oktoberfest and enjoy the craic of St Patrick's Day. We'll get you there!
Check out our local tips to help you get settled. Need more info or advice? Call us or pop into one of our branches.
Check out our local tips to help you get settled. Need more info or advice? Call us or pop into one of our branches.
European festivals
Just a few European festivals to enjoy - pop into one of our branches and we'll tell you about even more you can see and do.
| Dates | Festival |
|---|---|
| 13 -14 February | Float down to the Venice Carnival |
| 17 March | Spend St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland |
| 30 April | Party all night with the Dutch on Queens Day |
| 6 - 14 July | Run with the bulls in Pamplona |
| Last Wednesday in August | Fight with tomatos at La Tomatina |
| 20 September - 5 October | Prost! Oktoberfest in Germany |
| New Years Eve | Ring in the New Year in Scotland with Hogmanay |
Top tips for visitors to the UK
We hope you enjoy your stay in the UK. Here are some tips & deals to help you settle in.
If you have any questions, please call us or pop into any of our 47 branches. We can provide you with more insider info and help you plan your perfect weekend break or end of term travels.
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| London Transport | Get an Oyster Card and save. If you’ll be in London for a little while, this will save you precious ££ on the London bus, tube and tram. If you are a student, ask your University about the 18+ Student Oyster photocard. |
| Discounts | Enjoy loads of discounts with an International Student Identity Card (ISIC). Save on everything from restaurants to museums to DVDs. There are over 40,000 ways to save, both in the UK and in over 100 other countries. |
| Sightseeing |
Skip the hop-on-hop-off tourist bus – take the 11 Bus. This bus takes you around all the major sights like St. Pauls, Big Ben and Westminster Abbey – with actual Londoners. Download the bus route for all the major attractions. |
| Cashcard | Our new plastic is a safe way to carry money without worrying about exchanging currency. Use the card like cash, pay any money earned into the account, and even have it topped up by someone from home! |
| Free things to do | There are many free places to go besides the pub. In London, Leicester Square and Covent Garden feature street entertainment and is lively all year round. All the national galleries and museums like the British Museum, National Gallery and Tate Liverpool are free to enter. Get outdoors and take a walk in one of our many parks. |
| Travel offers and freebies |
Enjoy exclusive deals and offers for STA Travel newsletter subscribers every week. To welcome you, our friends at CD WOW have kindly given us a discount on all CDs, DVDs and games, and Just-Eat have provided a generous 10% off your first order! Click to enjoy these discounts today. |
| British festivals |
From the Glastonbury music festival, to the Derby Beer Festival, to the Manchester Film Festival, to the Edinburgh Hogmanay New Years celebration, there is a party going on somewhere. We can tell you all about them and get you there. |
| Working in Britain | If you are considering working while you’re here, check out BUNAC if you are American, or learn about Working Holiday Visas if you are Australian. |
| Adventure | There are loads of adventure activities in Britain. Try mountain climbing in Snowdonia National Park. How about coasteering on the Pembrokeshire coast or kayaking on the lakes of the Lake District? What about a 3,000 foot microlight flight over The Bass Rock in Scotland? Tell us what you like to do and we’ll make it happen. |
| Music | We brought you the Beatles, the Stones, even Amy Winehouse. Britain offers loads of summer music festivals like T in the Park. Year-round you can check out King Tut's in Glasgow, where Oasis were discovered. In Edinburgh, the legendary Liquid Rooms is worth a visit. Night and Day Café in the Northern Quarter in Manchester is an intimate venue to listen to new talent. |
| Culture | The TKTS ticket booth in Leicester Square or Canary Wharf sells day-of seats for many West End productions at half the box office price. Participate in heritage events like the Cowal Highland Gathering and experience old world Scoland. You could also take in the GoMA, that’s the Glasgow Gallery of Modern Art. The list is endless, so pop into one of our branches and we’ll fill you in on the best. |
| Sports | Catch a rugby game at Twickenham Stadium outside London, or at Millenium Stadium in Cardiff. Check out Manchester United and their unlucky opponent at Old Trafford. Visit the courts at Wimbledon, or the beautiful course of St. Andrews. |
| Group travel | Get a few friends together for a trip and stay somewhere interesting. How about hiring (renting) a cottage, barn, lighthouse, or an old mill? One of our consultants can get your group set up in style. Just call our Group travel specialists on 0871 468 0657 (Calls cost 10p per minute plus network extras) and they’ll take care of the rest. |
| Quintessential England | There isn’t a place around that is more quintessential English than the Cotswolds. Picture-perfect countryside, charming villages with thatched roofs and flower boxes, and rushing rivers. |
