While sometimes a bit overcrowded, the house and grounds of the estate are overflowing with…read moreinteresting history and beautiful glimpses into the life of one of the most interesting families of the last hundred years. The volunteers there were incredibly knowledgeable about the history of the estate as well as the family legacy and were always happy to answer any questions asked to the best of their ability. Loved to see all the beautifully preserved pieces of history and a great visit overall.

No visit to England would be complete without visiting the adult home of Sir Winston Churchill,…read moreChartwell (near the town of Westerham, Kent in South East England). Set atop a hill with views in virtually all directions it is a magnificent estate, completely cared for inside out out. Aside from the main house you can also tour his art gallery with some of his art on display. The grounds are meticulous and quite beautiful. The interior is spectacular, and includes his massive library and unique furnishing. Enjoy.

In last couple of years I have been to see Jo Brand, Jack Dee and a play here and have been…read moreimpressed with the theatres. Easy to book tickets, never have to queue for long if buying on the night, well organised and although seats are not state of art, they do the job and you dont feel too cramped in. Bar is a bit small, gets very very busy during the interval and you're lucky if you get to purchase a drink before its time to go back in again. Overall would go again if something caught my eye, prices are always reasonable and staff friendly. Shame cinema is no longer open as this was fab for the kids

The Colchester Arts Centre is without a doubt the culture heart of Colchester. The intimate venue…read moreis in an old church, which is situated in the center of the town and easily accessed by both bus and train. The venue accomodates a range of shows including music, comedy, plays, film screenings, childrens days with activities and popular clubnights. The staff are very friendly and helpful with any queries you may have, and the security staff are strict but fair. The arts center often has widely-known music acts playing there including the killers, the strokes and placebo, and it is well worth keeping an eye on the website for upcoming shows whether you are local or not It is usually well worth the journey to see your favourite band or comedian in such an intimate and beautiful venue, particularly when the usual ticket price is so cheap!

A great place to see all varieties of performing arts, with beer festivals and ad-hoc events thrown…read morein too. Run by great people, for great people.

The Horsebridge is a great community centre for Arts, entertainment and a huge array of classes and…read moreactivities. The ground floor acts as an everchanging gallery with new and establised artistic talent showcased. Entry to the gallery is free and makes art accessible to all. Upstairs the Horsebridge has a cafe with blacony seating which allows a great view of whitstable. The Horsbridge is also home to a number of day and evening claases including yoga and children's french and drama lessons.

A great space in the middle of Brighton, Very reasonable rates for room hire and lots of…read moreinteresting groups and classes going on all week including Yoga, Tai-Chi, Ninjitsu, kids dance classes, various support groups, pattern cutting classes, a Spanish families group and lots more. Email or phone to hire rooms or get details of classes/groups.

Whilst I'm not a church goer by any means, we do on occasion go up to the church of St Marys at…read moretimes like Christmas, and the spring/summer fayres. It is a very old church, the entrance being just round on the left of the photo that I took.

Can't recommend visiting and seeing a show enough! One of the best London experiences! We got…read moretickets to Pinocchio over Christmas and really enjoyed the show despite it being outside. So glad hubs got tickets where you could sit as the seats in front of the stage have people standing which is cool but for a tourist who walked 30,000 steps earlier in the day sitting was most appreciated. Our seats had direct view of the stage so we saw everything perfectly! We grabbed dinner at the Swan which is part of the Theatre building and the food was great and it made it easy to access our seats as we just walked through an interior door in the restaurant and we were in the theatre! The play was awesome! Sitting with the crowd under the nighttime stars was awesome! It's really a must do while in London!

Iconic theater, now restored, well-known for its association with Shakespeare…read more Was on our must-do list but we could not score tickets for a show. Still stopped by for pics and to soak in the atmosphere. Will plan better next time!

Venue for concerts and other such cultural activities. I came here for an Indian classical music…read moreevent. Very enjoyable 90 minutes Indian music. Seats not very comfortable. But it was only for 90 minutes. Clean bathrooms and drinks for sale. Near tube station.

Kings Place is a bright and shiny new office, conference and arts venue, situated on Battlebridge…read moreBasin on the Regents Canal, and accessed from York Way, 5 minutes' north of King's Cross railway station. Bright and shiny it literally is: the architecture is minimalist, with lots of straight, white walls, white marble polished floors, and seemingly acres of glass walls. The main façade on York Way consists of a wavy glass screen, and is decent enough of its type, although I don't think the frontage on the canal basin adds anything and, indeed, is rather less attractive than the nice brick warehouses across the way. Many of the rooms have lovely canal-side views. All this glitz is a bit of a shock after the grime of King's Cross, but an early indication of the gentrification already following the wake of the redevelopment of both St Pancras (now completed) and King's Cross (still under way). Unsurprisingly, security was subtle but clearly evident on my visit. Most of the centre is given over to offices, but the conference/art venue includes an impressive 420 seat auditorium and a smaller venue seating 200. As well as hosting conferences, there is an active season of concerts and recitals planned, including performances of Mendelssohn, Beethoven, Haydn, among less formal performances of jazz, folk and dance. There is also an art gallery here, and the walls of the centre itself are also used to host changing exhibitions. There's a cafe, two bars (one of which is open only for concert performances) and a restaurant, all fairly swish and pricey. The cafe is in the main atrium, but the Rotunda Bar offers rather better views over the canal basin. It all seemed fairly busy with lots of local workers from the nearby offices along York Way, and the odd conference going on (including the one I was attending). Conference organisation seemed OK, although with a few glitches over the audiovisual equipment. (Why is this always such a problem?) I have to say this feels like a slightly odd location for an arts venue, and I'm surprised (though impressed) at the range and detail of the programme currently planned to run until April. It'll be interesting to see how it develops.

A most attractive little museum with everything neatly laid out . Run entirely by dedicated…read morevolunteers who have clearly spent a lot of time putting it together. The curator and staff are really friendly and helpful and are very welcoming to families. There is a children's room which is popular with all age groups and plenty to keep younger visitors occupied. A great place to spend a couple of hours.

East Surrey Museum is an excellent source of information on Caterham and its local area geology,…read morearchaeology and local history. It holds all the Bourne Society Local History Records for reference and has detailed maps of the area going back to the late 1860's. There are excellent exhibitions on local topics which change regularly. The curator and staff are friendly and helpful with queries on local topics especially local history archaeology and geology.

Thatcher would be proud…read more Looking around Hever, many would be left with the impression that the owners are enormous fans of Anne Boleyn. The unfortunate wife of Henry VIII is, after all, the main focus of the exhibition and makes an appearance on much of the marketing material. But look a bit closer, and the more astute visitor may notice a different, more 'true blue', streak permeating the house. Yes, Labour voters clutch your pearls, but the proprietors appear to be worshippers of none other than Margaret Thatcher. (More so than Ms Boleyn, I would wager.) In the castle, visitors are treated to a near life-size oil painting of the union basher. And for those lucky enough to stay in the guest house for the price of £300 per night, they will find a letter written by the Iron Lady to thank the castle for her stay that has been framed and hung in one of the hallways. Among the owners personal possessions, I note Ms Boleyn has not received a similar dose of affection. Of interest is also the fact that this castle, its stunning gardens and water maze, owe their amazing condition to our friends across the Atlantic. Most stately homes in Britain are now virtually on their knees, with years of decline and underinvestment in the country reflected in their faded carpets, moth-eaten curtains and peeling paintwork. Hever, however, has avoided this fate for the good reason that it was bought by... gasp... an AMERICAN. Horrifying as it may sound, Mr Astor - who owes his astounding wealth to the rise of New York City - purchased the castle and injected nothing short of a fortune into it in order to create the attraction that we see today. Demonstrating an entrepreneurial spirit so often absent in Britain, he then had the vision to order the construction of a second moat, a lake, a walled Italian garden complete with artefacts from Pompeii, a 'wall waterfall' and to direct the gardeners to shape some bushes like a chess set. I don't think he was involved in the water maze, so loved locally, but its presence reflects Hever's enduring ambitious spirit. Perhaps it was this spirit that so inspired Margaret Thatcher to write of Hever: 'I have seen several castles and large country houses but none as perfect as Hever.'

If you are visiting London, Hever Castle is a must do. Only a 90 minute drive from London hotels,…read morethe trip is well worth the wait upon arrival. From its sprawling vistas to the castle itself this place is a real treat. There is a large lake on site that offers rowing, an area that allows you to try your hand at archery and even a place to see falconry. There are jousting exhibitions and plenty of food from the cafe or restaurant on site. The REAL gem is the castle. Home for Queen Anne Boleyn from 5 years old to 12 one can only imagine the wonder this place brought her. The castle provides an audio tour in several languages so there is no issue there. (The staff are marvelously kind and helpful in the castle and in the dining areas and gift shop.) It's small but chock full of informative history about Anne Boleyn as well as those who lived in the castle after her death. If you are looking for a respite from the concrete jungle and noisy planet that is London, Hever provides you with lots of peace and quiet Tour the rose garden or just sit and enjoy the views and shade from the trees. It's an idyllic setting and a trip that will make your visit to the UK complete.