| The UK has some of the world's most popular | | | | York has proved to be a city that has |
| holiday destinations. Renowned across the | | | | frequently been central in the making of |
| globe for the fantastic breadth of the | | | | Britain's colourful history. Today it is |
| nation's recorded and visible history, | | | | easy to relive some of the turbulent times of |
| Britain houses some of the best ancient | | | | the past by visiting the gothic splendour of |
| monuments, country houses, castles, historic | | | | York Minster, the castle museum, or York |
| cities and public buildings. | | | | Dungeon, or by walking around the city walls, |
| | | | exploring Viking York at the JORVIK centre, |
| A brief visit to some of the country's | | | | or simply wandering through the medieval |
| greatest historic city jewels like Chester, | | | | shopping streets of Stonegate and the |
| Edinburgh, York or Stirling, and it is easy | | | | Shambles. |
| to see why people travel from all over the | | | | |
| world to see these amazing pieces of our | | | | Stirling, for many, represents Scotland's |
| national heritage. | | | | historic soul, where the national heritage is |
| | | | most vividly brought to mind. With the |
| Take a stroll through the ancient streets of | | | | National Wallace Monument standing proudly on |
| Chester, or Fortress Diva as it was known by | | | | the Abbey Craig, overlooking the site of Sir |
| the Romans, and walk along the imposing walls | | | | William Wallace's greatest victory, at the |
| which still almost completely surround the | | | | Battle of Stirling Bridge, in 1297, and |
| heart of the city. A heart which is justly | | | | Bannockburn just two miles away, this is a |
| famous for the fantastic medieval two-tiered | | | | town that can never forget its history, and |
| black and white buildings, with their covered | | | | neither would it want to. The sense of |
| shopping walkways, which make up the Rows, | | | | national heritage is everywhere, seeping out |
| combined with the magnificent gothic-style | | | | of the streets of the Old Town, winding up |
| Victorian Town Hall and the impressive | | | | past the 19th century jail, the medieval |
| Eastgate Clock. A good way to gain an | | | | Church of the Holy Rude, where James VI was |
| insight into some of the murkier aspects of | | | | crowned, through to the beautifully restored |
| the city's mysterious past is to take a | | | | 1570's Argyll's Lodging mansion house, before |
| night-time journey around the eerie haunts of | | | | reaching the striking castle. A beautiful |
| Chester on one of the Ghosthunter Trails. | | | | city set in a fantastic landscape setting |
| | | | with a truly stirring past. |
| Edinburgh is another fantastic city where the | | | | |
| dark past is best explored by taking a walk | | | | To find out more about the history of this |
| along one of the many ghost trails. | | | | sceptred isle visit Heritage Britain. |
| Dominated by the magnificent Castle, the city | | | | Accomodation can be easily found through |
| architecture transforms from lofty medieval | | | | local area tourist boards or booked online |
| tenements and narrow wynds of the Old Town as | | | | through one of the many UK discount short |
| they tumble down towards the Royal Mile, | | | | break specialists. |
| through to the majesty of the Georgian New | | | | |
| Town. While the bustling town is ever | | | | With so much history and natural beauty it is |
| changing with the seasons and festivals, the | | | | easy to see why millions of travellers make |
| historic city remains an incredibly | | | | their way to these shores each year, while |
| fascinating ever present backdrop. | | | | many of the locals take it all for granted |
| | | | and fail to see jewels which surround them. |