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These days growing numbers tourists are seeking new vacation spots which afford something found nowhere else or, at the very least something different to the usual bar and beach vacation. Under the current economic conditions many folk are, unfortunately coming to the inevitable conclusion that they have severely reduced funds for buying a family holiday and are, annoyingly, forced to cutting corners to save money. One way of doing it is to seek out a less expensive destination. The following article introduces readers to Birmingham, a city in the UK. With the dollar and euro so strong against the British pound hotel accommodation in Birmingham far cheaper than in previous years.

You will find the city of Birmingham in the English county called the West Midlands  and the city’s residents are described as being “Brummies”. The accent of Birmingham is a strong northern English sounding dialect and it is rather difficult to comprehend what is being spoken a difficulty which is made even worst if if you are new to such dialects. Thankfully the vast majority of Brummies are helpful, polite and kind and do their utmost to explain clearly so if the need arises do not be afraid to engage in conversation about directions and help or guidance in finding  Birmingham bed and breakfast accommodation.

The city of Birmingham has  a superb collection of tourist attractions which include some highly interesting and informative museums and art galleries, such as the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter, Barber Institute of Fine Arts, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery and the new Thinktank  which is in the Eastside. The city of Birmingham also features an incredible number of acres of woodland, parkland and open spaces, Sutton Park being the largest with 970 hectares it is also the largest urban nature reserve in the United Kingdom and even Europe.

The city has a vibrant and wide ranging night life with an excellent choice of restaurants, cafes, nightclubs and bars. You will discover many in one of Birmingham’s squares, Victoria Square, Centenary Square, St Martin’s Square, Rotunda Square, Chamberlain Square, the historic Old Square at Corporation Street and the Gas Street Basin. Gas Street Basin is the hub of Birmingham’s intricate canal systems. Birmingham has approximately 32 miles of canal waterways with between 8 canals which were created during the eighteenth century and continued being used until the 1970′s. These days the site has been renovated and regenerated and is now a pretty decent visitor attraction.

Rather than staying in a bed & breakfast why not consider staying in apartments in Birmingham. If you If you are currently planning a vacation in Birmingham you should be aware that the nearest airport is about eight miles east of the the city center just off the A45, near the M42. You will find that there is a respectable number of hotels close by the airport.

The Highland city of Inverness, Scotland  is set in some of the most awe inspiring countryside in the UK. The city and surrounding are countless sites associated with important events in the history of Scotland, more often than not these places witnessed a great deal of violence and suffering. Obviously Inverness has a incredible number of visitor attractions (and the number is continually on the increase). In the paragraphs below I introduce readers to 3 places to visit in Inverness Beauly Priory,  Inverness Castle and Inverness Museum:

Beauly Priory

It was in the 13th century that Monks, from the Valliscaulian order, first set up a community at Beauly Priory. Unfortunately nobody has the information to state the factual date of foundation but it is commonly accepted that is would have been roughly sometime around the year 1230. During that time Sir John Bisset, whose lands were almagamated with the Fraser’s of Lovat, was the patron and landowner of Beauly. Bisset, together with the French monks, are credited with giving Beauly its name, derived from ‘beau lieu’ which means beautiful place in French. Sadly, Beauly Priory was abandoned after the Scottish Reformation of 1582 and the stone was thieved for use the building of other structures in the area. Today the ruins of Beauly Priory are in the hands of Historic Scotland as they were handed to the State in the year 1913.

Inverness Castle

Over time there have been various structures where Inverness Castle is today, evidence shows that the site had a structure there as far back as 1057. King Robert I of Scotland almost destroyed the first Inverness Castle. The castle which stands today was constructed and designed by William Burn in 1836. The beautiful structure, of red sandstone, hold a prominent position at the top of a cliff gazing down onto the the cathedral on the opposite side and the River Ness. King James I(of Scotland) held parliament in Inverness Castle in the year 1427, and called all the Northern Chieftains to attend. Shockingly three of these chieftains were later executed for asserting an independent sovereignty.

Inverness Museum (& Art Gallery)

Found in Inverness town center is the newly refurbished Inverness Museum and Art Gallery which is really worth visiting especially if it is wet and windy weather. Inside the museum it is possible to explore Scottish History and find out how the Highlands are associated with the rest of the world. It is also possible to learn about the folk of the Highlands, their environment and traditions. There are several different exhibitions featuring, wildlife, archaeology, textiles, crafts, costumes and fine arts.

If you are considering taking a vacation in Britain this year and you hope to spend some of your time in Scotland, you may wish to consider spending a couple of days staying in Inverness. Finding Inverness hotel accommodation online is relatively easy as many establishments have their own web site.  Hotels in Inverness, small hotels, guest houses and bed and breakfasts are always of a high standard and the Highlands are well known for hospitality of the highest order, so you can be certain of have a wonderful time.

Inverness, known as the capital of the Highlands, was ceremoniously granted city status in the year 2001 and at this time is the the only city to be found in the region. Strangely Inverness has no statutory boundaries which causes problems for folk estimating population. The calculations are made less accurate because the population of the city is increasing at a dramatic rate, Inverness has the highest growth rate in the UK. One thing we know for certain is that the population of Inverness is fairly happy, in 2008 the Telegraph ranked the city of Inverness fifth out of 189 cities in the UK for its quality of life. Therefore, I think we can safely say that Inverness is a beautiful place in which to spend time and this is most probably one of the factors which make Inverness immensely popular with tourists. Luckily there is plenty of bed & breakfast accommodations in Inverness with the majority of it being available to book online.

Inverness is also referred to as being the gateway to the Highlands for the clear fact that it is best placed to make the most of the Highland public transport system and a large number of tourist attractions are relatively easy to get to. Possibly the best way to get to them is by using an organized bus tour or day trip. A small number of coach companies visiting places such as, Culloden, Urquart Castle or Loch Ness or for the adventurous tourist it is possible to visit Orkney or John O’Groats on a day trip. You can also go on a small selection of city tours, such as the Terror Tour.

A small number of visitors choose to stay in two locations in the Highlands for example Inverness then Fort William. Fort William is incredibly popular with people who enjoy sports especially ramblers, hill walkers and rock climbers who take their chances climbing Ben Nevis which is only a short distance from the town. In a similar way to Inverness Fort William bed and breakfast and rather like other bed and breakfast in Scotland it is always inexpensive, very good value for money and very comfortable, tidy and clean with world famous hospitality.

One important fact you should remember is that the nearest airport to Inverness is, about, seven miles away at Dalcross. It is easy to catch a bus or hail a cab to the small and busy airport which is fairly cheap. If you need a map of Inverness then you will find them free at the tourist office, which is on Castle Wynd. While you are staying in Inverness you should make a point to visit the ‘stone of tubs’ and Mercat Cross, Inverness Museum and Art Gallery and Inverness Castle especially the Castle Garrison Encounter, an interactive experience which is great fun.

Perth, the ‘Fair City’ in Scotland an ex royal burgh can be discovered at the head of the Tay estuary. Between the C12th and C15th Perth fought with Dunfermline for the title of being the capital city of Scotland. In the following article I introduce 3 places to visit in Perth, Scotland; Elcho Castle, Scone Palace and Huntingtower Castle:

Scone Palace

These days, Scone Palace is the home of the Earls of Mansfield, and a incredibly popular attraction to visitors from around the globe. The palace of Scone is an integral part of the history of Scotland, as the Scottish kings were once crowned there. Robert the Bruce was crowned at Scone Palace, in 1306, as well as Charles II when he took ownership of the Scottish Crown in 1651. There is a mysterious and beautiful feel to the palace, which is justifiably so.At one time the area served as an important gathering place of the Picts and there was also an early Christian church on the site.

Elcho Castle

Lying about 3 miles from the city of Perth, with breathtaking views across the River Tay, is Elcho Castle. Elcho Castle is one of the finest examples of 16th century constructions in Scotland today. The Wemyss family commissioned the building of the castle in the 1570′s. The land had been in the family since 1468, when it was granted to them by King James III. In 1633, the head of the family was given the titles of Lord Elcho and Earl of Wemyss. Elcho Castle and it’s lands stayed in possession of the Wemyss family until 1929. At this time, the 11th Earl of Wemyss, gifted the castle to the nation of Scotland. The castle has recently been renovated and is now in the charge of Historic Scotland.

Huntingtower Castle

Found just to the west of Perth is the medieval Huntingtower Castle. Although the castle is originaly medieval, it has been redeveloped significantly throughout the majoprity of it’s history. The Ruthven family were occupiers of the castle and lands from the 12th to 17th century. During this time the castle consisted of 2 separate towers, built three meters apart. When the Murray family took possession, later on in the 1600′s, they decided to amalgamate the two towers, making the house appear more like a conventional country manor house. The bridging work between the two towers is still rather noticeable today, on both the outside and the inside.

If you are considering a city break in Perth you will find a large selection of online Perth hotels and guest houses and you will discover a huge selection at http://www.perthhotelscotland.com/

The city of Stirling has appeared throughout Scotland’s history, especially during crucial times. The city and surrounding area has a fantastic selection of excellent tourist attractions and a multitude of monuments and places to photograph. In article that follows I include details of 3 places to visit in Stirling; Argyll’s Lodging, Stirling Castle and Stirling Old Town Jail:

Stirling Castle

Situated two hundred and fifty feet above the city of Stirling, and surrounded on 3 sides by steep cliffs is Stirling Castle. The castle is immensely important in Scotland’s history, there have been many coronations at the castle, including Mary Queen of Scots coronation in 1543. Stirling Castle was also witness to a violent murder in 1452. The eighth Earl of Douglas was victim to James II in 1452. The castle is the home of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, even though they are, sadly no longer garrisoned at the castle. However, the regimental museum of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, is situated inside the castle.

Stirling Old Town Jail

The Stirling Old Town Jail we see today was not the original jail, for 400 years, Stirling’s prisoners were committed in the Old Tollbooth Jail. This jail was awfully overcrowded, and smelt foul, with 24 prisoners in each cell, and zero sanitation. The Tollbooth jail was condemned, because of the fearful living conditions there, and in 1847 the new jail was opened. Although the jail was classed as a custodial prison, from 1888 to 1935, it was also the only military prison in Scotland. Today the Stirling Old Town Jail is a tourist attraction, and was only restored in the 1990′s. As well as guided tours, there is a glass paneled elevator that rises to a viewing platform at the very top of the jail. From this superb vantage point a person is able to gaze out across the Forth Valley, and gaze upon the Highland mountains.

Argyll’s Lodging

Argyll’s Lodging is found on Castle Wynd, near the middle of Stirling and is Scotland’s finest surviving renaissance house. The mansion was built circa 1630, by Sir William Alexander, founder of Nova Scotia and Viscount Canada. Sir William Alexander who became Secretary of State for Scotland, and then became the 1st Earl of Stirling. Argyll’s Lodging became the property of the Argyll family on his death and was extended by the 9th Earl in 1666. The rooms which include the laigh hall, dining room, bed chamber and drawing room, have all been carefully furnished and restored, as they would have been when the 9th Earl lived there, circa 1680.

If you are planning a short break in Stirling you will find plenty of online Stirling hotels and guest houses and you will find a broad selection at http://stirling.hotelreservationhelper.com/