Akorn Destination Management

London

One of the world’s foremost cities, London offers a wealth of fabulous attractions, including royal palaces, world-class museums and fashionable boutiques. See the Crown Jewels in the Tower of London, visit the monuments in St. Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey, and marvel at the treasures stored in the National Gallery and the British Museum. Spend an evening at a West End theatre, or see a performance at Shakespeare’s Globe. No trip to London would be complete without visiting Harrods department store.

Within easy reach of London are many wonderful sights. Take a boat east along the Thames to Maritime Greenwich where the meridian runs through the Royal Observatory. In the other direction are Kew Gardens, the beautiful Hampton Court Palace and the dramatic staterooms of Windsor Castle. The university cities of Oxford and Cambridge, both with their myriad of courtyards and chapels, lie further afield. Near Oxford, the grandiose Blenheim Palace was the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill and he is buried in the local churchyard.

Southern England

The White Cliffs of Dover are easily visible from France.The first Christians made their first base near here in Canterbury, still the site of England’s mother church. Along the southern coast are many resorts including Brighton, where the flamboyant Royal Pavilion is reminiscent of more decadent times. Passing the ducal residences of Arundel Castle and Goodwood, Portsmouth is home to Nelson’s ship, the HMS Victory, flagship of the Royal Navy. Take a ferry to the Isle of Wight, where Queen Victoria’s private home at Osborne is located.

In the Cotswold Hills, quaint villages cover a rolling landscape.To the north lie imposing Warwick Castle and Shakespeare’s Stratford-upon-Avon. To the south is Bath, originally a Roman city that is embellished with elegant Georgian streets. Stonehenge, the most mysterious and celebrated of all ancient European monuments is nearby and Salisbury Cathedral boasts the highest spire in England. The southwest of England, home of clotted cream and Cornish pasties, has a dramatic coastline where fishing villages nestle in inlets, loved by generations of artists. The warm climate permits gardens to flourish, and at the Eden Project many non-native plants are cultivated in a controlled environment. In contrast, miniature ponies roam free on wild Exmoor and Dartmoor.

Northern England

This region presents striking upland landscapes, including the Yorkshire Dales (immortalised by James Herriott) and the Lake District, one of the most picturesque areas of England that inspired writers like William Wordsworth and Beatrix Potter. 

York is a city blessed with historic buildings including York Minster, the largest medieval church in England. Chester is an ancient town complete with city walls and half-timbered stores. Liverpool, birthplace of the Beatles, was formerly the centre of the world’s maritime trade. Little survives of Hadrian’s Wall, built by the Romans across Britain. More recent structures include Alnwick Castle (Hogwart’s Academy to Harry Potter fans) and Durham Cathedral. Magnificent country houses include Castle Howard and Chatsworth.

Wales

Once the world’s busiest coal port, Cardiff has reinvented itself as a modern capital city. The reminders of industrial wealth are still present in the opulent state apartments of Cardiff Castle and the grand galleries of the National Museum of Wales. Caerphilly Castle ruins dominate a valley where coal was once mined. In South Wales, Tintern Abbey and St. David’s Cathedral are noted ecclesiastical monuments.

North Wales is dominated by the rugged mountains of Snowdonia, it is here that some of the finest medieval castles in Europe are located. The bristling turrets of Caernarfon and Conwy remind us of the violent conflicts between England and Wales that took place here. The engineer Thomas Telford opened up the region to commerce by building roads, bridges and canal aqueducts, and a number of miniature steam railways were built to export slate from the quarries. A charming oddity is Portmeirion, an Italianate village built as a Utopian example of urban planning.

Edinburgh & Southern Scotland

With Scotland's most famous castle dominating the city, Edinburgh provides a fantastic introduction to Scotland.The dramatic Old Town extends from the Castle to Holyrood, home of royal government in Scotland. The neighbouring New Town comprises fine Georgian streets, and the Royal Yacht Britannia is moored in Leith docks. Outside Edinburgh, explore ornate Rosslyn Chapel (featured in The Da Vinci Code)and country houses like Abbotsford built by novelist Sir Walter Scott. Glasgow, once the world's centre of shipbuilding, boasts fine art nouveau designs by Charles Rennie MacKintosh. The Clyde Coast, dominated by Culzean Castle, was home to poet Robbie Burns. The Trossachs and Loch Lomond offer magnificent scenic vistas. Stirling Castle, Scone Palace and Glamis Castle all have royal associations. Of the many golf courses in this region, St. Andrews is known as the game’s spiritual home.

The Scottish Islands

The finest scenery in Scotland lies towards the Atlantic coast, where mountains sweep down to the sea and the Hebridean Islands.  Skye, dominated by the Cuillin Hills and Dunvegan Castle, is the best-known Hebridean Island. Tiny Iona was a cradle of Christianity and still attracts pilgrims. The exposed Orkney and Shetland Isles off the coast were a haven for Vikings.

Dublin & Southern Ireland

Blessed with delightful architecture and peaceful parks, Dublin boasts cool designer boutiques and a thriving nightlife. Ireland’s vibrant capital city is divided into three sections: Georgian Dublin is home to Trinity College and the illuminated Book of Kells; Old Dublin is centered on Dublin Castle and St. Patrick’s Cathedral; and North Dublin surrounds O'Connell Street, a grand avenue with fine monuments. See the presidential palace in Phoenix Park and visit the Guinness Storehouse to sample Ireland’s favourite drink. The province of Leinster encompasses the bleak Wicklow Mountains, the heathland of the Curragh, and the pastoral valleys known for horse breeding. Monuments include ancient Newgrange, the monastic ruins at Glendalough and Clonmacnoise, and the country houses at Russborough and Powerscourt.

In Munster, the southwest of Ireland, the pastures around the Rock of Cashel and the Shannon blend into the breathtaking coastal vistas of the Ring of Kerry, Dingle and the Cliffs of Moher. Near Cork and Limerick, Blarney and Bunratty Castles are iconic sites. Thee later Muckross House sits in beautiful gardens by the Lakes of Killarney. In the northwest, Connaught is a stark and windswept province where Ashford Castle serves as the gateway to the wild landscapes of Connemara. Galway is a thriving town known for oysters and marble wares. The Aran Islands are a bastion of traditional culture where Gaelic is spoken.

Dublin & Southern Ireland

Blessed with delightful architecture and peaceful parks, Dublin boasts cool designer boutiques and a thriving nightlife. Ireland’s vibrant capital city is divided into three sections: Georgian Dublin is home to Trinity College and the illuminated Book of Kells; Old Dublin is centered on Dublin Castle and St. Patrick’s Cathedral; and North Dublin surrounds O'Connell Street, a grand avenue with fine monuments. See the presidential palace in Phoenix Park and visit the Guinness Storehouse to sample Ireland’s favourite drink. The province of Leinster encompasses the bleak Wicklow Mountains, the heathland of the Curragh, and the pastoral valleys known for horse breeding. Monuments include ancient Newgrange, the monastic ruins at Glendalough and Clonmacnoise, and the country houses at Russborough and Powerscourt.

In Munster, the southwest of Ireland, the pastures around the Rock of Cashel and the Shannon blend into the breathtaking coastal vistas of the Ring of Kerry, Dingle and the Cliffs of Moher. Near Cork and Limerick, Blarney and Bunratty Castles are iconic sites. Thee later Muckross House sits in beautiful gardens by the Lakes of Killarney. In the northwest, Connaught is a stark and windswept province where Ashford Castle serves as the gateway to the wild landscapes of Connemara. Galway is a thriving town known for oysters and marble wares. The Aran Islands are a bastion of traditional culture where Gaelic is spoken.

West Ireland

This is pastoral countryside and a windswept land of mountains, lakes and peat bogs. In Munster, the southwest of Ireland, the pastures around the Rock of Cashel and the Shannon blend into the breathtaking coastal vistas of the Ring of Kerry, Dingle and the Cliffs of Moher. Near Cork and Limerick, Blarney and Bunratty Castles are iconic sites. Thee later Muckross House sits in beautiful gardens by the Lakes of Killarney. In the northwest, Connaught is a stark and windswept province where Ashford Castle serves as the gateway to the wild landscapes of Connemara. Galway is a thriving town known for oysters and marble wares. The Aran Islands are a bastion of traditional culture where Gaelic is spoken.

Northern Ireland

Covering much of the ancient province of Ulster, Northern Ireland remains part of the United Kingdom and is known for its cultural and religious divides. The capital city, Belfast, is a beautiful Victorian city that has emerged from its troubled past to become a fascinating holiday destination. Other sights include the Walls of Derry and country houses such as Castle Coole and Mount Stewart. The most famous natural landmark is the Giant’s Causeway, a collection of basalt columns forming stepping stones that lead into the sea. The area was recognized in 1986 as Ireland’s first World Heritage Site.