Vacation Rentals in the United Kingdom

With a surface area of 248,000 square kilometres, Great Britain extends in the extreme west of the continent as part of the British Isles and is enclosed by the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea, the English Channel and the Irish Sea. The country is divided into England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The island state is home to some 65 million people, most of whom live in urban agglomerations. The capital London with 8.5 million, Birmingham with 1.1 million and Glasgow with more than 600,000 inhabitants are particularly strongly urbanized.

Vibrant city life, diverse sights, shopping streets and inviting pubs attract millions of visitors to the country's major cities every year. You can expect a multifaceted leisure programme that is excellently suited for a short trip or a family holiday. The most popular destination is London with its highlights like Big Ben, the Tower Bridge or the Tower of London. The historic communities of Edinburgh, Liverpool, Glasgow and Manchester are also well worth a visit.

For recreation seekers, hikers and nature lovers, Great Britain offers a fascinating landscape of lakes, rivers and protected nature parks. No town is more than 120 kilometres from the coast and every part of the country has its own rich diversity. Unrivalled scenery awaits you in the Hochland Peak District, the Snowdonia mountain ranges, the moorlands of Exmoor National Park or the county of Northumberland, home to the UNESCO World Heritage Site and the Roman Limes Hadrianswall.

Among the most visited sights in the country are the palaces of the British royal family. Buckingham Palace in London is the official residence of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. In Windsor the castle of the same name is located and is together with the Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh the main residence of the family members.

One of the world's most famous UNESCO World Heritage Sites is located north of Salisbury. The history of Stonehenge dates back to the year 3100 B.C. to the Neolithic period. The circular stone blocks were probably used as burial places, religious temples or meeting places until the Bronze Age.

Once the scene of bloody battles in the Middle Ages, a large number of impressive castles are now enthroned in the landscape of Great Britain. They are crowd-pullers and backdrops for well-known films such as Harry Potter or Robin Hood. The Tower of London, Edinburgh Castle, Conwy Castle or Cardiff Castle belong to the impressive fortifications.