Lyon Vacations

Colchester is the largest of all the settlements in the County of Essex in England. It lays claim to being the oldest settlement in the whole of Britain and is certainly the oldest recorded Roman town in England. Due to its long history, there are lots of attractions in Colchester, which you can explore when you visit the town. Here, we’ll take a look at some that should be on your shortlist when you stay in Colchester.

1.  Balkerne Gate – The most complete Roman gateway in the country and is believed to have been built at around 55AD. It was originally actually the main way that visitors would enter the town but over time was then transformed into a triumphal arch instead. Then after this, it became part of the town’s new walls before it was blocked up some four hundred years later in 465AD to help improve the town’s defence system. It was rediscovered about a hundred years ago which is why it’s been so well preserved.

2.  Charter Market – The oldest recorded market in the United Kingdom has been a regular feature of the town for over 800 years. King John granted the market its Rotal Charter back in 1189 and is where it gets its name from. You can still find a market at Charter Market twice a week, on Fridays and Saturdays and there is a wide variety of things to choose from as no two stalls can sell the same items. 

3.  Colchester Castle – This Norman castle is built on the foundations of what was the Roman Temple to Claudius. However, the Roman temple was smashed to pieces in 60 AD as part of Queen Boudica’s campaign to force the Romans to leave Britain. The actual stone that was used by the Normans to build the castle is in fact much of the materials used to build the Roman temple. 

This castle now has one of the largest and oldest castle keeps to be built in Europe and within the castles walls there are lots of things to see and do. The castle houses exhibitions, tracing more than two thousand years of British history and there are displays that one can interact with as well. Whilst touring the castle you can learn more about Matthew Hopkins the Witch finder General who used the castle as a jail at the time of the main witch trials.

4.  Colchester Zoo – One of Europe’s finest zoos and is only a short drive from the town itself. Set in some 60 acres of beautiful countryside the zoo has more than 200 species of animal for you to look at. Naturally, the elephants can be found in Elephant Kingdom, there are the chimpanzees in Chimp World to enjoy. Plus you will find other parts of the zoo just as enthralling. As with any zoo, you’ll almost certainly find yourself spending lots of time here.

Choose your Colchester hotel or guest house from this list.

If you have ever had to deal with your kids moaning about the travel destination you picked out, then one idea that might go over really well, especially if your kids are fans of the characters from the Lion King, is a family safari to Africa. Even though not all of the African safari travel and tour operations are “family friendly,” you will discover that there are plenty of companies that not only accommodate members of all ages, but actually cater especially to the children in the group.

Some of the family-friendly services that are offered by African safari tour companies are baby-sitting, special menus to appeal to the kids, and specially trained guides for the family. Some family safaris will even make arrangements to have special children’s activities, such as a bush treasure hunt, African-inspired crafts like bead-making, or bedtime stories told by authentic African storytellers.

Many parents have a concern about taking their kids into areas where they might get malaria or other illnesses. Limiting the family safari to some of the game reserves in South Africa is one option to address those concerns. Another possibility is to undertake a self-drive safari through some of the areas of Namibia as well as South Africa. You will find roads in good shape and can enjoy a more leisurely pace, rather than having an itinerary to follow.

One of the challenges that parents might encounter during a safari is convincing a youngster, who loves to cuddle up with his favorite stuffed lion at home, that the mother lion preening her cubs cannot be petted or even approached. This can be one of the more difficult things to get across, especially for children who have never been on wildlife safaris.

Even with the challenges that are bound to come up, a safari for families is not only possible, but also great fun. As long as family wildlife safaris are undertaken safely and are conducted under the watchful supervision of an experienced safari guide, who knows how to handle and cater to the children in the group, they can be an experience that will provide lifelong memories.

Many parents who have never considered taking African safari holidays with their children in tow might be surprised to learn that family safaris are one of the most popular types of vacations for children, from the ages of four to eighteen. There are many African safari tour operators, African tourist bureaus, and adventuresome parents who have successfully undertaken various Africa safaris with their children and claim that is was the experience of a lifetime for the entire family.

Parents who put effort and time into researching the best destination and the best safari travel operation to handle the arrangements for their family safari will more often than not be rewarded with a wonderful trip that each family member will enjoy and remember for the rest of their lives. Asking people who have been on a safari with their family to give you a recommendation for a safari travel company is a good place to start planning your adventure.

Holidays in Brighton are a popular choice, not just with UK residents but with visitors from all over the world as well. Perched on the south coast of England, this town is one of the biggest of all the settlements to be located by the sea in the UK.

The town originally known as Brighthelmston dates back to well before the Domesday Book of 1086. That said, the town’s significance as a health spa only came to the fore in the 18th Century. It became even more popular with visitors thinking about spending a day at the sea side with the first rail link in 1841. Indeed, in the 18th and 19th centuries, Brighton was home to much of the era’s aristocracy.

In fact, if you go further back in time during the 16th Century Brighton was only a tiny fishing village with around 1,500 residents, dotted around in small cottages. You can still discover a few of these buildings to be found in The Lanes. But things drastically began to change in the 17th Century because a doctor by the name of Richard Russell from Lewes started to extol the virtues of using seawater for treating glandular diseases.

From 1750 onwards the town started to fill with visitors who wanted to test the sea water to find out if it could help them as well. Furthermore the town became even more popular after members of the Royal Family decided to try the waters and also bathe in the sea.

Nowadays, Brighton sees over eight million people a year visit and they don’t just come to sample the sea air. Hotels in Brighton itself ranges from luxury (expensive) hotels to medium and lower priced hotels. There are also lots of fantastic guesthouses and B&B accommodation which offer a friendlier, more personal, service.

When you get to Brighton there is much for one to do and see from spending time wandering around the streets. Plus a walk along the promenade and you will come to the Palace Pier and the Royal Pavilion both of which are places worth a visit. Certainly, the Royal Pavilion is something that should not be missed.

Known as a folly this building was built for the Prince of Wales who later became King George IV. He was well known for his flamboyancy and eccentric ways but the building he created is still standing as a memory of bygone times even though the town has long since been host to many tourists.

As well as all the usual seaside attractions, you would expect to find in a seaside resort in the UK, Brighton is also host to a myriad of cultural events each year as well. Certainly, the seafront is now full of amusement arcades along with souvenir shops but delve deeper and you are sure to find something that really makes people enjoy coming to this town.

When it comes to holidays in Brighton one will be amazed at all the different things to see and do here.

Choose your Brighton hotel or guest house here.

Peterborough is a historic city which can trace it’s fenland roots back to before the Bronze Age.

Staying in Peterborough is a good way to base an exploration of the city and surrounding area. The cathedral was originally built in 655AD, although the current building is newer at "only" almost 900 years old. Unfortunately, the cathedral wasn't chosen as one of the backdrops for Harry Potter's films. Which is a shame as it's gothic style of architecture would have fitted in well.

Evenings in the city can be livened up by the local music scene, which caters for everything from the usual pub and club discos, through to acoustic and electric sessions from local bands. Some venues offer the opportunity of an "unplugged" session, so you can enjoy a peaceful time. Other pubs and bars regularly host local bands.

Several times a year accommodation in Peterborough is worth booking ahead as the city is the venue for various events such as CAMRA's beer festival. The city is also the site for the annual East of England Show. Be sure you book your accommodation ahead if your stay coincides with these events.

There are lots of different places to eat out in Peterborough. You can dine in Chinese, Indian or Italian restaurants. Polish restaurants have also sprung up in and around Peterbough.

The river Nene sees regattas in both the spring and summer. There is also a river race in February, which is well worth watching.

If you're fit enough, you could even decide to run in the Great Eastern Run. This is a half marathon attended by over 3,000 runners through the streets of the city.

Whatever your reason for staying in Peterborough, you’re bound to find a warm welcome in one of Peterborough’s hotels and guest houses. There is accommodation available to meet with all budgetary requirements, from small family run guest houses through to the larger Peterborough hotels.

The Peak district National Park attracts visitors from around the globe some of whom come to get out in the wilds and are happy to stay in one of the Peak district b&bs whilst other come to the area to visit many of the town and villages around the area many of which are home to Peak district luxury hotels.

One of the towns in the area is Bakewell in Derbyshire and it is right in the heart of the Peak District, is a small and extremely beautiful market town. The town is situated on the River Wye and from the historical point of view the five arched bridge which dates back to the 13th century is still open to traffic. Due to increase in traffic over the centuries it was widened in the 19th century.

Un beknown to many people is the history of Bakewell and how old it acually is. recorded history dates back to the first century so it was a very important village even back then. The local grammar school was founded in 1637 by the marriage between Sir George Manners and Grace Pierrepont and the school is known as Lady Manners School.

The local church, All Saints Parish of which the majority stands now, dates back to the 13th and 14th centuries, with fragments of Norman and Saxon stonework, again like the bridge considerable restoration work took place in the 19th century. The church is low and broad with an octagonal tower giving grace to the beautiful spire.

There used to be in the centre of Bakewell the White Horse Inn, which has been replaced by The Rutland Arms Hotel, with some other various buildings being demolished in 1805, to form Rutland Square.

Centuries ago, these would of catered for coach travellers who passed through the town, and it has always been reputed for the connection to Jane Austin, who was reported to have stayed at this hotel, whilst writing Pride and Prejudice, and that Lambton in the book has been identified as Bakewell.

Another truly great invention happened by accident at the hotel, and that is the famous Bakewell pudding known throughout all of the UK. Folklore has it that the cook mixed up the ingredients and instructions resulting in the egg being poured over the jam instead of being mixed with the pastry, the result of which was naturally a pudding.

There are numerous shops in the town centre where these puddings can be purchased.

Bakewell in the peak district is at the southern end of the Pennines in Central England, there are thousands of people who visit this beautiful area every year, probably making it the second most popular National Park in England.

The area around Bakewell has some delightfull and interesting locations you can visit if you are in teh Peaks on holiday. The area has something for everyone, whether you want a hotel, or a guest house, there are plenty to choose from, who all offer good food and quality Bakewell holiday accommodation.

To fine out more about this delightfull region visit the Peak District tourism blog