Britain on the Cheap

Zicasso of San Francisco, an online luxury travel service, is offering an upmarket England tour with a “Downton Abbey” theme from July to September. The seven-day trip includes Highclere Castle, home of the fictional Crawleys, and Bampton, the Oxfordshire village that doubles as a Yorkshire village in “Downton Abbey.” The custom tour also visits Oxford, [...]

The Blue Badge Guides have added another Olympic Afternoon Walk to their schedule for 1:30 p.m. every Tuesday and Friday from the Bromley-by-Bow underground station on the District/Hammersmith and City lines. The guides will discuss past gems of London’s industrial past, why East London was chosen to host, and the latest on the athletes and [...]

London is the only city to host the modern Games three times, and Blue Badge Guides are leading all-day tours of the Walk for Gold – London’s Olympic Heritage Feb. 18 and April 10. You’ll visit all three London Olympic sites on foot and by tube in zones 1-4. The tours begins 9.30 a.m. outside [...]

Now’s the chance to snap up 2-for-1 tickets to “Dickens and London” at the Museum of London. Opening Dec. 9, this will be the largest exhibition marking the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Dickens. Regular adult tickets are £8/$13, or £7/$11 advance purchase. The exhibition will examine the central relationship between Dickens and [...]

Hoping to escape the winter doldrums? Sun & Snow Travel Show, Oct. 15 at the QEII Centre in Westminster, is London’s only free winter travel show. Just register for free admission. Some deals are up to 50% off. Wild In Scotland is offering a 50% discount on selected tours to the Highlands and Islands of [...]

The Great British Heritage Pass offers entrée into 480 properties around the UK, and now you can download a free iPhone app–to use with or without the pass. Check the castles, stately homes and historic sites out on a map, search by castle or garden or try sample itineraries around the UK.    

Visitors to Buckingham Palace are drinking in the lacy vision of the Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding gown. This podcast reviews every inch of the gown, created by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. The exhibit also includes the Halo Tiara made by Cartier and loaned by the Queen, Catherine’s veil and the diamond earrings her parents [...]

Now through Aug. 15, you can save 10% on a Great British Heritage Pass, which is available only to international travelers.  The Pass saves a lot of time and money on admissions to nearly 500 of the UK’s most popular castles, stately homes and palaces.

To celebrate its 30th anniversary as a hotel, gorgeous Bodysgallen Hall in Wales is offering a Summer in the Country break during August and September. The cost of £265/$426 per person sharing includes dinner and breakfast both days and use of the hotel’s spa, plus free entry to your chose of historic castle–pick from such [...]

What Harry Potter fan can wait for the final film? To get stoked, enter the The Great Harry Potter Adventure Quest from VisitBritain.  The game is on: Harry vs. Voldemort in their final battle. Use your quick wits and film knowledge to solve the puzzles. The grand prize is a trip to the UK for [...]