Many foreign tourists vacationing in England don’t make it much beyond London, with perhaps a side trip to Oxford and the picturesque Cotswolds, both an hour or two out of London.

But my favourite part of England is Cornwall, on the south-western peninsula. Fringed by craggy cliffs and white sand beaches, the pounding Atlantic Ocean is never far away. Cornwall is also known for its art and food, especially seafood and the ubiquitous Cornish cream tea of English scones with jam and clotted cream.

Biodomes at the Eden Project in Cornwall, England

While you are in Cornwall, stop by St Austell and visit the Eden Project and marvel at what you can achieve with vision, hard work and clever engineering. The site is a former china clay quarry, now transformed into a giant ecological treasure house and educational center and super-cool outdoor concert venue. There are giant bubble-like structures filling the valley, each a bio-dome dedicated to a different climatic zone, such as the tropics or the Mediterranean climates (which also includes Australia and California). There are also plants and other activities outside the domes – whether you are traveling as a family or on your own you could easily spend half a day here, not counting the time in the gift shop!

Tickets are £16 at the door for adults. Concessions and family tickets available. Discounts if you arrive by bicycle or on foot.

Eden Project
Bodelva
St Austell, Cornwall
PL24 2SG
England, UK

Photo credit: “The Eden Project” by youMayCallMeSheep on Flickr. Licensed for commercial use under Creative Commons.

Caitlin Fitzsimmons is a journalist and travel writer who lived in England for five years, before moving to California. She is the owner of the travel and food blog Roaming Tales.

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The Tower of London

Fans of the Showtime series, “The Tudors” know The Tower of London quite well.  After all, it’s where that naughty Anne Boleyn lost her head at the command of that womanizing husband of hers.  But history aficionados and London lovers alike know that the real thing has so much more to offer than a television show set.

London, England‘s Tower of London is one of the city’s finest attractions.  But the name is a bit misleading – the Tower is a lot more than just a tower (or where Henry the VIII opted to rid himself of extraneous wives).  It’s a medieval palace, dungeon and several museums rolled up into one.

Give yourself a full day to explore the Tower.  The so-called “White Tower” (looks a little gray to me, but never mind) is an iconic piece of London history – Shakespeare gave it a mention in a play or two and it houses some cool artifacts like King Henry’s armor and a lot of fantastic medieval weaponry.  But it’s far from the only thing to see on site.  One of my favorite exhibits is the Crown Jewels – these incredible pieces of jewelry (more like art) are still in use by the British monarchy today.  Walk along the Tower Green (which commemorates all who died at the Tower) and explore the various prisoner exhibitions to satisfy your morbid curiosity.  And, of course, take time to explore the Medieval Palace, too.  Even with a repeat visit, you are likely to find something new and interesting to capture your attention.

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