TripAdvisor Reveals UK's Top Free Attractions
By Tripadvisor, PRNETuesday, August 10, 2010
LONDON, August 11, 2010 - The best things in life are free, or so goes the song. And according to
TripAdvisor travellers, it could well be true. With the school summer
holidays in full swing, TripAdvisor, the world's largest travel site*,
reveals the UK's top ten free attractions - as ranked by real travellers
through the site's Popularity Index.
"This shows that you don't have to spend a fortune in the UK to have a
good time, and despite its expensive reputation, it also proves that London,
boasting six of the top ten free attractions, can be an affordable tourist
destination too if you do your research," explains TripAdvisor spokesperson,
Emma O'Boyle.
1). Imperial War Museum, London, England
This award-winning museum tells the story of conflict involving Britain
and the Commonwealth since 1914. See thousands of imaginatively displayed
exhibits, from art to aircraft, utility clothes to U-boats. Highlights range
from tanks and tours to personal letters and ration books. One TripAdvisor
visitor recalls, "Wonderful fragments and recreation of the conditions and
scenes from that era, shocking some of it was only 60 years ago."
bit.ly/coPpk5
2). The National Gallery, London, England
Located in the capital's iconic Trafalgar Square, The National Gallery
houses one of the greatest collections of Western European painting in the
world. Discover inspiring art by Botticelli, Caravaggio, Leonardo da Vinci,
Monet, Raphael, Rembrandt, Titian, Vermeer and Van Gogh. As one TripAdvisor
traveller comments, "It is amazing that this art is viewable for free, in
London this is a must visit."
bit.ly/d9m94C
3). Giant's Causeway, Northern Ireland
A World Heritage Site, Giant's Causeway lies at the foot of the basalt
cliffs along the rugged Antrim coast of Northern Ireland. This intriguing
rock formation is made up of some 40,000 massive black basalt columns
sticking out of the sea and has been shrouded in myth and legend for
centuries. One TripAdvisor traveller sums it up, "Breathtaking scenery, I
could have stayed in this area all week."
bit.ly/bLQ74R
4). The Wallace Collection, London, England
The Wallace Collection is a museum displaying superb works of art in an
historic London town house. The twenty eight rooms present collections of
French 18th century paintings, furniture and porcelain together with
paintings by Titian, Canaletto, Rembrandt and Gainsborough. As one
TripAdvisor reviewer notes, "Perfect if you really want to feel what it was
like to be in a posh London 18th century home."
bit.ly/9OpUAK
5). British Museum, London, England
Founded in 1753, the British Museum's remarkable collections span over
two million years of human history and culture, all under one roof. Famous
objects include the Rosetta Stone, sculptures from the Parthenon, Sutton Hoo
viking treasures and the Portland Vase. As one impressed TripAdvisor
traveller comments, "The best thing in London - all the treasures of the
world, and it's FREE!"
bit.ly/deZw5E
6). Borough Market, London, England
This gourmand's delight is London's oldest food market and boasts a
mouth-watering range of fresh food stalls under its Dickensian wrought-iron
roof. Enjoy browsing, tasting and buying Italian cheeses, Morecambe Bay
shrimps, Spanish meats and much more. Atmospheric, lively and mouth-watering
this is a definite must for any foodie. As one TripAdvisor user explains,
"This place really will really stimulate your senses. Everything is
brilliantly displayed with the quality of produce outstanding."
bit.ly/awfutl
7). RAF Museum Cosford, Shropshire, England
The Royal Air Force Museum houses one of the largest aviation collections
in the country -70 historic aircraft are displayed in three wartime hangars
within The National Cold War Exhibition. This unique exhibition reflects the
social, cultural and political history of the Cold War era in a fun and
innovative way. As one fan on TripAdvisor comments, "We have been three times
in the past year and each visit has been wonderful. Free admission and great
for a rainy day too."
bit.ly/ce2NtY
8). Arthur's Seat, Edinburgh, Scotland
Arthur's Seat is one of the seven hills of Edinburgh and is the remains
of an extinct volcano rise. Arguably the best views are to the west
overlooking Edinburgh Castle, the Old Town and the New Town. As one
TripAdvisor traveller comments, "I loved this experience. Quite difficult to
get to the top but it's definitely worth it. The views of the sea, the city
and the mountains left me speechless."
bit.ly/9gH2Qs
9). St. James's Park, London, England
This 90-acre park, the oldest Royal Park in London, features a large lake
that is a wildlife sanctuary for ducks, geese, swans and even pelicans. Three
royal palaces skirt St James's Park, including Buckingham Palace. As one
TripAdvisor user explains, "During spring and summer the flower beds are
absolutely stunning with large swathes of colour."
bit.ly/90rYK9
10). St Fagan's National History Museum, Cardiff, Wales
St Fagan's is one of Europe's leading open-air museums and Wales's most
popular heritage attraction. It stands in the grounds of the magnificent St
Fagan's Castle, a late 16th-century manor house donated to the people of
Wales by the Earl of Plymouth. As one TripAdvisor fan points out, "It's great
to be able to have the chance to appreciate the history of Wales and
experience life as it was hundreds of years ago."
bit.ly/asPYyO
About TripAdvisor
TripAdvisor(R) is the world's largest travel site, enabling travelers to
plan and have the perfect trip. TripAdvisor offers trusted advice from real
travelers and a wide variety of travel choices and planning features
(including Flights search, TripAdvisor Mobile and TripAdvisor Trip Friends)
with seamless links to booking tools.
TripAdvisor(R) Media Network, operated by TripAdvisor LLC, attracts more
than 50 million monthly visitors* across 17 popular travel brands:
www.tripadvisor.com, www.airfarewatchdog.com,
www.bookingbuddy.com, www.cruisecritic.com,
www.familyvacationcritic.com, www.flipkey.com,
www.frequentflier.com, www.holidaylettings.co.uk,
www.holidaywatchdog.com, www.independenttraveler.com,
www.onetime.com, www.seatguru.com, www.smartertravel.com
, www.travel-library.com, www.travelpod.com,
www.virtualtourist.com and www.kuxun.cn. TripAdvisor-branded
sites make up the largest travel community in the world, with more than 35
million unique monthly visitors*, 20 million members, and over 35 million
reviews and opinions. The sites operate in 23 countries worldwide, including
China under daodao.com (www.daodao.com). TripAdvisor also operates
TripAdvisor for Business, a dedicated division that provides the tourism
industry access to TripAdvisor's millions of monthly visitors. The division
includes Business Listings, which allows hoteliers to connect directly to
millions of researching travelers, and Vacation Rentals, which helps property
managers and individual home owners list their properties and showcase hotel
alternatives.
TripAdvisor and the sites comprising the TripAdvisor Media Network are
operating companies of Expedia, Inc. (NASDAQ: EXPE). TripAdvisor and the
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in the U.S. and/or other countries. Other logos or product and company names
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(c)2010 TripAdvisor LLC. All rights reserved.
*Source: comScore Media Metrix, Worldwide, June 2010
For further information please contact: Emma O'Boyle, TripAdvisor, +44(0)20-3320-3210 / +44(0)777-926-2423 / eoboyle at tripadvisor.com,
Tags: August 11, London, TripAdvisor, United Kingdom