Page 98 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Europe

96  BRIT AIN AND IRELAND

Practical Information Visa Requirements
and Customs
Colorful pageantry, ancient history, and a varied countryside A valid passport is needed to
attract millions of tourists to Britain each year. Facilities for enter Britain. Visitors from the
visitors have improved considerably in recent years, with European Union (EU), the
major urban centers offering a good variety of restaurants United States, Canada, New
Zealand, and Australia do not
and hotels. The affluent southern region is more expensive require a visa to enter the
than the rest of Britain. Telephone and postal systems are country. Anyone who arrives in
efficient, and violent crime is uncommon. Britain from a member country
of the EU can pass through a
stations, and at some sites of special channel at customs, but
When To Visit historical interest. These random checks are still made to
Britain’s temperate maritime bureaux offer general tourist detect any prohibited goods.
climate does not produce advice and will also reserve When entering from outside
extremes of heat or cold, accommodations. the EU, go through the green
but weather patterns shift Both the regional and customs channel if you have
constantly, and the climate can national tourist boards have nothing to declare, and the red
differ widely in places only a comprehensive lists of local channel if you have goods
short distance apart. The attractions, events, and which exceed allowances.
southeast is generally drier than registered accommodations;
elsewhere. Be sure to pack a mix all these details can be found Personal Security
of warm and light clothing, and on their excellent websites.
an umbrella. Walkers can be More detailed maps and Britain is not a dangerous place
surprised by bad weather. guidebooks can be purchased for visitors, and it is most unlikely
Britain’s towns and cities are from good bookshops. that your stay will be blighted
all-year destinations, but some For route planning, road by crime. Due to past terrorist
attractions open only between atlases and local maps and attacks, there are occasional
Easter and October. Some guidebooks are available in security alerts, notably on the
hotels are crammed at most bookstores. underground, but these are
Christmas and New Year. The mainly false alarms, often due
main family holiday months, Opening Hours to people accidentally leaving
July and August, and public a bag or parcel lying around.
holidays, are always busy. Many businesses and shops are
Spring and fall offer a good closed on Sundays, though
compromise: fewer crowds trading is now legal. Museums Police
and relatively fine weather. and galleries are generally The sight of a traditional British
open from 10am to 5 or 6pm, “bobby” patroling the streets in
with many opening later in the a tall hat is now less common
Tourist Information
day on Sundays. Those outside than the police patrol car with
The British Tourist Authority the capital are normally closed flashing lights and sirens.
(BTA) has offices in a number for one day or one afternoon a However, police on foot can
of major cities worldwide. In week. On public holidays, still be found, and are courteous
Britain, tourist information is known as bank holidays in and helpful. If you have
available in many towns and Britain, banks, offices, most anything stolen, you should
public places, including shops, and some restaurants report the theft at the nearest
airports, main train and bus will be closed. police station.

The Climate of LONDON EDINBURGH
Great Britain
The moderate British climate °C/ºF °C/ºF
rarely sees winter nights colder
than -15 °C (5 °F), even in the far 22/72 18/62
north, or summer days warmer 13/55 14/58 16/60 11/52 11/52 13/56
than 30 °C (86 °F) in the south. 7/44 10/50 7/45 4/39 7/44 16/61
Despite the country’s reputation, 3/38 0/32
annual rainfall is quite low – less 5 6 3.5 1.5 2.5 5.5 3 1.5
than 100 cm (40 in) – and heavy hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs
rain is rare. The Atlantic coast, 39 45 50 44 38 70 58 47
warmed by the Gulf Stream, mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm
gives the west a warmer, wetter month Apr Jul Oct Jan month Apr Jul Oct Jan
climate than the east.

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