The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy that comprises the whole island of Great Britain and the northern portion of the island of Ireland. It is made up of four constituent parts: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The UK is extremely beautiful, with seaside towns, postcard-worthy medieval skylines, national parks, and ultra-modern cities. Beyond its natural beauty and interesting culture, the UK is also popular for its internationally acclaimed hospitals that are equipped with cutting edge technology and advanced medical treatments, with some of the most skilled medical professionals in the world. Its high-quality healthcare has made medical tourists look past the high costs. Medical tourists in the UK mostly come from Ireland, France, and the UAE.
London, the capital of both England and the UK, remains the focal point of tourism in the UK. Welcoming over 19 million visitors each year, London is one of the most visited cities in the world. It has some of the world’s best art, entertainment, dining, shopping, and history. You can explore Hyde Park, Westminster, Camden, London Eye, Baker Street, and Soho. Belfast, located in Northern Ireland, offers visitors amazing attractions, including St. George’s Market, Titanic Belfast, and Ulster Museum. Edinburgh, in Scotland, is known for Edinburgh Castle, Royal Yacht Britannia, Real Mary King’s Close, and Scottish Parliament Building. In Wales’ capital, Cardiff, visitors can visit Cardiff Castle, relax in Bute Park, or explore National Museum Cardiff. Other cities in the UK, including Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow, and Swansea are equally as fascinating.
London Heathrow Airport is the largest and busiest airport in the UK. It connects the country with numerous major cities around the globe and it serves domestic flights around the country. There are also plenty of budget airlines operating flights from this airport, offering visitors an affordable option to get around, to and from the UK. Trains and buses are available and are good ways to travel around the country. In most cities, the most flexible mode of transport is taxis.
British nationals and holders of passports of 56 countries, including Australia and the US, can enter the UK without a visa for up to 6 months. Other nationals not listed in the visa-exempt countries need to apply for a visa beforehand by registering an online account then attend an appointment at a visa application center. A medical visitor visa is available for those who want to receive private medical care in the UK.
There are four seasons in the UK: Spring (March-May), summer (June – August), autumn (September – November), and winter (December – February). Summer is the hottest season and the temperatures can rise as high as 35 °C, while winter has an average temperature of 4 °C. Spring and autumn are generally nice with mild weather. Rainfall can be unpredictable and arrives at any time of the year.