A union of more than 300 years old, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern lreland, bound by a constitutional monarchy, is full of contrasts; in every direction you will be faced with a wide variety of landscapes and diverse cultures to explore.
Comprised of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, the modern United Kingdom is really a tale of four countries, and runs the entire gamut of castles, cathedrals, old pubs and rolling hills alongside regenerated provincial cities with cutting edge architecture and the best in global cuisine.
From the ancient megaliths of Stonehenge to the space age domes of the Eden project, the trendy bars of Edinburgh to the creaky watering holes in Belfast, there is also the starkly beautiful highlands of Scotland, the surfing off Newquay or the undulating plains of Snowdonia.
HAPPYCAR is here to help you find the best car hire UK has to offer so you can take full advantage of this often eccentric but mostly extraordinary island nation and while there are many airports to choose from, the most common starting point is from the capital, London, and a direct car hire Heathrow Airport is available along with many others. We check the prices of international and local providers so that you don’t have to check each website, and provide you with the best deals to make your money go further with a rental car that fits your specific vacation needs.
General Information
The United Kingdom was the first industrialized country in the world, the dominant industrial and maritime power of the 19th century and it played a leading role in developing parliamentary democracy and advancing literature and science. At its peak, the British Empire stretched over a quarter of the surface of the Earth, including placed on the other side of the world like India, and after its dismantling and depletion in the two World Wars rebuilt itself into a modern, prosperous European nation.
The United Kingdom also does heritage like no other. Aside from the first class museums that are spread all over the nation, there are no fewer than 25 UNESCO World Heritage Sites such as the expansive East Devon Coast, the Tower of London or the 40,000 massive black basalt columns of Giant’s Causeway that astonishes with times gone by. On top of this, there is a glut of historical cities like York, Bath and Dublin that excellently preserve the history enshrouded over their timber and brick, and makes for a fascinating experience regardless of taste.
Speaking of taste, the UK’s food portfolio is equally varied, from the rare cheeses proudly boasted from charming Scottish family-run shops and a fresh fish and chip takeaway from the Cornish quayside to bleeding-edge fusion food from Cardiff and the hippest joints in Soho. British food has improved greatly over the last few decades, and the dishes Britons are so proud of are now being internationally recognized in their own right.
Using a car hire in the UK
Thanks to the compact nature of the country and the inefficient nature of British rail travel, a car rental UK is both affordable and convenient compared to other options. It is also an excellent method with which to really get to grips with the United Kingdom, if you have the time.
London is the obvious starting point, as the innovative capital hosts the best spread of cultural and gastronomic offerings. But each of the other major cities in the area – Birmingham, Bristol, Newcastle, Leeds, Manchester and Liverpool – make their own claims for cultural superiority.
The Welsh trinity of port cities also creates a breezy relaxed nature compared to more inland cities, and urban Scottish centers shout proudly down of their insistence to be taken seriously, and rightly so – their cultural and historical spectrum is easily on par with its distant capital.
You can spend a lifetime on this ancient island and not tire of what it has to offer. There is so much to see in this part of the world, and a UK car hire can help you uncover some of the many mysteries just waiting to be discovered with a vacation car hire specific to your needs.