Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
THE
best
CONTEMPORARY
EXPERIENCES
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Seeing what Turner saw (Kent):
Turner Contemporary opened in spring 2011. The
simplistic but stunning white building sits on the seafront in the fast-rejuvenating
resort town of Margate, on the spot where J. M. W. Turner stayed when he used to
paint his mesmeric seascapes. The light here, on the eastern tip of England, is
sensational and illuminates the building at sunset. See p. 251.
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Getting fresh air on Cardiff Bay (South Wales):
It's hard to believe this was once
the grubby docks; it really has cleaned up well. The extraordinary Barrage circles
the now calm Bay, while the quay is a riot of restaurants and bars under the eye of
the Millennium Centre, a copper-roofed arts complex. See p. 682.
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Feeling small in Tate Modern (London):
Enter this former power station on the
Thames and your jaw drops at the size of the cathedral-like piston hall, which usu-
ally houses outrageous art installations, from twisting metal slides to monstrous
spiders. Delve deeper and you find a wealth of Dalis, Warhols, Picassos, and a
restaurant with one of London's best views. See p. 109.
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Finding a hidden garden (Cornwall):
The Eden Project is not quite what you'd
expect in a lush Cornish valley. The huddle of huge geodesic domes looks like a
moonbase—and well it could be: It's a garden of the future, an Amazon rain forest
under glass. See p. 406.
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Heading for space (Leicestershire):
Calling Houston: We have a rival. A futuristic
tower signals the National Space Centre, which has space rockets, moon rock, a
landing simulator, interactive displays, and a galaxy of jaw-dropping facts. All that
in a place where they really do study comets—Leicester. See p. 555.
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Seeing with a different eye (London):
The London Eye, on the South Bank, is
a giant ferris wheel with glass pods, with views over the city. It's great to ride
(aim for twilight), but the gleaming white wheel is awesome just to look at; it
pops into view between buildings, particularly from across the river, near West-
minster Abbey. See p. 107.
THE
best
ARTS EXPERIENCES
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Going to a festival:
They're big business, attract all ages, and feature everyone
from the latest acts to venerable megastars playing Glastonbury (Somerset) and the
Isle of Wight as well as lesser-known gems such as Guilfest (Surrey) and the
Rhythm Festival (Bedfordshire).
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Seeing Shakespeare in his hometown (Warwickshire):
Well, seeing one of his
plays, anyway. The Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon is the place
for powerful, up-to-the-minute interpretations, and you'll have the chance to visit
all the Shakespeare sights, including his birthplace. See p. 452.
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Learning to love panto:
England's traditional Christmas fare, pantomime is great
slapstick fun, often with top TV names and, increasingly, U.S. stars: In the past
several seasons, Wimbledon Theatre has had Henry (The Fonz) Winkler, David
Hasselhoff, and even Pamela Anderson, all dressed up and falling over.
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