Great Britain

Home of roast beef, the Tower of London and Scotch whisky, Great Britain is actually four countries grouped together! The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland comprises England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Although it's relatively small compared to some European countries, Britain managed to pack a fair amount of scenery and a lot of people into its small islands – 60 million people, at the last count.

If you are planning on driving in Britain but come from anywhere else in Europe, the USA or Canada (plus a few other places), it's important to remember that us Brits drive on the left-hand side of the road. Naturally, British cars are all right-hand drive, so it seems quite natural to us, even though it is at odds with the rest of Europe!

Most visitors to the UK enjoy seeing something of London, but it is well worth getting away from the capital and heading north to see some of the UK's most rural areas. The Yorkshire Dales, the North Yorkshire Moors and the Lake District are all stunning – and that's before you get to the Scottish Highlands or indeed the mountains of Wales.

As an island nation, we have plenty of coastline and some pretty reasonable beaches – although neither weather nor ocean can compete with what's on offer closer in countries closer to the equator. Still, we make up for it with some of the best beers in Europe and a tradition of grumbling about our endless wet summers!