Recommend March 2014 - (Page 23)

HARRY POTTER Scores of ﬁlms have been shot in Britain, but tell ﬁlm buffs that they need to march on over to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London-The Making of Harry Potter (wbstudiotour.co.uk), which offers visitors the opportunity to step on to authentic sets, discover the magic behind the special effects, explore Dumbledore's ofﬁce and walk down Diagon Alley. the "Live from Stratford-upon-Avon" cinema screenings. For those who can't get enough Shakespeare, a must is touring the bard's birthplace, where visitors can see artifacts associated with him, as well as the house where he was born. The Royal Shakespeare Company building itself reopened in 2010 and now boasts a worldclass auditorium, a viewing tower, and theater tours. A little more contemporary history brings us to the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War. It will be commemorated across Britain with a national church service to mark the beginning of the conflict, and with the Imperial War Museums (IWM) London reopening this July with the groundbreaking new First World War Galleries. Additionally, the IWM North, in Manchester, will have a major First World War exhibition. In Oxfordshire, England, The Blenheim Palace WWI exhibit will run through April 21 and will delve into the lives of the families who called the estate their home, the people who served them, and how they were all affected by the war. World War II is also marking an important milestone with the 70th anniversary of the D-Day Landings, in which Southsea Beach and Portsmouth Harbour were vital embarkation points; Southwick House, just north of the city, was the Headquarters of General Eisenhower during the operation. Did you know? T he T itanic Belfast in N orthern I reland encom passes nine galleries with special effects, fullscale reconstructions, dark rides, and innov ativ e interactiv e features that ex plore the T itanic story. MUSEUMS GALORE When it comes to museums, Great Britain can't be beat-it has three of the top five most visited museums in the world, with the British Museum holding the number one spot. Why is this museum so popular? Well, on view are the Rosetta Stone, Parthenon sculptures and Egyptian mummies. Best part? All of the museum's regular exhibits are free. In fact, many of Britain's museums are free, including the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum, both in London; the V&A Museum, also in London, known as the "world's greatest museum of art and design"; the Museum of Liverpool, which opened in 2011 in the city's waterfront; and the National Museum Cardiff, home to the largest collection of Impressionist and post-Impressionist paintings outside Paris. Art enthusiasts will swoon over London's National Gallery, with Van Gogh's "Sunflowers"; the Tate Modern, with Rothko, Pollock, and Hockney; and Tate Britain, with works by Turner. In Glasgow, there's the Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, which has 22 themed galleries displaying 8,000 objects; and Newcastle's Laing Art Gallery has a touring exhibit showcasing works from the Tate Collection by Turner, Constable and their contemporaries. London's National Portrait Gallery, meanwhile, has a David Bailey exhibit running through June. GETTING AROUND LONDON L ondon c a b s a nd b us e s , E ng l a nd While in London, visitors have Britain's culture at their ﬁngertips with the London Pass, offered by the Leisure Pass Group (leisurepassgroup.com/londonpass). The London Pass offers free entry to over 60 top attractions and includes a guidebook, a bunch of special offers at shops, and front-of-the-line privileges at select attractions. To get around London, visitors can hop-on and hop-off The Original London Sightseeing Tour (theoriginaltour.com) with live guided commentaries, free walking tours, and a free river cruise pass, or opt for the Big Bus Tours (bigbustours.com), which takes visitors to all of London's famous landmarks and includes a free river cruise, as well as guided walking tours. 5 04-07_Food_GB.indd 5 2/20/14 9:01 AM http://wbstudiotour.co.uk http://www.leisurepassgroup.com/london http://www.theoriginaltour.com http://www.bigbustours.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend March 2014

Editor's Notes
Hotel Desk: ME by Melia
Tour Talk: MLT Vacations
The All-Inclusive Rundown
Iberostar's Rose Hall Resorts, Jamaica
RIU Palace Mexico
What's New in Cancun & Riviera Maya
Great Britain Travel Planner
Turkish Delights
Cosmopolitan South Africa
Riveting Rhode Island
Okinawa: To Visit is to Love It
Un-Cruise Adventures' S.S. Legacy
Alaska

Recommend March 2014