A summer spent in our hometowns

As the summer months draw closer, the Travel Team share a travel guide for their hometowns.

Britain’s ‘Ocean City’ is not a common summer-holiday destination and with its city mall nce branded ‘Britain’s Ugliest Building’, it is easy to see why the city is an unpopular backdrop for summery Instagram selfies. However, venturing away from the city centre, you can encounter the charms of the south-west coastline: Plymouth is surrounded by beautiful bays and beaches, such as at Bovisand and Wembury, and only a short drive from larger, sandy beaches, Whitsand and Bigbury. If you fancy a break from sunbathing, take a cultured stroll through The Barbican’s cobbled streets and pay a visit to the internationally renowned Mayflower Steps, where the Pilgrims set sail from when embarking for America in 1620, (Plymouth’s only claim to fame besides Tom Daley). After you have filled an intellectual five minutes beholding the steps, head to the nearby National Marine Aquarium, the largest in the UK and home to over 40 sharks! Once the sun begins to lower and the temperature cools, treat yourself to a balmy evening at Royal William Yard, where you can overlook the harbour from some of Plymouth’s best restaurants.

Rebecca - Plymouth

With the vaccine rollout going well, promises of a big British summer looks like it might be on the horizon, which is great news for us travel lovers. If people hope to visit my home city of London this summer, there are an interminable amount of fun and fabulous places to visit, but I’ve tried to pick a few of my favourites. As a theatre buff, one of the best places in London for me has to be Regent’s Park Open Air theatre, where you can enjoy Shakespeare in the Park performances; this is particularly great for plays like A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream! Another instagrammable evening out is a trip to Sky Garden atop The Walkie Talkie building. Despite priceless and spectacular views of the capital, entrance to London’s Sky Garden is free! A stroll through a lush indoor garden, a great view of the city and a bar where we can pick up a drink? Sign me up! London is full of magnificent places from vast skyscrapers to beautiful green spaces; whatever you want to do, something will be here for you.

Sanjana - London

As the second biggest city in the UK, Birmingham is most well-known for its bustling city centre and array of shops to explore. For a Stokes Croft-esque trip, begin by exploring Digbeth. Just a stone’s throw away from Birmingham Coach Station, Digbeth is packed with vintage stores, independent cafes and graffitied walls. Although the Bullring and Grand Central are great hotspots for tourists, I would urge you to also take a trip to the countryside! For some greenery closer to the city centre, try a walk in Cannon Hill Park. I’d also recommend Clent Hills, Uffmoor Woods or Lickey Hills! If you want to travel slightly further out of Birmingham, I would try the Long Mynd – part of the Shropshire Hills.

Mia - Birmingham