England: Cultured, Classic, and Charming: A Guide to Hidden England (The Hidden Gems Series) by Christy Nicholas – Review by Tara Johnson Barnes

England: Cultured, Classic, and Charming: A Guide to Hidden England by Christy Nicholas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

England: Cultured, Classic, and Charming: A Guide to Hidden England is Book Three in the Hidden Gems Series. It is your definitive guide to all that England has to offer written by a well traveled author with twenty-five years of experience traveling to England. The author has expertly used her love of travel to discuss in-depth the hidden gems that England offers for exploration that go beyond the usual tourist locales. She discusses the history of England, its myths, legends, beliefs, and superstitions which offer invaluable insight into its rich and varied culture. I was fascinated by the belief of the existence in fairies in Elva Hills situated on the bank of Bassenthwaite Lake and how the hill is supposed to hide a gateway to the Otherworld, which only opens at certain times of the year. This would be at the top of my places to explore, along with the numerous haunted locations. The author briefly discusses famous authors who were born in England such as Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Agatha Christie, and J.K. Rowling. Famous artists and bands such as Ed Sheeran, Cat Stevens, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, Elton John, Queen, The Eurythmics, and The Who also originated from England. The author discusses how to plan your trip, the best time to go, travel expenses, extra costs that may be associated with the trip, travel insurance, passports and visas, travelers’ checks, places to visit, accommodations, transportation, and food. The book contains stunning photographs throughout that were taken by the author during her various trips to England and she gives advice on how to get the best photos during your visit. She gives advice on camera and equipment, as well as things to consider such as scale, weather, perspective, lines, the rule of thirds, and lighting. I could go on and on about all the information this book contains because it truly covers ever aspect one could possibly think of from start to finish and is the only guide one would need when planning a trip to England. I will be going back and reading the author’s book on Ireland next as it is my dream destination.

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