UK Bank Holidays and UK Public Holidays

Aztec calendar stone
National Museum of Anthropology, Mexico City

England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales enjoy similar sets of bank holidays every year. Some are celebrated in all four countries, and some are only celebrated in one or more countries.

We all think of bank holidays and public holidays as being the same, and often use the terms interchangeably. However, there is a difference: bank holidays are those holidays when banks and some other businesses are closed, and public holidays are those holidays that have become established through common practice.

Top tourist attractions in England

British Museum
Great Russell St., London WC1B 3DG

Every year the VisitEngland web site publishes a list of the most popular visitor attractions in England.

In 2013, the British Museum in London was again the most popular free attraction, and the Tower of London was again the most popular paid attraction.

Attractions in London filled 9 of the top 10 and 15 of the top 20 positions in the list, with Brighton Pier in East Sussex, in sixth, being the most popular outside the London area.

15 of the top 20 in the list were free attractions, with only 5 being paid attractions.

Visa requirements for visitors to the UK

Map of the UK
Image by nearby.org.uk

Visitors to the UK who live in the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland have the right of free movement and residence in the UK. Hence they do not need a visa to enter the UK. Members of their family need an EEA family permit.

Visitors from other countries need a visa to visit the UK. Visitors from some countries might need an entry certificate instead of a visa, but it functions in much the same way as a visa. A visitor to the UK is normally allowed to stay for up to 6 months.