The London 2012 Useful Information Guide to…

Beyond London – real alternatives for your 2012 vacation plans

Yes, it’s all happening in the great metropolis we call London but there’s also a huge amount going on beyond the fringes of the capital.

London is surrounded by the Home Counties, Hertfordshire, Essex, Kent, Surrey, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Middlesex, East Sussex and West Sussex.

There’s plenty to do in these counties and in the summer of 2012, when London will be jam-packed full of tourists (on top of its 7 million residents), they’ll be providing some much-needed accommodation space.

Near where I live, for example, in Watford, there are several brand-new hotels which have spring up within the last six months, and the events of 2012 will have been a significant factor as far as planning goes for the companies behind them.

Beyond the Home Counties are lots of interesting places that you probably will have heard of – and may well want to visit. Places like Stonehenge, Bath , Oxford, Cambridge and Windsor are all within easy reach of London.

And then there’s Stratford. In fact, there are two Stratfords – one in east London which is to be the home of the Olympics in 2012, and the other one, Stratford-Upon-Avon, which was the home of William Shakespeare, who lived between 1564 and 1616.

So, when planning your trip to London, think about these places which are a bit further afield – they may well provide some interesting (and much cheaper) options when you’re choosing where to stay.

Did you know…

The Olympics in 2012 will not just be in London?

Of course, they’ll be based here and the Opening and Closing Ceremonies will be in London, but there will be events in many different locations across the country.

Read more about where Olympic events will be taking place, with this guide to the Olympic Venues…

Go to the London 2012 UIG Home page