London is a great city but it is not typical of British life. There are many wonderful places to go to in different parts of the country, and no visit to Britain is complete without getting out of London a little.

You may want the convenience of an organised guided trip, and we have trips to a number of destinations every weekend. These include both day trips and longer weekend visits to further destinations such as Edinburgh.  For more ideas on what to do in your free time, click here.

Alternatively, you may want to be more independent. You can take a coach or train, or, if you are 23 and have a full driving licence you could hire a car. We will happily suggest some interesting places for you to go. If you hire a car in the UK you will need to be aware of the following:

• We drive on the left hand side of the road.
• It is illegal to drink and drive.  You must not drive with a blood alcohol level of more than 80 mg per 100 ml (this is usually one small glass of wine or a standard beer).
• Seat belts must be worn at all times, in the front and the back.
• Speeding regulations must be respected.  In the UK we measure driving distances in miles rather than kilometres.  Speed is therefore measured in miles per hour (mph).
• Pedestrians have right of way on a 'zebra crossing'.  These are marked with black and white stripes in the road, often with orange flashing lights either side.
• Car hire companies will only accept driving license which uses Roman letters and numbers.  If you hold a non-Roman script license you will need to apply for an international driving license.

Remember also that air travel within Europe is very cheap these days. London is exceptionally well located for some wonderful bargains. You can combine your course here with a weekend in many famous and beautiful cities.

Note that if you are from outside the EU you may need a visa to travel within other parts of Europe - please see us for advice about this.