England Culture And Customs

Jane Austen, Sid Vicious, and Winston Churchill all have equally valid claims to quintessentially “English” identity. Stiff-lipped public schoolboys and post-punk Hoxton rockers sit next to Burberry-clad football hooligans on the Tube, belying any notion of a single English” way of life. England, roughly the size of the American state of New York, is home to almost 50 million people from diverse and dynamic local subcultures.

• Etiquette

There is little that a traveler can do that will inadvertently cause offense while traveling in England. However, the English do place weight on proper decorum, including politeness (“thanks” comes ...more

• Food And Drink

English cooking, like the English climate, is a training for life’s unavoidable hardships. —Historian RP Lister Historically, England has been derided for its awful fare. But do not fear the bland ...more

• The Arts

Eclipsed only by Mandarin Chinese in sheer number of speakers, the English language has a history that reflects the diversity of the hundreds of millions who use it today. Once a minor Germanic dialect ...more

• Sports

There is a great noise in the city caused by hustling over large balls, from which many evils arise which God forbid. —King Edward II, banning football in 1314 Football. It’s the “beautiful game ...more

• Holidays And Festivals

It’s difficult to travel anywhere in Britain without bumping into some kind of festival. Below is a list of major festivals in England. The local tourist information center for any town can point you ...more