Edward VII Monument, Liverpool, England.

A monument of the late King Edward VII, son of Queen Victoria, can be found on the pier head of Liverpool, right near the Liver Building. Standing at 4.9 metres high, it shows the King on horseback.

The statue dates back to 1921, 11 years after the King died, and was originally intended to be placed outside of St. George's Hall.

Battle of the Atlantic: 70th Anniversary, Liverpool, England.

This Bank Holiday weekend, thousands set for the Liverpool docks in celebration of 70th Anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic. Huge crowds arrived on Sunday as the Princess Royal arrived to lay a wreath at Liverpool Pier Head’s British Merchant Navy Memorial. Princess Anne payed her respects to British, Dutch, Norwegian, Belgian and Polish merchant navies, as well as others who also participated. The memorial took place at the Liverpool Anglican Cathedral, which attracted over 2,300 people, including veterans. War planes and helicopters then flew over the city. 

The crowds were also able to see ships, planes and helicopters which fought in the battle, as well as going on board the ships and sitting in the cockpits of the planes. RAF soldiers were also present to talk about the battle and the ships, planes and choppers that played such an important role during the war.

The Battle of the Atlantic, a phrase coined by then British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, was longest continuous military campaign of WWII and the longest and most complex naval battle in history. The UK, as an island nation, depended heavily on imports from overseas, including the US and Canada, in order to keep fighting. Germany, knowing this, decided to blockade imports to Britain, whilst Britain, the US and France tried to block ships providing Germany with arms, food and textiles. Liverpool played a vital role in battle, which is why it was chosen to host the event. 

Cathedral Church of Christ in Liverpool, England

In 1978, after 74 years of construction, the biggest cathedral in the UK, and 5th biggest in the world, was completed. Standing at 331 ft tall, this Grade I listed building is one of the biggest tourist attractions in the North West of England. It boasts the largest and heaviest ringing peal of bells and the largest pipe organ in the UK. Admission is free, but for a small price you can climb to the top of the cathedral for an amazing view of the city.

Fratton Park, Portsmouth

Fratton Park is the home of Portsmouth FC, an English League One football team. The 20,688 seater stadium had been home to the Pompey since the team was formed in 1898. It hosted a first-round football game for the London 1948 Olympic Games, as well as en England international game in 1903 (vs Wales) and regularly hosts around 15,000 fans for Portsmouth FC matches.

Anfield Stadium, Liverpool.

Originally home to Everton FC, Liverpool FC took over Anfield in 1892. Now, it is one of the most famous football stadiums in the world.
The 45,525 seater stadium, home to the infamous Kop stand, has seen some tragedy throughout it's history, most notably the Hillsborough disaster in which 96 people died.
Watching a football match from the Kop stand is an amazing experience with fans singing and chanting along throughout the match. There are also tours available, including Legends tours, allowing you to visit the press room, changing rooms, the tunnel onto the pitch and more. Visit the museum, see the Shankly statue and pay your respects at the Hillsborough memorial. For football fans, visiting Anfield is a must!

Buckingham Palace, London.

Originally a house made for the Duke of Buckingham, Buckingham house was built in 1705. It was acquired by George III in 1761 as a private residence for his wife Queen Charlotte. The house was enlarged during the 19th century and eventually became the official Royal residence of Queen Victoria in 1837. It has, in recent years, been part of many big events, including Coronations, Jubilees and Royal weddings, in which the Royal family often congregate to to greet the crowds. 

Although the Royal family do much of their work there, it is open to the public with tours running throughout most of the day. For a fee, you can visit some of its 775 rooms, including galleries filled with art and items from previous monarchs, as well as Queen Elizabeth II herself. One can also walk along the infamous palace gardens which host many garden parties throughout the year.

For more on what to see and do, click here.

National Football Museum, Manchester.

Originally located in Preston, Lancashire, the National Football Museum was relocated to Manchester in 2012. Its 6 floors contain numerous exhibitions and thousands of items of football history from all across the globe. It holds classic balls, shirts and trophies from throughout the ages, including items belonging to many of the sports greatest legends. Some of the current exhibitions include the FA collection, UEFA library collection and the football league collection. For any football fan in the area, this is a must see...especially seen as entry is free!

Speke Hall, Liverpool.

Speke Hall is a magnificent example of Tudor architecture, built in the 1500's during a time of religious turmoil. Because of this, the house contains a priest hole, allowing the priest to hide if in trouble, and observation hole, built in the chimney so that you can see people approaching, and an eavesdrop, a small hole under the eaves of the house which allow the servant to listen in on the conversations of people trying to gain entry at the original front door.

The house itself is a magnificent look through history, with many items of Victorian furniture available to view during tours of the house. It is also possible to roam the gardens, full of many beautiful plants and trees, as well as a maze and lots of fun things for kids. You can also explore the wooded areas and explore the nature of the area.

There have been many ghost stories involving Speke Hall. One is that a women, hurt by the unfaithfulness of her husband, killed her baby then herself. Another variant is that Mary Norris, one of the original inhabitants, haunts the tapestry room. Mary is believed to have thrown her baby out of the window into the moat before killing herself after her husband, a keen gambler, had lost almost all of their belongings. However, the moat is too far from the house for the baby to have been thrown into.

Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, Liverpool.

The Metropolitan Cathedral, also known as 'Paddy's Wigwam', is one of Liverpool's two cathedrals, the other being the Anglican Cathedral of Christ, which is about half a mile away.
 Located in the city centre, this Roman Catholic cathedral was consecrated in 1967. A Roman Catholic cathedral was commissioned to be built after an influx of Irish into Liverpool during the Great Irish Famine
The building was designed by Sir Frederik Gibberd (1908-1984), who's design was picked from around 300 entries from all over the world. It is an amazing piece of architecture, so if you are Catholic, or just fond of unique buildings, the cathedral is easy to get to and tours are available for around £3.

River Thames, London.

The River Thames, the most famous river in the UK, is known by many as the river which runs through London and is home to sites such as London Bridge, Tower Bridge, the Houses of Parliament and the Tower of London. It was also the venue for Queen Elizabeth's River Pageant, which celebrated her Diamond Jubilee. 
You can walk along the river in the Westminster and Southwark areas and see sites such as those already mentioned (Houses of Parliament, etc.), as well as some other amazing buildings and attractions. You can also visit shops, cafes and restaurants along the way. It is also possible to go sailing, rowing, skiffing and kayaking along the river, as well as go on a boat tour or hire a narrowboat. You can also visit the old warship HMS Belfast.
The river also runs through Oxford, Windsor and Eton, which have a lot of history and sites to see if you want to escape the busy streets of London for a bit.

For more ideas, click the links below:

London Eye

City Hall

The Shard

Toy Museum, Munich.

The Spielzeugmuseum (as it is known in German) is a huge museum of toys dating back to the 1800's. It has 4 floors packed with displayed dolls, aeroplanes and other toys from all over America and Europe. You can have a wander round for a couple of hours for just a €3 fee.  

Max-Joseph-Platz, Munich.

Max-Joseph-Platz is a large square in central Munich, named after King Maximilian Joseph, King of Bavaria from 1806-1825. It is home to a statue of the King himself, erected in 1835, the National Theatre Munich, The Residenztheatre and the Munich Residenz, a former Royal palace of Bavarian monarchs, which is open for public viewing.

Englischer Garten, Munich.

Englischer Garten is a 910 acre public park in Munich, much bigger than Central Park in New York, that is styled on an 18th-19th century style popular in Britain at the time. It was opened in 1792 and now contains a Japanese tea house, a nude sunbathing area, streams, an artificial lake, beer gardens and the Chinesischer Turm, as well as gardens and other architecture. This makes it a perfect place to relax in the sun, go for a jog  or have a beer or two!!

Heiliggeistkirche, Munich

Heiliggeistkirche is a Gothic hall church which originally belonged to the Hospice of the Holy Ghost in the 14th century but was remodelled in 1724-1730. After the hospice buildings were demolished in 1885, Franz Lšwel added three bays at the west end of the church and gave it a neo-Baroche facade.

The church, like many buildings in Munich, suffered severe damage during WWII and was restored afterwards.

BMW headquarters, Munich.

Built by 1972 and standing at 331ft, the BMW warehouse is one of the most notable landmarks in Munich. The main tower consists of four vertical towers separated in the centre. The four towers are suspended from the main tower, not actually touching the ground. There is also a museum across the road which you can visit.

 Located near the Olympic Village (for the 1972 Munich Olympics), it is easy to get to via underground train and holds tours (in German and English) which last up to two hours, allowing you to see firsthand how BMWs are built (it may be worth booking your tour in advance ). If you don't get time to go, you can get an amazing view from the Olympic Tower in the Olympic village, which is only a short walk away.