Britain is just one of those places that spark a person's imagination. Why wouldn't it? It's the United Kingdom, after all, and if that name alone doesn't just inspire thoughts of a long history and colorful culture, then anyone would be hard-pressed to figure out what would.

Britain is known by several names, including the mouthful United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the much shorter UK. Located at the northwestern area of mainland Europe, this country is comprised of the island of Great Britain (essentially most of England, Scotland and Wales) and a sixth of the island Ireland (the northeastern part), not to mention a few more small islands here and there. This variety of territories means that Britain has a variety of topographies attributed to it like lowlands (in England, mostly, and Scotland), highlands (in Scotland), mountains (Wales, mostly, and some in England), hills (mostly in Northern Ireland), islands (there are about a thousand, mostly in Scotland) and bodies of water (again, mostly in Scotland). Obviously, Britain has much to offer if one takes a look at its geography alone.

Not that Britain only has its incredible landscapes to speak of. Like what its name – the United Kingdom – suggests, there is much to experience in this place culture-wise. And the best place to go for this? Why, exciting London, of course! Being the capital and the largest city of Britain, London would be your best bet when immersing one's self in modern British culture. London is a theoretical crossroads of culture that gamely assimilates the subculture of its territories and dependencies into itself, probably because it's an international business center. Not only that, but being one of the most historically significant places in the area, there would most definitely be more than enough historical structures to satisfy the curious tourist (the London Bridge – which is actually the Tower Bridge – as well as Big Ben are of course included in this list of British landmarks).

Apart from the geographic and historical uniqueness of Britain, one of the most fascinating aspects associated with it is its government. It still has its royals – Queen Elizabeth II being the current monarch and head of state – but is also represented by a parliament democracy headed by a Prime Minister. And it is more than outstanding to observe how well Britain works with this kind of system; more so when you're actually there.

Despite the fact that Britain's power declined as the twentieth century progressed (it was one of the top countries of the world during the nineteenth century), it has nevertheless retained its prestige. Today, its economy is the fifth largest in the world, and has a cultural reputation of producing some of the best literary and musical minds such as Shakespeare, Rowling, Elgar, and John Lennon of the Beatles.

All this and more has inspired travelers from all over the world to come and visit Britain – whether to relish in its distant and recent history or immerse in its bountiful nature and cultures.