New York, New York - Alan Bennett's new comedy about students trying to get into college, The History Boys, is enjoying a run on Broadway to sell-out audiences. VisitBritain - the tourist office for England, Scotland and Wales - reveals secret tips for visitors heading to five of the country's university cities where they will find a welcoming mix of "town and gown"!
In England, Oxford's literary links are renowned, so its no wonder Alan Bennett, author of The History Boys, chose to study in the city at Exeter College. For visitors seeking to find the next aspiring Alan Bennett, stay in Oxford during Cuppers Week, which takes place during November each year. This drama festival, put on by Oxford University Dramatic Society, features groups of 'freshers' (first-year students) putting on shows, each up to 30 minutes in length, at the Burton-Taylor Theatre. Fifty tickets are available on the door before each show at the theater.
Oxford boasts a number of colleges and historic buildings surrounding quadrangles overlooked by dreamy spires - but not everything is brick and mortar. One student secret is to head to George and Davis' Ice Cream Café for a late night snack. Open daily until Midnight and located on Little Clarendon Street, the shop is a popular meeting place, and you never know what new flavor might be cooked up - - if 30 people sign a petition suggesting a new flavor of ice cream, then it will be made!
Less than an hour from Oxford by train, London has many historic universities and colleges across the capital. A good option for travelers looking for an academic atmosphere is to stay in student accommodations during the summer months. Imperial College London makes their accommodations available at Piccadilly Court offering modern rooms with adjoining private bathrooms, located close to the bustling Camden neighborhood, which is where Alan Bennett currently lives. Camden boasts several markets and quirky shops, and a vibrant young population.
While in London, see where The History Boys had its hugely successful run at the National Theatre. By taking a backstage tour, visitors can see the theater's three auditoriums and backstage areas including paint studios in the company of an enthusiastic guide. The tours take place three times a day, from Monday through Saturday. The multi-tiered lobby contains exhibitions, bars and restaurants as well as offering free entertainment.
Two-and-a-half hours north of London by train, and even closer to Manchester Airport, lies the city of Leeds. With two universities, Leeds has a large student population, and is where Alan Bennett was born. Though many of Bennett's plays draw on his observations while growing up in Leeds during the 1930s and 40s, visitors today can enjoy modern technology like flat-screen TVs and DVD players at the hotel 42 The Calls. Housed within a converted cornmill building overlooking the River Aire, the new hotel features contemporary styled rooms, each individually styled with wooden beams and white-washed walls.
For a unique shopping experience in Leeds, head to the Corn Exchange, one of Britain's finest Victorian buildings, and home to many independent retailers including 35 exclusive and quirky stores. Shops include HippyPotterMouse offering Fairtrade products along with Celtic giftware, elfin jewelry, and incense.
Alan Bennett's rise to fame began in 1960 when he appeared at the Edinburgh Festival alongside Dudley Moore and Peter Cooke. The Scottish capital boasts three universities and several colleges, and - just over an hour away by car - St. Andrew?s University, located in the picturesque coastal city of St. Andrews, is Scotland's oldest.
Visitors to St. Andrews in April will want to time their trip to coincide with Kate Kennedy's Pageant. On the second Saturday in April each year, a procession heads through the city, lead by a student re-creating the role of Lady Katherine Kennedy who is known as the 'patroness of student chivalry'. Kate was the niece of the founder of St. Salvator's College in the 15th century, and the procession is just part of St. Andrew's impressive history, which also includes a castle, cathedral and, for golf fans, the famous Old Course.
In Wales, visitors can head to Swansea, home to another famous writer, Dylan Thomas. He is celebrated within the Dylan Thomas Centre, an exhibition dedicated to his life and work. Students at Swansea University would recommend visitors taking a tour of local pubs, 13 of which run along a stretch of coast known as the 'Mumbles Mile', some frequented by Dylan Thomas. The Mumbles is a stunning peninsula alongside a pretty seaside village adjacent to the city of Swansea. Swansea University has an Egypt Centre, which is open to visitors from Tuesday through Saturday, and includes an amazing assortment of Shabti figures, fragments of the sarcophagus of Amenhotep, son of Hapi and a collection of animal mummies. The museum is a little-known gem, and well-worth visiting.
Visitors can find more information about planning vacations to Britain's university cities by visiting the website www.visitbritain.com, by e-mailing travelinfo@visitbritain.org and by calling 1-800-462-2748.
