Reading Travel Guide

Reading is a large city in the county of Berkshire near the southern tip of England. It is one of the largest towns in England and is home to one of England's largest music festivals, the Reading Festival, since 1971. Information technology and insurance are specialties of Reading and is located 40 miles west of London. The town sits between the Thames and Kennet Rivers, though the suburbs spread amongst the Chiltern Hills and Berkshire Downs.

The Reading Festival

The Reading Festival is definitely a site to see if you can make it there in August. This festival is the world's oldest popular music festival. Bands such as the Beastie Boys, Nirvana, and the Prodigy have all played this popular venue. The tickets for the 2009 Reading Festival in Reading (there is one in Leeds, as well) sold out in 2 days.

River Cruises

Since the rivers play such a large part in the city as we know it, river cruises are also a popular activity amongst all ages. If you'd like a bit of history, the Reading Borough Public Library was built in 1877 or stroll by the Museum of Reading which opened in 1883, located in the Town Hall. Reading is well-known for being a great city for shopping, and even if you don't have the funds, the main streets are still a sight to see.

Food

You can get most any kind of food you want in Reading. If you'd like an English meal, try out the restaurants Loch Fyne, which has English food with a Scottish twinge, or restaurants in hotels or inns, as they pride themselves in English cuisine. There are also a number of international restaurants from Thai to Mongolian to American. Fish and chips, as many know, is the national favorite and can be found at most any restaurant or fast food chain you visit. 

Accommodations

Downing House Hostel has beds starting at $60 per night and has been in business for over 25 years offering modern amenities. You will have a television en suite and a full English breakfast is included. The Royal County Hotel is a beautiful accommodation in the center of Reading. For an extra fee, you can have you clothes dry cleaned, have high-speed internet, or use one of the conference facilities. There are 52 rooms, all with flat-screen televisions, room-service, ironing facilities and telephones so you can make international calls. Rooms start at around $70 per night.