Narrator (male voice): London is one of Europe's largest cities, and photos of major attractions like the London Eye are hugely popular on Instagram.

We traveled to the British capital to find out if London sights are as impressive as they seem on Instagram.

London has about 9 million inhabitants.

Each year, about five times as many tourists descend on the city.

Today, we're taking a close look at three of London's best known attractions.

First up, the London Eye.

What's it really like?

It's very crowded and there ar long queues, but it's worth it.

Standing 135m tall, the London Eye is one of Europe's biggest Ferris wheels.

Expec a long wait before getting on.

The Millennium Wheel, as it's also known, was first opened to the public in 2000.

It was only supposed to stay up five years, but has remained in operation to this day, because of popular demand.

Man: The view is fantastic.

It's a must see.

But when you come with a family it is easily 200-300 pounds.

Woman 1: I think it's a bit overrated, but if you really want to see London, the view is very nice if you are ready to pay.

Woman 2: I would recommend to come here to the par to see all the views around us.

But going in there I think it's a bit too much.

Narrator: The views are fantastic but they don't come cheap!

A one person ticket cost up to 40 pounds and fast trac tickets are even more expensive!

So if you're short on money or time, skip the London Eye.

Next, London' ultimate landmark: Tower Bridge.

Does it meet our expectations?

It does!

Though For a great view of Tower Bridge, consider going to nearb London Bridge or the riverbank.

Tower Bridge is steeped in history.

It was built almost 130 years ago with a pioneering design.

It can lift up, allowing ships to pass through while at the same time pedestrians can still cross overhead.

You can lear more about its special history by visiting the bridge museum.

Richard When you come into Tower Bridge, there's a number of different aspects to what you can see and what you can do.

First of all, you get to go off into the into the bridge itself, which many people are surprised to find is a steel bridge insid this wonderful stone structure.

But then also you get to come up onto the high level walkways that puts you about 33m above the road, about 43m above the river.

And we have a wonderful glass floor which is eight centimeters thick.

And you can walk across that.

You can watch the river below You can look out across London.

Narrator: So Tower Bridge is of course worth visiting.

The bridge is spectacular and so are the views.

Don't miss out on the glass floor high level walkways.

One tip: check online when the next bridge lift is due.

And finally, our last London attraction, the National Gallery.

Here we've got a typical Instagram versus reality situation.

The museum is currentl undergoing refurbishment work, which will continue until at least 2024.

Every year, up to 6 million visitors come to this museum.

No wonder, as it houses a collection of over 2300 paintings from a period spanning 700 years of art history.

Plus, the building itself is a work of art.

It was opened in 1838 and ha been constantly expanded since.

Today it covers 45,000 the size of six football fields.

Best of all, admission is free.

Woman 3: One of the things that I love about the art gallery is actually the building itself, the architecture.

Walking in, It's very prestigious looking, even just having fresco on the floors and stuff like that.

Boy: I thought it was really cool and interesting to see the richer history in London.

Narrator: Our verdict: for art fans, visiting the National Gallery is definitely worthwhile.

And since there's no entranc fee, you can't really go wrong, so Instagram can help you discover London's best attractions.

Of course, the weather can be unpredictable, but there's plenty of indoor options as well.

One more tip: check entrance fees before you head out.

The city can be expensive.

Meggin Leigh: This is Patrick, a miniature Shetland pony from the small village of Cockington in southern England.

He plays a very special role here.

Hello, Mr.

Mayor.

This is Patrick, the pony.

Now, he's not just an ordinary pony.

He has been elected the mayor of this village in Devon, England.

Yes, you heard me correctly.

He was elected mayor of this town.

And how that came about.

We're about to find out.

Back in the summer of 2019, the town's councilor passed away.

There was an opening for mayor, and Patrick's owners gathered enough signatures to put him on the ballot.

Since the resident were fed up with local politics.

It was a one horse race, and he won uncontested.

What's been the reactio since Patrick was elected mayor?

Kirk Petrakis: The reaction has been really positive.

Lots of happy people.

Who wouldn't be happy about a pony becoming mayor of Cockington Village?

Meggin: Any negative voices?

Kirk: Yeah, there's one.

And not even local.

That feels that a pony becoming mayor, you know, and felt a little bit threatened.

What does it mean?

Is he going to run for office next, and stuff like that?

So you always get one.

We call them a ‘sour grape.

Meggin: Patrick's role as mayor has turned him into a mini star.

He has his own Facebook page with over 30,000 followers.

Patrick also takes part in local charity work, but sometimes needs a little nudge to get started.

He helps distribute a monthly newsletter about the dangers of lyme disease.

Kirk Do you know about Lyme disease?

Its spread from ticks.

Meggin: And as a therapy animal Patrick pays visits to patients at the local hospice center.

But when he's simply walking around Cockington, he's quite the tourist attraction.

Woman: I think it's great.

I think it's something that brings it to the younger community.

All the little children coming around.

And also brings to life back to what Cockington was.

Man Hes well loved, well respected always on show.

Friendly.

It's wonderful.

Woman 2: Well, he can't do any worse, could he, than a human?

Meggin: Unlike most horses, Patrick spends some of his time in his family's home.

He's allowed inside, where he can also conduct some mayoral business and keep in touch with his constituents.

But he mostly waits fo his snacks before he heads back outside, where he like to wind down after a busy day.

Pub culture is very big here in England.

And Patrick likes to take part in his own little way, don't you, Patrick?

But don't worry.

Beer is apparently healthy for horses to drink, as it's rich in vitamins and minerals which help the animals with stress and digestion.

As for Patrick's political future?

Kirk: Who knows?

I mean, he's been elected the mayor by the people, and, the people just love him.

So I think he's going to be mayor of Cockington for a very long time.

Hannah Hummel: Have you ever wondered what the inspiration was for Hogwarts Castle or Diagon Alley?

Or where Lord Voldemort's final resting place is?

Well you've come to the right place.

I'm going to take you on a tour of everything Harry Potter related right here in Edinburgh, Scotland, the birthplace of Harry Potter.

J.K.

Rowling lived in Edinburgh for many years.

The British author took a lot of inspiration from the city when she wrote many of the Harry Potter books series here.

Edinburgh is an absolute must visit for any wizarding fans, and has become somewhat of a pilgrimage site for those who grew up reading about Harry's world of witchcraft and wizardry.

I've read the books more times than I care to admit, and I grew up here, so trust me I know what I'm talking about.

Let's get started.

First on the list is Greyfriars Kirkyard.

At first glance, this may just seem like a regular creepy graveyard, but if you look more closely at some of the graves, there may be some familiar names.

Potter.

Some of the characters names in the books were take directly from the graves here.

I've got a map of the graves I want to see.

Let's go and find them.

Easier said than done, apparently.

Unless I'm very much mistaken.

Lord Voldemort is somewhere around here.

Oh, I think this is it.

Yeah.

Lord Voldemort.

Tom Riddle.

It's as if Lord Voldemort is actually buried here.

Maybe he is.

Right around the corner is the cafe where much of the first book, The Philosopher' Stone, was written in the 90s.

Sadly, there was a fire at the elephant Cafe in 2021, so for now it's closed.

Instead you can visit Nicholsons Cafe.

Chapters of some of the Harry Potter books were writte in this very building as well.

And here you can refuel for the rest of the tour.

When J.K.

Rowling was writing The Philosopher's Stone, she had hardly any money and couldn't afford heating in her flat.

And that's why she used to write in lots of different cafes around Edinburgh.

And now you can visit them too.

Next up is the Balmoral Hotel, one of Edinburgh's most famous landmarks.

The final Harry Potter book, The Deathly Hallows, was written in room 552.

Quit a step up from the humble cafes onto the next stop on our list.

Does this winding colorful and cobblestone streets seem familiar to you?

This is Victoria Street.

It was the inspiration for Diagon Alley, the wizarding alley filled with magical shops in London.

In the novels, Diagon Alley is where Harry Potter bought his spell books and his magic wand.

And it's possibl for you and me to do the same in real life.

This magical gift shop isn't just filled with wands, owls, and spell books.

It also boasts an interesting history.

Shop Owner: So its believed to b the inspiration for Olivanders when J.K.

Rowling was writing the first book, because you could come in and buy brooms and brushes in long, thin, colorful boxes just like the ones you described in the book.

Hannah: When it comes to Hogwarts Castle itself, there is no one particular building that inspired it.

Rather, the city's abundance of mystical 18th century architecture helped to form the school of witchcraft and wizardry.

Our final stop of the tour is The Dog House.

Edinburgh's very own version of the Three Broomsticks.

I might try the butterbeer.

In the books it's a very popular drink in the pub in the wizarding village of Hogsmeade.

Here, Butterbeer is a surprisingly delicious concoction of beer and caramel syrup.

What a great way to end our tour with a butterbeer in one of Edinburgh's cozy pubs.

I hope you enjoyed the tour around Edinburgh as much as I did.

Narrator (female voice) If you're traveling to the UK, don't just see London.

You might be surprised to hear that Manchester in northern England was recently included in the list of the world's best travel destinations for 2023.

We wanted to find out if a trip to the former industrial city is really worth it.

Hannah: Welcome to Manchester, the northern industrial cit that's probably most well known for its football, or for the fact that it's produced musical legend like Oasis and The Stone Roses.

But the city's industrial heritage means it's not exactly famous for its beauty, and therefore isn't usually o everyone's travel bucket list.

However, it's the only UK city to be named one of the places to be in 2023 by both Lonel Planet and National Geographic.

I'm here today to find out if that's really the case.

I'll be checking out some of the places mentioned by Lonely Planet and National Geographic, as wel as some Mancunian institutions.

So let's get going.

I'm starting out with a wander through the Ancoats district, which was once the beating heart of the city's industry.

Manchester is famous for being the first industrialized city in the world, and was the UK's leading producer of cotton and textiles during the Industrial Revolution.

Nowadays, Ancoats is one of th coolest districts in the city, with lots of up and coming restaurants, cafes and bars.

Manchester is one of Europe's fastest growing cities, but it has seen even more redevelopment than usual since the pandemic.

There seem to be innovative projects being set up all over the city.

This big white building over here is under construction right now as we can't get any closer, but it's set to open in June as a major art space and cultural hub.

The city's development hasn' just been about new buildings.

Creating more green spaces has been at the heart of the city's growth.

Mayfield Park is Manchester's first ever city center public park, and it was designed as an urban escape.

You can see that they've really made an effort to preserve Manchester's industrial parts.

In the midst of this huge, beautiful green space.

Unique to the city, I guess.

Time for some more culture.

Band On the Wall is Manchester's oldest licensed music venue, and it just recently reopened again last year after undergoing some major refurbishments.

Manchester has always had a thriving culture scene, especially when it comes to music.

I'm meetin Santana Guérout to find out more about how the city shaped the music scene here.

Why do you think Manchester ha been such a hot spot for music?

Santana Guérout: Its always been like trying to redefine itself.

Loads of DIY things happening.

I think that' where the music came from, like, and also the influences that came into the city.

So we've always had quite a big immigration influx.

So from the Irish influx back in the days to, yeah, to the South Asian influx, to the Jamaican influx.

So there's always been kind o something going on in Manchester which influenced the music.

And I think you can hear it and therefore, I think therefore the great music that came out and the great artists that came out of Manchester.

Hannah: Now I'm heading to my final stop of the day.

A trip to Manchester wouldn't be complete without visiting one of the city's famous craft beer bars.

Some of the finest craft beer in the world is brewed right here in Manchester, so a trip to the Marble Arch Inn seems like the perfect end to my day.

That's a very good.

Hannah and Bar Manager: Cheers!

Bar Manager (male voice): Welcome to Manchester.

Hannah: Thank you.

So is the beer that you guys have here, is it all locally brewed?

Bar Manager The brewery did initially start in the backroom of the where the kitchen is now an just some very, very tiny units.

But as popularity and demand grew, we needed a bigger premises.

So, we then moved to a railway arch just around the corner from the pub, which was quite pioneering in a way, because half the breweries in Manchester are operatin out of a disused railway arch.

We were the first to do it.

Hannah: Well, I have to say I've been pleasantly surprised by Manchester.

It might not be as beautiful as some other cities, but there's definitely a vibe and an atmosphere here that a lot of other places just don't have.

And if the alternative scene is more your thing, Manchester is definitely the city for you.

Narrator (male voice): The pub a mirror of English society.

A place with many facets.

Not just a place to drink a pint, but also eat lunch, play darts, meet friends, a place of community and sharing.

For his book Great Pubs of England, photographer Horst A. Friedrichs went in search of the most intriguing pubs in England.

Horst A. Friedrichs: I was quite nervou then when I started that book, that responsibility, that was on my shoulders.

The pub is the heart and the soul of the English.

So it's a very part o their society, their identity.

So for me it was almost like looking into their soul.

Horst A. Friedrichs photographed 33 pubs for his book.

He went during off hours - to avoid the crowds - for his pictures.

With over 350 years of history, Ye Olde Cheshire Chees is one of London's oldest pubs.

Writers Charles Dickens and Mark Twain are said to have passed through here.

Pub is short for Public House, a public place where all are welcome.

Each pub has its own stories, a fact that coauthor Stuart Husband especially values.

Stuart Husband They had a talking parrot here who could apparently perfectly imitate the pop of a champagne cork and the glug, glug, glug noise as the champagne is poured into a glass.

And that used to be his party piece.

And apparently he did it so much during Armistice Day, World War One, the day World War One ended.

He did so many pops and glug, glug, glug that he fainted dea off his perch with the exertion.

So I love pubs with stories like that.

And the parrot actually is just behind us above the bar, right now.

Narrator: In East London, the focus is on culinary delights.

Gastropubs like The Marksma have long been real competition for restaurants.

In 2017, the Michelin Guide named it pub of the year.

It's a model that's working.

This country has had a hug amount of pubs because they were the main focus of entertainment, you know, within communities.

They were, they were genuinely a community hub and I think that's lost.

You know, you can buy alcohol at supermarkets, you can sit at home and watch television or watch sports at home, and people are drinking less.

It's very difficult for a pub that's purely wet led, purely drinks to make money now.

But the pub is in danger of extinction.

During the corona pandemic alone, hundreds of pubs closed across the country.

The Palm Tree is a time capsule where nothing much has changed since the 1970s.

Only cash is accepted here and the next bank machine is a ten minute walk.

83 year old landlord Alf Barrett bucks trends, and yet his pub does keep attracting new guests.

Woman: I feel like it feels a bit like stepping back in time.

I feel like you don't get pubs that have carpets like this anymore.

Horst A. Friedrichs: Im quite hopeful for pubs because theyre great people out there, great creators of landlords, landladies if you really love it and it comes from your, your heart and you have a vision, you create something that people like.

You can be very successful.

Narrator: Hopefully because pubs are an integral part of British society a melting pot and a place of joy for many.

Narrator (male voice) Traditional afternoon tea the epitome of indulgence in the finest English manor.

A culinary experience that feels all the cozier when London is yet again gray and rainy.

The legendary luxury Hotel Savoy has been serving the classic tea tim since opening its doors in 1889.

Heleen Lock: Welcome to the Savoy.

My name is Heleen, on of the afternoon tea managers.

Please allow me to show you the afternoon tea experience.

Narrator: Afternoon tea consists of several elements.

One of them is, of course, the tea itself, followed by finger sandwiches usually with cucumber, salmon, eggs and chicken in curry sauce, accompanied by two canapes per person.

Scones with lemon curd cream, strawberry jam and clotted cream.

And finally, a selection of bite sized cakes and pastry.

The daily Afternoon Tea is a highlight at the five star luxury hotel.

Traditionally, guest start with a glass of champagne.

Heleen: While we're enjoying the champagne.

We're having our first course which is the finger sandwiches.

Narrator: Award winning pastry chef Nicolas Houchet and his team make hundred of these sandwiches every day.

To maximize efficiency, he uses some tricks of the trade.

Nicolas Houchet: We do have a slabs of sandwiches, basically, which are ready to be sliced together, and the reason we slice them together to allow the sandwiche to be tightly packed together, to have a neat finish.

As you can see, this creates some beautiful colored layers which are quite visually eye-catching.

Narrator: It wouldn't be afternoon tea without the actual tea, and guests have 28 varieties to choose from, the most popula of which is a black tea produced especially for the hotel, the Savoy.

Breakfast tea and following tea drinking etiquette is strongly recommended.

Heleen We don't stir the tea like this.

You go up and dow and as well, to make sure to not “cling” your teaspoon at the edges, to not make any noise.

And of course, we don't lick the teaspoon.

But of course, rules are there - meant to be broken.

Do not be scared because you can just be who you ar during Afternoon Tea and enjoy your maybe special occasion.

The tradition of afternoon tea dates back to 1840 and was invented by the Duchess of Bedford, a lady in waiting to Queen Victoria.

Heleen: She thought there was too much of a gap between lunch and dinner, so she asked her servers to - in the afternoon - to make sandwiches to make scones, to make cakes.

And she really enjoyed that.

She was eating it and she loved it.

So she started inviting her friends for it as well.

So all her friends came over and this became a tradition.

By the tim the Savoy Hotel opened in 1889.

Afternoon Tea was already a well, was already a well-established tradition.

Narrator: The Savoy, was built as London's first luxury hotel, and maintains its status as such.

Since day one, Afternoon Tea has been an institution of its own, and the highlight of the tea ceremony has to be the étagère with cakes and scones, Nicolas Houchet: We are baking them throughout the day, every half an hour, to make sure then they arrive piping ho and just have the right texture and temperature at the table.

Narrator: How to eat scones is a hotly debated topic in England.

The most divisive question: What comes first?

Jam or clotted cream?

So far there is no law against either.

Last but not least, the cakes are served.

Nicolas: Its so nice to have mousses and such, but cakes are the most important element, and they are also like a palate cleanser, something with fresh fruits.

Which after the scones, after the sandwiches, after the cakes, is a nice refreshing touch.

Narrator Every day around 200 guests come to enjoy afternoon tea here.

The price, including champagne, is around 90 per person.

Heleen: What makes the afternoon tea so special is the atmosphere it's the room, the live music.

It's our guests, of course it's the people that work here.

Our afternoon tea waiters that love to talk to people.

A lot of our guests come here for special occasions, special celebrations, s we always love to find it out.

Narrator As far as culinary experiences go, it can hardly get more British than the afternoon tea at the Savoy.