The English have a marvelous sense of humor, and the country is a melting pot of cultures which underlie daily life. London is the heart and soul of England in many respects. You can easily spend a month here and not see everything worth seeing and doing. There's a sense of magic in Wales, after old it's old Welsh tales that inspired characters like Merlin and Arthur and books such as J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings (Elvish was based on Welsh). The wild countryside and friendly people of Wales are always a draw.

You may be surprised to learn Chicken Tikka Masala is England’s national dish. So much for cultural appropriation! For years England held a lowly place in the world’s culinary strata. Today, however, London rivals Paris in Michelin-starred establishments, and outclasses New York. Even Wales has seen Michelin star restaurants. England can boast some of the best restaurants in the world, but it’s not just Michelin-star meals on the menu here. No visit would be complete without a full English breakfast to set you up for the day, fish and chips and an afternoon tea with delicate finger sandwiches, cakes and scones. Welsh food has its own specialties: there’s cawl, Welsh rarebit, laverbread, Welsh cakes, bara brith ( "fruit bread") and Glamorgan sausage.

We couldn’t possibly cull a shortlist, but here’s a few to consider: Absolute Beginners (C. MacInnes), About a Boy (N. Hornby), Belgravia (J. Fellowes), The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (M. Shaffer & A. Barrows), Eye of the Needle (K. Follett), Bleak House (C. Dickens), 84 Charing Cross Road (H. Hanff)