Hi, I'll be in Italy for a year and would like to visit the UK during that time........?

Don't stay in a youth hostel, they're all really rough. Try a Travel Inn, they're much better value. As to how much this might cost - a lot. England is VERY expensive. It's like £50 a night for a Travel Inn room. Food here is sky high in price - it £4 for a sandwich!!! So unless you're a big McDonald's fan, I'd bring a lot of cash. On the subject of food though, I like it a lot. There's a lot of misconceptions of food in England being horrible but that's not true. There's a lot of variety, especially if you go into London. London is good to see. Madame Tussauds, the London Eye, Harrods, Bond St (and the huuuuuuuge TopShop - which sells clothes), Hamleys and lots of West End shows are excellent places to visit. As for the countryside - go to Kent. Somewhere like Sevenoaks. Or Ightham, where they have a lovely moat. Kent is very close to London. If you wanna go further out, try the Derbyshire Peaks or Cornwall. It's beautiful in Cornwall. Have a good trip x

I just got back from the UK and Ireland. Spent most my time in London. The other posters are correct...It is very expensive to begin with, and when you convert your euro or american dollar, the prices become even more unpleasant. I stayed in Collins House on Ebury Street in Westminster. About 45 pounds a night for two people...free internet, some of the rooms have their own bathroom. It's a short walk from the Victoria underground station. There are alot of other houses that rent rooms in the area as well. I also recommend getting the Zone 1-2 day travelcard for the underground if you plan on doing a lot of sight seeing around london that day. It's about 4 pounds, but you can get pretty much anywhere in central london. There are alot of things you can do for free in London as well...the National Gallery, British Museum, and London Museum, the Tate Modern and many other museums are free. Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, and the Churchill Museum are all very impressive for a small entrance fee. I think it would also be cool to take a trip on the London Eye, the world's largest ferris wheel. It's on the bank of the river thames, and provides incredible views of the city. The girl I was with wouldn't dream of going because of the heights, but it looks pretty cool. I saw a lot of pubs when I was there, and no trip to London would be complete without a visit to at least one. I'd recommend the Prospect of Whitby, England's oldest riverside pub, and the Captain Kidd, named after the notorious pirate. As for getting to London, I know of a train system that can get you there, but it would probably be just as expensive to fly, and much more convenient. Anyway, hope you enjoy your time there, and best of luck.