Places visited by King Arthur and Merlin the Enchanter

Winchester was once the capital of the kingdom of Wessex and for centuries a centre of power in Anglo-Saxon and Norman England. Its imposing cathedral, with the longest nave in Europe, holds the tomb of the writer Jane Austen, who lived and died in the city. The medieval High Street runs down from the statue of King Alfred the Great to the River Itchen, lined with historic buildings. The Great Hall keeps the famous Round Table of King Arthur, a medieval work. Surrounded by the gentle hills of Hampshire, Winchester is one of the most history-rich cities in southern England.

Exeter holds two thousand years of history as the historic capital of Devon, a city founded by the Romans and once enclosed by sturdy walls. Its jewel is Exeter Cathedral, a fine example of English Gothic with the longest continuous ribbed vault in the world and a façade adorned with medieval statues. Around it, the wide lawn of Cathedral Green is ringed by cafés and historic houses. The city hides the mysterious medieval Underground Passages, open to visitors and unique in England, while the regenerated Quayside along the River Exe invites strolls, canoe hire and pub stops. Lively thanks to its university, Exeter blends historic atmosphere with youthful life, with markets, independent shops and a good food scene. From here you easily reach the Jurassic Coast, the moors of Dartmoor and the villages of Devon. Exeter is a welcoming, human-scaled city, a perfect gateway to England's south-west.

Cardiff presents itself as the young, dynamic capital of Wales, a city that has reinvented itself around its harbour and Celtic identity. Its historic heart is Cardiff Castle, a Roman and medieval fortress turned into a Victorian mansion with the lavish interiors commissioned by the Marquess of Bute. All around open the covered Edwardian arcades, full of independent shops, and the National Museum Cardiff with its impressionist collection. On the waterfront, the old docklands of Cardiff Bay are now a lively promenade with restaurants, the futuristic Wales Millennium Centre devoted to the arts and the historic Norwegian Church. Sports fans thrill to rugby in the great Principality Stadium dominating the centre. A short way off await the fairytale Castell Coch, the coasts of the Gower Peninsula and the history-laden mining valleys. Among welcoming pubs, Welsh cooking and music festivals, Cardiff offers a warm welcome. It is a capital on a human scale, where national pride and contemporary energy blend with ease.

Windsor surprises arrivals with the commanding silhouette of its castle, one of the oldest and still-inhabited royal residences, presiding over the Thames just a few miles from London. The cobbled streets of the centre lead from the fortress gates to the shop windows of Peascod Street, while across the river lies aristocratic Eton with its famous college. The Long Walk, a tree-lined avenue nearly five kilometres long, crosses the Great Park to the hilltop statue of the King. Nearby, Slough offers easy connections and access to the area's great theme parks. A boat trip on the Thames, an afternoon tea and the elegance of the royal gardens round out the experience. Windsor remains shorthand for a stately England, where crown and river meet.