There are plenty of big events happening this year all over the UK - many of them sporting, like the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, the Grand Départ of the Tour de France starting in Yorkshire, the Grande Partenza of the Giro D'Italia in Belfast... but it's not just about sport!

For the first time in its history, the Tour de France will have a culture festival attached to it, in Yorkshire - lasting 100 days, no less. And the other great sporting events have also added a culture offering for those more interested in the cultural than the physical. Find out about Britain's summer of culture in this month's Britain Calling. http://media.visitbritain.com

Spring accommodation update: We bring you our quarterly digest of new and upcoming accommodation openings, plus refurbishments and extra hotel news worth writing about.

Find the fun in Britain this Easter: Egg dancing, sheep racing, racing ducks, meeting the Easter Bunny and, of course, eating plenty of chocolate, are just a few of the activities visitors to Britain can take part in this Easter. We take a look at a few of the fun events taking place around the destination this April.

Adventurous ideas for the mature traveller: With plenty of leisure time – perhaps thanks to having finally persuaded the kids to flee the nest – travellers over 60 are well placed to take their time exploring new places or revisiting old favourites, and Britain is a perfect place to do both rediscover the known and try out something new.Enjoy a taste of the traditional – castles, quintessential villages and seaside strolls – as well as factoring in Michelin-starred pub grub, foodie cycling, hi-tech hotels and sassy shopping.

Yorkshire Festival 2014 - culture meets cycling ahead of the Tour de France:
The Grand Départ of the Tour de France will take place in Yorkshire, and the English county is celebrating with a 100 day festival of arts and culture, kicking off on 27 March and culminating on 6 July, the last day of the cycling race in the area before it heads south to Cambridge and London.

Giro Festival Belfast - ten days of fun along the race route: Northern Ireland will play host to the Grande Partenza of the Giro d'Italia cycle race this May, and the capital city Belfast is gearing up to show visitors a good time with its Giro Festival - entitled 'Get on yer bike!'

Glasgow's cultural celebration grows in ambition: The Glasgow 2014 Cultural Programme, running alongside Scotland’s hosting of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, has been boosted by a further 42 projects. VisitBritain, VisitScotland and Glasgow City Marketing Bureau have also launched the Destination Media Hub, a digital newsroom to support the press facility located in Glasgow in the lead up and during the Commonwealth Games. www.destinationmediahub.com @mediahub2014

Liverpool's summer of art and culture: From the much-anticipated re-opening of one of its favourite theatres to exhibitions from the likes of Piet Mondrian and Andy Warhol – not to mention the small matter of the UK’s contemporary arts festival – Liverpool is gearing up for a major year of cultural activity in 2014..

Pinewood Studios to set up a new home in Wales. Discover great film locations there now! Could the next James Bond movie be filmed in Wales? Pinewood Studios, where many Bond films have been shot, have announced plans to open in Wales. Find out about iconic movie moments that have already been shot in the country, including where to find the actual Tardis  and for Bond fans, read all about where to see his hot wheels up close at a new exhibition . 

The Invisible City - coming soon to London: A new art project, The Invisible City, has been revealed for Regent’s Park and is due to open this summer, set to be one of 2014’s most unusual events, involving giant, treehouse pavilions.

Download our updated guide to Music in Britain: From the ultimate British soundtrack to accompany a visit to Britain, to where to go clubbing, we've updated our guide to music. It's aimed at international media, to inform and inspire anyone wishing to write about music in Britain. We’ve also launched a new digital campaign and help you find your own Sounds of Great Britain.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Kristen Angus
kristen.angus@visitbritain.org
+61 2 82472273