York is perhaps one of the most beautiful city in Britain. With rolling green hills, narrow streets, 13th century walls, rich in culture and history. There are many attractions that you could visit, like the famous York Minster, the largest medieval cathedral in all of England. If you want a bit of adventure on your day, then go for the York Horror Tour. Below is a review.

I had expected this to be more of a ghost tour, but actually it was much better - a history of some of the bleaker parts of York's history (e.g. the plague, Guy Fawkes, etc). The guide was excellent, and made the walk into more of a pantomime (strangely, considering the subject matter) and the tour was very well put together. (This is the tour starting outside the Golden Fleece pub, near Stonegate). Visited January 2012

 (Source: TripAdvisor)

York Minster. Early morning, autumn (Source: John Robinson)

Melton's Restaurant (7 Scarcroft Rd City Centre, tel: 01904 634341) is one of the most visited in York, with their innovative sumptuous dishes, they are especially known for their fish preparations and cozy ambiance. Mannion & Co. (Mannion & Co, 1 Blake Street, York, tel :01904 631030) is another great cafe you could visit, it gets nothing but rave reviews. Do try to visit the cafe for their breakfast treat.

Full English Breakfast (Source: Kate Hopkins)

Here's a review of Melton's.

Special Birthday meal. Went for the taster menu with the wines and it was a fabulous combinations of sights, smells and tastes. We thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Service was excellent. Will be going again when next in York.

 (Source: toptable.com)

Birmingham is a vibrant big city, just a few hours drive from Leeds. If you want to celebrate your day in style, this is a good spot. With all the buzzing pubs and clubs, high-end shops and fine dining restaurant, this place offers a lot. A particularly interesting attraction here is the Cadbury World, an exploration into the history and makings of one of the most popular chocolate brands in the globe. 

A review.

Discover the history of chocolate and see it being made. The Cadbury factory at Bournville has a visitor centre that is dedicated to the history of chocolate. Visitors can learn about how cocoa beans are grown, how they came to be imported to Europe and made into the chocolate that we know today. There is also a factory shop where visitors can purchase a wide range of Cadbury products at factory prices. A restaurant/cafeteria can be found on site and there is a play area for children. Special features include a 3D video story and an interactive theatre which deals not only with chocolate, its manufacture and its advertising but also provides an insight into the Cadbury family who created the UK's favourite chocolate produce.

(Source: VirtualTourist)

Cadbury's Factory playing field and Bournville Cricket Pavilion (Source: Elliott Brown)

If you are a fan of Indian food, Birmingham housed the second best Indian restaurant in England, Lasan (James Street Jewellery Quarter, tel: 0121 2123664), a restaurant known for their innovative, downright delicious dishes. For a taste of the Mediterranean, head to Bar Estilo (110-114 Wharfside St City Centre, tel: 0121 643 3443).

Lamb koftas (Source: Jessica Spengler)

Here's a review of Bar Estilo.

12 December, 2011 Really likes it Mobile review by Maxine Ostle (1 review) Fabulous restaurant with cheerful helpful staff. I started with moist and extremely flavorful lamb koftas and them had grilled halloumi with spiced chick peas and spinach and it was just gorgeous. Excellent food and in a beautiful location. Definite for a revisit.

 (Source: Urbanspoon)

For a memorable birthday, why not head to the capital city. London is just a few hours away by train and is packed with all you need for a great day. Even if you have visited the city, you are sure to find something new every time. With many attractions to visit, it is best to go all tourist and explore the city on a tour. This way you get to see all the attractions in minimal time and get to enjoy the other treats.

A review.

We recommend it to anyone who is new to London, and took the tour again this year.Accompanied by a live guide, the bus takes you through London on a visual and mini history tour.Besides being pleasant, and personable, the guides add little known facts which make for a most interesting trip.If you see something of interest,you may "hop off" the bus, see it, and "hop on," again whenever you wish, as the company advertises.Your ticket is valid for 24 hours, and a boat ride along the Thames is included in the price.

(Source: TripAdvisor)

London, England (Source: Tim Morris)

There are so many fine restaurants in London, its hard to choose the best. For a special meal head to Gordon Ramsay at Claridge’s (55 Brook St W1, tel: 7499 0099) where the food is simply superb. For a more laid-back experience, head to Fifteen (15 Westland Place, tel: 0203 375 1515), an Italian restaurant operated by Jamie Oliver.

 (Source: Jamie Olivers Restaurant Fifteen...)

Here's a review of Fifteen.

There is nothing I could fault about the whole experience, we arrived a little early but our table was ready so shown straight there, menus and drinks arrived promptly. The food was fresh, tasty and with a good variety,although there wasn't a huge vegetarian selection on the menu it does state to advise your waiter, so maybe they would have done something special. The little touches, like keeping the wine off the table and the waiting staff always on alert meant our glasses were always topped up without having to ask. The time between courses was perfect, didn't feel rushed, even though we were on the early sitting. We were late ordering coffee, but it wasn't a problem. I would recommend this as a special occasion night out to anyone.

 (Source: OpenTable)