The South East is rich in history, gardens, holiday spots and culture. It's also home to traditional ale.

The region is made up of the counties of Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Kent, Surrey, Hampshire, West Sussex, East Sussex and the Isle of Wight. Around 8 million people live in the region.

Towns and cities include Wycombe in Buckinghamshire; Oxford in Oxfordshire; Eastbourne and Hastings in East Sussex; Canterbury, Maidstone and Sevenoaks in Kent; Guildford in Surrey; Chichester and Worthing in West Sussex; and Basingstoke and Winchester in Hampshire. Reading is Berkshire's biggest town.

Lifestyle

No one city dominates the South East. Instead, most of the area's inhabitants live in charming towns, farming communities, country villages and coastal areas. This means that the region has retained a real sense of community.

There is also plenty of countryside and outdoor pursuits to enjoy. There are two National Trails in the region, and many long distance footpaths and cycle routes to explore.You can walk or cycle along heritage coastline at the White Cliffs of Dover, for example.

The South East is also home to the famous golf courses of Wentworth, Sunningdale and Royal St George and the Ascot and Epsom race courses. Or why not head to the Isle of Wight for Cowes Week, a yacht racing extravaganza. Other notable events include the regatta at Henley, the Southampton Boatshow and Farnborough Airshow which all draw international and domestic visitors.

Theatre fans can enjoy performances at the Churchill theatre in Bromley, Kent, the Yvonne Arnaud theatre in Guildford, Surrey and the Royal Theatre in Brighton, East Sussex. There's also a theatre festival at Chichester.

Over 100 annual festivals take place in the region featuring drama, antiques and music. Music lovers can enjoy outdoor events during summer months at Blenheim Palace and Leeds Castle or visit Glyndebourne for some opera.

There's plenty of shopping to do to, from the Bluewater mall in Kent to Brighton's boutiques.

There are also many highly rated universities in the region, including the universities of Oxford, Sussex, Reading, Cranfield, De Montfort and Southampton.