Moving to the UK for work can be daunting, but there are plenty of quirky attractions for you to visit in your spare time. Samantha Cox from SilverDoor Serviced Apartments takes us through some of her favourite unusual galleries and museums.

If you’ve been relocated to the UK, you’re certainly never going to be short of exhibitions; all the major cities have galleries worth visiting from the museums dotted around Liverpool’s Albert Docks to the IKON gallery in Birmingham and the Tate in St Ives.

London is full of incredible museums and galleries, stuffed with world-beating collections of everything from ancient artifacts to brands and packaging. We've rounded up ten of our favourites, most of which are free to enter. 

1.The British Museum (nearest tube: Russell Square)

This wonderful museum should be the first port of call for anyone with an interest in classical civilisation. It has galleries dedicated to most ancient cultures (although the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans are arguably its areas of greatest focus), which contain some truly astonishing items. If you only have time to see one thing, make it the Rosetta Stone, which enabled scholars to read Egyptian hieroglyphs for the first time.

This month we're taking an in-depth look at England's capital city. Our series will cover everything from gastronomic hotspots to the best places to live, and to kick things off we've listed our 10 favourite London attractions below. 

1. The Tower of London (nearest tube: Tower Hill)

This Royal Palace was founded by William the Conqueror shortly after the Battle of Hastings (1066), and has been enlarged and modified by ruling monarchs ever since. Visitors to the impressive fortification can see the Crown Jewels, the White Tower and a variety of fascinating exhibitions, or tour the grounds with a knowledgeable 'Beefeater'.

One of the most fulfilling ways to use your spare time is to volunteer with your local charity, not-for-profit or community organisation. Not only will it allow you to visit new places and meet new people, but there's also a good chance you'll learn new skills that might add extra spice to your CV.

In the first part of this series on volunteering, we look at some of the UK's most popular community groups, which give you the chance to help those in need whilst making lifelong friends.

On 22 January 1963, Charles de Gaulle and Konrad Adenauer signed the Elysée Treaty, signalling a new era of cooperation and friendship between France and Germany. For the young generations in particular, the treaty heralded a fresh start and a chance for the two cultures to interact without fear or prejudice. 

To celebrate this long-lasting accord, London's Goethe Institut and Institut français will be swapping their programmes for one week. Starting today (22 January) and running until 27 January, the Big Swap features a fascinating programme of special screenings, exhibitions and debates. 

Highlights include:

• A roundtable discussion on European Theatre at the Goethe Institut, 23 January at 7pm
• German New Wave - contemporary German films at the Insitut français, until 27 January
• A screening of Allô Berlin? Ici Paris!, 26 January at 7pm

For full details of the Big Swap event in London, click here. 

In January, Manchester plays host to the first major UK beer festival of 2013: the National Winter Ales Festival. Between 23-26 January you can sample more than 300 winter ales from top British brewers, alongside a range of bottled beers, ciders and perries. Food is also available, and entry charges vary depending on the day: see the festival website for full details.

Millions of people flock to Scotland for the traditional Hogmany celebrations, but there are plenty of other fantastic events taking place in this beautiful country all year round. This month, for example, you can watch the UK's biggest sled dog competition at Aviemore in the Highlands. The 30th Aviemore Sled Dog Rally will see more than 1,000 dogs and 250 mushers compete on a trail that runs through Glenmore Forest and past the serene Loch Morlich. The competition takes place on 26-27 January and features both adult and children's classes, with made up of between 2-8 people. Over 3,000 spectactors are expected to attend, and entry is free.

South West England is bouncing back after December's heavy flooding, and there are plenty of great events this month to take your mind off the weather. Bristolians will welcome the return of the Slapstick Festival, a celebration of vintage comedy that's now in its 9th year. Between 24-27 January you can see acclaimed comedians and actors such as Victoria Wood, Marcus Brigstocke and June Whitfield introduce a variety of classic comedy films, shorts and clips. Tickets and venues vary, see the festival website for more information. 

Following a soggy summer, Britain is now unexpectedly experiencing sunnier climes. There are forecasts of a continued heat spell, with September thirtieth this year set to be the hottest September in 20 years.

The Met Office reported that the country would see the “most settled conditions for several weeks”, with the south and east of the country experiencing the best of the warm and dry weather.

The heat-wave is the result of high-pressure over continental Europe, which, as it starts to move upwards, is dragging warm air from southern Europe.

Following a soggy summer, Britain is now unexpectedly experiencing sunnier climes. There are forecasts of a continued heat spell, with September thirtieth this year set to be the hottest September in 20 years.

The Met Office reported that the country would see the “most settled conditions for several weeks”, with the south and east of the country experiencing the best of the warm and dry weather.

The heat-wave is the result of high-pressure over continental Europe, which, as it starts to move upwards, is dragging warm air from southern Europe.