Planning a trip in January and trying to decide where to stay for 3 days/2 nights between Chester, Liverpool or Manchester. Looking for upsides/downsides of each town in general, common tourist sites, general "feel" of the town, pricing/affordability (as compared to London), and any other valuable information. If you were going and could only choose one...which one and why?

We're a late 20s couple and are interested in seeing England authentically, not just tourist traps and bus tours.

Thanks!!

What in England is authentic to you? Are you interested in cathedrals, museums, pubs, music, access to countryside? What attracts you to those three cities?

My husband and I went to Liverpool for certain pieces of art that I wanted to see, and Beatles sites that he wanted to see. I'm going to guess that you aren't on a Beatles or Pre-Raphaelite art pilgrimage. But my point is that you need to choose a city based on what is there that interests you.

I personally would go to all three of the places you mention, because I am interested in seeing certain things in all of them.

The three cities are all within a 45 minute, every few minutes, train journey of each other.

There's simply no question about the one-word answer: Liverpool wins hands down, especially for architecture, but on also on the first four criteria the previous poster suggests. Most countryside near all three is pretty ho-hum (and it can be tricky for most tourists to access the lovely bits of Derbyshire near Manchester or the mini-mountains of North Wales not too far from Chester): but the endless miles of bracing seashore Liverpool's blessed with are all a few hundred yards of its suburban railway system.

More cathedrals than either of the other two: more (and free) world-class museums, the world's best pubs and a century of great music before the bloody Mopheads came along. There's simply no contest.

But if you want to walk round Chester's walls or do whatever Mancunians do when they're not escaping to civilisation, just pop on a train.

" Liverpool wins hands down, especially for architecture, but on also on the first four criteria the previous poster suggests."

No it doesn't, Manchester has all of the above in abundance and the fact that we've got one Cathedral is more a reflection of the lack of sectarian ill will in Manchester than anything else.

Manchester bars, clubs and pubs are equally as diverse and entertaining as anything Liverpool has to offer and has far more of a choice of hotels and restaurants than anywhere else in the north of England. Add to that excellent shops and world class transport links and the lack of a pretend Cavern Club.

Having dissed Liverpool, you should also be aware that I do agree with flanner's first paragraph, see all three if time allows, but with only 2 nights, you don't have the time.

I agree with FlannerUK on Liverpool but admittedly haven't visited the other two cities.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-liverpool.cfm

So many places on my wish list that I don't know if we'll get back to Liverpool, but I would return in a heartbeat.