What are your Top Ten or so favorite British cities outside of London?

I've done this i think twice in recent years here and am doing it again just to again see what others think and because i have revisited many of my favorites in the last few years and this seems to constantly change my favs. Fav to you of course and this could be an ugly city that fascinates you, etc. What turns you on.

1- Edinburgh
2- Oxford
3- Cambridge
4- Bath
5- York
6- Lincoln
7- Liverpool
8- Manchester
9- Blackpool
10- Winchester

And Yours, Please?
4-

1. Edinburgh
2. Wells
3. Bath
4. Ely (is it a town or a city? Not sure)
5. Cambridge
6. Conwy (town or a city?)
7. York
8. Penzance (town or city?)
9. Dover
10. Durham
11. Wincester
12. Glasgow

I'm also unsure of the threshold for "city" v. "town," but I like Salisbury in addition to the cities already mentioned.

I think England at least may define a city as one having a cathedral - not sure

but let's just say cities here, which means anything not a village - Penzance is thus a city - don't matter - just what favorite towns or cities are.

Nobody ever mentions it much but several years ago I spent a few days in Harrogate & thoroughly enjoyed it.

1. Bath
2. Manchester
3. Portsmouth
4. York
5. Brighton
6. Edinburgh
7. Swansea

Can't think of any other cities that I'd want to include!
I think Harrogate is alright for a cup of tea but it would be a stretch to call it a city.

I'd like to add Exeter to my list!

Some of my favs...
Bath, Edinburgh, York, Cambridge, Oxford, Cheltenham, Brighton, Chester, Southampton, Portsmouth...

1-Chatham
2-Skegness
3-Cleethorpes
4-Bridlington
5-Troon
6-St. Andrews
7.Lairg
8-Kyle of Lochalsh
9-Oban

<<< I think England at least may define a city as one having a cathedral - not sure >>>

Nope - The London Borough of Southwark has a cathedral but isn't a city whereas Sunderland is a city but doesn't have a cathedral

A city in the UK is either one that has been a city since time immemorial or because HMQ has said it can be a city

I am at a loss to think why anybody would include Southampton on such a list - and I live there (or close enough). A few historic walls, a medieval merchants house, a small museum - but after that it starts getting difficult.

I can accept the New Forest or the Beauleigh motor museum as nearby attractions, but the city itself? No.

Winchester and Salisbury are very high on my list, Portsmouth as well (I am biased as it is my family home town) - it is an ugly city, but has really good museums, a castle, Tudor walls and some pleasant walks along the sea.

oh dear, get a briton going on what is a city and what is not and you'd better bring a pillow.

london is the exception, not the rule. we don't do cities. MAYBE bristol but nothing else.

Portsmouth also has the formidable Naval Museum area - one of Europe's best preserved old naval docks i'd think - fantastic museums in old buildings.

And Portsmouth even has an interesting seaside if you include its sister city that is virtually a part of Portsmouth

Yet the city of Portsmouth itself that i wandered thru one early morning after getting off a boat from France looked tired and rather blah

Oxford is probably my favourite so far - I like the architecture and culture. I also love a shop there called Antiques on High, which sells a few antiquities such as ancient coins and pottery. I now own a little vase from 3-4th century Palestine, which makes me feel very privileged.

I like Wells and Gloucester as well(the latter mainly for the cathedral). But I've yet to visit Lincoln, Durham, or most places in Scotland.

PalenQ; I bet many cities would look tired and blah in the early morning after getting off a boat from France.

Cities take a while to warm up. You don't see their best side in the early morning and some only come alive at night. There's a lot of concrete around Portsmouth so you have to look out for the better bits! The Guildhall square are is lovely and some of the university buildings are worth a look.
Coupled with Southsea it's great!

sassy - i think you're right - floundering around to find the train station, walking from the docks led me thru less than inspiring parts of town - i did not see its better parts obviously and i actually like Victorian era structures, etc.

Well, I guess I'm biased as it's my alma mater but I think if you get to know a city very well then you also find you grow to like it or at least find some areas you like.
I'm sometimes daunted when I visit a large city for the first time and really only appreciate it on subsequent visits.

Canterbury.

Went to Southwest England a few years ago on a last-minute trip, and I found Bristol and Plymouth both very nice cities to visit.

have only trained thru Plymouth and would like to take a better look but yes Bristol was really interesting - the old docks all spruced up - the ship museum - the cathedral and college area - a really neat unique city IMO