Leeds,as well as a Henry Moore gallery, also has a BArbera Hepworth one to the south in Wakefield (an easy public transport jump) and the West Yorkshire Sculpture park, which is a little harder to access by public transport but still very possible. The WYS is wonderful.

All three galleries are, of course, free though the scones can cost a bit. Leeds also has the Armories, then a medical museum, access to Saltaire (World Unesco site) (and the linked Hockney Gallery) and Bradford has the National Film and TV museum which, if it were in London would be major event). All again free.

Manchester has two fine galleries, The Whitworth is especially good, while "the art gallery" is ok. Liverpool has a branch of the Tate.

These are just the highlights.

Leeds jazz
https://leeds-list.com/music/where-t...jazz-in-leeds/
Plus most of these big cities will have a jazz festival

London was an industrial city 50 years ago. Belching out pollution from the power stations on the Thames – now they are art galleries and luxury housing.

Likewise, Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds and Newcastle – all founded on long gone industry. But many of the grand Georgian and Victorian buildings remain in attractive, bustling city centres.

And all will offer you something different to that there London.

I was going to suggest Worcester, but it may be too quiet for you.

https://mytimetotravel.wordpress.com...-by-worcester/

>>No interest in football whatsoever.<<

This is the second time you've mentioned football -- must have been scarred in an earlier life ;) (I understand rubicund mentioned it first)

There is no reason whatsoever to worry about a visit becoming football-centric. Unless you are in a pub when one of the teams is playing you won't be affected.

good info above re Leeds and Manchester.

For Liverpool - much of the same. The Tate Liverpool for sure. The Maritime museum, the Museum of Liverpool, the World Museum, and MANY others.

for music check https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2...gigs-liverpool

Architecture tours http://www.visitliverpool.com/things...-tours-p289421

http://www.liverpoolarchitecture.com...ity+Tours.aspx

Birmingham

https://www.theguardian.com/travel/birmingham

Hull

https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2...bs-restaurants

Leeds

https://www.theguardian.com/travel/leeds

Liverpool

https://www.theguardian.com/travel/liverpool

Manchester

https://www.theguardian.com/travel/liverpool

Newcastle

https://www.theguardian.com/travel/newcastle

Manchester

https://www.theguardian.com/travel/manchester

I would choose the one whose accent you prefer/can understand :)

You post that every chance you get . . .>

Yup more choices the better-what is a dump to you may be a very interesting dump for others - you have your opinions and let me have mine. Blackpool -my favorite city outside of London not for beauty though its seaside location lends to some kind of romance but for reasons that you seem not to ge able to understand.

And yes Blackpool ain't for many and I say that.

Cheers!

But -- you haven't been in Liverpool in at least 20 years.

>>. . . lends to some kind of romance<<

Not really the sort of <i>romance</i> most would be looking for. >)

PalenQ, I'm from the UK, and have no understanding whatsoever of why people want to go to Blackpool. Probably for the same reasons that Las Vegas would be very low on my US wishlist.

"I was told" generally turns out to mean this is BS.

I would choose Leeds or Manchester or York.

Blackpool = forget it. It's gross.

We're in England now and have thoroughly enjoyed Oxford and Exeter and Bath and Penzance (and St-Ives). Depends on where you want to travel - we're concentrating on the SW right now.

PalenQ, I'm from the UK, and have no understanding whatsoever of why people want to go to Blackpool>

Why is it probably the 2nd most visited city in England after London for Brits? Same reason Americans flock to Vegas - something different.

Probably not OP's cup of tea but doesn't hurt to give options -who knows there may be more like me - probably not but does it hurt to give options? Some say yes but to me the more options the better. Enough said.

OP may want to check out Swansea - see a current trip report thread on it. http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...rip-report.cfm

I'd like to see this data that says Blackpool is so popular with Brits (of course, most of them are probably headed abroad). Certainly not popular with overseas visitors:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/de...isited-cities/

But it doesn't make this list of staycation cities either:

https://www.skyscanner.net/news/16-u...-visit-in-2016

Blackpool is cheap and was the place to visit for Northern working class families before the war...

Since then Spain is the preffered place.

I'd like to see this data that says Blackpool is so popular with Brits

Sorry 3rd most visited city:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england...shire-36459746
Jun 7, 2016 ... Blackpool was third on Visit England's Great Britain Tourism Survey list, with 1.1 ...

Give it a rest will you! It is a DUMP and the numbers (as has been mentioned every time you post this clap trap) are mostly from <u>hen and stag parties</u>.

Sort of "What happens in Blackpool stays in Blackpool". You are not helping anyone.

So glad you liked Bristol, Esperanza - I've no idea why so few tourists [comparatively] ever get to go there. They don't know what they're missing.

The only city that I would add into the mix above is Exeter - not so much for the city itself which probably only has enough to occupy one for a day, but for the environs, some of which can be reached by train or bus, though a car can be a help for other attractions.

We spent two nights in Cardiff in 2014 and enjoyed it. I don't think you'd have difficulty finding things to do there.

Lee Ann

We are in Bristol now and loving it! I would agree to add Exeter to the mix.

And to pile on, Blackpool is a total DUMP!

Sounds great guys.

I think that's what makes Bristol a mellow city, it's not packed with tourists-something I appreciated.

Can I please ask from all 4: Leeds, Cardiff, Liverpool, and Manchester, which one is the most walkable?


Thanks for all the great insights