The most interesting city/town in the UK-in your opinion
May 4th, 2016, 01:36 PM
#21
Ann- spooky I was just thinking about Bristol too!>>
smeagol - I've no idea why it's not more popular with tourists, and brits. I know that having spent 3 years at uni there, I'm biased, but it does seem to me to have everything, AND lovely countryside nearby too.
smeagol - I've no idea why it's not more popular with tourists, and brits. I know that having spent 3 years at uni there, I'm biased, but it does seem to me to have everything, AND lovely countryside nearby too.
May 26th, 2016, 01:24 PM
#24
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If you don't like Glasgow I don't even know where to begin with suggesting interesting cities! I fear that you will therefore also hate Bristol, Newcastle, Sheffield, Liverpool, Manchester etc - which are the ones I would suggest. All of them have strong industrial heritage, good cultural scenes, universities - all the signifiers of an interesting city, to me. But if you think Glasgow was grim & industrial then maybe actually what you want is somewhere less gritty and more pretty - in which case, Lincoln, Durham, Winchester, Chichester, Canterbury or any of the great cathedral cities.
May 26th, 2016, 09:20 PM
#27
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This past year I spent a couple nights each in:
Leeds - Loved it; though the pre-Xmas arcades were a major highlight; great pubs, loads of character. Pictures here (including a couple hours in Lincoln): https://www.flickr.com/photos/dougla...57662399266892
Liverpool - Cool city; not just Beatles, but Beatles pretty prominent! (Haven't posted pix yet unfortunately)
Southampton - A few days ago; badly bombed but the heritage city walk was really nice; did an afternoon trip to Lymington which was a nice contrast; Winchester is 15 minutes away but didn't go this time; pictures here (including a couple hours in Reading on the way down): https://www.flickr.com/photos/dougla...57668907135065
As Scotland goes, Dundee was a really pleasant surprise - - a city that has seen a great transformation in just a few years, though it might not fit the bill for street scene and street life.
Leeds - Loved it; though the pre-Xmas arcades were a major highlight; great pubs, loads of character. Pictures here (including a couple hours in Lincoln): https://www.flickr.com/photos/dougla...57662399266892
Liverpool - Cool city; not just Beatles, but Beatles pretty prominent! (Haven't posted pix yet unfortunately)
Southampton - A few days ago; badly bombed but the heritage city walk was really nice; did an afternoon trip to Lymington which was a nice contrast; Winchester is 15 minutes away but didn't go this time; pictures here (including a couple hours in Reading on the way down): https://www.flickr.com/photos/dougla...57668907135065
As Scotland goes, Dundee was a really pleasant surprise - - a city that has seen a great transformation in just a few years, though it might not fit the bill for street scene and street life.
May 26th, 2016, 11:10 PM
#28
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jainsi, bvlenci, and Gyhtson, well, what I saw from the open bus tour did not pique my interest. I actually know a lot of people from the UK and others who visited the city who shared my view. So to each his own, and taste is subjective after all. It just felt underwhelming to me and I can't help feeling a certain way about it.
i do love Berlin, for example, and it is definitely a city that is not 'pretty' by regular standards.
dfourh, thanks for your reply. I'd be really be interested to know what you did in Dundee. I have heard of the flourishing cultural scene and was thinking of going for a day trip. Can you tell me more please?
i do love Berlin, for example, and it is definitely a city that is not 'pretty' by regular standards.
dfourh, thanks for your reply. I'd be really be interested to know what you did in Dundee. I have heard of the flourishing cultural scene and was thinking of going for a day trip. Can you tell me more please?
May 27th, 2016, 12:33 AM
#29
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Well, I think that's a vote against open-top bus tours rather than Glasgow... ;-) The "tourist attractions" in Glasgow are rather spread out, and having taken the bus tour myself many aeons ago, it doesn't show it at its best because there's a lot of Glasgow to get through from one "attraction" to another.
If you'd got off the bus and explored the neighbourhoods on foot you'd might have had a very different experience. Sorry to bang on about it, but I'm still struggling to equate your criteria of "interesting" with not liking Glasgow!
I think places like Leeds & Newcastle might also not appeal to you on the same grounds.
An awful lot of the UK is post-industrial and most of the liveliest, funkiest, most interesting cities are the great northern cities that have huge areas of "grim, industrial" areas - but also amazingly vibrant city centres.
As I said in my earlier post, perhaps what you want is the cathedral cities - lots of history & old architecture, often very beautiful and picturesque but I wouldn't necessarily expect them to be the most interesting in terms of street food, city centre buzz etc.
Probably the best combination of big city grit & liveliness and picturesque architecture and history is Bristol, much suggested above.
If you'd got off the bus and explored the neighbourhoods on foot you'd might have had a very different experience. Sorry to bang on about it, but I'm still struggling to equate your criteria of "interesting" with not liking Glasgow!
I think places like Leeds & Newcastle might also not appeal to you on the same grounds.
An awful lot of the UK is post-industrial and most of the liveliest, funkiest, most interesting cities are the great northern cities that have huge areas of "grim, industrial" areas - but also amazingly vibrant city centres.
As I said in my earlier post, perhaps what you want is the cathedral cities - lots of history & old architecture, often very beautiful and picturesque but I wouldn't necessarily expect them to be the most interesting in terms of street food, city centre buzz etc.
Probably the best combination of big city grit & liveliness and picturesque architecture and history is Bristol, much suggested above.
May 27th, 2016, 12:54 AM
#31
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The first time I went to Glasgow, I was less than impressed. I had no desire to go back.
The second time I went to Glasgow, I had a friend show me around and introduced me to a whole new world of pubs and such that were sitting behind the big gray buildings and down the sketchy looking alleys. I had a blast.
The second time I went to Glasgow, I had a friend show me around and introduced me to a whole new world of pubs and such that were sitting behind the big gray buildings and down the sketchy looking alleys. I had a blast.
May 27th, 2016, 01:06 AM
#32
I have to put in a word for Manchester here. It has the largest University campus in Europe and therefore has some great nightlife and bars that cater to the student population.
Apart from that, Manchester was the cradle of the industrial revolution and has some of the best Victorian architecture outside London, wonderful shopping, hotels, theatre, restaurants and modern architecture too.
There are traces of the Romans in the city, great galleries and museums and it's become one of those places in which people come to spend a weekend. If you come at the right time of the year, there's the best sport in the country and this coming year promises to be fantastic. There are regular festivals and events in the city, food, music, sport etc. and there are walks and tours run by blue badge guides to give you all the information you could need.
Apart from that, Manchester was the cradle of the industrial revolution and has some of the best Victorian architecture outside London, wonderful shopping, hotels, theatre, restaurants and modern architecture too.
There are traces of the Romans in the city, great galleries and museums and it's become one of those places in which people come to spend a weekend. If you come at the right time of the year, there's the best sport in the country and this coming year promises to be fantastic. There are regular festivals and events in the city, food, music, sport etc. and there are walks and tours run by blue badge guides to give you all the information you could need.
May 27th, 2016, 05:46 AM
#33
Did you <i>visit</i> the Lighthouse complex, or the Burrell, or the Kelvingrove, or the riverside museum, or the Tenement house, or the Willow Tea Room, or the Hunterian, or the House for an Art Lover, or the Cathedral, or the People's Palace? Or any terrific pubs?
May 27th, 2016, 06:07 AM
#34
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Birmingham. One of the most underrated cities in the UK. Superb restaurant scene from Michelin * to cheap balti houses. Thriving arts. Symphony Hall, one of the best music venues in the uk is home to ThE CBSO, one of the best orchestras in the country. The Redevelopment of the Bull Ring and New St station into Grand Central Station is and architectural masterpiece.
Being in the centre of the country it is superbly located for getting to other parts of the UK by air, car or train. Cotswold an hour or so away. Stratford on Avon 45 mins.
http://visitbirmingham.com
Being in the centre of the country it is superbly located for getting to other parts of the UK by air, car or train. Cotswold an hour or so away. Stratford on Avon 45 mins.
http://visitbirmingham.com
May 27th, 2016, 12:45 PM
#37
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Rubicund, thank you the suggestion. The people I've talked to about Manchester either love it or hate it.
Will look into that too.
You've all been very generous with your suggestions, aside from some unnecessary hostility--I do appreciate the opinions/suggestions.
Will look into that too.
You've all been very generous with your suggestions, aside from some unnecessary hostility--I do appreciate the opinions/suggestions.
May 27th, 2016, 01:50 PM
#38
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Please don't go to Blackpool, it's full of stag and hen parties....>
so that makes it all the more interesting - they would bother no one not staying in a hotel with the groups or out later at night.
Millions of Brits visit Blackpool each year, making it one of the most visited cities in the U.K. outside of London and Edinburgh.
Yes there is flotsam and jetsam but also a ton of ordinary blokes - not your upper crust types but the working class of the Midlands.
There is a several mile esplanade that weird doube-decker, for the most part, trams ply day and night:
https://www.google.com/search?q=blac...HYxbDSkQsAQIGw
If visiting from Sep thru early Nov or so the Blackpool Illuminations literally draw zillions - Christmas lights strung up along the whole long promenade - even some of the trams are decorated up:
http://www.blackpool-illuminations.n...16details.html
If you want to see a slice of English life you don't normally see in tourist meccas foreigners visit check out Blackpool!
so that makes it all the more interesting - they would bother no one not staying in a hotel with the groups or out later at night.
Millions of Brits visit Blackpool each year, making it one of the most visited cities in the U.K. outside of London and Edinburgh.
Yes there is flotsam and jetsam but also a ton of ordinary blokes - not your upper crust types but the working class of the Midlands.
There is a several mile esplanade that weird doube-decker, for the most part, trams ply day and night:
https://www.google.com/search?q=blac...HYxbDSkQsAQIGw
If visiting from Sep thru early Nov or so the Blackpool Illuminations literally draw zillions - Christmas lights strung up along the whole long promenade - even some of the trams are decorated up:
http://www.blackpool-illuminations.n...16details.html
If you want to see a slice of English life you don't normally see in tourist meccas foreigners visit check out Blackpool!
May 27th, 2016, 01:58 PM
#39
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Oops hit the submit button by misake:
The Illuminations (a k a Lights):
https://www.google.com/search?q=blac...w=1745&bih=868
photos of Blackpool in general (not your usual fading British seaside resort!):
https://www.google.com/search?q=blac...w=1745&bih=868
Yes most Brits on this forum for some reason seem to detest Blackpool but to me it is after London by far my favorite British city - great for people watching.
Blackpool Tower is famous - especially for its fancy ballroom where mainly senior couples go to dance the night away to the tune of the very famous Wurlitzer organ:
https://www.theblackpooltower.com/at...-ballroom.aspx
The Illuminations (a k a Lights):
https://www.google.com/search?q=blac...w=1745&bih=868
photos of Blackpool in general (not your usual fading British seaside resort!):
https://www.google.com/search?q=blac...w=1745&bih=868
Yes most Brits on this forum for some reason seem to detest Blackpool but to me it is after London by far my favorite British city - great for people watching.
Blackpool Tower is famous - especially for its fancy ballroom where mainly senior couples go to dance the night away to the tune of the very famous Wurlitzer organ:
https://www.theblackpooltower.com/at...-ballroom.aspx
May 27th, 2016, 03:21 PM
#40
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We've just returned from our second short visit to Liverpool, and it has a lot of history, art, street life, good food, friendly people, reasonable prices....
I thought I might be unhappy revisiting but went for a particular exhibition. Turns out that we really like Liverpool.
I thought I might be unhappy revisiting but went for a particular exhibition. Turns out that we really like Liverpool.
