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Faizan
While few visitors would think of exploring England without first touring London, there is life outside the capital. One of the most refreshing aspects for tourists visiting England involves the widespread renaissance of provincial cities coupled with an attempt to shift focus away from the capital, as in the BBC’s relocation to Manchester. Visitors should not miss the opportunity to head north and west from London and discover vibrant centers that proudly defend their identity.
A World-Class Capital
London’s tapestry of historic landmarks, cutting-edge entertainment and fine dining confirms its place not only as a leader on a national scale, but also as the world’s greatest city, at least according to CNN Travel. Almost 17 million tourists a year visit iconic sites such as Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace. By no means, however, is this a city stuck in the past. The resurgent West End theater district showcases performances from award-winning actors; the boutiques of Covent Garden and Bond Street and the markets around Notting Hill promote up-and-coming fashion and jewelry talent; and a restaurant scene headed by top chefs has thrown off all the negative clichés about British gastronomy to nurture a multicultural array of dining options that now trounces the rest of Europe’s finest.
Resurgent Liverpool
When Rough Guides, in 2014, named Liverpool the world’s third best city to visit, the announcement no doubt raised guffaws among those who probably hadn’t visited the northwestern port since its Detroit-like slump in the 1980s. The 2008 European Capital of Culture is a creative hotbed of music, art, theater and dance, with the greatest number of historic buildings outside London. Redevelopments of the Albert Dock area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Baltic Triangle have transformed disused warehouses into effervescent communities where gastronomy, fashion and art flourish, while the city is rivaled only by London as a filming location for blockbusters such as "Captain America" and "Sherlock Holmes."
The Hip Southwest
A 2014 review in the Sunday Times named the nation's 10th biggest city, Bristol, the best place in Britain to live. The city might be stuck out on its own in England’s southwest, but the buzzing artistic scene, night life, history and nearby countryside constantly draw visitors from London, one hour 45 minutes away by train, and from the Midlands, a two-hour drive up the M5 to Birmingham. Bristol’s elegant Georgian district around Clifton, home of the famous suspension bridge, is notable for its hip cafes, boutiques and pubs, while the regenerated warehouses along the docks host ongoing cultural events and annual festivals. Visitors can also enjoy the world’s fifth oldest zoo, several free museums and galleries and a tour of the SS Great Britain, the world’s first great passenger ship and the city’s top attraction.
Multicultural Bradford
Yet another English city to rise Phoenix-like from its industrial past is Bradford in West Yorkshire. Named as the world’s first official UNESCO City of Film in 2009, Bradford is a city of surprising superlatives. The National Media Museum is the most visited museum outside London, while the 6-acre City Park has the largest water feature of any UK city, with 100 fountains and a mirror pool. Culturally, Bradford has the largest ethnic Asian population in the UK, nurturing a close association with the Bollywood film industry and walking away three times with the Curry Capital of Britain title. Nearby Saltaire Village is a UNESCO World Heritage site, meaning visitors can explore a working Victorian mill village for insight into life during the Industrial Revolution.
A World-Class Capital
London’s tapestry of historic landmarks, cutting-edge entertainment and fine dining confirms its place not only as a leader on a national scale, but also as the world’s greatest city, at least according to CNN Travel. Almost 17 million tourists a year visit iconic sites such as Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace. By no means, however, is this a city stuck in the past. The resurgent West End theater district showcases performances from award-winning actors; the boutiques of Covent Garden and Bond Street and the markets around Notting Hill promote up-and-coming fashion and jewelry talent; and a restaurant scene headed by top chefs has thrown off all the negative clichés about British gastronomy to nurture a multicultural array of dining options that now trounces the rest of Europe’s finest.
Resurgent Liverpool
When Rough Guides, in 2014, named Liverpool the world’s third best city to visit, the announcement no doubt raised guffaws among those who probably hadn’t visited the northwestern port since its Detroit-like slump in the 1980s. The 2008 European Capital of Culture is a creative hotbed of music, art, theater and dance, with the greatest number of historic buildings outside London. Redevelopments of the Albert Dock area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Baltic Triangle have transformed disused warehouses into effervescent communities where gastronomy, fashion and art flourish, while the city is rivaled only by London as a filming location for blockbusters such as "Captain America" and "Sherlock Holmes."
The Hip Southwest
A 2014 review in the Sunday Times named the nation's 10th biggest city, Bristol, the best place in Britain to live. The city might be stuck out on its own in England’s southwest, but the buzzing artistic scene, night life, history and nearby countryside constantly draw visitors from London, one hour 45 minutes away by train, and from the Midlands, a two-hour drive up the M5 to Birmingham. Bristol’s elegant Georgian district around Clifton, home of the famous suspension bridge, is notable for its hip cafes, boutiques and pubs, while the regenerated warehouses along the docks host ongoing cultural events and annual festivals. Visitors can also enjoy the world’s fifth oldest zoo, several free museums and galleries and a tour of the SS Great Britain, the world’s first great passenger ship and the city’s top attraction.
Multicultural Bradford
Yet another English city to rise Phoenix-like from its industrial past is Bradford in West Yorkshire. Named as the world’s first official UNESCO City of Film in 2009, Bradford is a city of surprising superlatives. The National Media Museum is the most visited museum outside London, while the 6-acre City Park has the largest water feature of any UK city, with 100 fountains and a mirror pool. Culturally, Bradford has the largest ethnic Asian population in the UK, nurturing a close association with the Bollywood film industry and walking away three times with the Curry Capital of Britain title. Nearby Saltaire Village is a UNESCO World Heritage site, meaning visitors can explore a working Victorian mill village for insight into life during the Industrial Revolution.
Posted in: Travel UK
