Home to museums overflowing with the treasures of Empire, magnificent theaters and fantastic music venues, London is one of the most culturally rich cities in the world, but if you’re planning a visit to the UK, there’s a great deal more to explore beyond its borders. It’s not always where or what you’d expect, and if you’re willing to stretch your horizons, you might be in for a few surprises; these cities are an excellent place to start.
Courtesy of esof.eu
Manchester
Now the largest and busiest UK city outside London, Manchester has no shortage of things going on. See its legendary soccer team, Manchester United, play a home game at Old Trafford, visit the People’s History Museum to learn about ordinary lives there, catch a show at the Palace Theatre or see some of the country’s finest paintings, including Pre-Raphaelite masterpieces, in Manchester Art Gallery. Military enthusiasts will find lots of fascinating material in the Imperial War Museum.
Glasgow
During the Victorian era, Glasgow was known as the “second city of the Empire” and it houses some of the Empire’s greatest treasures in the spectacular red sandstone Kelvinbridge Museum and Art Gallery. That building is a work of art in itself. There are other treasures in the Burrell Collection and the Museum of Religious Art, which is conveniently close to the city’s magnificent cathedral and hauntingly beautiful graveyard the Necropolis. Hear classical music at its finest in the Royal Concert Hall, enjoy traditional Celtic music in venues like Oran Mor or simply relax in the city’s beautiful parks.
Liverpool
One of Britain’s powerful industrial engines at the time of the British Empire, Liverpool suffered decline in the 20th Century but always retained a vibrant cultural life. Now it’s attracting investment again and is a great place to visit. Explore its fascinating Maritime Museum, learn about the UK’s role in the slave trade at its Slavery Museum or take a tour of the underground tunnels that a philanthropist had built to keep the poor in work. You’ll also find many great live music venues in the birthplace of the Beatles.
Edinburgh
Courtesy of edinburgh-holiday.co.uk
Few cities are as beautiful as the Scottish capital with its famous castle standing high above the streets and looking out to sea. Although you may find the streets confusing – rather like an MC Escher drawing in places – there’s lots to discover. Go beyond the Royal Mile with its tourist magnet tartan shops to explore the National Gallery of Scotland, see monuments to national heroes, learn about Scotland’s history in the National Library or trek up Arthur’s Seat, where ancient spirits are said to roam.
Cardiff
From its stunning historic castles and ancient stone circles to the modern Wales Millennium Centre, the Welsh capital has lots to offer curious visitors. You’ll hear people speaking both English and Welsh as you explore its bustling markets and welcoming pubs, which are home to a great live music culture. Catch a performance by a traditional male voice choir or watch the Welsh National Opera; if you’re there in August, you could even attend the National Eisteddfod.
Weston Super Mare
Located beside remnants of an Iron Age fort and celebrated for its Art Deco architecture and some striking Silica artwork, this attractive seaside town is perhaps better known today as the home of Banksy’s Dismaland. As you can see from this photo montage, Banksy’s Dismaland attraction didn’t offer quite what you would expect from a theme park, but is instead billed as a ‘bemusement park’. It contains a series of satirical works of art looking at the negative aspects of contemporary UK culture.
Courtesy of wightlink.co.uk
Portsmouth
If history is your thing, you’ll love the historic dockyard in Portsmouth, where you can see and even walk around on legendary ships. Visit the National Museum of the Royal Navy to learn about the battles they fought in, or visit the Portsmouth Museum to see treasures that once belonged to Sherlock Holmes creator Arthur Conan Doyle. You can also visit the birthplace of Charles Dickens. Kids will love the Blue Reef Aquarium and Southsea Castle.
With all these fascinating places to explore, you may need more than one trip to really get to grips with UK culture – and this is just the start of it. If you travel through the countryside you’ll find literally dozens of castles, many of them in good enough repair to walk around, as well as ancient structures like Stonehenge and the brochs of Orkney. There are hundreds of small towns and villages with fascinating histories and you’ll find local museums everywhere. Don’t limit yourself to London – get out there and discover the fascinating secrets of these islands.
