UK City Break Recommendations

We always like Cardiff tbh you've got castle arcades with independent shops parks but the theatre waterside area is lovely I would recommend the St Davids hotel fab food indoor pool spa etc and some lovely waterfront places in easy walk statues shops etc we've been back several times ps castle millennium stadium and we love the Welsh

Please let us know where you settle on Patsy70
Bath and Liverpool would be my joint second suggestions after Oxford. So much beauty and history, impossible to choose between them…

Bath -the Mayor's walks last about 2 hours and are both free and informative. Buses from there to Bristol and other towns.
I agree with Liverpool and Harrogate (albeit I don't agree with paying over the odds for a cup of tea in Betty's tea room) .

Liverpool is a great city, vibrant, full of history, culture, great museums, the library is wonderful and lots of eateries#. Did the best ever open top bus tour in Liverpool!

For Patsy the OP, you've been to quite a few places, and a few others you could consider might be :- Glasgow (lots to do - can fly or train), Cardiff, London (masses to do, and a few hotels that won't break the bank and you won't catch something!), Exeter, and perhaps stay in Ludlow (in the Castle, no less, or the ancient Feathers), and take a trip to Shrewsbury, lovely architecture, great market, but sadly the Flower Show - August - has been cancelled.

Gloucester as someone said has a lovely Cathedral, a market and repurposed Docks area, but is otherwise a bit shabby.

Liverpool? Well, yes, lots to do, but you'd have to listen to that accent all weekend?! Oh, and as for someone's "best riverfront in Northern Europe", has someone towed London & Paris down to the Med?!

Your starting point if coming by train is probably important. Liverpool is a lovely city with great connections by train. I would also suggest basing yourself near Albert dock (15/20 min walk from station). The Premier Inn is fine, with very acceptable buffet breakfast option, (I’d stay again as good value) but you have many possibilities in the same area if you want something more luxe

There are many great cities in Scotland. My favourites would be Edinburgh, Inverness and Glasgow. Easy to access by train and lots to see and do. Good range of accommodation. Best to avoid school holidays though!

25Avalon

Bath or Bristol? Both on the train line and both with lots to see and do. My preference would be Bath of the two. Sally Lunn’s tea room, the pump room, Roman baths,Pultney Weir, Royal Crescent.

Yes. Years since I went to Bath but two of my adult children have been in the last year or so and thoroughly enjoyed it.

One stayed in a beautiful Spa hotel there and spoke of how fabulous it was.
That would certainly be a treat!

I will most definitely let you know where we decide to go NotAGran55. Liverpool sounds like a firm favourite with many of you, and I’m used to the accent as my neighbour hails from there! 😂 I like the sound of afternoon concerts. We had a lovely few days in Bath some years ago, so really would like to go somewhere we haven’t yet visited. We live in Kent, and used to work in London, so still go quite regularly. I’m surprised that Harrogate was boring, as I’ve always fancied going. What about Newcastle? I really value your comments, thank you.

First of all there is nothing wrong with the Scouse accent Dr Watson! I think you'll find Scousers very friendly. Along with the great city you also have Wirral with its beaches. West Kirby is a particular favourite of mine. If you time it right you can walk over the Hilbre Island (tides permitting) and see the seals.

Transport links are really good with Merseyrail and the local buses.

Oh and the Liverpool Water front is really special.

York
We had a lovely short break there last spring

crazyH

We’re going to Canterbury on Thursday, back on Saturday . To the Cathedral ofcourse and look around a bit. There’s a famous crooked house there, the King’s mile etc

Canterbury used to be lovely, but it’s not quite so lovely now. Like everywhere else, shops have had to close, so shopping is disappointing, compared with how it was. I used to go there at least once a month and always found something to buy and enjoy strolling around the lovely city, but not any more.
That said, at the bottom end of C’bury, by the Westgate Tower, there is the gorgeous Dane John Garden. There is also the Cathedral, of course, although the entrance fee almost requires a mortgage.
It’s such a shame that so many towns have been spoilt for one reason or another, and they all look the same now. When I see a town on tv, for example, instead of recognising it immediately as I used to, I now have to be told its location.
In spite of all my negativity, it’s still worth a visit and I hope you enjoy it.

We like Salsbury and Bath, both near for coach day trips to Avebury - lovely place to walk about. The Church is fascinating.

Take a look at Eastbourne. I'd recommend a hotel with rooms overlooking the seafront. There are some good places to walk, great pubs and lots of independent shops.

I'd also say Bath, I lived there for 15 years and would always be happy to go back for a weekend, there's so much to see, good shops, excellent restaurants and a wide range of places to see. Also a canal if you fancy hiring a boat of some kind?
There's a lot to do in Bristol too, but it's a much larger place to get around. In Bath you can use the Park and Ride, take the bus into town and walk about everywhere.

Steelygran

Take a look at Eastbourne. I'd recommend a hotel with rooms overlooking the seafront. There are some good places to walk, great pubs and lots of independent shops.

I wouldn't recommend Eastbourne, my daughter lived there until recently and it's very run-down. Many of the hotels are full of local authority tenants and the decent ones are very expensive. The shops in the centre are also very limited now, with only a very small enclave of decent shops up nearer to the Old Town.
Brighton is a much nicer place to visit and to stay.

We seem to have been to so many cities over the years. Have spent time in Salisbury with my sister, as it is half way on the train for both of us (she is in Sidmouth, Devon). It is well worth visiting, I agree. York is somewhere else we really enjoyed. Seriously considering Liverpool and Newcastle, but still open to other ideas.

Patsy70

Thank you for your recommendations. We’ve enjoyed lovely times in York, Oxford, Edinburgh, Plymouth, Canterbury, Norwich, so will definitely consider Harrogate and Liverpool, amongst others. Will cross Gloucester off the list Churchview, thank you.

Yes cross Gloucester off your list and visit Bristol instead. It’s got lots to offer. Museums, good restaurant, the Clifton Suspension Bridge and Clifton village for shopping. Theres the Harbourside with waterside restaurants and bars and there’s the Brunei’s SS Great Britain to visit. Lovely walks and wonderful architecture to see.

Thanks for the update on Eastbourne, CC. I haven't been there for a while and had been thinking of taking a break there myself. I agree, Brighton is much more vibrant and exciting, if that would appeal to Patsy. She says she doesn't want anything "too formal", so Brighton might be just the place.

Rather than Harrogate what about Ripon or Knaresborough. Both very interesting historic towns. Harrogate is pleasant, you could spend a couple of hours there, but it's not as historic apart from the baths.

Newcastle is a really interesting place too, yes, and Durham

Hi,
Newcastle is good but I think you would find a bigger mix of things to do in Liverpool if you are on foot.
We went for a day and just had the best time.Plenty to see and do and you must take a ferrycross the Mersey' It's great fun and you can get on and off at different stops.
We also went to New Brighton which is a ferry stop, had a lovely walk there but there are museums, pubs, tourist trails, river walks etc , also vey interesting to see massive cruise ships come up the river to dock in front of the Liver building.
We are definitely going to go back for another visit.

Bristol is really vibrant & qwerky, good to walk /cycle or there are the "hop on / hop off " scooters which half the city uses to get around. You could stop off to revisit Bath on the way back as it's a stop en route to Kent, & the train between Bath & Bristol (apart from time in tunnel) is very scenic.
If anyone's visiting, Clifton Suspension Bridge is not to be missed.Have a look beforehand at what's on while you're there, there's lots of venues.

I’ve read out all your responses to my OH after dinner tonight. Thank you everyone, I so appreciate your views. We have spent time in Brighton, Canterbury and Eastbourne, so want to venture further afield. Bristol sounds good! I’ll also look at other places you’ve recommended that we hadn’t thought of. Was Birmingham mentioned at all? Neither of us have spent time there, apart from at the NEC when I was working. I’m open to all your suggestions.