UK City Break Recommendations

Although it's not a city, but a market town, you could do no better than Shrewsbury. Good rail links, loads of independent shops, Norman castle and town walls, medieval churches, a park called The Quarry, with beautiful gardens designed by Percy Thrower, walks by the river Severn and a lovely little museum with Roman artefacts from the nearby Roman town of Uriconium. I could go on as there's more to discover.

York is lovely. Harrogate is one of the most boring places I’ve ever been to (afternoon trip whilst staying in York)

Cardiff is a great city , lovely castle, museums , Techniquest in the Bay ( you can get a water taxi from the city centre) Great shops . It’s really easy by train to go to Bristol if you fancy a two centre trip.

Salisbury is a lovely city with a beautiful cathedral.
Wells is a small city with another lovely Cathedral and the beautiful moated Bishop's Palace grounds. Vicar's Close, is easily accessible and is said to be the oldest street in Europe. Cheddar Gorge is 9 miles away and Glastonbury is nearby too.

I suppose you should consider whether you will be driving and therefore have access to local areas - or if there is a good bus service between local areas. If not, perhaps sticking to big cities, like Liverpool or Edinburgh, might give you more things to see and do without the need to drive or catch buses.

Liverpool is a great city to visit, and it is easy to visit all the amenities and fabulous buildings as the city is quite compact.

Liverpool. Lots to see, loads of restaurants and you can use your over 60s travel pass on trains to Wirral and Chester and I think you can use it on the ferry. Tung auditorium has free Wednesday afternoon concerts during term time, philharmonic music room is lovely with cheap ticket prices.

Another vote for Liverpool - my home city, so much to do and see.
If you do visit, don't miss the Picton reading room at the Central Library .

Another idea is Chester, close to Liverpool and a really nice city.

Liverpool. Wonderful city, two cathedrals, more museums than you can shake a stick at, super pubs, amazing restaurants, fabulous ferry rides, the finest river front in northern Europe! What more could you want? Would recommend staying at Premier Inn Albert Dock - pay (very little) extra for a room with a view and you’ll be overlooking the dock and the Three Graces - including Liver Birds! Enjoy!

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.

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.

Chester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Manchester, Edinburgh, York, Cardiff all visited by train in the last eight years and I’m sure we barely touched the sides of all their attractions so return trips are possible…🤗

Harrogate is lovely. Do the walking tour if it's still on- a real bargain and very informative.
Edinburgh is up there too, but too much to see and very hilly and expensive. I had to go back I loved it so much.
Canterbury is a place I loved and would love to visit again- so historic.
York is too busy now for me.

Having visted Gloucester recently I'd say it is the weakest option on your list.

Edinburgh! Loads of things to see and do, whatever your interests.

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

Norwich. “A fine city”.

Once the second capital of England🙂

Another vote for Liverpool.

How about Plymouth, a beautiful city. It has a lovely waterfront, Plymouth Hoe, where you can walk or enjoy a meal or just coffee and watch the ships, the Barbican where there are some lovely restaurants. Most of all there is so much history to learn about, and you can stand where the Mayflower left, taking the Pilgrims to America over 400 years ago. There's a wonderful theatre, and museum as well.

Liverpool.

The fabulous World Museum and Walker Gallery next door. The Lady Lever Gallery at Port Sunlight. The Tate and Museum of Liverpool. Two cathedrals. The Hardman's House if you are interested in photography. Wreckfish restaurant was a delight. Huge amount of shopping, dining and hotels to choose from. Everything is in easy reach of Lime St Station, Merseyrail and bus routes.

www.malmaison.com/offers/room-offers/prison-break/
A unique place to stay too.

Oxford has everything on your list and more.

York!
Certainly.

Harrogate or York would be my choice. Easy to get to, nice hotels and Betty’s Tea Shop in both locations and the wonderful York Minster in York, we stayed in a very quirky hotel, Guy Fawkes Inn.