I know that you are ready to learn more about United Kingdom cities and visit them. Remember to read part 4 and re-read parts 1 and 2 of popular UK sites and locations and the article about the best months to visit different UK cities.
Part 3:
Cambridge
Cambridge, like its traditional rival Oxford, arose from a group of scholars who came together and established the colleges. Cambridge, Britain’s second-oldest university, was founded in 1209 after a group of scholars abandoned Oxford following a quarrel with local residents.
Cambridge, while smaller and less urban than Oxford, is a vibrant city with great museums and galleries, theaters, restaurants, and pubs.
The colleges themselves are wonders of Medieval, Tudor, and Jacobean architecture, having produced more Nobel Prize winners than any other university in the world. Kings College Chapel, with its high thistle vaulted ceiling, is one of the standouts exposed to tourists.
From April to September, Cambridge can be overrun by tourists who arrive by bus, stay for a few hours, and then go. However, train connections from London are frequent and journey durations are reasonably short, so it would be a shame not to stay a little longer and see some of the magnificent gardens along the Backs (where Cambridge colleges back up onto the River Cam). Because of the crowds, several universities now charge an admission fee and limit their operating hours.
Taking a Chance on a Punt
Punts are classic flatboats that travel over the Cam and Grantchester rivers using poles. The punter takes a step forward and drives the pole into the mud. It’s not as simple as it appears! More than one novice has either lost or been left clutching to a pole as the punt floats away. Visitors can now hire a chauffeured punt (presumably driven by a student) for a guided tour of the Backs. It’s low-key but a lot of fun.
One of Cambridge’s flaws is the scarcity of genuinely great hotels in the city center. The Moller Centre, which is part of Churchill College, is one of the most intriguing. It’s primarily a conference facility, although anyone can stay in business class luxury at a low cost in this architecturally unique setting.
Culloden
The Culloden battlefield, just west of Inverness, lays testament to one of Scotland’s great failed causes. In 1746, the clans who supported the Stuarts regaining the throne united around Prince Charles Edward Stuart, also known as Bonnie Prince Charlie, in what became known as the Jacobite cause. At Culloden, the climax was an hour-long combat in which at least 1,000 people died. It resulted in the harsh pacification of the Highlands, the prohibition of clan chiefs and tartans, and the attempted annihilation of Highland culture. The tale is told at an outstanding visitors center on the renowned Culloden Battlefield run by the National Trust of Scotland. You can read Waverley, Sir Walter Scott’s novel, which looks at the time before and after a conflict.
Loch Ness
Loch Ness, located a few miles southwest of Inverness, is the last big body of water at the northern end of the Great Glen, a deep conduit of interconnecting lochs and canals that cuts across Scotland from southwest to northeast, from the North Atlantic to the North Sea. Coach and Caledonian Canal journeys to the loch can be arranged to look for the fabled Loch Ness monster, Nessie. Even if you don’t see it, Loch Ness is a lovely site to visit, and it is home to Rock Ness, a rock festival with its own sea monster. Urquhart Castle is well-known for being a great area to spot Nessie.
The Whiskey Trail and Beyond The area surrounding the River Spey east of Inverness is great terrain for Scotch whisky tourism. Speyside distilleries provide some of the world’s most famous and prized whiskies. Many are accessible to the general public. The region is especially known for salmon fishing and hunting vacations.
Inverness
By itself, it’s difficult to comprehend why Inverness, on the Ness near the mouth of the Moray Firth, is ranked among Britain’s top tourist destinations. But Inverness is more than just a sleepy provincial town. It is the unofficial Highland capital and the gateway to everything Scottish about Scotland.
Inverness is also close to the Cairngorms and Cairngorm National Park, which is a renowned skiing destination and home to Balmoral, the Queen’s Scottish summer house. In addition, flying from Inverness to Orkney is the quickest way to get there.
But be warned: Inverness on a Sunday night can be a very raucous place. If you plan on leaving early for a cruise or tour, select a quiet hotel away from the hub.
Cardiff
Cardiff, Wales’s capital and largest city, has undergone a virtual renaissance. Its visitor counts have climbed by more than 50% in just over a decade. When the Millennium Stadium, home of the Welsh national rugby union and football teams, opened in 1999, the city welcomed about 9 million foreign tourists. In 2009, the number of foreign visitors had climbed to more than 14.6 million, with French and Irish rugby enthusiasts leading the way.
Cardiff’s revival involves the reconstruction of the shoreline along Cardiff Bay. The Welsh National Assembly’s residence, the Senedd, was designed by British architect Richard Rogers and opened in 2006.
The Wales Millennium Centre, which opened in 2004, is a theatre, musicals, opera, ballet, contemporary dance, hip hop, comedy, art, and art workshops facility nearby. It includes two theaters and seven resident companies, one of which being the Welsh National Opera. Every day, free performances are held in the center’s foyer, and visitors to the cafés and restaurants can enjoy views of Cardiff Bay. The structure, which is coated in Welsh slate, bronze-colored steel, wood, and glass, is a stunning landmark in and of itself. It is a reflection of the Welsh countryside.
The lines of poetry made up of windows that traverse the face of the building, created by Jonathan Adam, are its most famous feature. The Welsh and English words, written for the center by Welsh writer Gwyneth Lewis, are not translations of each other, but rather two separate short poems that complement each other. The Welsh poem’s translated words (Creating truth like glass from the furnace of inspiration) are paired beside the English poem’s words, which describe how horizons sing in the stones. Light from within the center beams through the windows at night.
Cardiff is not without its charms. Cardiff Castle was built some 2000 years ago as a Roman stronghold. It has served as a Norman castle keep and has been home to a number of noble families. The Marquess of Bute had the living quarters renovated into a Victorian fantasy castle with spectacular and luxurious decor in the nineteenth century. Today, it is owned by the city of Cardiff, and the castle, together with its surrounding parkland, hosts festivals and events throughout the year.
Cardiff’s post-millennial renaissance, as well as its location as the home of the newly devolved Welsh government, ensures that the hotel and lodging options are excellent.
Aberdeen
Aberdeen, 130 miles northeast of Edinburgh on the North Sea coast, is a thriving city. Prior to the discovery of North Sea oil in the 1970s, Scotland’s third-biggest city was a fishing port (it is still one of Britain’s greatest fishing harbors, with a massive annual harvest from its North Sea trawlers) and a university town. Aberdeen University was founded in the late 15th century.
Oil tycoon prices have been brought about by the oil business. Aberdeen’s shops, hotels, and restaurants have pricing comparable to those in London. And, for a city of fewer than 300,000 people, Aberdeen has a surprising amount of designer and boutique shopping.
The city is almost entirely made of locally quarried granite. In bright sunlight, the mica in the stone sparkles. To be honest, beautiful skies are uncommon in this part of Scotland, and the distinctive greyness of gloomy weather can be depressing.
Still, if you’re looking for industrial powerhouses, Aberdeen can be a decent layover on your route to salmon fishing on the Dee. Aberdeen, which possesses Europe’s largest and busiest heliport, is commonly referred to be the European energy capital.
Next is part four of the popular cities that you want to explore in the vast United Kingdom. Remember to read the previous articles 1 and 2 about the well-known UK cities that you will want to visit, and the best months in the year to explore these different cities.