8 great alternative UK city breaks
21.07.2023 - 08:27
/ roughguides.com
London, Edinburgh, Cardiff… These are the usual suspects when visitors are thinking about city breaks in the United Kingdom. But there are actually 66 other cities to be explored throughout this land, each with something different to offer. Here’s our pick of the 8 best alternative UK city breaks, covering England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Belfast rarely makes the cut on UK weekend getaway lists, but there’s plenty to lure you to Northern Ireland’s port-side capital for a 48-hour minibreak. On these lanes you can get educated at the Titanic Museum or wet (or drench) your whistle in the pubs along Great Victoria and Donegall streets.
If the hubbub of the city overwhelms, Belfast is a good springboard to explore the rest of the region; the mountains of Mourne and the Giant’s Causeway are within easy reach. Just be sure to pack for any weather you could possibly imagine. This is a “four seasons in a day” kind of place.
Take a guided tour of the Giant's Causeway and explore the settings of Game of Thrones in a day trip from Belfast.
The Giant’s Causeway, near Belfast © Jon Chica/Shutterstock
To the untrained eye, St Davids could be mistaken for yet another tiny Welsh town. But locals will be quick to tell you that this is as much of a city as London or Manchester, thanks to its handsome cathedral where Wales’s patron saint, St David, is buried.
Beyond a mooch around the cathedral and posting a cryptic status update saying “I’m in the UK’s smallest city. Where am I?”, there’s not a great deal else to do here.
Try the Pebbles Espresso Bar and Gallery for a caffeine hit while looking at world-class photography. Escape to the country into nearby Pembrokeshire National Park. Or take a look at our guide to 21 most beautiful beaches in Wales and find yourself a spot on some nearby sands.
Pembrokeshire National Park © Mike Charles/Shutterstock
OK – Canterbury can’t really be described as a “hidden gem”. High-speed Javelin trains hurl visitors from London to the Garden of England in their thousands every year. But, so long as you can overlook the selfie-stick wielding mob, the car-free centre and creaking lopsided Tudor coaching inns might well transport you back to a simpler time.
Most of Canterbury’s modern-day pilgrims come here for the city’s rich history, and few will miss its blockbuster sight: the cathedral. When you need refuelling, make a beeline to the Goods Shed farmers’ market for organic picnic fodder or, upstairs, to the excellent restaurant.
House of Agnes — A 10min walk from Canterbury East station, this excellent self-catering hostel – with mixed en-suite dorms plus single and double rooms – is clean and very friendly, with homely touches and a large cottage garden. Regular events mean you