Ah, England. It's a country that travelers around the world really enjoying visiting, and it's not exactly hard to understand why. There's so much history behind every single destination you visit, whether it be a high profile city or a beautiful piece of the countryside.
For this piece, though, we want to talk a little bit about the most underrated cities that England has to offer. Some of you may feel like their reputation, or lack of, is well-deserved, but it's not until you really explore these areas that you get to appreciate them for everything they represent and signify.
10 Manchester
Manchester is just one of those cities that seems to get ‘it.’ The pride of the North in England resides well within the working class city, which many people have affectionately titled Little London. While somewhat true, it doesn’t even begin to do the city justice.
From the iconic music of Oasis to the sporting success of Manchester United and beyond, there is a real heart to MCR that you’ll struggle to find anywhere else. They have culture, they have great food, and they generally just know how to have fun.
9 Bristol
The Old Vic is what most people think of in regards to Bristol, but there’s a lot more to it than that. The harbor takes you back to the England of old as if you’ve been transported decades upon decades back in time to show you what the South West used to look like – as well as how far it has come.
It’s known for being a bit of a hub for students, and with that comes the kind of bustling nightlife that you’d expect. It may not quite be the city that never sleeps, but if you’re looking for a good time, you’ll always find one here.
8 Hereford
When you’re given the title of being a cathedral city, there’s a certain reputation that you may feel like you need to live up to, and Hereford exceeds that in every way, shape, and form. The brewing roots of Hereford make it famous for cider, beer, and especially the cattle, to the point where you’ve almost certainly had a sip or bite of something that stems from this great city.
It’s an incredibly unassuming place and comes across as being quite humble as a result, which is always a pleasant thing to see.
7 Ely
Cambridgeshire is a county that brings with it one major stereotype: Cambridge is the only place worth visiting within the region. In reality, that couldn’t be any further from the truth, with one of England’s smallest cities being situated around 17 miles north.
When researching for places to visit and just chill out at over the weekend, Ely is a niche yet booming choice. The cathedral is widely regarded as one of the most important in the country, there’s a certain peace and serenity that you wouldn’t expect, and Cambridge is still just down the road.
6 Bath
The Roman-built baths alone make this city one of the best you could ever visit, and that isn’t just restricted to England. The old school buildings are so rustic and gorgeous to the point where you may feel like you’re living in a dream world.
The popular Bath Half Marathon is great fun and one of the biggest races of its kind in the nation, with the Christmas markets being equally as popular on a year to year basis. Plus, Jane Austen lived there back in the day, which is the only real endorsement required.
5 Leeds
Yorkshire pride has never been more evident than in Leeds. As a student city transformed into a cultural hub, Leeds was a major focal point of the Industrial Revolution back in the day. It’s the kind of financial hub that stereotypes would suggest doesn’t belong in that part of the country, when in reality, the docks alone are enough to convince most visitors to stay for more than just a long weekend.
This underrated, resplendent city is one for the past, present, and future, which is always a lovely combination.
4 Southampton
The city center of Southampton isn’t considered to be overly impressive or magnificent within its own right, but the city center of any given destination rarely gives you the full story. In a general sense, the south coast is really undervalued, with one of the primary reasons residing in Southampton: the port.
Even if you don’t have an appreciation for sailing or boats, there’s a real ‘wow’ moment to be had when you see these larger-than-life structures drifting off to sea. From the history of the Titanic to the monstrous cruise ships that dock every single day, it’s a glorious sight.
3 Worcester
Worcestershire sauce is one thing, but being able to shine through as a strong, safe, and independent city in the Midlands outside of Birmingham is another challenge altogether. You only need to take one look at the university campus to understand the kind of atmosphere you get with Worcester, which is always full of life and energy.
The cathedral alone is worth visiting, but from a general point of view, the resilience, pride, and determination within the locals gives off the impression that this city will continue to improve and grow with each and every passing year.
2 Chester
The close links to Manchester are great. The close links to Liverpool are great. However, the real appeal of Chester goes far beyond that: it stretches into the territory of being known as 'luxurious.'
There’s a lot of money to go around in Chester, but of course, that already seems to be a pretty well-known sentiment. What isn’t as well known, though, is how beautiful the city center is or how the Roman amphitheater lights up the city walls from morning until night. There’s something special about Chester, and something equally as intoxicating.
1 Nottingham
Sometimes there’s a place that comes along which is able to combine a variety of different factors and elements that can be found throughout any given county, nation, or continent. Nottingham is one such example because while it has everything you could want from a buzzing city in the heart of England, it also has exactly that: a lot of heart.
The Robin Hood legend originates in Notts, and that mystique and sense of adventure really do capture your heart more so than most people can prepare for. It also helps that it is probably one of the greenest cities in the country, too.