The Entertainment Guide features a huge and eclectic choice of restaurants, bistros, cafes, bars, clubs, shops, salons, spas, hotels, tourist attractions and much, much more. From a romantic meal for two, a business lunch or a weekend away, The Entertainment Guide provides a fantastic choice to suit every taste and occasion.
Aberdeen is not called one of Britain’s ‘most architecturally distinctive cities’ for nothing. Beneath its imposing buildings and granite exterior though, visitors will find a warm welcome and surprising hidden depths.
Ayrshire is shaped like a great crescent moon, curving around gorgeous coastline and centring on the idyllic seaside town of Ayr. Sandy beaches and rocky outcrops combine with historic landmarks, towering castles and, of course, the chance to indulge in one of the country’s most famous sports – golf.
Every British major city can boast of being steeped in history, but Bath is one conurbation with no need to show off. Its storied past, wrapped in Roman architecture, romantic literature and rolling countryside, speaks for itself. The hot springs, Georgian buildings, literary heroes, temples and statues are all reason enough to make the pilgrimage to Somerset, but upon arrival, there’s a whole lot more to make you stay.
As Northern Ireland’s largest city and the second largest on the entire island, after Dublin, it’s natural that Belfast should form the capital of the north. It’s a capital that was chosen more for its location than its size however, for the latter came later. Primely positioned on the River Lagan, Belfast is a port that has dominated not only Northern Irish trade, but also that governing Great Britain ever since the Industrial Revolution kicked in at the start of the 18th century.
The UK’s second largest city, Birmingham is a metropolis that’s teeming with life and opportunities. Cosmopolitan, diverse, and culturally eclectic, the West Midlands’ capital is inhabited by some 1.1 million residents and climbing. To focus on the seething mass of humanity that calls the city their home, however, is to miss the reasons why they came to reside here in the first place.
A pocket-sized seaside retreat whose reputation belies its modest population of some 288,000, Brighton is a resort that punches above its weight. The coastal town consistently attracts visitors, both in number and in prestige, significantly out of proportion to its modest size and simple pleasures proffered. Part of that can be attributed to the proximity of London, but that alone doesn’t account for why Brighton is consistently voted one of South England’s most desirable places to live, eat, drink and generally enjoy life.
From the mouth of the harbour to the tip of Clifton Suspension Bridge, and from the island of Flat Holm to the rustling of the leaves in Leigh Woods, Bristol is a city that manages to be both urban and bucolic, ancient and contemporary. Visitors to the South West English coastal enclave are struck by how compact everything is. With a population of less than 460,000 and a tightly woven mesh of ancient thoroughfares, alleyways and closes, Bristol is the sort of place you can comfortably traverse on foot in a day – though many of the locals prefer to cycle.
With a storied history dating back to the Bronze Age, Cambridge is a fascinating city, regardless of the era you choose to hone in on. There was a major settlement here in Roman times, but it was under Viking rule that Cambridge became a major trading post. Fascinating as its ancient history is, the city is of course best known as a seat of learning and for the iconic buildings that delineate its skyline.
Where the River Taff meets the Severn Estuary, the UK’s 11th largest city lies, but to describe it in such quantitative terms does not even begin to do it justice. The Welsh capital since 1955, Cardiff is a hub of sports and music, food and comedy and all of life’s other great pleasures, from cocktails to castles. The home of the national opera, theatre and dance companies, which are all incorporated into Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff is many things to many people.
Immerse yourself in a whirlwind of culture and entertainment whilst visiting the historic city of Carlisle, county capital of Cumbria. Whether you’re looking for nightlife or a relaxed holiday with the kids, Carlisle and its surrounding areas provide something special for everyone.
Central Scotland is a sometimes forgotten strip nestled between the bustling cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh, and just below the Highlands. Yet it has plenty to offer with a wealth of charming scenery, historic landmarks and a variety of attractions, restaurants and shopping experiences.
From a vantage point atop the city, Dublin spreads out as a cluster of green domes, chic office blocks and red brick terraces, interspersed with the occasional factory tower, vertiginous relics from the past, preserved for posterity. The yellow streetlights glow and the dark waters of the Liffey, which bifurcates the city, run fast and true. It’s a vista you could never tire of, and yet Dublin isn’t made to be admired from afar: it’s the sort of place you have to live up close. Hands on, glasses up and inhibitions down.
Along the east coast of Scotland, where the sun sparkles off the water, you’ll find two of Scotland’s most intriguing spots: the bustling city of Dundee and the historic town of St Andrews. Very different at first glance, yet both packed with attractions, entertainment and culture. If you’re heading along the coast then it’s well worth trying to fit them both into your visit.
Edinburgh’s one of those cities that, even if you’ve never been there, you feel like you know it. You don’t know that unforgettable yeasty brewery aroma till it hits you, upon alighting at Haymarket, any more than you know what the roar sounds like as the teams emerge into the cauldron of Murrayfield on matchday.
How best to describe Glasgow? A city of infinite possibilities and endless stories. A dense urban sprawl, bifurcated by the dark waters of the Clyde. High rises and low hills. Green spaces and orange bricks. Scotland’s largest city, coloured by its flamboyant characters and red sandstone edifices.
Scotland boasts mesmerising landscapes, rich history and world-renowned nightlife and entertainment, but the Highlands and Islands are arguably the piece de resistance. This unique part of the world caters for every type of explorer, whether you’re interested in awakening your inner adventurer or relaxing in a luxury hotel having a well-earned rest. No matter what your perfect holiday consists of, the Highlands and Islands has something to suit.
The Scottish Highlands are blessed with a string of charming towns and cities, but those who’ve been to the capital will aver that Ness is best. Inverness has a lot going for it to put it mildly. The city is distinctly more laid back than any other in Scotland, aided by its small size and amiable Invernesians who prefer to take life at their own pace. Aside from the pleasure to be derived by perusing the city streets, there is the lure of everything that lies beyond. The River Ness that flows through the city of the same name can be traced back to Scotland’s – and indeed the world’s – most famous loch.
To the South-East of Glasgow lies a county of bucolic beauty interspersed with a ribbon of bustling towns and villages. Lanarkshire is as prized for its rolling hills and sprawling country estates as it is for its quaint tearooms, gastropubs, festivals and fairs. It takes a lot to lure Glasgow’s dining set away from the city, but thanks to a handful of acclaimed restaurants and chic bistros, Lanarkshire attracts swathes of the city’s discerning diners every weekend.
The city of Liverpool means different things to different people. The birthplace of British guitar music. The embodiment of Northern soul and grit. The onramp for the Irish diaspora who’ve left their mark on British culture since emigrating in their droves in the 19th century.
Manchester is a classic case of a city that’s reinvented itself. Once a northern industrial stronghold, it now serves as a cosmopolitan northern playground that’s prized for its memorable nightlife, including some of the best pubs in the country.
Seven bridges and a sea of shimmering lights, sparkling on the Tyne’s dark waters, bifurcate the famous city of Newcastle. It’s a city that occupies a special place in the hearts of its permanent residents and temporary guests. If any city can be regarded as having a spirit; a sense of soul; an indomitable character, then surely it is Newcastle. The Tyneside university city isn’t like anywhere else in the North East, or the North West, or any other part of England for that matter.
London might serenade the shoppers and Edinburgh the castle crowds, but for many UK visitors there’s one city that trumps them all. One city whose architecture, culture, education and literary heritage is unsurpassed. It’s affectionately known as The City of Dreaming Spires and its home is in the county of Oxfordshire.
Long before the first tourists flocked to Sheffield (England’s third largest district by population), it was prized for pioneering advancements in industry, with steel its stronghold. Today, Sheffield’s industrial might has been tempered by a gentler side that has attracted visitors from across the British Isles and beyond, lured by the green spaces, constituting over 60% of the city, and the Peak District national park it abuts. With over 250 parks, woodlands and gardens, Sheffield is an urban city wrapped in a bucolic vista.
It might not be the UK’s most populous city, but for short breaks and beach holidays, Swansea is in a class of its own. Family holidays and couples’ romantic getaways all start in Swansea Bay, whose steep cliffs and golden sands give way to a peninsula that can be as calm as glass on a summer’s day.
