5 Best Cities To Visit in The United Kingdom

Want to know which 5 cities in the United Kingdom are worth visiting? Here are the top 5 most popular cities in the country most visited by international visitors, based on the list compiled by The Office of National Statistics.

London

London is home to 7.5 million people, which represents 12.5 percent of the U.K.’s population. It is frequented by over 25 million foreigners a year coming from its five airports, national railways, and Eurostar station. Among its tourist attractions include the House of Parliament, Big Ben, Tower of London, the Abbey at Westminster, and others.

Edinburgh

The capital of Scotland, Edinburgh is home to about half a million people which includes around 62,000 university students. At least 13 million visitors are welcomed in the city on a yearly basis. Among its popular attractions include the biggest performing arts festival in the world, a 1,000 year-old castle, Arthur’s Seat, a mountain located in the heart of town, and Hogmanay, the four-day street party to end all street parties.

Manchester

Located in the Northwestern part of the United Kingdom, Manchester is often called the first modern city. During the 18^th century, it was the cotton making capital of the world and one of the places which gave birth to the Industrial Revolution. In 1996, it was devastated by an IRA bomb so there was a need to reconstruct the city center. Manchester is often called Music City as popular bands such as Oasis, The Smiths, Morrisey, and others hailed from the city.

credit: squarespace.com

Birmingham

Birmingham became the manufacturing capital of the United Kingdom during the 19^th century through the majority of the 20^th. It was here where James Watt commercially built his steam engine. It was also here where the transatlantic cable and the Orient Express was built. With more than a million people living in Birmingham, it is the second largest city in Britain. It serves as the birthplace of heavy metal with bands like Judas Priest, Black Sabbath, and Ozzie Osborne.

Glasgow

In 1995, Glasgow was adjudged as the European Capital of Culture not because of its heritage but due to its more contemporary vibe. In 2008, Lonely Planet hailed it as one of the Top 10 cities for tourists. Also in that year, The Mercer Report included Glasgow among the top 50 safest cities in the world, 30 places higher than London. Glasgow serves as the gateway to the Western Highlands.