The Historic Cities of the UK

The United Kingdom is famous for its large scale preservation initiatives, meaning that a great number of historic sites have remained in excellent condition throughout the country. However, there are a few stand-out cities that every history enthusiast will absolutely need to add to their bucket list.

Bath

As the site of one of the most famous baths in Roman Britain, the same springs are still in use today. Locals get a big discount on the modern iteration of the city spa, but the Thermae Bath Spa is still open to visitors wanting to experience Bath’s purportedly healing waters. As a hub of social activity during the Regency Period, Bath was also the setting for a number of Jane Austen’s novels. Fans of her novels can visit the Jane Austen Centre to learn more about the city during this period.

Bath Abbey / Harpreet Riat

York

This northern city got its start as a Roman town known as Eboracum, and then Viking settlement known as Jorvik. Every year, York holds a Viking Festival celebrating its past, which a definite must-see for families. During the Victorian period, the city was also important for the industry of the North, which can still be seen in its National Railway Museum. In particular, the city was known for confectionary with the Rowntree Mackintosh and Terry’s factories.

Edinburgh

Scotland’s old capital city has plenty of historic sites to satisfy even the most picky of its visitors. Discerning travellers will appreciate the five star hotels within a stone’s throw of all the must-see locations in the closely-places old and new towns. As a centre of the Scottish Enlightenment, Edinburgh was also an important city for scientific learning during the Georgian period. Nowadays, you can see some of this past in the Surgeon’s Museum, where examples of the anatomical teaching equipment of past centuries are kept, as well as on the University of Edinburgh campus itself.

Edinburgh castle / Edinburgh Castle Entrance

Oxford

It may mainly be on the map for its esteemed university (incidentally, the oldest university in the English speaking world), but Oxford is also a city with a lot of history, with buildings representing every architectural style in England since the Saxons. It’s not surprising that the Christ Church College hall was rumoured to be an inspiration for Hogwart’s Hall in the Harry Potter series. Like Edinburgh, a number of Oxford’s hotels are also well-placed for exploring historical sites. The Macdonald Randolph Hotel, for instance, is right across the street from Britain’s first public museum. In addition to the cities, the UK also has a fantastic array of country houses and historic properties to explore. When planning your vacation, be sure to pencil in some time to tour around the surrounding areas.

Catherine Halsey writes for a digital marketing agency on a range of subjects. This article links back to https://www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk/our-hotels/london-south-england/oxford/

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Tags: bath abbey, city spa, discerning travellers, eboracum, edinburgh campus, edinburgh castle, edinburgh scotland, five star hotels, georgian period, history enthusiast, jane austen centre, national railway museum, preservation initiatives, rowntree mackintosh, scottish enlightenment, thermae bath spa, university of edinburgh, viking festival

Category: Cities, Cities