Five AMAZING Underrated Cities in England
Sure you’ve heard of London and York, Bath and Oxford, Manchester and Canterbury… but no one ever talks about the underrated cities in England.
When I was making this list, I didn’t want to create a massive, overwhelming list and I really wanted to highlight just a few cities that I thought were truly underrated.
You know?
The cities that no one really talks about. The ones that are on the back of everyone’s minds when they come to England.
You could almost say these are England’s best-kept secrets.
5 SUPER Underrated Cities in England
So when you are planning your next trip to England, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE consider visiting at least one of these amazing cities!
Three of these cities have a train station and are easily accessible as a day trip from London. Ripon and Wells do not have a train station in the city, but are still accessible via taxi service from the closest station or by bus.
I book all my tickets on TRAINLINE. Seriously super simple!
Bristol
Bristol has always been one of my most favorite underrated cities in England.
I’m not sure if it’s the urban/trendy feel or the great food or the history… but Bristol seems to have it all.
There’s SO MANY epic things to do in Bristol, you’ll want to spend at least a couple of days here.
If you’re a Banksy fan then you can take a street art tour and admire all the other street art around the city (there’s a ton!).
Visit the Clifton Observatory and walk across the Clifton Suspension Bridge and then climb the Cabot’s Tower to get the best view of the city.
Tour the SS Great Britain, a modern marvel of it’s time and then explore the Brunel museum.
Stuff your face with food, drink a craft beer on a barge, or take a boat tour of the harbor.
Wells
Wells has the title of smallest city in England and one of the smallest in the UK.
Wells Cathedral is one of my favorite cathedrals in England. This 12th century cathedral is a dramatic centerpiece for such a tiny city and the green in front is the perfect place for a picnic on a sunny day. Don’t forget to go inside and check out England’s second oldest surviving clock!
Spend the afternoon at the Medieval Bishop’s Palace and see if you can get a glimpse of the famous swans. You can at least see the bell that the swans ring when they want to get fed. Not joking…
End the evening walking down the 15th century Vicars Close which is said to be the oldest residential street, that is still a residential street, in Europe.
This might be one of the most underrated cities in England, but it’s a kinda a big deal… in Simon Pegg’s world at least.
Hot Fuzz was filmed here back in 2006. Wells played a starring role in the movie as Sandford.
If you want to get an idea of what Wells looks like, then watch the movie, it highlights the best of the city… it’ll make you laugh too.
Ripon
Ripon is another one of the UK’s smallest cities.
If you’re a big Alice in Wonderland fan then you’re in luck! Ripon was home to Lewis Carroll while his father was a canon (priest) at the cathedral. Carroll spent hours in the cathedral walking around the pews and exploring the choir stalls.
It’s no surprise there’s a familiar white rabbit heading down a rabbit hole on one of the misericords.
After you’ve checked out the cathedral, walk the streets for a while, hang out in the Spa Gardens, have a swim at the Ripon Baths or take a stroll by the river.
Oh, and grab afternoon tea at The Old Deanery! (I realllly like their lunch, unfortunately they only cater to large groups now, but I would double check to see if they have changed their policy during your visit!).
If you want to venture out of the city for a couple of hours, Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal is right down the street!
Chester
Chester is a walled city in the north east on the border of Wales.
Chester is famous for it’s Roman Walls. The Roman fortress was founded in 79 AD and all the walls are still standing (except a very small section) AND you can walk all along them! They are exceptionally beautiful at sunset!
Go shopping on the Rows. This famous row of shops is VERY unique. Dating back to Medieval times, the main streets in the center are lined with two levels of shops. The first is street level and then above sits a covered walkway with MORE shops.
After a little shopping, check out the castle or the cathedral. The red color (Cheshire sandstone) is unique to any other cathedral you will see in England.
Or spend the afternoon watching the races at England’s oldest racecourse.
When you’re done for the day, get your foodie fill in one of the many great restaurants Chester has to offer. If you are a big Thai person, Nine Elephants is my FAVORITE Thai joint in England!
Portsmouth
Most people don’t even know that Portsmouth is a city. It was granted city status in 1926 because of it’s extensive naval history.
Portsmouth is known as the “first naval port of the kingdom” thanks to Henry VIII who built up his fleet and made this his base.
The main attraction is the historic dockyard, which is not small. You will probably spend most of the day here.
Explore the HMS Victory, Nelson’s flagship during the Battle of Trafalgar where he was shot and killed and also the oldest naval ship still in commission (242 years!!).
Or head on over to the HMS Warrior, an 1860 armor-plated, steam powered warship and then check out the Royal Navy Museum.
My favorite attraction at the historic dockyard is The Mary Rose museum.
Henry VIII’s flagship, The Mary Rose, sank in the 1500’s off the coast of Portsmouth and was found in 1980’s, because of all the silt and sand that covered up half the ship, it was preserved.
The Mary Rose is now on display with all the guns, plates, silverware, chests and more that were all found with her.
If you’ve had enough of the Historic Dockyard then you can get the best view of the city from the Spinnaker Tower and walk along the glass floor!
Are you planning a trip to an underrated city in England? Have you been to any cities on this list? Let me know in the comments below! I always love hearing from you!
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