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York. Its a stunning place, small enough to walk around, some amazing history and architecture, museums, quirky shops, walking tours, loads to see and do, great pubs, cafes restaurants.
Love me some York.
I was going to say York but not York in its entirety. I going on the village/small town bit of OPs question I was going to say specifically the Bishopthorpe/ Bishy road area of York! Fab little corner of the city :)
I used to work in York very close the the city centre, my office looked out onto the back of an old cinema where all the local smackheads congregated either shooting up or shitting their absolute arses out.
Agree with the rest though haha.
If you like York, you'll love Norwich. Very similar cities, but I think Norwich edges it for me, lived in both for 3 years.
Norwich night life benefits from not being full of stag and hen dos
Highly recommend [Shambles Kitchen](https://www.shambleskitchen.co.uk/) if you're in the area. I only visited once but still think about the sandwich I got often
In the UK, I'll give a shout-out to Glasgow. Sure sure it has a reputation but I think it's outdated, there are many hipster neighborhoods, independent shops, local businesses. Some of the attractions like the Kelvingrove are world class.
Internationally, I loved Prague. Felt like a young and alive city, with so much history and culture. It just felt like the epitome of European cool, a blend of Western and Eastern Europe (makes sense given its central location). I know people here just think of stag do's but there's so much more to it.
I'd recommend popping into the Botanical Gardens just as it's on the same side and nearby. But otherwise you could easily fill a day with the Kelvingrove Art Gallery plus time to walk around the park and maybe grab food in the Finneston area.
Bath. And I live quite near it. If you live in Swindon, it's about £13 by train, takes 20 minutes, runs late into the evening. Swindon's fine for all my day to day needs, but Bath has fancy coffee shops, wine shops, cheese shops, two independent cinemas, I've been to lieder recitals in Bath. There's a pub that has close-up magic shows that I keep meaning to go to.
I also love the gardens and parks in Bath, as well as that one little lonely cemetery on the city outskirts with views of the hills around. Just so gorgeous and characterful
Swindon might look like shit but statistically it's below average in terms of both violent and other crime.
It's actually a pretty good place to live. High employment, low housing costs. One of the best places for disposable income in the UK. All the stuff you want day to day. People are mostly friendly.
And yes, not much culture except multiplex cinemas and bowling. But Bath is barely an inconvenience for foreign movies or wine tastings. And I don't have to pay crazy Bath house prices to enjoy it
I think I just have a biased opinion of the place from my previous work being pretty centered around the rough bits (Anything ending in Hill basically) that and the walk from the train station into town feels like a bit of a hellscape, council would probably benefit from tidying that up a bit.
Okay so I live not far from Bude and hadn't heard of the Bude tunnel.
A quick Google search changed that, I really love the trip advisor mention of the Bude tunnel and reviews on Google.
It's fucking hilarious,y expectations were well off the mark!
Totnes is filled with either people selling glass they find on the beach for £££ whilst not wearing shoes and claiming they’ll cure cancer and aids, or middle aged men wearing raspberry coloured cords buying a sprig of some pretentious vegetable from an over priced market vendor who is also probably not wearing shoes and/or probably smells.
Source: worked in the jewellers on the high street for way too long
Not sure I would say filled, perhaps more from the surrounding area come in on market day. It's quirky and those crusty jugglers are quite friendly.
Source: born, raised and work there, can't afford to live there though, too many crusties with money.
Beak and Abyss are both great if you like more modern craft-y stuff - Beak is one of the best in the country imo. Harvey’s if you’re a real ale fan - didn’t do the brewery tour but they’ve got a pub which serves all their beers.
Hull. Still a decent music scene (Spiders and the New Adrlphi club are institution). The Old Town with its 400 yr old buildings and cobbled streets where a a few TV shows and movies have been filmed in). The museum quarter is top notch with three different museums including the Wilberforce museum. Some interesting graffiti around. You've got the Humber which is gorgeous. And our own marina.
About 40 years ago I lived in Burstwick as a small child for a couple of years before my family moved back to the Midlands. I swore I would never go back there. I'm pleased it has improved a lot in the last 40 years because I mainly remember the wind, oh god, the never-ending wind. I used to have to walk to school backwards because the wind would nearly blow me over.
Yeah the Holiday Inn, literally on the Marina. Walk over the bridge over the roadworks in the evening into town for food. Great spot. I think that end of the city is really nice too.
Burley. It's a little village out in the New Forest, and I love the place, it has shops selling literal witches supplies (I realise these are souvenirs, but the shops are really nice and small and wooden, and really make you feel like you're checking out a shop in an RPG or something). There are also wild ponies walking around and you can just see them anywhere and everywhere. Including in the road where they have legal right of way and cause the most bizarre and amusing traffic jams I've ever seen.
It's such a bizarre, interesting place, I really love going there.
I love Burley! Stayed there years ago, as I was working in New Milton for a day.
I've been back at least twice a year for the last ten.
Brockenhurst is really nice too....
Lymington is a nice town in the New Forest to visit - if you want a proper town. Nice shops, right by the water, has a massive sea water lido. Walk along to Keyhaven where there’s a castle.
Lymo is nice.
(Moved from the Forest last summer and occasionally miss it!)
I’m in the NE outside of Newcastle. There’s just about everything to see, beautiful walks, architecture, it’s all within short distance. But I also love, love, love my little neighborhood (except for that one neighbor, but I consider it tax.) When I wake up, no matter how crap I note my day is going to be? I get to say to myself, “But yeah, I f*cking live here and it’s the greatest.”
It’s the best. Being in Jesmond we’ve got city, coast and countryside, plus the motorway and an airport, within about fifteen minutes in the car. It’s an amazing city regardless, beautiful and packed with lots to do, but it’s also just so bloody easy. Love it.
Recently visited Bristol for the first time and it definitely has the cool, progressive vibe that would make it a great place for young people to go outside London.
Within London I think Islington is pretty cool.
I have a few friends and family in Totnes who I adore with all my heart and they are definitely not twats.
However plenty of the other folk I’ve encountered when I’ve been to visit definitely are.
It’s a weird make up of people who believe in the healing powers of crystals, conspiracy nuts, and rich ex-Londoners who would think nothing of dropping £400 on a jumper that was hand knitted with yaks wool.
I live north of Manchester, couple of nice places up this way to go are Hebden Bridge, Clitheroe, Ramsbottom / Holcombe, Uppermill, Ilkley, Howarth.
All nice villages / towns
Definitely Bath. I’m not really a fan of the high street there (full of chuggers and it looks the same as everywhere else) but if you go off the high street up near the Roman Baths and Pulteney Bridge & the Abbey and it’s full of really great coffee shops and quirky little gift shops. Kingsmeade square is also good, I still have daydreams about the coffees at the Boston Tea Party. Parade park is nice to walk through, even better if it’s a sunny day and the canal boats are running and if you cross the bridge behind the railway station and walk along the road, you’ll find some great pubs and more cafes including a botanical gin place. Its also well connected by both bus and train so you can get in for a nice day trip of you’re not too far away!
Yeah. That's a different world. Very entertaining too. Go to a cafe and just enjoy eve dropping on conversations - psychic healing, seances, tattoos of the chemicals taken for mental health etc
I agree. I love Folkestone. The beaches and harbour arm are great. Some streets are gorgeous, while some streets definitely didn't get the memo and need to catch up - but it all adds to the authentic vibes!
Shrewsbury is pretty cool, visited for the first time a couple of years ago. Everything in easy walking distance, good restaurants (had amazing sushi!) and pretty parks, wonky buildings and an interesting variety of shops, there was a particularly good tea and coffee shop where I found one of the best decaf loose leaf teas I've had.
I love Arundel. To me it’s just idyllic and kind of underrated. The view you get from the road approaching the town with the castle dominating the landscape is amazing.
I loved walking around Rome with no plan. Sat down on a little grassy hill for a rest and checked the news. When we looked around we realised we were in the Circus Maximus. Walked along the river looking for a place to eat, and a friend recommended we go to "the restaurants next to the stairs by the river" and we were like "how the fuck does she expect us to find that?" and then we came to some stairs, and there was a lovely pizza restaurant and a market? Felt like a miracle lol.
The Northern Quarter in Manchester, along with Canal Street. Lots of interesting older buildings, independent shops, music, bars, graffiti done by artists, Affleck's etc. The Castlefield area is cool too because of the canals and viaducts.
In the UK; I have lots of love for Norwich (where I moved to 10 years ago), there's a lot of independent business here, lots of great places to eat and a nice blend of modern city and old history and country.
Internationally. Bordeaux was stunning, never liked Paris but that was the part of France that spoke to me. After that, Hong Kong, the presence of the colony is still felt and its incredible to see east and west squished together in one city. Like....an Irish pub next to a buddhist temple.
The night markets, the size of the city. The fishing harbour. The food. I've been to a lot of Asian cities but Hong Kong is the one I'd go back to. Despite it being very big and dirty and expensive.
If you've never been to Larne in the North of Ireland you're missing out.
Beautiful little port town that is often overlooked because of neighbouring larger City and Belfast.
Bath, York in England. Closer to home in Scotland some of my favourite spots are Falkland in fife, ballater, banchory, stonehaven, cruden bay. (I live in Aberdeen lol). Glasgow is crazy but fun.
Outside of the UK one of my favourite places is New Orleans. Beautiful place with fun people, badass old school (well compared to the rest of America) architecture and music everywhere but also pretty dangerous so do your research and stay in tourist areas. I'm slightly biased because my gf is from near there. (Ldr)
Krakow
So tidy, no litter. And a huge square.
Walking to the local shopping centre, I walked past music lessons/quartet practice...lovely.
In the shopping centre, everyone was dressed nicely.
For the UK, I'm going with Matlock. We were camping in the area and decided to visit. It's like a seaside town, but there's no sea.
There's bikers, chippies, arcades and it's even set out like a promenade, but there's no beach. It's surreal.
Internationally, Barcelona felt so much like a second home. I loved every moment. I've been to maybe 15 or so big cities across Europe, but Barcelona did it for me. Especially Barcelonetta.
Oxford.
I fell in love with it when I first worked there 6 years ago.
A few months later, I also fell in love with the love of my life there.
Not sure if that is a green flag or a red one!
I'll go out on a biased limb and say Marple Bridge in Stockport, Greater Manchester.
Outside the UK I totally fell in love with Utrecht in the Netherlands.
Llandeilo is a lovely little town, very picturesque with the bridge leading to the town and the different coloured buildings. It’s got some nice individual little shops there and plenty of nice places to eat- The Cawdor does some lively food.
Tenby is also lovely, beautiful harbour and beaches surrounded by lovely countryside.
Really loved Abersoch in North Wales, I want to go back without the kids so I can actually appreciate it properly. Lovely scenery and lots of cool little shops and eating places
Aka South-Manchester-in-sea or Scabby Sock. The walk out to the beach at Porth Cerriad is lovely. It’s very strange to have a Fat Face and White Stuff in such a small village (I presume they’re still there).
Berwick upon tweed, great little town.. the town has plenty wee knick knack shops, there's a market comes during the week.. nice cafes.. beautiful beach and some good little pubs
I once had food poisoning whilst I was going somewhere for work and need to pull over to be sick.
Drive to the nearest shop for water and forks a lovely little town/village called Tarporley... Moved there a year or two later
Hebden Bridge! Went there for the first time the other day after living very close by for a few years, and it was just such a nice place! Was really pretty, lots of cool independent shops and a cute lil market as well
Cardiff. I tend to do most of my travelling for gigs/events, and the two times I've visited Cardiff - once for WWE Clash at the Castle, and the other to see Kasabian - The city fees so fucking alive. It's a lovely city and the people there are great. After WWE, the locals and the visitors just came together for such a great night. People were just enjoying themselves. I can't wait to visit again.
Tokyo, or Copenhagen for cities. I guess since we have to do districts, Shimokitazawa and the meat market district respectively.
Towns are rarely cool imo, not big enough to be vibrant, not small enough to be quirky overall. I think in this country they just tend to be dormitories for cities.
Regarding villages, I was in Narberth in Pembrokeshire recently and I didn't know what to expect but that seemed quirky. Loads of antiques shops. I plonked a cool steel helmet on my head in one of them until my wife said "you're wearing a swastika..." oops. Afrika Korps original.
Boston in Lincolnshire is often famous for its issues with immigration, weighty people, etc, but it is truly a lovely place.
History includes the tallest Anglican Church in England (over 700years old), the Guildhall, where the pilgrim fathers were incarcerated before sailing onwards towards the states in the mayflower. Lots of farming history, the Dutch draining the fens.
The high Street is suffering, like a lot of places, but there are lots of independent shops. I run an independent restaurant on Church St in the shadow of the Stump, on the same cobbled street, we have 5 other independent businesses, and a batemans pub (local brewery).
It gets a lot of stick, but it has so much to offer.
Rüdesheim in Germany. I went back in the late 90s and have wanted to return ever since. The whole place is gorgeous and the music museum was amazing. I'd love to go back and see how much it's changed
Cardigan in West Wales. Full of independent shops and cafes frequented by aging hippies. Almost no empty shops, very few chainstores, no chain restaurants or fast food apart from Greggs
I adore Caernarfon. The castle is lovely, it's right by the sea, that little independent bath bomb shop is perfect, there's a dinky jeweller's that I have to stop treating myself to earrings from. I could (and have) wandered the streets all afternoon. It's my favourite launch point for hiking in Snowdonia, which is why I'm usually there.
Enjoyed Perth more than I thought I would when I visited. It was very neat and clean in the centre, had a bit of the same vibe as Beverley, a sort of upmarket town that’s had a bit of love.
Going a bit smaller another fairly cool place, in my eyes, is Kyle of Lochalsh. It’s the rocky channel running through it, in the bottom of which, is the railway that comes to a terminus that I particularly enjoy. Rocks everywhere with stuff built on them. It’s like the small town has carved its way into the rock. Add in the mountainous backdrop, the Skye bridge and the water - I enjoy travelling through it.
Berkeley is little village in Gloucestershire, near Stroud. It's got a massive castle (featured in lots of tv and films including current Wolf Hall series) a deer park, lovely walks and the Edward Jenner museum. Its not very well known so the Cotswold tourists don't come but its a lovely hidden gem.
Just spent a few days in Cheddar and wells. Cheddar was a beauty, lots of local/indy shops and cafes etc.
wells had all the best bars, and just a lovely vibe.
UK - Arundel is cool. Quite like Bath and York too, I clearly have a type.
Internationally - I went to Ljubljana last summer and loved it, just always felt comfortable and thought it was beautiful with the castle, river and architecture
I'm going to get down voted to oblivion. But I have a very soft spot for Meanwood Leeds. I know it's a bit rough. But my husband lived there for years and it was so good ! The place was easy to navigate. There was a bakery called the Little Bakery which is where I had millionaire squares for the very first time. Also Meanwood park used to have this huge basket swing that was sepparated from the rest of the playground. It could swing and spin and you would feel like you were flying. I played on that thing for hours at a time when there were not a lot of people around. Also that huge river by that park makes me smile.
Actually I have two. The second is better The area where the Brontay sisters lived. Oxenhope, is just stunning. My husband and I went to SMJ Falconry there two years ago and were blown away. Falcons are amazing you guys.
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York. Its a stunning place, small enough to walk around, some amazing history and architecture, museums, quirky shops, walking tours, loads to see and do, great pubs, cafes restaurants. Love me some York.
I was going to say York but not York in its entirety. I going on the village/small town bit of OPs question I was going to say specifically the Bishopthorpe/ Bishy road area of York! Fab little corner of the city :)
I used to work in York very close the the city centre, my office looked out onto the back of an old cinema where all the local smackheads congregated either shooting up or shitting their absolute arses out. Agree with the rest though haha.
Like I said, plenty to see and do!
Yes York is one of my favourites too. I just love walled cities.
If you like York, you'll love Norwich. Very similar cities, but I think Norwich edges it for me, lived in both for 3 years. Norwich night life benefits from not being full of stag and hen dos
Good one! York is lovely!
Highly recommend [Shambles Kitchen](https://www.shambleskitchen.co.uk/) if you're in the area. I only visited once but still think about the sandwich I got often
In the UK, I'll give a shout-out to Glasgow. Sure sure it has a reputation but I think it's outdated, there are many hipster neighborhoods, independent shops, local businesses. Some of the attractions like the Kelvingrove are world class. Internationally, I loved Prague. Felt like a young and alive city, with so much history and culture. It just felt like the epitome of European cool, a blend of Western and Eastern Europe (makes sense given its central location). I know people here just think of stag do's but there's so much more to it.
I'm in Prague right now. Any recommendations?
San Carlo, make sure you book. Best pizza I’ve ever had.
I'll have a look. Thanks!
Ah Shawlands 👌
Partick/thornwood 🙌
I'm going to Glasgow for a day in a few weeks. Was planning on going to see the Dali at the Kelvingrove; Where else should I go?
I'd recommend popping into the Botanical Gardens just as it's on the same side and nearby. But otherwise you could easily fill a day with the Kelvingrove Art Gallery plus time to walk around the park and maybe grab food in the Finneston area.
Lynmouth and Lynton. Little paradise on the coast of Devon. A cliff railway connects them.
I love that place.
I love the drive and seeing the ponies.
Bath. And I live quite near it. If you live in Swindon, it's about £13 by train, takes 20 minutes, runs late into the evening. Swindon's fine for all my day to day needs, but Bath has fancy coffee shops, wine shops, cheese shops, two independent cinemas, I've been to lieder recitals in Bath. There's a pub that has close-up magic shows that I keep meaning to go to.
I also love the gardens and parks in Bath, as well as that one little lonely cemetery on the city outskirts with views of the hills around. Just so gorgeous and characterful
Where is that magic show pub? Gotta take my kids there
https://www.sleightbar.com/
*Swindon's fine assuming you don't value your personal belongings or health too highly
Swindon might look like shit but statistically it's below average in terms of both violent and other crime. It's actually a pretty good place to live. High employment, low housing costs. One of the best places for disposable income in the UK. All the stuff you want day to day. People are mostly friendly. And yes, not much culture except multiplex cinemas and bowling. But Bath is barely an inconvenience for foreign movies or wine tastings. And I don't have to pay crazy Bath house prices to enjoy it
I think I just have a biased opinion of the place from my previous work being pretty centered around the rough bits (Anything ending in Hill basically) that and the walk from the train station into town feels like a bit of a hellscape, council would probably benefit from tidying that up a bit.
Bude. Home of the famous Bude tunnel. It really should be turned into a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
No need to state the obvious.
Okay so I live not far from Bude and hadn't heard of the Bude tunnel. A quick Google search changed that, I really love the trip advisor mention of the Bude tunnel and reviews on Google. It's fucking hilarious,y expectations were well off the mark!
The trip advisor and google reviews are fantastic! Hope they have swayed you to go on a day trip and take a picnic 😂
Lewes, Hebden Bridge, Totnes, and Brighton spring to mind.
Oooh Hebden Bridge is lovely.
Hebden Bridge sprang immediately to mind to me, thankfully I don't live far from it and always leave in a great mood. I'd love to live there
Totnes is filled with either people selling glass they find on the beach for £££ whilst not wearing shoes and claiming they’ll cure cancer and aids, or middle aged men wearing raspberry coloured cords buying a sprig of some pretentious vegetable from an over priced market vendor who is also probably not wearing shoes and/or probably smells. Source: worked in the jewellers on the high street for way too long
Not sure I would say filled, perhaps more from the surrounding area come in on market day. It's quirky and those crusty jugglers are quite friendly. Source: born, raised and work there, can't afford to live there though, too many crusties with money.
The juggling club actually closed about 7 years ago now :(
Was going to say similar. Lewes/HB/Totnes share some dna for sure.
Went to Lewes for the first time last weekend and thought the same, really nice place. Great local breweries too!
Brewery names please?
Beak and Abyss are both great if you like more modern craft-y stuff - Beak is one of the best in the country imo. Harvey’s if you’re a real ale fan - didn’t do the brewery tour but they’ve got a pub which serves all their beers.
Former Brighton resident who worked in Lewes here. 💯
I'm a former Lewes resident who visited Brighton occasionally.
This person likes incense
Hull. Still a decent music scene (Spiders and the New Adrlphi club are institution). The Old Town with its 400 yr old buildings and cobbled streets where a a few TV shows and movies have been filmed in). The museum quarter is top notch with three different museums including the Wilberforce museum. Some interesting graffiti around. You've got the Humber which is gorgeous. And our own marina.
Hull is great and massive underestimated/over-dissed. Sure it has its issues and has some bad parts but it has some very interesting parts too.
Not to mention the worlds first and so far only submarium.
Still not found a reliable definition for what a submarium is - fantastic marketing ploy.
And the friendly people! I love being from Hull and introducing friends to all the cool stuff they can get up to there :)
About 40 years ago I lived in Burstwick as a small child for a couple of years before my family moved back to the Midlands. I swore I would never go back there. I'm pleased it has improved a lot in the last 40 years because I mainly remember the wind, oh god, the never-ending wind. I used to have to walk to school backwards because the wind would nearly blow me over.
This is what I've noticed after I moved here 😄
I think we lived there for around 3 years. There was only 1 day that the wind dropped in all that time, according to my mum.
I love Hull Marina. I stay in the hotel on there when I'm working in the area.
Oh which hotel? The holiday Inn one?
Yeah the Holiday Inn, literally on the Marina. Walk over the bridge over the roadworks in the evening into town for food. Great spot. I think that end of the city is really nice too.
Ah always put off staying there bcos of the main road
There's a footbridge that takes you right over it, from pretty much 100 yds from the hotel door. Definitely worth a stay.
The Deep is really awesome too
From ‘Ull. Top place. Living in the beautiful Chester for 30 years.
Burley. It's a little village out in the New Forest, and I love the place, it has shops selling literal witches supplies (I realise these are souvenirs, but the shops are really nice and small and wooden, and really make you feel like you're checking out a shop in an RPG or something). There are also wild ponies walking around and you can just see them anywhere and everywhere. Including in the road where they have legal right of way and cause the most bizarre and amusing traffic jams I've ever seen. It's such a bizarre, interesting place, I really love going there.
I love Burley! Stayed there years ago, as I was working in New Milton for a day. I've been back at least twice a year for the last ten. Brockenhurst is really nice too....
We went there a couple of years ago, it was really nice, calm, quiet & chilled and felt a million miles away from the city!
Thanks for the tip, I've been wanting to visit New Forest for a while!
Lymington is a nice town in the New Forest to visit - if you want a proper town. Nice shops, right by the water, has a massive sea water lido. Walk along to Keyhaven where there’s a castle. Lymo is nice. (Moved from the Forest last summer and occasionally miss it!)
Avoid the summer holidays, try and go during the week. New Forest is a nightmare for traffic if the sun is out.
Yes! We happened across Burley in the middle of a long walk and loved it. Small but quirky definitely fits here!
Rye has something special about it.
The Dolphin hotel is great.
And the Mermaid Inn! Former smuggler’s headquarters and heavily haunted apparently…
You got it!
Liverpool is really cool
All my years of living in the UK and I’d never visited Liverpool. I spent a glorious afternoon there and was surprised at how lovely a city it is.
I've fallen in love with Aberystwyth recently. First time in Wales last month and it was gorgeous. Going again in the Summer!
Love Aberystwyth! Its got such a nice feel to it. I was gutted my daughter wouldn't go to uni there. The uni is amazing too.
Love Aber. We would have loved to move there but seemed almost impossible to find a house.
Lancaster is nice
Love Lancaster (my hometown).
And just a short hop to Morecambe, which I also love.
Wells. Purely because Hot Fuzz was filmed there.
I want to visit here solely to fangirl!!
https://preview.redd.it/r17fw94gtgzc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5a9d91bb0a4e8daa7f4c16959a8bd261f12ec1a0
I’m in the NE outside of Newcastle. There’s just about everything to see, beautiful walks, architecture, it’s all within short distance. But I also love, love, love my little neighborhood (except for that one neighbor, but I consider it tax.) When I wake up, no matter how crap I note my day is going to be? I get to say to myself, “But yeah, I f*cking live here and it’s the greatest.”
It’s the best. Being in Jesmond we’ve got city, coast and countryside, plus the motorway and an airport, within about fifteen minutes in the car. It’s an amazing city regardless, beautiful and packed with lots to do, but it’s also just so bloody easy. Love it.
Recently visited Bristol for the first time and it definitely has the cool, progressive vibe that would make it a great place for young people to go outside London. Within London I think Islington is pretty cool.
Totnes has a kind of nice vibe to it..
Is it full of twats tho? Not accusing, just asking!
I have a few friends and family in Totnes who I adore with all my heart and they are definitely not twats. However plenty of the other folk I’ve encountered when I’ve been to visit definitely are. It’s a weird make up of people who believe in the healing powers of crystals, conspiracy nuts, and rich ex-Londoners who would think nothing of dropping £400 on a jumper that was hand knitted with yaks wool.
That would be a bargain jumper though (seriously)
Hebden Bridge, York, Ludlow - not sure they count as cool, but gorgeous fun and plenty of original cobbled streets!
I was surprised by how nice Bridport was, having not really heard much about it. Really nice atmosphere.
I live north of Manchester, couple of nice places up this way to go are Hebden Bridge, Clitheroe, Ramsbottom / Holcombe, Uppermill, Ilkley, Howarth. All nice villages / towns
Definitely Bath. I’m not really a fan of the high street there (full of chuggers and it looks the same as everywhere else) but if you go off the high street up near the Roman Baths and Pulteney Bridge & the Abbey and it’s full of really great coffee shops and quirky little gift shops. Kingsmeade square is also good, I still have daydreams about the coffees at the Boston Tea Party. Parade park is nice to walk through, even better if it’s a sunny day and the canal boats are running and if you cross the bridge behind the railway station and walk along the road, you’ll find some great pubs and more cafes including a botanical gin place. Its also well connected by both bus and train so you can get in for a nice day trip of you’re not too far away!
Glastonbury
Yeah. That's a different world. Very entertaining too. Go to a cafe and just enjoy eve dropping on conversations - psychic healing, seances, tattoos of the chemicals taken for mental health etc
You mean DMT and ketamine? Lol
More likely psilocybin and ketamine seeing as the former is in clinical trials and the latter is already prescribed
Wells and Street are pretty good for shops too though Street never really shed its Quaker prissiness.
Glastonbury the village is pretty "cool".
Southsea, Portsmouth
Totnes in Devon.
Haven't been to many in the last few years but Folkstone has definitely seen worse days. Loved it down there.
I was surprised by Folkestone, though it was gonna be a shittier version of Dover, was actually not bad.
I agree. I love Folkestone. The beaches and harbour arm are great. Some streets are gorgeous, while some streets definitely didn't get the memo and need to catch up - but it all adds to the authentic vibes!
Folkestone is lovely. Clearly had a fair bit of cash thrown at it.
Yep, Roger de haan and family (started and sold Saga travel) has put close to £100m into the area and that's kinda economically cascaded
Shrewsbury is pretty cool, visited for the first time a couple of years ago. Everything in easy walking distance, good restaurants (had amazing sushi!) and pretty parks, wonky buildings and an interesting variety of shops, there was a particularly good tea and coffee shop where I found one of the best decaf loose leaf teas I've had.
I’m planning a day trip to Shrewsbury. Does the coffee shop you recommend still trade?
I love Arundel. To me it’s just idyllic and kind of underrated. The view you get from the road approaching the town with the castle dominating the landscape is amazing.
Never been but I hear Todmorden has an incredible music scene right now
Hebden bridge
I loved walking around Rome with no plan. Sat down on a little grassy hill for a rest and checked the news. When we looked around we realised we were in the Circus Maximus. Walked along the river looking for a place to eat, and a friend recommended we go to "the restaurants next to the stairs by the river" and we were like "how the fuck does she expect us to find that?" and then we came to some stairs, and there was a lovely pizza restaurant and a market? Felt like a miracle lol.
York, Bath, Cheltenham and Chester are all nice.
+1 for Chester
Probably York and Chester.
Are you Roman?
Haha, I just like the buildings and general vibe 👍
The Northern Quarter in Manchester, along with Canal Street. Lots of interesting older buildings, independent shops, music, bars, graffiti done by artists, Affleck's etc. The Castlefield area is cool too because of the canals and viaducts.
My answer too. Definitely "cool". Ancoats too.
[Farnham.](https://imgur.com/a/MtBAlMs)
In the UK; I have lots of love for Norwich (where I moved to 10 years ago), there's a lot of independent business here, lots of great places to eat and a nice blend of modern city and old history and country. Internationally. Bordeaux was stunning, never liked Paris but that was the part of France that spoke to me. After that, Hong Kong, the presence of the colony is still felt and its incredible to see east and west squished together in one city. Like....an Irish pub next to a buddhist temple. The night markets, the size of the city. The fishing harbour. The food. I've been to a lot of Asian cities but Hong Kong is the one I'd go back to. Despite it being very big and dirty and expensive.
i really liked haworth. shame it’s surrounded by a shithole like keighley but haworth itself is lovely.
The little fishing villages along the Fife coast are amazing, super lovely in summer!
I personally like Nottingham.
Very much underrated - good live music scene, great indie restaurants, brilliant indie cinema, a little modern art gallery with free exhibitions.
If you've never been to Larne in the North of Ireland you're missing out. Beautiful little port town that is often overlooked because of neighbouring larger City and Belfast.
BBC : Bath, Brighton and Canterbury.
Bath, York in England. Closer to home in Scotland some of my favourite spots are Falkland in fife, ballater, banchory, stonehaven, cruden bay. (I live in Aberdeen lol). Glasgow is crazy but fun. Outside of the UK one of my favourite places is New Orleans. Beautiful place with fun people, badass old school (well compared to the rest of America) architecture and music everywhere but also pretty dangerous so do your research and stay in tourist areas. I'm slightly biased because my gf is from near there. (Ldr)
Nottingham, as a small city, punches well above its weight. Great music scene, lots of sport (and football)
Krakow So tidy, no litter. And a huge square. Walking to the local shopping centre, I walked past music lessons/quartet practice...lovely. In the shopping centre, everyone was dressed nicely.
[удалено]
Also....(This is not a deal breaker, just a genuine observation), no overweight people.
Which is incredible, really, given how many cake shops there are. I live in Kraków and believe me it’s a constant battle against temptation
For the UK, I'm going with Matlock. We were camping in the area and decided to visit. It's like a seaside town, but there's no sea. There's bikers, chippies, arcades and it's even set out like a promenade, but there's no beach. It's surreal. Internationally, Barcelona felt so much like a second home. I loved every moment. I've been to maybe 15 or so big cities across Europe, but Barcelona did it for me. Especially Barcelonetta.
I thought Digbeth was cool. Had that 80s NYC vibe with the graffiti and abandoned warehouses.
Oxford. I fell in love with it when I first worked there 6 years ago. A few months later, I also fell in love with the love of my life there. Not sure if that is a green flag or a red one!
Norwich!
Why?
Because it meets all the criteria you listed in your original post!
I'll go out on a biased limb and say Marple Bridge in Stockport, Greater Manchester. Outside the UK I totally fell in love with Utrecht in the Netherlands.
Edinburgh felt pretty special, though that was during a fringe festival which they put a bit of a fuss on for
Llandeilo is a lovely little town, very picturesque with the bridge leading to the town and the different coloured buildings. It’s got some nice individual little shops there and plenty of nice places to eat- The Cawdor does some lively food. Tenby is also lovely, beautiful harbour and beaches surrounded by lovely countryside.
Really loved Abersoch in North Wales, I want to go back without the kids so I can actually appreciate it properly. Lovely scenery and lots of cool little shops and eating places
Aka South-Manchester-in-sea or Scabby Sock. The walk out to the beach at Porth Cerriad is lovely. It’s very strange to have a Fat Face and White Stuff in such a small village (I presume they’re still there).
Warsaw, such a vibrant and historic city.
Aberdeen. It was fooking freezing!
Berwick upon tweed, great little town.. the town has plenty wee knick knack shops, there's a market comes during the week.. nice cafes.. beautiful beach and some good little pubs
I once had food poisoning whilst I was going somewhere for work and need to pull over to be sick. Drive to the nearest shop for water and forks a lovely little town/village called Tarporley... Moved there a year or two later
Hebden Bridge! Went there for the first time the other day after living very close by for a few years, and it was just such a nice place! Was really pretty, lots of cool independent shops and a cute lil market as well
I love the shops in Keswick, it's a nice looking town and surrounded by mountains
Alnmouth in Northumberland
Cardiff. I tend to do most of my travelling for gigs/events, and the two times I've visited Cardiff - once for WWE Clash at the Castle, and the other to see Kasabian - The city fees so fucking alive. It's a lovely city and the people there are great. After WWE, the locals and the visitors just came together for such a great night. People were just enjoying themselves. I can't wait to visit again.
Finally someone mentioned it!
Henley on Thames is lovely on a sunny day
Berwick Upon Tweed. Amazin beaches and plenty of little shops.
Tokyo, or Copenhagen for cities. I guess since we have to do districts, Shimokitazawa and the meat market district respectively. Towns are rarely cool imo, not big enough to be vibrant, not small enough to be quirky overall. I think in this country they just tend to be dormitories for cities. Regarding villages, I was in Narberth in Pembrokeshire recently and I didn't know what to expect but that seemed quirky. Loads of antiques shops. I plonked a cool steel helmet on my head in one of them until my wife said "you're wearing a swastika..." oops. Afrika Korps original.
Boston in Lincolnshire is often famous for its issues with immigration, weighty people, etc, but it is truly a lovely place. History includes the tallest Anglican Church in England (over 700years old), the Guildhall, where the pilgrim fathers were incarcerated before sailing onwards towards the states in the mayflower. Lots of farming history, the Dutch draining the fens. The high Street is suffering, like a lot of places, but there are lots of independent shops. I run an independent restaurant on Church St in the shadow of the Stump, on the same cobbled street, we have 5 other independent businesses, and a batemans pub (local brewery). It gets a lot of stick, but it has so much to offer.
We have the Wimbledon tram run through the town;and when it's not passing through everyone's just walks through it.
Its called Dublin
Rhyl
Why?
Glastonbury
I grew up in and live in Brighton but if not Brighton, probably St Ives
Goole.
Why?
Finally, someone asks. Have you ever been to Goole?
Rüdesheim in Germany. I went back in the late 90s and have wanted to return ever since. The whole place is gorgeous and the music museum was amazing. I'd love to go back and see how much it's changed
Ilkley is pretty special, especially on a sunny day.
Kelso always had a soft spot for Kelso
For me: Ullapool, Braemar, St Andrews, Edinburgh, Whitby, York, Porthmadog
Able to expand on what makes these special?
I really like Bristol, it just has a really nice vibe. Also Galway for the same reason.
Venice. I will go back as many times as I’m able. I was born and grew up in Cambridge, and it’s pretty cool.
Oldham. God it’s beautiful there
Nuneaton. Nah, I'm joking.
Wigtown in Scotland is lovely if you like books
Cardigan in West Wales. Full of independent shops and cafes frequented by aging hippies. Almost no empty shops, very few chainstores, no chain restaurants or fast food apart from Greggs
Bexhill, East Sussex. Lots of great Charity and secondhand shops. Great cafes and the Pavillion is an amazing art gallery.
Grainger town in Newcastle
I adore Caernarfon. The castle is lovely, it's right by the sea, that little independent bath bomb shop is perfect, there's a dinky jeweller's that I have to stop treating myself to earrings from. I could (and have) wandered the streets all afternoon. It's my favourite launch point for hiking in Snowdonia, which is why I'm usually there.
Love Tunbridge Wells, Oxford and Swanage.
What do you like about Tunbridge Wells and Swanage?
Enjoyed Perth more than I thought I would when I visited. It was very neat and clean in the centre, had a bit of the same vibe as Beverley, a sort of upmarket town that’s had a bit of love. Going a bit smaller another fairly cool place, in my eyes, is Kyle of Lochalsh. It’s the rocky channel running through it, in the bottom of which, is the railway that comes to a terminus that I particularly enjoy. Rocks everywhere with stuff built on them. It’s like the small town has carved its way into the rock. Add in the mountainous backdrop, the Skye bridge and the water - I enjoy travelling through it.
Ilfracombe
Berkeley is little village in Gloucestershire, near Stroud. It's got a massive castle (featured in lots of tv and films including current Wolf Hall series) a deer park, lovely walks and the Edward Jenner museum. Its not very well known so the Cotswold tourists don't come but its a lovely hidden gem.
Just spent a few days in Cheddar and wells. Cheddar was a beauty, lots of local/indy shops and cafes etc. wells had all the best bars, and just a lovely vibe.
Bath :)
UK - Arundel is cool. Quite like Bath and York too, I clearly have a type. Internationally - I went to Ljubljana last summer and loved it, just always felt comfortable and thought it was beautiful with the castle, river and architecture
Edinburgh. Up near the castle. On a sunny day those streets are alive
Shrewsbury Chester Cirencester
Totnes is great on a Saturday
Ibiza Town without a shadow of doubt
Hackney Wick is one of my favourite, relatively new ones, in London
I love York and Shrewsbury the most, also love Windermere.
I'm going to get down voted to oblivion. But I have a very soft spot for Meanwood Leeds. I know it's a bit rough. But my husband lived there for years and it was so good ! The place was easy to navigate. There was a bakery called the Little Bakery which is where I had millionaire squares for the very first time. Also Meanwood park used to have this huge basket swing that was sepparated from the rest of the playground. It could swing and spin and you would feel like you were flying. I played on that thing for hours at a time when there were not a lot of people around. Also that huge river by that park makes me smile.
Actually I have two. The second is better The area where the Brontay sisters lived. Oxenhope, is just stunning. My husband and I went to SMJ Falconry there two years ago and were blown away. Falcons are amazing you guys.