Northern England

London is one of those metropolises that defies summary: a millennia-old capital of the United Kingdom, it spreads along both banks of the Thames and changes character with every district. Its monumental heart turns around Westminster, where the Palace of Westminster and the Big Ben clock tower face the Gothic Westminster Abbey, setting for royal coronations. A little further on lies St James's Park and, at the end of the Mall, Buckingham Palace with its famous Changing of the Guard. Heading east you reach Christopher Wren's domed St Paul's Cathedral and, on the river, the medieval Tower of London guarding the Crown Jewels, flanked by the iconic Tower Bridge. On the opposite bank, the South Bank lines up the London Eye, the Tate Modern set in a former power station and Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. The great museums are free and astonishing: the British Museum with the Rosetta Stone and the Parthenon marbles, the National Gallery overlooking Trafalgar Square, the Natural History Museum and the Victoria and Albert in South Kensington. Shopping has its temples along Oxford Street and at Harrods and Liberty, while Covent Garden, Soho and Camden Market reveal a younger, more creative London. The West End lights up its musicals each evening and Notting Hill smells of vintage stalls along Portobello Road. The food is an atlas of the whole world, from the curries of Brick Lane to pubs serving fish and chips and a pint of ale, not forgetting the ritual of afternoon tea. Getting around is easy thanks to the Underground and the red double-decker buses. Within easy reach await unforgettable excursions: the royal gardens of Kew, Windsor Castle, Greenwich with its zero meridian. London is a city forever reinventing itself, suspended between royal tradition and contemporary energy.

Chester guards a Roman and medieval heritage of rare completeness, a city founded as a fortress by the legions of Rome on the banks of the River Dee. Its city walls, the most complete in England, can be walked in full, offering views over the town and the remains of the Roman amphitheatre, the largest in the country. In the centre appear the Rows, distinctive two-tiered shopping galleries with elevated walkways among the timber-framed houses, unique in the world, making shopping a picturesque experience. Chester Cathedral, with its splendid cloister, and the Eastgate Clock tower, among England's most photographed, complete the picture. Along the River Dee you can hire boats or stroll in the parks, while the famous Chester Zoo, one of the country's largest, delights families. Its position makes it an ideal base for exploring North Wales and the Cheshire region. Chester is an elegant, compact city where every age has left its mark.

Liverpool owes its fame to the sea and to music, a port city of north-west England that changed the sound of the twentieth century forever. Along the Mersey waterfront stands the famous Pier Head with the Three Graces, Edwardian buildings topped by the Liver Birds, the city's emblem. The Albert Dock, rescued from decay, now houses museums and restaurants including Tate Liverpool and the Merseyside Maritime Museum recalling the age of ocean liners and emigrants. But Liverpool is above all the home of the Beatles: the Cavern Club, Mathew Street and The Beatles Story museum draw fans from across the globe, while dedicated tours visit the Fab Four's childhood homes. The city boasts two imposing cathedrals, the Anglican and the futuristic Catholic one, linked by Hope Street. Football passion divides the city between Liverpool and Everton, lived with intensity. Lively pubs, a growing dining scene and the proverbially witty locals, the Scousers, complete the picture. A short way off await the beaches of the Wirral and the figures of Crosby Beach. Liverpool is a city that sings, proud of its roots and reaching for the future.

Manchester proudly claims the role of capital of the English north, a city that in the Industrial Revolution forged the modern world and today is a laboratory of music, football and culture. Its red-brick warehouses and Victorian canals have been turned into lofts, galleries and venues, especially in the lively Northern Quarter, home of the independent scene, and in Castlefield. The city gave birth to legendary bands and keeps a powerful musical soul. Football is a religion: Manchester United play at Old Trafford and Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium, with the National Football Museum celebrating the game's history. Among the attractions stand out the neo-Gothic John Rylands Library, the Science and Industry Museum and the imposing Victorian Town Hall. Nightlife, markets and a multicultural food scene round out the offer. A short way off await the Peak District, Britain's first national park, and the villages of the Cheshire countryside. Manchester is a frank, energetic and creative city, always a step ahead.

York packs two thousand years of history within its medieval walls, the best preserved in England. Founded by the Romans as Eboracum and later the Viking capital of Jorvik, the city is dominated by the Gothic mass of York Minster, one of northern Europe's largest cathedrals, with vast medieval stained glass and a tower commanding the whole city. In its shadow winds The Shambles, a lane of timber-framed houses so overhanging they almost touch, now among the country's most photographed streets. Walking the ramparts offers glimpses of rooftops and fortified gates, the bars. The Viking past comes alive at the Jorvik Viking Centre, while the National Railway Museum celebrates Britain's railway epic with legendary locomotives. Among tearooms, historic pubs and chocolate shops — York has a long confectionery tradition — the city invites unhurried strolling. The banks of the River Ouse offer cruises and parks, and nearby stretch the moorlands of the North York Moors and the spa towns of Yorkshire. York is an open-air time machine, where every stone tells of a different civilisation.