Having fairly recently moved back to the UK after more than a year abroad, I have found, in some ways, a renewed appreciation for my home country. Over the last few weeks, I've visited a few British cities including a couple I hadn't been to before, so, here is a round-up of my favourite cities in Britain.

Sheffield

A view of Sheffield

The City of Steel is one of my all-time favourite cities. I lived there for four years while at Uni, so I got to know it pretty well. I think a common perception of Sheffield is that it is still stuck in its highly industrial past and isn't somewhere a lot of people might think of visiting, which is a shame. In recent years, the city has been going through big regeneration and, while it is still a little rough around the edges as most large cities are, it is now a lovely place to live or visit.

A view over the Peak District

One of my favourite things about the city is its green-ness and its proximity to the Peak District. As a keen runner, I loved spending summer (and even winter) evenings pounding the trails just a couple of miles outside the city centre, the beautiful Rivelin Valley being a particular favourite. Even the city itself has no shortage of outdoor space and Endcliffe Park, Weston Park and Crookes Valley Park are all excellent places to spend a sunny afternoon or two.

Sheffield also boasts an excellent entertainment scene, especially for music fans, and is home to bands including the Arctic Monkeys, Pulp and The Human League. One of my personal favourite clubs, the Leadmill, hosts a lot of live music nights and at least when I went there, used to play a lot of good indie music. The Nottingham House pub is worth a visit too for its pies and pub quiz! The city also has a strong sporting history and is home to two professional football teams, the Sheffield Steelers ice hockey team, as well as a few famous Olympians.

 

Edinburgh

I may have only recently visited Edinburgh for the first time but it has quickly found a place among my favourite cities. Some of the best bits include the cobbled streets of the Old Town, the walk up to Arthur's Seat and the hugely varied nightlife, but check out my full article about it here.

Cambridge

A sunny day by the river in Cambridge

As my home town, I felt it really should occupy a top spot in this list. The city is home to one of the oldest and best Universities in the world and is a very popular tourist destination for visitors to the UK. While pretty all year round, I'd say Cambridge is at its best (although definitely most busy) in the summer when an afternoon of punting or a stroll to Grantchester are both top activities. Punting especially is very popular and you can either hire your own or have a punt chauffeur to do it for you whilst they talk you through a bit of Cambridge history... Just don't necessarily believe all of their (occasionally made-up) stories!

Definitely don't forget to take a camera for a visit to Cambridge. Some of the most popular sights include Kings College Chapel, The Backs and the Corpus 'Grasshopper' Clock outside the Corpus Christi library, which features flashing lights instead of hands and is interesting to see, if you can get close enough!

As an old city, Cambridge has some excellent old drinking establishments. A couple of the famous ones include The Eagle, where Watson and Crick are said to have first drawn the structure of DNA, and The Pickerel, which claims to be among Cambridge's oldest, dating back to the 1500s. If you can, try to catch a show at the Footlights, the University's amateur theatre group at the ADC Theatre. Although it sells out way in advance, their Christmas pantomine is very good and they regularly put on comedy nights during term time. The Footlights is known for producing some excellent talent, and notable alumni include Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, David Mitchell, Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins, several members of Monty Python, and The Inbetweeners' Simon Bird, among many, many more! Check out this Wikipedia list here.

Bath

Pulteney Bridge at night time

Although I have visited Bath quite a few times, a recent weekend spent there is the reason I have included it among my favourites. Although mainly famous for the Roman Baths, many of the city's well-known areas were built in the Georgian era and a lot of the city today is defined by this sort of architecture. A small city, Bath is easy to wander around and some of the best sightseeing includes Bath Abbey, the Royal Crescent and Pulteney Bridge, which is one of only very few to have shops on both sides. Although you can't see it from the bridge, the weir below it is definitely worthy of a photo, especially at night when the surrounding area is all lit up.

There is also no shortage of shops, pubs and restaurants in the city centre, with fairly recently revamped shopping streets near to the train station which unless you look closely, you would struggle to tell apart from the old Georgian buildings. One downside to Bath however, is that it is pretty eye-wateringly expensive. Drinks and dinner, for example, are not cheap, with a pint of something setting you back at least £4-5. A quick glance in an estate agent's window (there are lots of them!) at the many city centre properties over £1 million will show you that Bath is a very desirable place indeed!