Experience the Cultural Cities of Northern England – Hull – Leeds – Manchester – Liverpool

With so much to explore, the North of England is the perfect place for a city break; with four vibrant cities to choose from: Hull, Leeds, Manchester and Liverpool; easily accessible by ferry, plane or train. With so many cultural festivals and event,  galleries, exhibitions, music and dance festivals to indulge in, there is so much to be enjoyed in the North of England.

Let ASA show you the delightful cultural attractions on offer in the North of England, and put together a magical programme for your clients; including these highlights

Access:

Getting to the North of England is easy and accessible; for our European visitors we recommend taking a sea crossing by ferry into Hull – which has daily services operated by P&O Ferry; offering extensive onboard shopping and entertainment plus the option of fine dining. Alternatively visitors may fly into Manchester or Liverpool; both airports are extremely well serviced by a large variety of international airlines.

Internal Travel:

With so many galleries, exhibitions, music and dance festivals to indulge in, there is much to be enjoyed. A great way to travel between each of these cities is to avail of a new rail ticket, known as the  “North of England Rover” operated by the Transpennine Express – retailing at £79. This pass offers fantastic value and flexibility to visitors and is valid for 4 full days travel over an 8-day period allowing travel to each city to explore its cultural offer before heading back to Hull for a departing ferry; or indeed Manchester or Liverpool for an international flight.

Bolt-Ons:

With London only 2 hours from Manchester by train; there are a multitude of ways in which the Cultural Cities of the North can also be easily incorporated with any of our popular London itineraries

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Whats On: 

With so much culture in each of these cities; here are some of the many reasons we just LOVE each of these 4 great Cultural Cities of the North; all brimming with cultural delights to suit any taste

Hull: 

  • The cobbled streets of the city’s Old Town transports visitors back to days gone by when Hull was trading with the medieval Hanseatic League.
  • Visit the free Museums Quarter where you can track Hull’s course through the history books.
  • Hull is home to the spectacular aquarium – The Deep–  where a whopping 3,500 fish including a pair of Green Sawfish, sharks, rays and a colony of Gentoo penguins can be found
  • Stroll along the Marina to the retro Fruit Market, home to an abundance of new creative and cultural venues including the world’s only Museum of Club Culture alongside art galleries and eateries.

Leeds:

  • The Henry Moore Institute founded by Leeds College of Art graduate and acclaimed sculptor Henry Moore, is a must-see in Leeds, with an exciting array of exhibitions, changing year round; such as Ghisa Koenig’s thirty-year study of industrial labour and factory workers in Machines Restrict Their Movement (25 May – 13 August) and an exhibition of more than 50 works by innovative Japanese sculptor JirōTakamatsu in The Temperature of Sculpture (13 July – 22 October)
  • Next door is the Craft Centre and Design Gallery beneath Leeds Art Gallery: here you’ll find work by over 300 UK designer makers on display, including glass, ceramics, jewellery, textiles and prints – best of all, everything on display is for sale.
  • Leeds’ award-winning Kirkgate Market is where you’ll find food, drink, fashion, haberdashery, flowers and hardware at one of the largest indoor markets in Europe.
  • Drop by the Grade I listed Leeds Corn Exchange where you’ll find a wide roster of independent retailers beneath the stunning domed roof.
  • For evening entertainment, consider the West Yorkshire Playhouse for the live music, comedy and variety performances that take place
  • Leeds’ Belgrave Music Hall and Canteen, a former recreation hall and nursery school that’s been transformed into a 200 capacity event is another great venue with spectacular live entertainment.

Liverpool:

  • Take in The Terracotta Warriors at World Museum; an exhibition showcasing objects from one of the world’s greatest archaeological discoveries, spanning almost 1,000 years of Chinese history; from the conflicts and chaos of the Warring States period, to the achievements and legacy of the Qin and Han dynasties.
  • Explore the World Museum even further –  if you’re excited at the Terracotta Warrior findings, then you’ll also be captivated by the Ancient Egypt exhibition that features real mummies and human remains.
  • Spend time exploring William Brown Street; which offers a number of cultural delights all on one street.
  • Visit the neighbouring Walker Art Gallery to admire some of the finest examples of paintings, sculpture and decorative arts from artists such as Rubens, Rembrandt, Poussin and Gainsborough.
  • Discover some of the world’s finest examples of neo-classical architecture at St George’s Hall 
  • Peruse the Tate Liverpool at the Albert Dock which has a number of special exhibitions taking place throughout the year.
  • Enjoy the sounds of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra 

Manchester

  • Spend time in Manchester’s medieval quarter, the heart of which is the 600 year-old Manchester Cathedral which hosts a range of events from live gigs to vintage clothing fairs.
  • Take a tram out to MediaCityUK, where the old working docks have been replaced with shining cultural beacons The Lowry – home to contemporary art exhibitions, dance and theatre
  • Visit the Imperial War Museum North which charts the global history of conflict
  • Theatre-lovers will enjoy a range of stunning performances at the Royal Exchange Theatre
  • HOME is a wonderful free arts complex with ambitious cross-arts programming across its two theatres, five cinema screens and 500 square metres of gallery space.
  • Bramall Hall is a magical Tudor manor house is set in more than 50 acres of parkland with lakes, woods and gardens. The house contains 16th cent. wall paintings, fine Elizabethan plaster ceilings, Victorian kitchens and servants’ quarters

Download and keep our information sheet, which highlights just some of the many attractions listed above

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For more information on any of the above, please do not hesitate to get in touch with of our team today.