We’ve put together a guide to each city and what they can offer you and your family, and some tips on how to get the most out of your stay.
London
Population: 8.174 million
Main attractions: British Museum, London Eye, Tate Modern, Buckingham Palace, Natural History Museum, Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, Houses of Parliament, St Paul’s Cathedral.
For something a little different: Covent Garden, Harry Potter Tours, London Dungeons, Kew Gardens, Madame Tussauds.
Food and drink: Gastro pubs, afternoon tea, sports pubs and bars, celebrity restaurants.
Interesting fact: London hosted the Olympics in 1908, 1948, and again in 2012. It's the first city to host three Olympic Games.
Tip from the locals: Rail fares to London vary enormously from very cheap to extremely expensive – so it’s a good idea to book advance tickets for a particular train time, don't travel into the city on Friday afternoons and Sundays, and avoid buying tickets on the day of travel.
Cardiff
Population: 324,800
Main attractions: Cardiff Castle, St Fagan’s National History Museum, Llancaiach Fawr Manor, Wales Millennium Centre, The Millennium Stadium.
For something a little different: The Doctor Who Experience, Cardiff Bay Water Activity Centre, The Norwegian Church.
Interesting fact: Children’s author Roald Dahl was born in Cardiff in 1916, and the Norwegian Church where he was christened is now used as an arts center and café.
Tip from the locals: A visit to Cardiff is best scheduled in the summer, as the city hosts large festivals and sporting events, with al fresco dining and drinking on the rise as the city center is so pedestrian-dominated.
EdinburghPopulation: 495,360
Main attractions: Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh Zoo, Museum of Scotland, Scotch Whisky Experience, Museum of Childhood, Our Dynamic Earth Museum, Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
For something a little different: Camera Obscura Optical Illusions Museum, 3D Loch Ness Experience, City of the Dead Tours, Edinburgh Old Town Weaving Co museum and shop.
Interesting fact: Edinburgh is the first city in the world to be named a UNESCO City of Literature, and was the birthplace to many famous writers including Arthur Conan Doyle, Irvine Welsh and Robert Burns.
Tip from the locals: Most of the iconic and famous sites are in the Old Town along the Royal Mile. The other half of the city is referred to as the New Town which is regarded as the commercial heart of the city.
Belfast
Population: 280,962
Main attractions: Titanic Belfast Experience, Ulster Museum, Castle Ward National Trust House, Belfast Castle Estate, Cave Hill Visitor Centre, Belfast Zoological Gardens, The Giant’s Causeway.
For something a little different: W5 Science and Discovery Centre, T13 Urban Sports Academy, St George’s Market, Value Cabs Taxi Tours.
Interesting fact: The name Belfast originates from the Gaelic ‘Beal Feirste’, which means ‘mouth of the river’.
Tip from the locals: Belfast city center is focused on Donegall Square and Belfast City Hall in its center and the center of the city is small enough to be explored by foot, which can be useful due to infrequent buses.
Which one stands out for you? I think it would have to be London for us, there is so much for Abbie and the sights never get old, I was brought up in and around the city so it's close to me heart and I pretty much know the whole area like the back of my hand too :)
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