The North of England

Highlights & Suggested Itineraries

England's North Country has something for everyone. Manchester, the country's "second city," is a center of arts, media and sports, and Liverpool, too, is a world-renown cultural center and, famously, the birthplace of The Beatles

The Lake District's Windermere, home to the largest lake in England, is the busiest and most commercial of the lakes. The streets are thronged with ice-cream sellers, souvenir stalls, chintzy tearooms and fish-and-chips shops, but the lake itself remains undeniably beautiful.

Suggested Itineraries: North of England

It may be best known as the birthplace of the four mop-tops, but Liverpool has a lot more to offer in the way of arts and culture than just The Beatles. In 2008, the city will hold the title of European Capital of Culture. As part of this honor, a host of cultural events are being held, peaking in 2008.

The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra is topnotch and a large number of theaters are proof of the city's strong performing-arts history. Visual arts are also found in abundance here, including major works housed at the Walker Art Gallery, Sudley House and Tate Liverpool Gallery.