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UK: Great British Cities

Looking for an interesting day trip or a longer city break? Here are three of our favourite British cities – each packed with historic sights. Whether you choose to go medieval in Norwich, caper around the castle in Edinburgh or have a ferry good time in maritime Liverpool, it’s easy to explore the surrounding attractions by renting a vehicle. National offers a whole range of great value deals on car hire. UK rental offices are conveniently located in all major city centres.

Norwich: The Norman city
Back in the eighteenth century, the ancient city of Norwich was the second richest in England, but its prosperity faltered when the Industrial Revolution passed it by. As a result, present-day visitors have a compact and unspoilt centre to explore.

Top Sights: The chunky Norman cathedral with its octagonal spire is Norwich’s most conspicuous landmark. Step inside and the light interior comes as a pleasant surprise, but it’s the thirteenth century cloisters which make this great church unique – they’re the only two-storey cloisters left standing in England. Norwich also has a twelfth century castle, home to a notable museum and gallery (www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk). For inspirational modern art, head out to the Sainsbury Centre (www.scva.org.uk) on the UEA campus

Top Sleeps: You can’t get much more central than the Maids Head Hotel (www.foliohotels.com/maidshead), which has had a four-star makeover. The building dates back to the 13th century and the owners believe Elizabeth I might have slept here.

Top Trips: Norwich lies on the doorstep of the Norfolk Broads, and the refreshingly traditional coastal resorts of Great Yarmouth and Cromer are also within easy reach by car.

Car Hire: Norwich has a branch of National which is open six days a week, and also offers van hire. UK-based customers can book in advance through www.nationalcar.co.uk.

Edinburgh:
Fiercely proud of its heritage, Edinburgh has a supremely dignified atmosphere. In early winter, it’s a bracing place to visit, and pleasantly uncrowded. Over Hogmanay and during the summer months, it’s transformed, and when the Festival hits town in August, this grand old lady really lets her hair down.

Top Sights: You can’t miss the Edinburgh Castle – its various incarnations have dominated the city skyline for well over a thousand years. Rather than just admiring it from afar, pay a visit, picking up an audio guide for the inside story on its chequered history. Edinburgh’s many cultural institutions rank with Europe’s best – it’s well worth making time for the city’s five National Galleries (www.nationalgalleries.org) and the landmark National Museum of Scotland in the Old Town (www.nms.ac.uk). To bring yourself back to earth, linger over a glass of Scotch in a traditional pub.

Top Sleeps: Spa lovers will adore the Sheraton Grand (www.sheratonedinburgh.co.uk); not only are the rooms very comfortable, there’s also a state-of-the-art wellness centre, One Spa, to enjoy.

Top Trips: Extend your appreciation for Georgian architecture by driving over to Hopetoun House (www.hopetounhouse.com), a splendid stately home 13 miles west of the city. There’s some wild walking country within reach, too, such as at Gullane, a 20-mile drive out of town.

Car Hire: In Edinburgh, car hire at reasonable rates is available through National. The East London Street and Sighthill offices, which are open six days a week, also offer van hire. UK-based customers can book in advance through www.nationalcar.co.uk.

Liverpool: All together now
The venerable maritime city of Liverpool reinvented itself in the run-up to 2008, its year as European Capital of Culture. It’s now firmly established as a vibrant creative centre, but for many visitors, the legacy of The Beatles will always be its greatest draw.

Top Sights: The rejuvenated warehouse buildings of Albert Dock (www.albertdock.com), Liverpool’s World-Heritage-listed waterfront, are simply stuffed with worthwhile museums and galleries, from Tate Liverpool (www.tate.org.uk/liverpool) to The Bug World Experience (www.bugworldexperience.co.uk), the UK’s first hands-on zoo and education centre focusing on insects. Beatles fans, meanwhile, swarm to The Beatles Story (www.beatlesstory.com), which includes a reconstruction of the long-gone Cavern Club.

Top Sleeps: Indulge your John-and-Yoko fantasies in the Lennon Suite at the Hard Day’s Night Hotel (www.harddaysnighthotel.com), a luxury penthouse which comes complete with a white grand piano and chilled Champagne. Just imagine.

Top Trips: From comedy festivals to golf tournaments, there’s always something going on in the upbeat coastal resort of Southport, a 20-mile drive north of central Liverpool. Animal lovers will enjoy the Safari Park at Knowsley (www.knowsley.com), just nine miles west of the city.

Car Hire: In Liverpool, car hire at reasonable rates is available through National. The Knotty Ash office, which is open six days a week, also offers van hire. UK-based customers can book in advance through www.nationalcar.co.uk.