‘Done’ ロンドンとエディンバラ? おすすめのイギリスの都市をご紹介

イギリスを訪れるバックパッカーの多くは、次の2つの都市を訪れます: ロンドンとエディンバラ。あなたもぜひ訪れてみてはいかがでしょうか？文化やナイトライフを満喫したり、格安ホステルが立地する素晴らしい場所です。しかし、スマートなバックパッカーは首都を旅する以外にも、旅の醍醐味の一つとして、地方都市を訪れます。一見見逃されがちな地方都市には、都会の賑やかさと独特な雰囲気、コンパクトで歩きやすい中心部が見所です。イギリスを知り尽くす旅の準備はできましたか? さあ、旅に出かけましょう…

マンチェスター

地方: 北西部

人口: 2.5m

マンチェスターを訪れずに、イギリスのポップカルチャーを理解することはできないと言われています。The former industrial powerhouse has produced seminal bands – The Smiths、Joy Division、The Stone Roses、Oasisを生み出した – and now has a thriving creative and media economy. The lively city centre’s shopping is superb, and the regenerated Northern Quarter is packed with cool craft beer and cocktail bars. Several universities give Manchester a huge student population, so it’s a great place for young backpackers looking to run into some like-minded locals.

ブリストル

地方: 南西部

人口: 500,000

Bristol is another music powerhouse, celebrated for its fusion of punk, dub and hip-hop (checkpoints are Massive Attack and Portishead). It’s a multicultural place where curried goat is as common as hipster burgers, and street art as common as chic coffee shops. Hang out in the Old City and Harbourside for some great pubs and restaurants, or head to Clifton Village for a quieter vibe with a zoo, an observatory and loads of independent shops. And if you want a countryside fix, the beautiful Cotswolds are just up the M4.

グラスゴー

地方: 中央スコットランド

人口: 600,000

Glasgow can be a little rougher round the edges than stately Edinburgh, but it arguably outstrips it in terms of culture. The city’s legendary art school has made it a hotbed of visual arts and cutting-edge music. For contemporary work head to the Gallery of Modern Art or the independent Transmission Gallery, and for live music try to squeeze into King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, a small venue with a big reputation – chances are you’ll catch a band that will be on everyone’s lips by this time next year.

ブライトン

地方: 南東部

人口: 155,000

ロンドンのちょうど南に位置するブライトンは、鉄道の便が良く、with great rail links – so little wonder that city-dwellers have been using it as a coastal getaway for generations. These days rising prices in the capital have encouraged Londoners to relocate here for good, and the result is a small city that packs a big cultural mix. Book into a hostel here and you’ll discover a unique blend of traditional British seaside culture – think naughty postcards, amusement arcades and donkey rides – and trendy bars and restaurants. Brighton’s also famous for independent shops, many of which are concentrated around ‘The Lanes’, a warren of narrow streets close to the seafront.