Norwich

Norwich is one of England's most underrated cities — a beautiful medieval city with more medieval churches than any city in northern Europe, a Norman cathedral with the second-tallest spire in England, a castle on a mound in the centre, and a maze of cobbled lanes filled with independent shops, cafés, and pubs. It was England's second city in the Middle Ages, and the architectural legacy is extraordinary. The Norwich Lanes are the shopping highlight — a network of narrow medieval streets between the market and the castle packed with independent boutiques, record shops, vintage stores, and cafés. Norwich Market, one of the largest open-air markets in England, has been trading since Norman times and has an excellent range of food stalls. The Mustard Shop on the Royal Arcade celebrates Colman's, which was founded here. The cultural scene punches well above its weight — the Norwich Arts Centre, Cinema City (a gorgeous arthouse cinema in a medieval building), and the Sainsbury Centre at the University of East Anglia (a Norman Foster building with a world-class art collection, free entry). The city has a confident, creative energy that surprises people who've never been. Come for a weekend and you'll wonder why you never came before.