Officially Kingston upon Hull, but nobody calls it that. Hull sits where the River Hull meets the Humber estuary on England's east coast, and for centuries it has been one of the country's major ports. Ferries from Rotterdam and Zeebrugge dock here, and many travellers step off the boat and head straight for York or the Yorkshire Dales. That is a shame — Hull has more to offer than its reputation suggests.
The Old Town is the heart of it: 800 years of narrow cobbled lanes, old waterside inns, and Hull Minster, one of the largest parish churches in England. The free museums are genuinely good — the Ferens Art Gallery, the Streetlife Museum of Transport, and the Hull and East Riding Museum are all worth a visit. William Wilberforce was born here, and his former home on High Street is now a museum dedicated to the abolition of the slave trade.
The historic dockland area around the Marina has been revived with restaurants and bars, and The Deep — a striking aquarium built into the point where the rivers meet — is the city's most recognisable modern landmark. Hull was the UK City of Culture in 2017, and the investment from that era is still visible in the public spaces and cultural venues across the centre.