Are you planning your trip to England? Have you decided where you want to go? Here, three of the major cities are recommended for you, with one being in the south, one in the middle and one in the northern part. While taking in the sights, try and take in the differences between the areas’ accents and dialects; you´ll be surprised at just how different they are.

London

Top of the list for the best cities to visit in England is the cosmopolitan city of London. Rich in culture and packed with entertainment, there’s something to suit everyone. The sightseeing musts await you: Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, the London Eye and the Cutty Sark, to name a few. Visit the British Museum, the National Gallery or the Royal Opera House for a spot of culture then relax in one of the magnificent parks. If something a bit livelier is more your style, then why not grab a show in the West End followed by dinner and drinks at the popular venues around it. For shopaholics, you can’t beat London for its huge department stores, traditional custom shops and quirky markets.

1.5 million of the resident Londoners actually originate from abroad, and around 300 languages are spoken throughout the city. However, you need to polish up on your English skills so, as your plane lands or the Eurostar docks, have your phrase book at the ready! Home to the Queen, what better place to practice the Queen’s English than in London?

Birmingham

Slap bang in the middle of England, Birmingham is considered to be the true capital of England by the Brummies, as the locals are affectionately known. This vibrant city is full of exciting things to see and to do. Satisfy your sweet tooth with a trip to Cadbury World and take some choccies away as gifts for your family and friends when you get back home. Shop ’til you drop in the Bullring shopping centre and pop into the NEC (National Exhibition Centre) to see what’s on. Enjoy the thrilling rides at Alton Towers or a quiet boat trip on the canals. Famous for their love of curries, you can’t visit Birmingham without having dinner in the Balti Triangle, which has a plethora of Indian restaurants to choose from.

Not just Brummies by name, the dialect and regional accent is also known as Brummie. Very distinctive in its sound, the accent is much easier to understand than the dialect which has various terms unique to the area it’s from.

Manchester

A bustling hub of activity, Manchester is filled to the brim with theatres, galleries and museums with a nightlife scene to match the cultural one! The ‘first modern city’ has a dramatic cityscape that you’ll want to take plenty of pictures of. Feeling sporty? Then head for Sportcity – Manchester’s dedicated sports district – and visit sports facilities such as the National BMX Arena and Manchester Velodrome. Football fans can’t leave without paying a visit to Old Trafford. Or get rid of some energy by skiing or snowboarding at Chill Factore, the UK’s longest indoor real snow slope.

Mancunians have a very distinguishable dialect from other Northern English dialects, and their accents highlight the over-enunciation of their vowels.

Travelling from city to city throughout England you´ll soon notice the differences between the accents and dialects, becoming more marked from one end of the country to the other. See which accent you can understand better and try to work out why. Then listen to some local phrases and try to work out what they mean. Get a head start before you go with a refresher course and make the most of all the help you can get!

Have you been to any other cities in England? Which ones would you recommend?