10 things to do at the Rugby World Cup 2015... apart from watching rugby

Going to the Rugby World Cup 2015 in the UK? Lucky you! With matches taking place in host cities the length and breadth of the country, it’s a real opportunity to explore the best of the UK. Here's our suggestions for the best things to do in the host cities when you’re not watching the matches.

1. Explore the Royal Pavilion in Brighton

Everyone knows Brighton for its seafront but one of the city’s most distinctive features is the Royal Pavilion built by the Prince Regent, later George IV. The palace is a visually stunning mix of Oriental architecture style- both inside and out. The Georgian period is known as one of the most opulent periods in England so take a step back in time and explore what it was like to live like a king at the sea side.

Places to stay: Homestays in Brighton

2. Step back in time in Birmingham at the Black Country Living Museum

Birmingham and the area around it is often referred to as “the black country” owning to the large scale growth and development of this region during the Industrial Revolution. The term either relates to the coal that was mined in the region or the amount of smoke created by the factories that spring up in the city. The Black Country Living Museum gives you a look at this period and lets you try everything from the foods, the games and even the professions of the era.

Places to stay: Homestays in Birmingham

3. Learn some Welsh at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff

The Millennium Stadium where the several of the matches are due to take place was one of a number of major buildings projects taken on by the Welsh government for mark the millennium. The others were the Senedd- the parliament building for the Welsh Assembly- and the Millennium Centre which is used as a concert venue. Cardiff is quite a small city but each of these buildings really packs a punch. The distinctive writing on the front the building is also the Welsh and English versions of a verse by Welsh poet, Gwyneth Lewis.

Places to stay: Homestays in Cardiff

4. Find the inspiration of Harry Potter by taking a stroll around Exeter

For many in the UK, Exeter is best known as a university town close to the south coast. But when a certain graduate of the university wrote a series of best-selling children’s novels, many started to see Exeter as the setting that inspired the world of Harry Potter. From the ornate cloisters of the university to the colourful astronomical clock in the cathedral (pictured above), there's something a big magical about this city.

Places to stay: Homestays in Exeter

5. Admire the arcades of Leeds

After London and Birmingham, Leeds is Britain’s largest city so there’s no shortage of things to do here. Take a walk around some of the city’s shopping arcades, build during the Victorian period or explore the Leeds Kirkgate market which is the largest covered market in Europe. It’s also the founding location of Britain’s retail store Marks and Spencer.

Places to stay: Homestays in Leeds

6. Find the king in the carpark in Leicester

Image courtesy of Dave Crosby.

Leicester has often been suspected as the burial site of Kind Richard III, one of England’s more controversial kings. There were even suggestions that his bones were thrown into the nearby River Soar never to be recovered. That theory was put to rest in 2012 however when excavations uncovered the king’s body. A centre to mark the discovery and the life and death of the king has since been opened in the city so you can sort the fact from the fiction around this suspicious king.

Places to stay: Homestays in Leicester

7. Get a taste for London through her markets

There’s no shortage of things to see and do in London but one of the best ways to get a feel for a city or an area is by sampling their food. Head to Borough market just off the Southbank or for a lower key feel try either Broadway Market next to London Fields. Brick Lane Market in the east of the city is also worth a trip as are the many curry restaurants the dot this small but vibrant street.

Places to stay: Homestays in London

8. Or take a walk and get a view of the city

Photo courtesy of Andrew Skudder.

In spite of its size, London is a great city to go walking in. From the more scenic settings of Hampstead Heath and Primrose Hill to the walkways within the more urban areas, the city has plenty of walking trails and tours for you to follow. For a relaxing stroll however, take a walk along the Southbank for some brilliant views of the city. Head to the top of Tate Modern Gallery too to get some brilliant shots of St Paul’s Cathedral with the Thames in front.

9. Skip the museums in London, get them in Manchester instead

Photo courtesy of * Debs *.

Everyone knows that London has an incredibly array of museums and galleries to visit but the same can be said of many other cities in the UK. The Lowry Arts and Entertainment centre on Salford Quays is both a galleries and arts venue that takes pride in local talent. Its star attraction are the painting of the building’s namesake, the painter TS Lowry who painted Manchester and other British cities. The Manchester Art Gallery is another public gallery to rival those of London.

Places to stay: Homestays in Manchester

10. Soak up the architecture in Newcastle

Image courtesy of Tony Hisgett.

Newcastle or to give the city its full name, Newcastle-upon-Tyne in the north of England is a great place for any architecture lover. From the eleventh century castle to the Georgian architecture of Grey Street and the modern Millennium Bridge and Sage Centre this is city that is a real pleasure to walk around.

Places to stay: Homestays in Newcastle

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Cover image courtesy of Jatinder Dhillon.