Best weekend breaks from Birmingham and the Midlands

A grand Victorian seaside resort beneath the Great Orme

Mountain ridges, waterfalls and some of the darkest skies in Wales

A compact Welsh capital with a castle in the city centre

Roman walls, medieval Rows and a riverside setting

A hilltop cathedral city with a medieval castle

A waterfront city of music, museums and football

A big, creative city of music, football and industrial heritage

A medieval city of cobbled lanes, a castle and a cathedral

A medieval market town in a loop of the River Severn

Wales's mountain heartland, with Snowdon at its centre

A creative harbour city of street art, bridges and independent food

Historic colleges, riverside lawns and punting on the Cam

England's biggest national park: lakes, fells and cosy villages

Cornwall's surf capital, with long golden beaches

Wide sandy beaches, salt marshes and seal trips

England's first national park, with moors, dales and stately homes

Shakespeare's birthplace on the banks of the River Avon

Medieval walls, a magnificent minster and cobbled streets

Roman baths, Georgian crescents and thermal spas

Honey-coloured villages, rolling hills and country pubs

The city of dreaming spires, ancient colleges and libraries