Famed for its soccer team and music scene, which has produced the likes of The Smiths and Oasis, this centre for sports and the arts is a down-to-earth and friendly city. The so-called Capital of the North has overcome industrial decline and bombing (in WWII and by the IRA) to become a confident and cosmopolitan city of over two million people. It is well served by a bus and light rail network, a boon for visitors on sightseeing expeditions.