Branding itself as the "Pioneering City", Kingston Upon Hull is a place of contrast, providing visitors with a huge variety of attractions and activities.

There are three large shopping centres in the city - the Prospect Centre, Prince's Quay and St. Stephen's, the last of which opened in September 2007 attracting many stylish stores to the area including Zara, H&M, La Senza and Jane Norman.

The city's redeveloped Marina area is home to The Deep Submarium, one of the most spectacular aquariums in the world. Looking out over the Humber estuary, it has become a massively successful tourist destination.

The 700 years of the city's existence have left Hull with a fascinating wealth of architectural and historical gems. Visitors can find out about the region's heritage through its museums and art galleries, from rural life in the Wolds countryside to the daring maritime deeds of Hull's shipping industry.

With a ferry port providing daily sailings to Zeebrugge and Rotterdam, and Humberside airport only 20 miles away across the Humber Bridge, Hull is also an important gateway to the rest of Europe.