Liverpool is an important city of Merseyside, England. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880. It is a major city famed for culture, football teams, The Beatles and buzzing nightlife. It lies within the historic county boundaries of Lancashire. It is also a large, vibrant city with great cultural heritage and was awarded the title of European Capital of Culture 2008, with the famous Pier Head Waterfront being a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2004.

Dublin is the largest and capital city of Ireland. The English name is derived from the Irish name Dubh Linn, meaning "black pool". It is a primate city with an urban population of over 1 million, containing almost 25% of the country's population. Dublin is situated near the midpoint of Ireland's east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey, and at the centre of the Dublin Region. The city is listed by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network (GaWC) as a global city, with a ranking of "Alpha-", placing it among the top thirty cities in the world. It is a historical and contemporary centre for education, the arts, administration, economy and industry.

Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,006,600 residents, it is sixth, and the eighth most populous city, one of the group of English Core Cities and the most populous city in South West England. Bristol received a in 1155 and was granted County status in 1373. From the 13th century, for half a millennium, it ranked amongst the top three English cities after, alongside, on the basis of tax receipts, until the rapid rise of and during the Industrial Revolution in the latter part of the 18th century. It borders the counties and is also located near the historic cities of to the south east and to the north. The city is built around the River Avon, and it also has a short coastline on the Severn Estuary, which flows into the Bristol Channel.