Dundee, UK

Scotland’s fourth-largest city, located on the Firth of Tay, has the historic nickname of “The City of Jute, Jam and Journalism.” Dundee had a thriving fabrics industry during the Industrial Revolution, initially with linen and later with less expensive jute fiber. The reference to jam stems from the 1797 “invention” of orange marmalade by Mrs. Janet Keller, whose family brand can still be bought in distinctive white jars. The journalism reference relates to the D.C. Thomson company, a Dundee firm that has been publishing popular newspapers and children’s comics since 1905. Today it has taken the phrase One City, Many Discoveries as its mantra. The stunning new Victoria & Albert Museum Dundee will open in September, 2018 to anchor the revitalized waterfront, which already holds the Robert Falcon Scott Antarctic Expedition ship RSS Discovery, along with the 19th-century Frigate Unicorn. The venerable McManus Galleries is the city’s preeminent museum, housing both art galleries and museum exhibits. Much of the city’s oldest architectural heritage was destroyed in the “Rough Wooing” war with England. However it remains a handsome and fascinating city tied to the twin rail and road bridges spanning the Firth.