Fairly English metropolis with ‘a small-town really feel’ named greatest place to stay within the UK

A artistic, cosmopolitan metropolis with “a small-town really feel” was named the perfect place to stay.

Street view with colorful brick houses near river in the small english town Norwich, England in autumn. Townhouses Buildings At Waterfront. Suburb Hou

The Sunday Instances has unveiled its greatest locations to stay in 2026 (Picture: Getty)

The perfect locations to stay in the entire of the UK have been revealed within the newest annual version by the Sunday Instances. Travelling far and broad to seek out 2026’s sizzling spots, the publication introduced the winner as a metropolis within the east of England.

Praised for its mix of “medieval heritage and modern cool”, Norwich was named as the general winner on the Sunday Instances Greatest Place to Dwell within the UK for 2026. Town additionally occurs to be the one location to have featured in all of 14 iterations of the coveted annual listing. It doesn’t matter what stage of life you’re in, Norwich must be in your radar.

Coming in second simply behind Norwich was Malmesbury in Wiltshire. The Sunday Instances wrote: “If the excessive road is an efficient indicator of the well being of a city, then historic Malmesbury must be feeling decidedly chipper.”

Making up the highest three was Skipton in North Yorkshire. The Sunday Instances wrote: “For those who’re pleased and it, make a transfer to this market city on the fringe of the Yorkshire Dales.”

To assist decide the rankings, the Sunday Instances’ skilled panel of judges visited numerous areas throughout all 4 corners of the nation. They took under consideration a variety of things, together with broadband speeds and college requirements to the well being of the excessive road.

When talking of winner Norwich, the judges highlighted town as “artistic, cosmopolitan metropolis with a small-town really feel”. Town was dubbed “fashionable however variety, with a inexperienced conscience and a heat coronary heart”.

Norwich was praised for its mixture of “city comfort” with an intensive rural “tranquility”, boasting easy accessibility to The Fens and the japanese coast of England. Norwich was additionally named because the UK’s first UNESCO Metropolis of Literature, the place it boasts a plethora of theatres, cultural spots, and a revamped historic Norman fort.

Helen Davies, editorial tasks director and Greatest Locations to Dwell editor, mentioned: “This information is a superb alternative to focus on the fantastic work that communities throughout the nation are doing.”

Lloyds Banking Group supplied the typical home worth present in every of the successful spots, starting from £252,300 to an eyewatering £916,9000. Total winner Norwich had a median home worth of £324,400.

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Ballycastle was revealed as having the most cost effective common home worth of £252,300, whereas London’s Richmond got here in with the best common worth. In response to knowledge launched by the UK Authorities, the typical home worth throughout the whole thing of London was £551,000 in December 2025.

Discover the total listing of the 11 winners of the perfect locations to stay this yr beneath.