The city of York, in North Yorkshire, has been dubbed the “friendliest place to live in the UK” thanks to its warm and friendly locals. However, this friendliness is not only reserved for people who reside in York but extends to visitors and tourists spending a staycation, holiday or day trip in the city. The accolade was given by restless.co.uk, who topped their list of “friendliest places to live in the UK” with York.
“With its fascinating history, winding medieval streets, and Gothic cathedrals, York has long been a popular destination with travellers,” the team said in their round-up.
“But, it’s just as popular with residents and has regularly been voted one of the friendliest cities in the UK, and even in the world.”
York’s university is also home to people from over 150 nationalities who choose to pick up their lives and relocate to ‘God’s Own Country’ for their studies.
The city is a thriving destination, especially on weekends and in the summer months when thousands of tourists flock here to visit the historic sites and take part in haunted tours and Harry Potter-themed activities.
Regardless of whether you have popped into a local shop or are learning all about the city on a walking tour, restless.co.uk’s team noted that “surveys say locals go out of their way to be friendly and greet strangers with warmth and smiles, whether in shops or on the street.”
Furthermore, in a survey conducted by Booking.com in 2023, York was named one of the “most welcoming cities” in the entire world.
As well as being a friendly destination, it’s also an incredibly beautiful one with well-preserved buildings dating all the way back to the seventh century. One of the oldest and most famous streets is at the core of the city, known as The Shambles.
The street is thought to have been the inspiration for the famous magical street of Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter book series.
Although none of the original shop fronts have remained, the street is now lovingly restored and home to an array of cheerful cafes and gift shops.
Even older than The Shambles, though, is York Minster, a cathedral dating back to the seventh century. Or, if you want to look out at the city from a unique angle, you can climb up into the remains of the city walls, which have stood around York since for more than 700 years.
The city is an extremely sociable one and has more than 350 pubs, as well as an array of restaurants, bars and cafés.
And, if you have a sweet tooth, you might be excited to learn that the city has a rich chocolate-making history, being the birthplace of The Rowntree and Terry’s factory. As you can imagine, there are plenty of shops selling delicious confectionary as you wander around the streets.
There are also plenty of great hotels, guest houses, B&Bs and holiday rentals if you’re to stay in York. Based on current Booking.com data, some of the cheapest top-rated stays in the city start from just £49 a night.