BRITAIN’S best big cities to visit have been revealed – along with those you’d be better off avoiding.
Consumer champion Which? surveyed nearly 4,000 people about their experiences of visiting UK cities in the last two years.
They were each scored out of five stars on a range of criteria including accommodation, food and drink, cultural sights and tourist attractions.
Ease of getting around, lack of crowds, and value for money were also among the criteria.
A score was then calculated based on visitors’ overall satisfaction and likeliness to recommend.
At the bottom of the table for large cities was Derby, which scored a lowly 56%, followed by Leicester and Swansea, both on 58%.
Derby scored just two stars for food and drink, accommodation, cultural sights, shopping and ease of getting around.
One visitor noted that while “there are not a huge number of cultural sights within the city centre, the Museum of Making is worth a visit”.
Derby has unfortunately been compared a “dump” in previous years.
A local poll in 2018 asked if people were right to describe the city as such, and 54% of respondents said yes.
In the Which? survey, Leicester also failed to impress on the whole.
The area, famous as the final resting place of Richard III, received just two stars for accommodation and ease of getting around.
Several respondents noted poor hotel stays, and some recounted difficulties with local transport.
One said: “Driving into Leicester is not straightforward for anyone new. It all seems overly complicated.”
The city did however receive four stars for its shopping experience and lack of crowds, and one visitor noted that though “it’s not a pretty city… there are gems if you know where to look”.
Wales’ second largest city, Swansea, won just two stars for food and drink, cultural sights and tourist attractions, shopping, ease of getting around and parking.
Famous as the birthplace of Dylan Thomas, the city is also popular for its proximity to the Gower peninsula.
One ambivalent visitor said: “Swansea is OK as a city, but the main draw is the coast and countryside on its doorstep.”
Others were more favourable however, praising the “friendly people and brilliant market and marina”.
Best large cities to visit, according to Which?
In April 2024, Which? surveyed 3,967 people about their experiences of UK cities and towns they had visited for leisure purposes and stayed in for at least one night in the last two years.
A total of 7,187 experiences were reported in total.
All were scored out of five stars on a range of criteria including accommodation, food and drink, cultural sights and tourist attractions, ease of getting around, lack of crowds, and value for money.
A score was calculated based on visitors’ overall satisfaction and likeliness to recommend.
Top 10:
- Liverpool 84%
- Edinburgh 83%
- York 83%
- Belfast 77%
- Glasgow 76%
- London 76%
- Newcastle-upon-Tyne 75%
- Portsmouth 74%
- Bristol 73%
- Cardiff 72%
In the small and medium sized categories, Bournemouth, Torquay and Fort William in Scotland also fared poorly with joint scores of 58%.
The top spot in the large cities category went to Liverpool, which earned a score of 84%.
This beat capital cities Belfast (77%), London (76%), Cardiff (72%) and Liverpool’s close neighbour Manchester (71%) by some margin.
“Lively” and “buzzing” Liverpool won a full five stars in the cultural sights and tourist attractions category, with people praising an impressive range of cultural attractions – beyond The Beatles.
The city also scored four stars for food and drink, shopping, accommodation, lack of crowds and value for money.
One respondent said: “It’s got everything you could possibly want. Great for eating places, great for sights and famous places and very friendly people.”
Taking joint second place in the large cities category are Edinburgh and York, with tied city scores of 83%.
The “stunning” Scottish capital was praised as being “bursting with cultural activities”.
Visitors scored it a full five stars for cultural sights and tourist attractions.
Edinburgh earned four stars for food and drink, shopping, ease of getting around, and overall value for money.
York, known for its Roman and Viking heritage, also took five stars in the cultural sights and tourist attractions category.
Some of its most famous attractions include York Minster, the National Railway Museum and the Jorvik Viking Centre.
The city also scored four stars for shopping, accommodation, ease of getting around, value for money and food and drink.
Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel, said: “Whether you’re after vibrant nightlife, world class museums or a first-rate dining experience, our survey shows that the UK has a wealth of fantastic cities just waiting to be explored.
“Liverpool stood out among the UK’s large cities for its fantastic cultural scene and buzzing atmosphere, beating London and the UK’s other capital cities to take first place.
“For those seeking a more laid-back destination, Somerset is the place to be, with both Bath and Wells scoring highly, and each offering a wealth of historical and cultural sights.”