Revealed: these are officially the UK’s prettiest towns

The UK is quite pretty if you think about it. We’ve got rolling green hills, majestic mountains and ancient, dense woodland. There are loads of quaint little cobblestoned villages and colourful seaside towns. And don’t forget the miles of wild, rugged coastline and remote, windswept beaches. 

In fact, our rainy little island is so full of stunning landscapes that it’s kind of hard to agree on which towns and villages are the prettiest of all – which is why holiday cottage rental company Fmb Holidays have devised a clever index for ranking all of our loveliest locales. 

As well as factoring in the number of Instagram hashtags, Google Image listings, and appearances in online articles listing the UK’s prettiest towns and villages, the detailed rankings also take into account a huge number of awards and special statuses, including Green Flag parks, Blue Flag beaches, dark sky areas, sites of special scientific interest and special areas of conservation. And with data collected for 160 different places across the UK, the results are pretty comprehensive. 

With nearly 400,000 Instagram hashtags, 20 National Trust sites, numerous special designations and over three million Google Images results, the stunning market town of Keswick tops the rankings. Nestled on the side of Derwentwater in the Lake District, the gorgeous Cumbrian town is a top UK holiday destination, and it’s no surprise that several other popular getaways also feature high up in the list. 

Looking for a beautiful place to escape to this summer? Check out the top ten prettiest towns in the UK. Your Instagram will thank you:

1. Keswick, Lake District, Cumbria
2. Tenby, Pembrokeshire
3. Salcombe, Devon
4. Cirencester, Cotswolds, Gloucestershire
5. Bamburgh, Northumberland
6. Whitby, North Yorkshire
7. Rye, East Sussex
8. Bakewell, Peak District, Derbyshire
9. Aberaeron, Ceredigion
10. Burford, Cotswolds, Oxfordshire

Heading to the Lakes to check out the UK’s prettiest town? Here are the top 13 things to do while you’re there. 

Plus, these are officially the world’s most liveable cities.