Northerners are nice. Everyone knows it. It’s sort of their whole ‘thing’. So it won’t come as a shock to find out that the ‘friendliest’ place to head to on holiday in the UK is in the northern heartland.
Booking.com, on a mission to figure out exactly where you’ll get the warmest welcome as a tourist, did some number crunching and counted how many of reviews of UK cities mentioned friendly locals. The site then combined that with existing data to determine that the nicest place to head to on a UK staycation is… York!
The city, which is known for its Harry Potter-esque streets and inescapable cathedral, officially has the most amiable locals in the country. No doubt they’ll wear that title like a badge of honour as they wander their medieval castle walls.
On your very cheery long-weekend in York, you could go on a ghost tour, a cruise down the river, or even scale the York Minster’s 272 steps to the very top of its tower. If you’re looking for inspo, check out Time Out’s list of the best things to do in York.
If the quality of the people wasn’t enough to get you to York, it was also named the UK’s best destination in 2024 by Conde Nast Traveller. Tempted now? Thought so.
So there you go. If you book a stay in York, make sure to mingle with the locals. We have it on good authority that they’re a top-rate bunch.
Staycations according to Time Out
Booking.com aren’t the only ones who can recommend a great holiday. Here’s our favourite UK road trips, and what we consider to be the most beautiful places in the country. We’ve also got guides to the most romantic locations in the UK, and some pretty cool castles you can stay overnight in.
Plus: This historic tower near Bath has reopened to the public after a £4 million makeover.
Did you see that this swanky zero-emission ferry is coming to the Isle of Wight?
Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out UK newsletter for the latest UK news and the best stuff happening across the country.