Consumer champions Which? have announced the results of their survey of city breaks – and York has come out on top.
The organisation polled its members for their favourite British destination in 2022, and York topped the poll for Best Large City with an impressive score of 86%.
In the poll it scored:
- five stars for food and drink
- four stars for accommodation
- five stars for cultural sights
- four stars for shopping, and
- three stars for ease of getting around.
Which? says: “Characterised by its iconic Gothic Minster with medieval stained glass windows, it’s no surprise that York scored five out of five stars for cultural attractions in this year’s survey.
“And it’s easy to while away a few hours strolling along the Shambles – a medieval street lined by independent shops and restaurants.
“York got the full five stars for food and drink and accommodation from Which? members and, with four stars for value for money, you’re more likely to get your money’s worth here compared with other cities in our survey.
Which Best Large City 2022
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| City | Destination score | Avg hotel price | Food and drink | Your accommodation | Cultural sights | Shopping | Ease of getting around | Lack of crowds | Value for money |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| York | 86% | £115 | ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ |
| Belfast | 85% | £111 | ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ |
| Edinburgh | 83% | £108 | ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ | ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ | ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ |
| Liverpool | 83% | £113 | ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ |
| Newcastle | 80% | £93 | ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ |
| Glasgow | 78% | £84 | ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ |
| London | 78% | £110 | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ | ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ |
| Bristol | 77% | £103 | ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ |
| Cardiff | 75% | £109 | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ |
| Portsmouth | 74% | £97 | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ |
| Brighton & Hove | 72% | £133 | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ |
| Sheffield | 70% | £81 | ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ |
| Manchester | 69% | £106 | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ |
| Birmingham | 67% | £81 | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ |
| Swansea | 67% | £83 | ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ |
| Leeds | 65% | £95 | ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ | ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ |
| Nottingham | 65% | £90 | ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ |
| Hull | 64% | £64 | ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | - | - | - | - | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ |
| Plymouth | 63% | £90 | ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ |
| Southampton | 61% | £94 | ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ |
| Aberdeen | 59% | £54 | ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ | ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ |
“Other attractions include the National Railway Museum, the Jorvik Viking Centre (where you can take a carriage ride back in time through a recreation of Viking Life) and Spark York – a street food and arts centre shipping container project.”
It said the average hotel price in York was £115, one of the highest – more than London at £110, but less than Brighton at £133.
Belfast and Edinburgh were second and third in the poll. The bottom three were Plymouth, Southampton and Aberdeen.
Cambridge topped the league of the best medium cities for a UK break with a score of 81%.