The UK’s most chilled cities

The hustle and bustle of everyday life can be stressful, yet in recent times, there's been an uptick in individuals seeking a calmer and more fulfilling lifestyle, often referred to as 'soft living'. This trend has gained momentum over the years, with the hashtag ‘soft life’ receiving 235.3k posts on TikTok.

So which UK cities have been named the best to pursue a less stressful life? We’ve curated a list of the top 10 most chilled cities, including the top cites for green spaces and those perfect for a coffee and quiet read. We gave each city a score out of 10 based on their green spaces, coffee shops and libraries, environment, happiness of locals and annual sunshine hours.

The northern gem of York has emerged as the UK’s most chilled city with an overall chill city rating of 8.51. The city fared well for its quaint coffee shops and libraries scattered throughout the vicinity, achieving an impressive score of 9.37. Moreover, York excelled in its environmental aspects, achieving a score of 9 for cleanliness, tidiness, air quality, and pollution. Combined with a local happiness rating of 7.41, it's no surprise that this northern city is dubbed a serene sanctuary.

Best known for its vintage shopping and pebbled beaches, Brighton and Hove takes second place with a chill city rating of 8.25. This seaside gem boasts an impressive 1690 annual sunshine hours, drawing sunseekers to its beaches every summer. Its coastal setting and proximity to the scenic Sussex Downs might be part of the reason residents feel happy and relaxed, proven by its happiness rating of 7.23.

Following in third place is Norwich with an overall score of 8.18. Thanks to its compact size, the historic city is easily walkable to take a stroll to the many coffee shops and libraries for a quiet read and coffee, resulting in its modest score of 8.61. The River Wensum runs through the city, giving it a little Venice feel, and as the only city in England set within a national park, Norwich has its fair share of greenery and nature to relax in.

Famed for its medieval Cathedral, Lincoln clinched the fourth spot with a relaxed rating of 8.17. The city excelled in environmental quality, boasting an impressive score of 9.61 due to its cleanliness and minimal noise and light pollution levels. Additionally, visitors can unwind with a leisurely walk along the picturesque Brayford Waterfront. Here, they can embark on the Brayford Belle, a touring boat that navigates the tranquil waters of Brayford Pool and the Fossdyke Canal, allowing them to immerse themselves in the city's serene natural surroundings.

The historical city of St Albans rounds off the UK’s top five most chilled cities after achieving a rating of 8.15. St Albans offers numerous tranquil green spaces for unwinding, such as Verulamium Park and Heartwood Forest, contributing to its 8.04 score. The charming city also received one of the highest scores for its happiness of locals with a 7.06 score, cementing its reputation as a chilled haven.

According to recent research findings, spending time in natural surroundings offers numerous advantages, such as alleviating anxiety and stress, while also enhancing our capacity to connect with others*.

Leading the rankings is the nation's capital, London, with an impressive score of 9.63 for its abundance of green spaces. London's top position comes as no surprise, given its array of splendid parks and gardens, including Hampstead Heath, Clapham Common, Regents Park, and Brockwell Park, among others. Enhanced by their convenient accessibility via various transport links, these green spaces provide sanctuary for both Londoners and visitors alike.

Emerging as the second-best city in terms of its green spaces is the Northern Irish capital, Belfast. The city features its own botanic gardens, home to a palm house and tropical ravine, visitors can take sanctuary flitting between exotic plants. Other beautiful green spaces include Belvoir Forest Park, Ormeau Park and Lady Dixon Park.

The Welsh city of Wrexham concludes the top three cities for green spaces. This city is home to two main parks, Bellevue Park and Acton Park, alongside several other green areas. Bellevue Park, situated in the south east, offers expansive grounds including a sizable bowling green, home to the local bowling club. Additionally, it provides amenities such as tennis courts, basketball courts, children's play areas, and hosts summer music concerts. On the other hand, Acton Park showcases a Japanese-style garden and a vast lake, drawing in diverse wildlife and providing a tranquil setting for visitors to unwind.

York fared the best to indulge in a coffee and quiet read amongst its many coffee shops and libraries. With a plethora of charming coffee shops and libraries, including Gatehouse Coffee, Spring Espresso, Coffee Culture, Drift In, and Brew and Browine, visitors are spoiled for choice when it comes to finding the perfect spot to unwind with a cup of coffee and a slice of cake or to settle into a peaceful corner for some quiet reading. For those seeking a quiet study area they can head to York Explore Library and Archive, Minster Library or University of York Library.

Thanks to its charming assortment of unique independent coffee establishments scattered throughout the city, Lincoln has rightfully earned its high standing in the rankings. Some of the city’s many cafes worth exploring are Seven Districts, Stoke’s Coffee, Rising Cafe, and 200 Degrees. Additionally, individuals seeking a serene reading environment can opt for a visit to Lincoln Library or the University Library, situated within the Cultural Quarter.

Belfast ranks highly once again for its relaxing coffee shops and libraries. Linen Hall Library is a serene spot for a relaxing read amongst its historical architecture dating back to 1788. Visitors can also indulge in a coffee at the library’s own coffee shop. Other notable coffee shops such as The Lamppost Cafe, The Bobbin Coffee Shop, and The Dock Cafe offer equally inviting atmospheres to unwind with a comforting latte.

If you’re tempted to plan a tranquil weekend away to explore the abundant green spaces or cosy coffee shops in these cities, we’ve got you covered. Accor offers a variety of hotels across York and Belfast to suit your needs. 

*Source:

How Nature Can Make You Kinder, Happier, and More Creative 

Weighted rank: 20% quality of green spaces, 20% quality of coffee shops and libraries, 20% quality of environment (air pollution, noise & light pollution, general cleanliness & tidiness - data from Numbeo), 20% happiness of locals (average taken from last 5 years from Office for National Statistics personal well-being survey), and 20% annual sunshine hours (data from weather-and-climate.com). 

Coffee shops and libraries quality score - coffee shops were given more importance and had 62.5% weight with libraries 37.5%.  

The quality of green spaces and quality of coffee shops and libraries was calculated by sampling results from Google maps to determine the average rating and number of reviews for listings in these categories.  

Seed list of UK cities from - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_in_the_United_Kingdom  

Some cities were removed from the study due to data collection limitations.