Edinburgh has been named the UK's friendliest city for 2026, according to travel magazine Condé Nast Traveller's annual Readers' Choice Awards. The Scottish capital scored a near-perfect 93.47, jumping two places since 2025 and knocking Glasgow off the top spot after two consecutive years of Glasgow winning the title.
Glasgow falls to fourth place
Scotland's largest city has fallen three places in the ranks since 2025, earning fourth spot with a score of 88.34, below Liverpool and Birmingham, which came in second and third place respectively. Three Scottish locations made it into the top ten, with Aberdeen named in eighth place with a score of 82.15.
In England, six cities featured in the top ten, while Northern Ireland secured Belfast at number six and Wales missed out entirely.
What makes Edinburgh friendly
The Scottish capital is known to be filled with good-humoured and open-minded individuals pulsing with creative energy. Like most Scots, Edinburgh locals are known to have a deep appreciation for their city's history and striking architecture.
The city is famed for being split into two with the cobblestone alleys of the medieval Old Town and the elegant Georgian avenues of the New Town. Historical landmarks in the city include Edinburgh Castle, the Palace of Holyrood and the bustling Royal Mile. Edinburgh is also known to host the world's largest arts festival known as the Fringe every summer, bringing in thousands of tourists each year.
Aberdeen's community feel
Aberdeen, located on the east coast, is home to a bustling oil port as well as several sandy beaches, where it's no rarity to spot a frolicking dolphin or crowd of seals. As it has a relatively small population, the city has a heart-warming community feel compared to the larger cities on the list.
Visitors can wander the silvery granite streets, a remnant of its industrial powerhouse past, and hear the soft tones of Doric conservation, Aberdeen's charming local dialect.
The top ten friendliest cities in the UK are: Edinburgh, Liverpool, Birmingham, Glasgow, Manchester, Belfast, London, Aberdeen, Bath and Brighton.
