This is the most relaxing city in the UK, according to new research
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- Hollie Richardson
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You don’t need to travel too far if you want to escape London in search of some relaxation for the weekend, according to this new research.
With London’s housing crisis, rising cases of loneliness and damaging levels of air pollution reported everyday, it’s little wonder why opting to move away from the city has a certain appeal for people.
Yes, London is a mighty hub of culture, dining, green parks, historical landmarks and people — but “relaxing” really isn’t the first word we’d use to describe daily life in our capital city. In fact, London doesn’t even appear on the top 10 list of the UK’s most relaxing cities in a new study.
So, if you’re looking to get away from it all — even if only for a long weekend — which city should choose to take a break in?
The research, conducted by hotel chain Premier Inn, calculated the population of each city against the amount of green space, spas and yoga studios to find out how much competition visitors will be up against to properly chill out.
The logic is that the fewer people taking up the green spaces, or booking up the spas, means the city is more relaxing.
It revealed that Brighton is the city to visit if you’re looking to relax and zone out, thanks to its close proximity to the South Downs but relativity low amount of other people enjoying the area.
Anyone who has taken a trip to Brighton to enjoy some chips and a beer on the beach will no-doubt agree that it’s a far cry from London life. And there’s just something soothing about that sea breeze. This perhaps explains why two other coastal cities — Bournemouth and Southampton —also made it into the top ten.
Here is a full list from the study:
1. Brighton
2. Oxford
3. Newcastle
4. Southampton
5. Bournemouth
6. York
7. Edinburgh
8. Glasgow
9. Bath
10. Manchester
But if you want to go one step further in finding relaxation, we recently rounded up the best short-stay retreats in the UK. September feels like the ideal time to take this sort of break, thanks to that “back to school” feeling of heading into the new season with a clear and fresh mind.
Whether you choose to take a day trip to the coast or commit to a yoga retreat, just make sure you find your own way of finding some relaxation. London will always be waiting for your return.
Images: Getty