The best view in the UK is in central London

Turns out, us Londoners don’t have to travel far to feast our eyes on the best view in Britain. That’s because, according to a new survey, the most iconic sight in the country is (drumroll please) Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament.

Yep, according to the British public, these London landmarks are officially the country’s most legendary. The new study, commissioned by Samsung, asked 2,000 Brits to select what they thought were the country’s most iconic sights, and 38 percent voted for the Palace of Westminster and its famous clocktower.

Survey respondents selected them because of their post-card worthy setting (26 percent) and instantly recognisable silhouette (67 percent). It beat iconic vistas including Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland, which came third, and Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh in fourth. Not bad for some old government buildings, eh?

It wasn’t the only view of the Big Smoke that ranked among the best, either. Tower Bridge came in second place on the list, voted for by 36 percent of survey respondents. They particularly highlighted its legendary status (60 percent) and global recognition (58 percent).

Four other views in the capital ranked among the top 20 in the country, including Greenwich Park’s Royal Observatory at number 10, the view from Sky Garden in 12th, Richmond Hill at 14 and Primrose Hill in 15th place.

East Sussex’s Seven Sisters Cliffs, which are located under two hours from London, were also among the winners, as was The Ridgeway, an 87-mile national trail which starts in Avebury, Wiltshire, a two-hour drive.

The 20 best views in the UK

Here’s the full list of the top 20 iconic UK views, according to Samsung’s survey:

1. Big Ben and Houses of Parliament, London
2. Tower Bridge, London
3. Giant’s Causeway, Northern Ireland
4. Arthur’s Seat, Edinburgh
5. St Michael’s Mount, Cornwall
6. Durdle Door, Dorset
7. Cheddar Gorge, Somerset
8. Glencoe, Scotland
9. Seven Sisters Cliffs, East Sussex
10. Royal Observatory, Greenwich Park, London
11. Portmeirion, Wales
12. The view from Sky Garden, London
13. Buttermere, Lake District
14. Richmond Hill, London
15. Primrose Hill, London
16. The Fairy Pools, Isle of Skye
17. Mam Tor, Peak District
18. Castlerigg Stone Circle, Lake District
19. The Ridgeway, Essex
20. White Scar Cave, North Yorkshire

Did you see that London is officially the best city in the world for art?

Plus: Stratford is getting a flashy new cultural quarter with live entertainment, art galleries and a new public piazza.

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