[category]
[title]
From the cobbled streets of Rye, to the colourful townhouses of Primrose Hill, and the crescent-shaped groves of Bath, when it comes to pretty streets, the UK has a lot of stunners to choose from.
The Telegraph has just named Britain’s prettiest streets for 2026. The paper decided not to include any purely residential roads, instead focussing on thoroughfares that have got at least one thing to do or see there, be it a local cheese shop, or a fantastic pub.
Taking the top prize for Britain’s prettiest street was Steep Hill in Lincoln. With a gradient of 16.2 degrees, the aptly named Steep Hill isn’t the UK’s most vertical street (it’s actually fourth), but walking up is probably enough to get those glutes burning.
Steep Hill is a goldmine for historical architecture. At its top sits a Tudor house, while it also has the remains of a Roman fort’s gate (seen in the brickwork at Number 44), and two Norman houses dating back to the 12th century. The road is also known for its independent shops and businesses, which include the quaint Bunty’s Tea Room, eclectic vintage shop Heritage Country and the Mouse House cheesemongers.
Coming in second place was Rye’s Mermaid Street, a cobbled alley known for its Georgian and half-timbered buildings. The street is named after the 15th century Mermaid Inn, which has cellars dating back to 1156.
Victoria Street in Edinburgh took the bronze. Designed in the 1830s, the elegant curved street was influenced by the ‘Old Flemish’ style and inspired Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley.
Britain’s prettiest streets, according to the Telegraph
- Steep Hill, Lincoln
- Mermaid Street, Rye
- Victoria Street, Edinburgh
- High Street, Corsham
- Sergeant’s Lane, Tenby
- Grey Street, Newcastle
- Bellevue Terrace, Great Malvern
- Lombard Street, Petworth
- Pier Road, Luss
- Main Street, Haworth
- Drapers Lane, Leominster
- Elm Hill, Norwich
- Down-A-Long, Clovelly
- Main Street, Tobermory
- Church Street, Ludlow
- Commercial Court, Belfast
- Eastgate Street, Chester
- Catherine Hill, Frome
- Quay Parade, Aberaeron
- Trinity Street, Cambridge
You can read the Telegraph’s full feature here.
Did you see that this cool village with a huge beach and ‘immaculate’ food that is officially the greatest seaside town in the UK?
Plus: The best pier in Britain has been crowned for 2026.
Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out UK newsletter for the latest UK news and the best stuff happening across the country.