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The UK is in the midst of a sweltering heatwave, and we are dreaming of the beach.
If you’re planning a sojourn to the seaside this summer, we have good news. Which? has just revealed the UK’s best beach towns, as voted for by 5,000 Which? members. And the top spot isn’t necessarily where you’d expect.
Which? members rated beach towns for their beach, seafront, scenery, tourist attractions, and peace and quiet to give them an overall score.
For the fourth year in a row, Bamburgh, a Northumberland village with a population of around 400 people, has been named Which?’s best seaside town in the UK, beating more than 120 other UK towns and villages in the table. Bamburgh scored five stars in all five categories, scoring 86 percent overall. Members highlighted Bamburgh Castle and the ‘wild, beautiful beach’ as some of the area’s top attractions.
In second place was Portmeirion in Wales, scoring 83 percent overall. The town is famous for its unusual colourful houses, and looks more like somewhere on the Italian riviera than a welsh seaside resort. Portmeirion scored five stars for tourist attractions, scenery and seafront, and four stars for its beaches.
Third place was clinched by St Andrews in Scotland thanks to its two-mile-long beach, quaint cobbled streets and medieval architecture.
Out of the top 15, no towns from popular UK holiday destination Cornwall were included, showing that perhaps Brits now prefer the seaside in the north of England, or Wales.
The top 10 beach towns in the UK, according to Which?
- Bamburgh, Northumberland
- Portmeirion, Wales
- St Andrews, Scotland
- Tynemouth, Tyne and Wear
- St David’s, Wales
- Dartmouth, Devon
- Rye, East Sussex
- Southwold, Suffolk
- Llandudno, Wales
- Swanage, Dorset
You can find out more about Which?’s ranking here.
Plus: The UK is home to three of the best road trips in Europe.
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