York has been named the best place to live in Britain thanks to its mix of old and new, with “cool cafes, destination restaurants and innovative companies” alongside picturesque period buildings.

The walled city in North Yorkshire topped the The Sunday Times’ ‘Best Places to Live 2018’ list, which ranks British towns and cities in their individual regions based on a number of criteria, from jobs, schools and broadband speed to culture, community spirit and local shops. 

The panel picked Bermondsey as the best place to live in London, Mumbles (Swansea) the best place to live in Wales, Melrose (Scottish Borders) the best place to live in Scotland and Ballyhackamore (Belfast) the best place to live in Northern Ireland.  

According to the guide, York is a winning destination overall thanks to an intellectual hub and rich culture.

“The two universities add to the vibrancy and lend intellectual heft — the University of York offers free open lectures,” the guide says. “The Art Gallery and the Jorvik Viking Centre have both been revamped, while the Theatre Royal has been refurbished — locals still queue through the night for tickets for the panto, which starred Oscar-winner Gary Oldman as Dick Whittington’s cat in 1979. The long list of festivals will grow in the autumn with the launch of York Mediale, a biennial celebration of media arts.”

But if you fancy moving to the city, you might need to start saving sharpish. House prices in York have risen by 6.3% in a year, with the average house price now coming in at £301,320. 

According to the panel, the best places to live in Britain by region are:

South East – Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire
East – Chelmsford, Essex
Midlands – Shipston-on-Stour, Warwickshire
London – Bermondsey
North West – Altrincham, Greater Manchester
South West – Frome, Somerset
North East – Tynemouth, Northumberland
Wales – Mumbles, Swansea
Scotland – Melrose, Scottish Borders
Northern Ireland – Ballyhackamore, Belfast