'Athens of the North': The UK's 17 best cities, named among the top 100 in Europe

London retains its place atop the table in the newly published 2026 edition of Europe’s 100 Best Cities, but there is much movement elsewhere.

The annual rankings, compiled by the tourism, real estate and economic development adviser Resonance, rate cities across the continent on how good they are to visit and to live and work in.

The leading UK cities, according to the guide, include an ‘irresistible hometown’, a ‘cultural dynamo’, the ‘Athens of the North’, and one city which it may surprise you to hear has some of the best weather in Europe.

Each city was rated on its ‘livability’, ‘lovability’ and ‘prosperity’, with the myriad factors taken into account including shopping, nightlife, air quality, public transport, employment rates and economic output.

These scores were combined with the results of a survey asking 5,000 respondents across 10 European countries where they would most like to live, where they would most like to visit, and where they believe has the best job opportunities, to produce the overall rankings.

Below are the 17 best cities in the UK, according to the 2026 Europe’s 100 Best Cities guide, listed in reverse order. Is your city on the list?