The UK’s most festive cities for a last-minute December break

Fancy a pre-Christmas break? Why not pay a visit to one of the UK’s most festive cities, according to new analysis.

It may only be 1 December, but it’s already beginning to feel a lot like Christmas. From the music being played in shops to the lights and decorations being hung in towns and cities across the country, there are plenty of signs that the festive season is underway.

But if you’re struggling to get into the spirit – or simply want to indulge yourself in all things Christmassy this December – then going on a festive city break could be the perfect way to spend one of the three weekends left before the big day. 

And luckily for you, new analysis has unveiled exactly which of the UK’s cities is the most festive.

The research by Hammonds Fitted Furniture took into account a range of factors for each location including the chance of a white Christmas, the number of local Christmas events, the number of Google searches about Christmas lights, and the number of Christmas market Instagram post to give each city a festive score out of 100. 

The cities were then ranked using these scores to form a list of most to least festive – with the top 10 all scoring above 65 points.

If one thing’s for sure, these cities are all guaranteed to deliver some serious festive vibes, so get ready to take in everything each location has to offer. For now, however, keep reading to check out the top five most festive cities in the UK this Christmas. 

• 1. York

  Claiming first place was the historic city of York, thanks to its impressive range of local events and Christmas market Instagram posts. 

  The city is also home to The Shambles, one of the best-preserved medieval shopping streets in Europe which is home to several year-round Christmas shops.

• 2. Edinburgh

  While we were surprised that Edinburgh didn’t claim the number one spot on the list it comes in close second with an impressive 86 points. 

  Its iconic Christmas market has long made it the go-to destination in December for people looking to get into the festive spirit. 

• 3. Manchester

  Coming in eight points behind Edinburgh is Manchester, which boasts the most Christmas market posts on Instagram. 

  Its Christmas lights also proved particularly famous, with upwards of 880 monthly searches on the subject due to people interested in when they were going to be switched on.

• 4. Blackpool

  Blackpool may be famous for its seaside location, but it happens to be one of the UK’s most festive cities too. 

  This is largely down to the city’s famous Illuminations, which are switched on in September and shine throughout Christmas and New Year. It’s also home to a high number of Christmas events.

• 5. Leeds

  With a 38% chance of seeing snow this Christmas, the city of Leeds came in as the fifth most festive city in the UK. 

  However, visitors to the city should be aware that the council cancelled the city’s Christmas markets this year, so if you want to do a bit of Christmas shopping, you’ll have to stick to the regular shops.

Images: Getty

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