Scotland’s “most chilled city hotspots” have been named in a new study. There is no shortage of peaceful villages and towns around Scotland for those who are looking for a quiet staycation.
However, many of the country’s cities also offer the opportunity to find some peace and quiet. New research from Wowcher has rounded up the “most chilled” cities to visit in the UK based on factors such as noise and light pollution levels, life satisfaction, and the number of walking trails and parks.
Four Scottish cities appear in the top 10, with Inverness topping the list. Inverness, situated near the head of the iconic Loch Ness, is the cultural capital of the Scottish Highlands. It received an overall ‘chill score’ of 60.2.
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Inverness offers both the amenities of a city and the relative peacefulness of a town, with the experts singling out its high life satisfaction and wealth of walking trails. According to Wowcher, the quality of Inverness’s green space and parks is also high.
The experts found that there are 124.2 walking trails per 100,000 residents and 7.7 parks per 100,000 people. Among the largest and most popular public parks in the city is Whin Park, which features playgrounds, a small pond, and row boats to rent.
According to Wowcher, though, the number of spa bookings in Inverness is among the lowest on the roundup at just 12.4 per 100,000 people. However, the city features popular wellness centres at the Best Western Inverness Palace Hotel and Spa and the Kingsmills Hotel.
Meanwhile, following behind in second on the list is Dundee with a chill score of 58.1. Sitting on the banks of the River Tay, visitors can explore the city’s rich history on foot or take a stroll through Camperdown Park—its largest public park that covers an area of more than 400 acres.
Like Inverness, Dundee was found to have high-quality green space and good life satisfaction. It was also noted for the high number of spa bookings, with the Apex City Quay Hotel and Spa and Yu Spa being among the most popular picks in the city.
Elsewhere, Edinburgh places at number seven on Wowcher’s list of the “most chilled” cities in the UK. The Scottish capital earned a chill score of 49.9, with the experts noting its high number of public parks per 100,000 residents.
Finally, Glasgow appears at number nine on the roundup with a chill score of 47.7. Scotland’s largest city and Dear Green Place was rated highly for its access to spas and the quality of its public parks, with Kelvingrove Park and Pollok Country Park being two of the largest and most picturesque.
Read on for the full list of the top 10 most chilled city hotspots in the UK. More information can be found on the Wowcher website.
Top 10 most chilled city hotspots in the UK
- Inverness
- Dundee
- Bath
- Sheffield
- York
- Exeter
- Edinburgh
- Oxford
- Glasgow
- Newcastle