- Norwich named the most romantic city in the UK
- Manchester, Liverpool and Hastings are all in the top 10
- Dining experiences are considered the most important factor when booking a romantic retreat
Norwich is the UK’s most romantic city, according to new research.
The study, conducted by Foxy Bingo, ranked the nation’s 100 biggest cities on the number of romantic hotels, restaurants and things to do per square kilometre, and Norwich had the best average ranking across all the categories.
The city scored especially highly for things to do as a couple, with 70 activities. Norwich Cathedral, the Broads National Park and Felbrigg Hall are all rated highly as date locations.
Oxford came in second, with 11 romantic hotels and 72 activities deemed good for couples. Why not take a walk round Oxford’s Natural History Museum or grab dinner by the river?
The seaside city of Brighton was third. The Royal Pavillion and The Lanes are just a couple of the 74 activities to choose from. There are also 137 charming eateries, leaving you spoilt for choice!
Watford takes the top spot when it comes to romantic dining, with five romantic restaurants per square km.
The top 10 romantic destinations in the UK are:
- Norwich
- Oxford
- Brighton
- Liverpool
- Blackpool
- Hastings
- Cambridge
- Manchester
- Lincoln
- Cheltenham
Unsurprisingly, London topped each of the categories, with 158 romantic hotels, and over 1,000 couple activities and romantic dining experiences. However, once the study accounted for size by combining the TripAdvisor data with information from the Office for National Statistics, the capital plummeted down the leaderboard.
Due to its enormous land area, London’s romantic assets are spread out over 1,572 square km, leaving the capital only scraping the top 20, ranking 17th overall on the romantic UK hotspot list.
Alongside this research, Foxy also surveyed the nation to find out what they look for in a romantic retreat.
Romantic dining is the most sought-after factor for a romantic trip, followed by a coastal location, and an overall air of luxury to the getaway.
With this in mind, couples should consider taking a trip to Worthing, Salford, or Stockport if they are looking for a romantic evening meal, or Brighton and Blackpool, as they are the highest ranked coastal locations.
Interestingly, men and women have slightly different priorities when choosing a location, as despite romantic dining ranking first for both genders, men favour privacy, while women look for luxury.
The top five things people look for in a romantic holiday are:
- Romantic dining experiences – 51%
- Coastal location – 37%
- Luxury – 37%
- Privacy – 37%
- Rural/country location – 32%
Anna Venturas, Brand Director at Foxy Bingo, said: “Location is so important when booking a romantic getaway and it’s been fascinating to see which cities topped the list in our research.
“Hopefully our study can provide a little inspiration if you’re looking to book a trip with your partner, no matter what you look for in a romantic holiday!”
To learn more about Foxy Bingo, visit: https://www.foxybingo.com/
Help keep news FREE for our readers
Supporting your local community newspaper/online news outlet is crucial now more than ever. If you believe in independent journalism, then consider making a valuable contribution by making a one-time or monthly donation. We operate in rural areas where providing unbiased news can be challenging. Read More About Supporting The West Wales Chronicle