_Why Norwich is the best place to live… and stay

For all the reasons that Norwich has been crowned as the best place to live in the UK 2026 by The Sunday Times… they’re the same reasons why it’s the best city to stay for a few days.

‘History suffuses every brick, beam and cobble of England’s most complete medieval city,’ says the national newspaper. ‘Our Best Places to Live winner in 2026 is a creative, cosmopolitan city with a small-town feel, a green conscience and a warm heart. It's a place of inspirational spires and cosy pub fires, where you can enjoy the best of both the urban and rural and eat like a king.’

Judges praised Norfolk's capital for having a 'singular blend of medieval heritage and contemporary cool' and noted it was 'perhaps the only place in England where one can procure a loaf of artisanal sourdough in the shadow of a 900-year-old Norman castle'. They added, 'Norwich is a city that's trendy but kind'.

Norwich is the only place that has featured in all fourteen editions of The Sunday Times' annual survey of cities, suburbs, towns and villages.

The Sunday Times writes that Norwich is surrounded by stunning countryside, has easy access to the Broads National Park, and within half an hour you can be eating fish and chips on the beach.

The University of East Anglia (UEA) just outside the city and Norwich University in the city centre keep the ancient city young at heart – the meridian age is just 34 – and many students stay to make their lives. In fact, the UEA has the highest proportion of graduates in the UK who stay after studying.

The city, which you can walk across in just twenty minutes, is known for its independent stores, not least in The Lanes and including the family-run Jarrolds department store that stocks local products and has an excellent food hall.

England’s first UNESCO City of Literature has six theatres, vibrant music venues, newly-revamped Norman castle and magnificent cathedral.

At the Sainsbury Centre at the UEA you can engage physically with the art – hug Henry Moore’s Mother and Child, as the sculptor intended.