English city named the happiest in the UK – with one of the world’s best pubs

THE happiest city in the UK has been revealed – and it’s home to one of the best pubs in the world.

Recent research from the Happy City Index (HCI) revealed the world’s happiest cities, with one English city creeping into the top ten.

The cities were ranked based on “thousands of indicators” that were whittled down into five key categories, including citizens, governance, environment, economy and mobility.

Each category was measured against a resident’s quality of life and sense of happiness.

A score was then awarded for each category before being combined together to determine an overall score.

On their website, the Happy City Index explained their process, they wrote: “Since every city is a moving landscape, their activity must be periodically verified, especially with regard to the quality of public services provided and place-based knowledge, in response to new challenges that arise. We do that every day and publish once a year.”

The annual report named Aarhus (Denmark’s second-largest city) as the happiest city in the world.

Zurich in Switzerland nabbed second place, while the German capital of Berlin took the third spot.

Bristol was the only UK city listed in the top 10, coming in at seventh place.

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What is there to do in Bristol?

Straddling the River Avon, the English city is a well-known hub for creativity.

The creators of Wallace and Gromit, Aardman Animations are based in Bristol.

Their treasure characters can be seen throughout the city, with one of their most unusual spots being a Wallace and Gromit-inspired escape room.

A Grand Way Out first opened in 2022 and was named after their first film, A Grand Day Out.

Escapees must assist Wallace in his bid to save the village science fete by helping him remember the code to his workshop.

Another unusual attraction is AirHop Bristol, which is said to be the world’s biggest trampoline park.

The park is home to over 140 interconnected trampolines that span across the floor and up the walls on Main Court.

Other features include an obstacle course, battle beams and a giant air bag.

In Bristol, there’s also Wake the Tiger, which is said to be the world’s very first “amazement” attraction.

Wake the Tiger is an immersive experience that transports visitors to the imaginary world of Meridia.

The walk-through attraction features 27 unique art installations including strobe lighting, hidden portals and doorways, and rooms with moving parts.

Customers will be able to explore several spaces on their visit including the dream factory, the submarine room and the elder forest.

There are plenty of well-known attractions in Bristol too, including the Clifton Suspension Bridge and Brunel’s SS Great Britain – a museum ship that was designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel.

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Where should I eat in Bristol?

The trendy city certainly isn’t short on restaurants and pubs, with one little-known spot even being named one of the best pubs in the world by TripAdvisor.

Located on Shirehampton Road near Sea Mills, The Hideaway was given a Taveller’s Choice Award back in 2023.

The gong means the Bristol pub was ranked in the top 10 per cent of restaurants globally.

Visitors to the pub will be able to order a range of traditional bites, including steak, fish and chips, burgers and crispy calamari.

Last year, Bristol was also named the best city in the UK for a roast by Idealo.

Of the 135 roasters in the city, there was one that stood out among the others for its affordable average price and range of options.

Idealo said: “We found Caper and Cure to be the favourite among patrons as it achieved a 4.9 score — the highest score overall from our research.

“This eatery also has the third-most affordable roast, with an average price of £16 from its range. There is also slightly more variety at this pub, with two meat options and one vegetarian available.”

Bristol’s pubs aren’t just full of roast dinners however, with one boozer home to a load of cats.

The Bag of Nails has become more colloquially known as simply the “cat pub” because of its large number of feline residents, 14 to be exact.

“one of the finest surviving examples of an 18th century garden grotto” in Britain, Goldney Grotto in Bristol is set to be shown off to the public from April.

The city was also named the kindest city in the UK by GalaBingo, with the highest number of good deeds being undertaken by a person each year.

Meanwhile, an often-ridiculed city in the north of England has the cheapest beers in the country and it’s been named a top place to visit in 2024.

Here’s why the UK’s unlikely new ‘best city’ is my favourite weekend break – it has the friendliest people in the country.

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